Linlithgow Palace

Monday morning, blue skies. Shall I go swimming... or... shall I go somewhere...

I'd been reading about the fashion show at Linlithgow Palace, being such a follower of fashion myself, (and if you believe that, you'll believe anything). I knew it would be a dramatic venue for such a show of wintery tweedy layers (and more layers) of clothes. And indeed it snowed on the night. And anyway, I haven't been there for many years. And it's Historic Scotland, so I need to get my money's worth.

Only took an hour on the bus, but half of that was just the 4 miles to the outskirts of Edinburgh, round and doubling back round various roads not meant for buses.

Linlithgow Palace itself is in a fantastic setting, on a hill beside the loch. Birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, of course. The roof of the castle has long gone, but there's lots to explore. I kept going up and up dark stairways to get to the top, and being met with a locked gate. The walkway for the fashion show is still there, they're in the process of removing everything.

I went down to the loch to look back up at the castle. The loch is lovely and full of bird life. I didn't have anything to tempt them near to me and even my 'pretend' throwing something didn't fool them. Huh! It fools the gulls at the duck pond.

There was so much going on there. There were two swans doing that lovey-dovey thing with their necks, but they were too far away. There was a cormorant sitting atop a tree on an island. I watched him for ages, reckoning that he had to take off some time. No. Not, that is, until I was safely back up fiddling with my tripod.

I'd be setting up the tripod, and look around and see a swan coming across the loch towards me, so I'd just chuck down the tripod and run (I use the term loosely) down to the edge of the loch. It would invariably change its mind and veer off.

I honestly ran up and down several times, missing out every time. I missed out on the cormorant swooping long and low just above the water (reflections!) and a couple of swans with just their bottoms up.

I really need to return with suitable bird food, and ignore the palace.

Had a nice ride through the countryside there and back. Mostly just me and the driver. But on the way back there were some yoofs. I was up near the back and they were just behind me. They were playing music muzak on their mobile phone, so that they all could hear. Fortunately, I had my iPod on, and so it only disturbed me between tracks. But had I not had my iPod, I would have had to have said something to them. (I wouldn't like to translate that into French, with all those tenses). In fact, I noticed, after they got off, a poster on the bus to that effect.

Who knows what journal I would have been writing tonight if I hadn't had my iPod and had pointed out the poster to the yoofs. I may have had to back blip this one!