Joe & Gillian are back......

....from a bit of travelling.

BunnyHare...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Sandra is a good tour guide.
When I met her we only had a short while there but she took us to a good
place for a drink (not alcoholic) and gave us some tips about places to
go.

JoeH...

Yes we got the full "treatment" too including the non alcoholic drink
although I did sneak one ot to beers later. :))

Scarborough sounds nice. Haven't been there since I was about 10 years
old and that must be at least a couple of years ago:-)

JoeH...

LOL - it's a fine place for "hill climbers" but some of the walking can be
a bit steep - the cliff railways could get some use.

Flyiñg Ñuñ 2°°6 +...

That brings the memories flying back.

BunnyHare...

I'd be wanting to ride on that all day :-))

So glad you enjoyed your trip

JoeH...

Some photos for you, all taken during the trip to Arran and all greatly
compressed for bandwidth reasons (mainly mine).

Rabbit...

Oh I enjoyed those, ta. I haven't been there for about 25 years ;-)

Pam the goose...

Great!!

Now next time we're up there we really *will* have to go over to Arran:)

JoeH...

Smokey...

Love the pano Joe, thanks

Foxy at w*rk...

Ta Joe. They were lovely

The trip to Arran is 50 minutes each way and when we went (yesterday) it
was like gliding on a mill pond. Cost was £8.55 each return and £1 car
parking at Ardrossan (it too expensive to take the car across)

Go for it.

Thanks, Joe, they're lovely.

noreen...

Pam the goose...

Glad to see you've made it home:)

JoeH...

Thanks Pam.

That S.Whittlieburn Farm is great, isn't it? And the local Tour Guide
(Sandra!) does a wonderful job.

Foxy at w*rk...

I did :-) and he thinks it's a great idea, we just now have to get some time
off together. Dave has 2 weeks in August holiday but I couldn't get the same

Rabbit...

Couldn't you just get a few days of Dave's two weeks off ? Mind you
September is usually nice here.

2 weeks Grrrr

JoeH...

Lovely place and not even a mobile phone can break the silence ;-)

Pam the goose...

We've watched them build that lovely cemetery over the past few years -
that's the first place you can stop and get a phone signal!!

JoeH...

Yes *our tour guide* told us about that and, of course, was right.

My phone actually rang last night, it was my daughter, but we couldn't have
a conversation :-(

Strange how that part of the world recalls visitors, isn't it? There's
always something else left to see or do:)

JoeH...

Two and a half days was not enough - we will be back.

Pressies? Ah, well, my choice would be one of those lovely Arran Aromatics,
ta much:)

JoeH...

Very smelly they are too, in a nice sort of way.

Saturday to Monday we spent in Scarborough - the weather was fabulous apart

frogman...

Humph, and you never thought to look up the most popular frog in town
whilst you were here :-(((

JoeH...

We were sitting with Sandra in Largs the other day, talking about people in
the group when we realised that we'd missed that very opportunity - sorry
Froggy next time maybe (although we did so much walking around in
Scarborough last weekend that we must have passed you at least once LOL)

frogman...

Hmmmm, ok I will forgive you this time ;-)

JoeH...

That's a relief ;-)

I'll give you a shout next time - promise.

frogman...

Yes you make sure you do :-)

from a sharp thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon (and even that was not
*too* unwelcome). Did lots of walking up and down the steep streets, from
Castle to North bay to town to seafront to South Cliff & Spa etc etc.

Tyke...

Glad you enjoyed it so much.

Nice of Sandra to act as tour guide :-)

Rabbit...

And I do it for free too ;-)

David C...

I should hope so to.....

Next time you're in Tyneside I'm sure that Mr. & Mrs. H wiill return
the favour!

Tyke...

What a kind hostess you are.

Jackie...

Welcome back JoeH and Gillian, That sounds like a lovely holiday you had and
be sure not to lose that B&B address.
So now you have met Sandra, it is so nice to meet people you just send

Foxy at w*rk...

I can't Sandra as the MD has he same 2 weeks off, and there only being 3 of
us we cannot have the same time off. It's been most annoying actualy, as the
MD came back from his Christmas break and booked 4 lots of 2 weeks the first
day back, and the other Director booked another 3 weeks, not leaving me much
to choose from

messages to, no wonder my ears where burning when you were talking about us
all.

Came home and spent Monday night here before setting off North West to

Rabbit...

OI!!!! Thems good notes them are, pretty piccies on them too :-P

Largs in Ayrshire.

We stayed two nights in the B&B on South Whittlieburn Farm five minutes NE
out of Largs. *What a fabulous place* - so clean and well appointed, we
will *definitely* stay there again. The landlady Mary and hubby Tom are
lovely people and did everything they could to make our stay very
enjoyable.

Breakfast at the B&B was something to behold, starting with a bowl of fresh
fruit (two types of melon, kiwi fruit, strawberries, grapefruit, oranges,
grapes and pineapple), followed by a choice of about ten different cereals
then a full cooked breakfast, Scotch pancakes, oatcakes and pastries. Oh
and toast and preserves too, all washed down with a pot (not cup or mug) of
tea or coffee. Far and away the best breakfast I have ever had in a hotel

Pam the goose...

Ray's phone rang once last Spring when we were there and he actually did
manage a conversation.
But it seems it was freak conditions, it has never done the same before nor
since. Usually we go to the cemetary and see what calls we've missed while
we've been at the farm:))

Foxy at w*rk...

?????? WHY the cemetry lol

Pam the goose...

Because that's the first place you can stop and get a signal on the road to
Largs!
Come to think of it, it's probably the *only* place you can stop:))

Foxy at w*rk...

Oh I see. I thought you had other connections lol

or B&B, in fact Gillian asked Mary if she could have a smaller cooked
breakfast on the second day ;-)

We met Sandra for a welcome cooling drink (not alcohol, honest) on Tuesday
and nattered (about all of you LOL) for a good couple of hours.

Wednesday Gillian and I went on the ferry to Isle of Arran where we visited
some of the islands touristy bits like the little cheese factory/shop, the
perfumery (Arran Aromatics) and of course, the brewery (hic) - pressies
from each of these places are in the corner, help yourself.

Had dinner in the evening with Sandra after an indepth tour of the town

Rabbit...

Half of that tour was featured in Still Game on Monday, if you want to catch
the repeat. Oh and I'd recommend you record it or you'll miss it 'cos the
whole continuity is out :-)

(all of fifteen minutes - Tour Guide vacancy closed - Sandra got the job
LOL), great stuff.

Oh and the weather wasn't too bad either ;-) We're just off to Asda for
some more factor 50 and an industrial sized aftersun lotion.

Thanks Sandra, it was great meeting you - we *will* be back.

Rabbit...

Ditto ;-)

Rabbit...

Oh you have to, you still had Scottish currency :-)

JoeH...

Nope, see my other post.

Rabbit...

I did, it's amazing how quickly you can go off people :-)

JoeH...

Woke this morning, rang son (payphone) to make sure he got up on time and
then sorted out the Scottish notes to pay the Scottish lady - nowt wrong
with that LOL

Rabbit...

Too late, you called it toy money :-P

Aries...

Welcome back Joe and Gillian - sounds like you had the most wonderful time.
I love the sound of that B and B at Largs and wouldn't mind staying there
myself. I would love to have the details sometime if you don't mind ?
Reply to address is valid TIA :)

JoeH...

Smokey...

Hi Joe, did you enjoy Saltcoats was it ?? Not too sure of that side of the
country, only been a couple of times

Oops I should have read this post first before I replied in the wrong
one...........lol.

Glad you enjoyed it

Hi Joe, did you enjoy Saltcoats was it ?? Not too sure of that side of the
country, only been a couple of times

Foxy at w*rk...

Sounds fantastic Joe.

And meeting up with Sandra too. I don't mind you talking abot me cos it
could only have been nice stuff lol

Now get that after sun rubbed in well

I got some beer from the pressies ta.

JoeH...

I got *extra* beer just in case. ;-))

You got mail - actually I'll post it here too, if it gets them extra
business then good luck to them (as long as it's not full when I want to
stay again)

Aries...

thanks so much Joe - saved :)

JoeH...

You won't regret staying there!!!

Aries...

I'm trying to persuade Tony to take an Scottish autumn jolly :)

Foxy at w*rk...

Looks lovely ans so cheap. We were paying £65+ in the Lakes and Dales

Rabbit...

They even have trains in the town so get yourselves there :-) Actually 'cos

Anita...

You certainly had a good holiday - foodwise too, nice to see you back
again :)

of where it is you are better with a car but it's only about a four hour

Foxy at w*rk...

And I am sure Westie would just love to give his new car a good run. I
"must" have words :-)

journey.

noreen...

What a great holiday you had Joe the B&B sounds a treat
I will have what ever is left I am not greedy;-))))