strɑˈveɡ stravaig: (verb) to wander aimlessly; (noun) an instance of such wandering Not all who wander are lost J.R.R. Tolkien “The Riddle Of Strider” (1954) This Scots word has been on my “to do” list for a while, linking back as it does to my recent post about useful Scottish words, and farther back to … Continue reading Stravaig
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Glen Doll: White Water Circuit
Tom Buidhe (NO 214787, 957m)Tolmount (NO 210800, 958m)Crow Craigies (NO 221798, 920m) 21 kilometres910 metres of ascent These three rounded summits form a horseshoe around the headwaters of the White Water, which flows down Glen Doll to join the South Esk in Glen Clova. I’ve visited them all before, but never linked them up into … Continue reading Glen Doll: White Water Circuit
James White: Four Novels
I usually respond well to editorial criticism, and I invariably take notice of a constructive review. Generally speaking, however, those people who like my stories show great sensitivity and intelligence—those who don’t, don’t. James White, quoted by Graham Andrews James White was a Northern Irish science fiction author, who deserves to be better known than … Continue reading James White: Four Novels
Revell 1/72 Supermarine Walrus: Whale-Spotting in the Southern Ocean – Part 1
This the old Matchbox kit, reissued by Revell. I’m using it as a basis for a model of an unusual Walrus—one of two that were carried by the S.S. Balaena factory ship during the whaling season of 1946-7. Named “Boojum” and “Snark”, these yellow-painted aircraft could be catapult-launched, or lowered into the sea for a … Continue reading Revell 1/72 Supermarine Walrus: Whale-Spotting in the Southern Ocean – Part 1
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Five Useful Scottish Words
Scotland is a picturesque country where the people are friendly yet completely incomprehensible. Adam Schlesinger Setting aside Scots accents, which most people manage to tune into after fairly short exposure, it’s the vocabulary of Scottish English which is the main source of incomprehension for visitors. Some Scots words are easily translated: to swither is to … Continue reading Five Useful Scottish Words
Ben Vrackie From The West
Ben Vrackie (NN 950632, 841m)Meall na h-Aodainn Moire (NN 941622, 633m) 14 kilometres900 metres of ascent This one is much less eccentric than most of my “familiar hills from an unusual direction” reports—the route to Vrackie from the west is well-documented, but considerably less-travelled than the tourist route from the south. There’s even the potential … Continue reading Ben Vrackie From The West
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Jack Williamson: The “Seetee” Novels
Jack Williamson, one of several writers to rejoice under the informal title of “Dean of Science Fiction”, was born in 1908 in what was then Arizona Territory, and amazingly published works in the fantasy and science fiction genres over a span of nine decades, from the 1920s to the 2000s.
Revell 1/72 Junkers F13W: Two Builds – Part 4
At the end of my previous post, I’d got my two Junkers models as far along as I cared to take them before applying decals. And, after two months in some sort of Covid-plus-Brexit-induced postal limbo, my decals from Mika at Arctic Decals finally arrived. These featured the typographically correct letter “N” for LN-ABH, as … Continue reading Revell 1/72 Junkers F13W: Two Builds – Part 4
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Why Does The Illuminated Side Of The Moon Sometimes Not Point At The Sun?
I took the above panoramic view, spanning something like 120 degrees, in a local park towards the end of last year. The sun was almost on the horizon to the southwest, at right of frame. The moon was well risen in the southeast, framed by the little red box in the image above. After taking … Continue reading Why Does The Illuminated Side Of The Moon Sometimes Not Point At The Sun?
Glen Doll – Glen Clova Circuit
Cairn Lunkard (NO 232781, 863m)Craigs of Loch Esk (NO 237786, 851m) 17 kilometres790 metres of ascent This is a classic circular route over the plateau between Glen Doll and upper Glen Clova, but it’s been fifty years since I last walked it. I was put in mind of doing it again during my recent trip … Continue reading Glen Doll – Glen Clova Circuit