My appalling ignorance of Scotland !

[oldrocker]

I don't know if I'm alone in this but, whilst I could have a stab at most places in England, Wales and, perhaps, even Ireland, when I hear places mentioned like Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Dumbarton etc, I don't think that I could, with any confidence, point to them on a map within 50 miles!

For example, at the age of 64, I was amazed to find tonight that Ayr is south of Glasgow !

[Tonysmedley]

In contrast, having lived and worked for long periods in England, Wales and Scotland, I have a fairly extensive knowledge of where most of the principal town and villages are.

Tony

[CaptainBazza]

Compass Rose

Ayr is south of Glasgow !
So north's not the way to go !
Nor east, nor west !
Yes, south's the best !
Am I going there? Heck no !

Algernon.

[gswindale]

Like Oldrocker - I have pretty much the same problem.

The weekend before the one just gone resulted in my first ever trip to Scotland.

I had no idea the Isle of Skye was as big as it is.

Prior to that the furthest north I'd ever been was to the outskirts of Middlesborough.

Just never made it that far North - holidays in Devon & Wales when younger and now making the most of travelling the world whilst it is still possible to do so.

In due course; I can see a few holidays back to the Highlands and the Lake District etc coming on as travelling outside the UK becomes outrageously expensive and travelling internally becomes so much more affordable.

[Tonysmedley]

Many English people think that they are in Scotland when they reach the border with England. They are, but it us still a long road to Glasgow or Edinburgh.
From Edinburgh to Inverness is no short distance, but you are still miles away from John o' Groats
From Berwick on Tweed to John o’Groats is about 340 miles, from Gretna about 360 miles
Tony

[dkightley]

I was amazed to find tonight that Ayr is south of Glasgow !

It depends which way up you hold the map!

[ianmacmillan]

Where is Wolverhampton anyway?

[dkightley]

On my map its in the middle of one of the holes where two creases cross and the paper has worn away with age!






Think I'm going to find an oak tree to hide in....

[oldrocker]

Think I'm going to find an oak tree to hide in....

We've got one that should suit nicely!

Only one previous owner !

[gswindale]

Where is Wolverhampton anyway?

In the Black Country



(or at least that is what the signs used to say I seem to recall)


Not somewhere I'd particularly wish to go back to though!

[oldrocker]

Where is Wolverhampton anyway?

In the Black Country

[AlistairW]

Thats quite a strange point old rocker. I too feel I could have a good guess with English, Welsh and Irish towns yet would struggle with anything in Scotland that wasn't a major city.

Perhaps its tourism, we geneally travel south for our holidays but I've been to Scotland more times than Wales or Ireland put together. Perhaps its population, with 5m people in Scotland theres generally going to be more large towns/small cities than Wales. Also with Wales and Ireland a large bulk of the population lives within a few miles of the coast, whereas Scotland has a considerable number living in the central belt etc.

Or maybe its the shortage of preserved steam railways?

Ali

[scampispeedway]

Hi everyone, my first long car trip this year will be up to John O' Groats and then over to Ullapool before going south to Oban and then back to the Toon via Glasgow.
I shocked Ian MacMillan in knowing exactly where he lives by pointing out I had been through his town many times on the way to Glasgow to see the speedway matches at Coatbridge, Blantyre, Shawfield and Ashfield.
The other year I travelled up in the Train to Inverness before going on to the Kyle Of Lochalsh and then up to Wick, I was always impressed with the scenery no matter where I went and that is why I want to go again to see places I haven't been before.
Inverness was the furthest north I had travelled before in the car with my late father and we then travelled down Loch Ness to Glasgow where he met up with his old R.A.F. War time skipper.

Bob

[oldrocker]

The second of my few trips to Scotland was to watch Cradley Heathens v Glasgow in the Inter League Cup back in the early 80s I think.

Of course we won and I remember Bruce Penhall signing autographs and chatting to the supporters until he had met every one of them !

Happy days with The Heathens !

'Ommer Um Creardly!'

[scampispeedway]

Hi Oldrocker, Glasgow were riding at Hampden Park when I went in 1979 to support the Newcastle Diamonds.
A stadium used to many 10's of thousands not the one or two back then to watch speedway, with no atmosphere in
such a large arena no wonder it failed after a while.
I think that Glasgow's first division licence was sold to Hull as we eventually got ex Glasgow rider Bobby Beaton when they closed down in 1981, I remember seeing Bobby when he was just starting out in the Glasgow Team in 1979.

Bob