wandering architects
opening Friday 24 July, 6-8 pm
then open Saturday 25, Sunday 26 July and Saturday 1 August 12 – 5 pm.
please note our location for the exhibition:
Flat 3/1, 9 Grantley Gardens, Shawlands, G41 3PY.
nearest train station Pollokshaws East. (5 and 35 mins past hour from Glasgow Central)
We spent four days exploring the Banff coast east of Inverness in our first proper adventure with Oswald. Claire joined us too so we got to test the upstairs bed!
The first day was spent getting Oswald over the Glenshee pass. Having stopped for a delightful lunch at the very prim and proper Dunkeld we had our first mechanical breakdown (an anti-roll bar) which a proper old school mechanic assured us was ok for the rest of the weekend. We struck more trouble when we went to pick up Claire off the train with the only road through being closed due to a collision between a police car and an ambulance!
We were wild camping over the weekend so spent a fair bit of time scouring for campsites and then looking for somewhere to shower the following day, but it was much more fun that being stuck in the fairly nasty caravan parks that characterise the Scottish countryside.
We reached the coast at Findhorn and had some great seafood in the village before checking out the hippies at the Findhorn Foundation. We then tootled east looking for a place to camp via a series of picturesque villages. We ended up in an isolated car park on the outskirts of Lossiemouth, with the benefits of the facilities at the yacht club nearby. After a sunset dinner we briefly visited the local bar before retiring in the face of a scary metal band at full volume. Our sense of isolation was broken at about 6 am by a steady trickle of golfers arriving for an early morning round so that by the time we were up we were completely surrounded!
East of Lossimouth the scenery became even more spectacular with tiny fishing villages clinging to precipitously to the base of steep cliffs. Partiuclar favourites were Portsoy with fantanstic old warehouses by the harbour, the incredibly tiny Crovie where the space at the base of the cliffs is only just wide enough for the smattering of houses and can only be accessed by foot, and our finishing point Pennan the star of 80’s scottish classic Local Hero.
Our first test of Oswald’s camping abilities was successful if a little disorganized. Taking off after work on a Friday without proper preparation was our first mistake, as was not practicing our packing – we spent a large proportion of the weekend rifling through the cupboards for the thing we needed for that particular Oswald transformation.
We were headed to the Borders region in Scotland’s south east. We had never been past Edinburgh before, except taking in the fantastic coastal views from the (about to be nationalised) East Coast Mainline but had heard some great recommendations for the region.
On the Friday night we made it as far as St Abbs, descending into the misty harbour to wild camp after a late dinner at the pub in Coldringham at the top of the cliffs that line this coast. As it is a diving centre there were even free showers – a deluxe setup for wild capervan camping.
Come Saturday morning with an early start to clear camp the mist was still thick as we picked out way along the coast through little harbour towns. We made it to the border at Berwick on Tweed for breakfast. Having already skipped through the coastal areas of the Borders we decided to push down into England to Holy Island.
Reachable by a causeway only at low tide the mist was still thick as we ventured across creating a spooky impression with water lapping at each side of the road and the occasional sand dune looming out of the fog. By the time we had wandered about the island, with its intriguing ‘boat’ houses and visited the amazingly situated Lindesfarne Castle (renovated by Lutyens into a beautiful summerhouse) the fog had finally lifted revealing the beauty of the island.
After a farm shop lunch and a little cruise along the Northumberland coast we made a quick dash to the incredible Cragside House (to make the most out of our newly purchased National Trust membership). Although we arrived too late to get into the house itself the grounds were impressive enough!
On the Sunday we pottered back into the Borders this time through the inland route passing through picturesque towns such as Coldstream, Kelso and Melrose. A quick stop in the sprawling Galshiels to check out the quirky (listed) modernist football stadium, before a long lunch and exploration of the delightful Peebles rounded off our trip.
The final installment of our week of music involved New Zealand’s antecedent to the Flight of the Conchords – Die Die Die. The last time we saw them they were playing the car park at our favourite Brisvegan coffee shop – Jamie’s.They looked a little older but their jeans were still as tight.
Support was intense drone music by Holy Mountain which drove us back upstairs followed by some straight up fairly dull hardcore, from a band who’s name escapes me.
Die Die Die took to the stage (well patch of floor as it is is at the Captain’s Rest) with total mentalness, intense feedback drenched walls of punk noise. They kept this up for the next fourty minutes to leave me ears just about bleeding. The twenty or so punters scattered about the room seemed unsure of what to make of these crazy kiwis, but they certainly won’t forget them in a hurry.
In a gigtastic week way back in may we sidled down the road to the basement of Oran Mor to sample the amazing indie electro noise of Canadians Holy Fuck.
After the support act It Hugs Back – presented their throwback to nineties grunge complete with checked shirts and long hair Holy Fuckenergied the crowd and got the whole room pumping.
With theur Presetsesque dancing along, effortless switching of obscure vintage elctro gear with each track and brilliant back lighting it was a great gig all round – even if we were only drinking orange juice and were home by 11 pm (being a monday night and all).
Our first test of Oswald’s capabilities – although we didn’t camp in him. A quick run over to Stirling to pick up a kilt with Claire and then a leisurely scenic route back via Dunblane for one of Scotland’s best bacon rolls and a quick stop for a cup of tea (below)
We have made the somewhat suspect step of purchasing a 1980 vw campervan (via ebay of all places!)
It struggles to get above 50 mph – but is as close as a house as we have yet got with a cooker fridge and sink and space to sleep 4! Athough he is a bit rusty, and has many and varies squeaks and rattles he seems to run smoothly enough.
This should be the start of many exploratory journeys across Scotland and Europe to come (not to mention heartache and a steep mechanical learning curve), so should you be in the area sign up for a trip!
We finally made a quick day trip to the world heritage site New Lanark last month. Nestled on a bend of the River Clyde it is an impressive former mill complex that was socially progressive for its time, including child care and adult education classes. It now represents an interesting case study for urban development in a natural setting.
We avoided the interpretive elements that fill some of the existing buildings (what is the internet for after all) to instead focus on the beautiful walk to the Falls of Clyde (above), via nesting peregrines.
On the recommendation of one of our GFC relocated London based friends we caught the south african indie noise dub quartet blk jks at the Captain’s Rest
Personally I found their music less eclectic and diverse than I was anticipating – the gig seemed comprised of a series of discrete elements, with less connection between the dub and noise elements even within the one track.
That being said their stage presence and effortless cool made for a great atmosphere and a couple of the tracks were praticularly evocative and impressive – even if I’m not so sure that producing middle class indie rock artists is the finest accomplishment of South Africa’s rejuvenation.
We had a lovely day last month at Troon – the delightful haunt of the Glasgow well to do and all things golf on the Ayrshire coast. Chhay had recovered from her recent skin irritation, the sun was out and we had a cheeky mid week day off. Our focus was lunch at the pointy end of our favourite fishmonger – MacCallums of Troon.
Their Oyster Bar and Wee Hurrie are located right out at the end of the still busy working harbour and marina so we had worked up an appetite by the time we arrived. Sttled into the slightly posher oyster bar resplendent with America’s Cup memorabilia we were served fantastic oysters, fresh fish and a slightly overcooked lobster in a very convival atmosphere.
Once sated we wandered back along the foreshore, before popping into the well stocked charity shops that populate the main street where I picked up the design classic Olivetti Lettera 22 portable typewriter (see above) for the princely sum of £4.50. Look out for more old skool posts from me now!