The March of Time

Charlie ConnellyHello there, historical walking person. Most likely you've arrived here for two reasons. One, you're a church organist looking for the chords to Jerusalem, or two, you've been persuaded and cajoled by my book And Did Those Feet: Walking Through 2000 Years of British and Irish History to find out more about the routes I took.

Alas I can't help much with the former, unless you want the ukulele chords, but if it's the latter then, goshdarn and dagnabbit, you're in the right place.

You'll find details of all the routes I took and most of the places I stayed (the ones I can remember), as well as the OS maps you'll need to make the same journeys. If they're not here by the time you read this, then fear not, they're imminent.

If you're not here because of the book and you're not a church organist, you might well be interested in buying it to see what the fuss is all about. You can do that here. It's a great read, you're all in it, and I suffered selflessly so you don't have to. But you can, and it's something this site hopes to facilitate.

Pip pip for now.

Charlie

Wednesday 28 January 2009

Mary, Queen of Scots, Escapes From Loch Leven, 1568


Loch Leven - Edinburgh - Glasgow - Dumfries - Kircudbright

OS Landranger maps: 58, 66, 65, 64, 71, 78, 77, 84

A fairly straightforward walk this one, taking in Scotland's two big cities before a long schlep south west to the coast.

For Loch Leven I based myself in Edinburgh, at the Premier Inn Lauriston Place . I can't remember where I stayed in between Edinburgh and Glasgow - I can't even remember which town it was - but in Glasgow it was back to the Premier Inns, this time just off George's Square.

I think I was so used to walking now, that I barely remember the journey south, other than the encounter with old Jim in Sanquhar. I must have been flying along. I paused for breath, and strong drink, in Dumfries but don't remember the name of the B&B I stayed in. In Kircudbright I stayed in the Selkirk Arms, which I thought was expensive for the kind of place it was, but the staff were friendly and hospitable and it is the place where Robert Burns wrote the Selkirk Grace.
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