Scotland Folk Tour 2005

June 11-25 were the official dates for Ed Miller's Folksong Tour of Scotland, providing bus transportation, food and lodging for 39 delightful people.  We've never been on a  tour where nobody was ever late, most people joined in most of the time in singing choruses, and each of us was genuinely interested in making everyone feel welcome.  Add this to the delightful time we had before and after the tour with our Australian friend Toni Wood and her boyfriend Kevin who did a great job in adverse circumstances to show us the Scot's view of Gloscow (pronounced Glos-co) and you must believe we had a wonderful month of June amongst the heather and the sheep!

 

Vic & our Aussie/Scot Toni Wood at Ayr Reba and I had a grand time at the beach Reba, Toni, and Nadia McIsaac a delightful guide
An interesting piece of playground equipment Toni and Kevin Ed Miller shows us where we are going
Ed provided entertainment virtually every night.  Here is Karine Polwart, a young singer/songwriter. She only played trad that night Statue of Wellington in Edinburgh Edinburgh skyline.
Sir Walter Scott author of Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. I read Rob Roy on the trip--the Scots were impressed. Smallholm Tower, a Borders keep. The area was often in danger. Watch your footing--sheep have been here.

 

 Ed at a pub in Edinbugh 2 blocks from our hotel.
Meals were always edible, ample, and served HOT.  Salmon predominated.Most dinners were fish, meat, or vegetarian.  The fish was mostly salmon, while the beef was tough Angus beef. Reba the coalminer.  There has been no coalmining in Great Britain since 1995. Somber occasion?
Our trusty coach. Jack Beck talking about fishing villages of the East Neuk of Fife Tugs at rest.  Looks like Little Toot.
Pittenweem Harbor with Fife Bridge in background. Pictish sites in Angus The Angus  Folk Museum, showing old farming equipment and living conditions.
Even cloudy days can be beautiful Palm Trees in Scotland?  Yes, in Plockton iin the Central Highlands Typical main street in the highland villages
The Plockton Inn, a nice rural hotel A waterfall.  The terrain is extremely rugged, a product of massive glazers in the last ice age An old bridge.
   
Loch Ness