The George Lite Zone

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!
Aboon them a’ yet tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’a grace
As lang’s my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin was help to mend a mill
In time o’need,
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin’, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an’ strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit! hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad make her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckles as wither’d rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash;
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ blody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll mak it whissle;
An’ legs an’ arms, an’ hands will sned,
Like taps o’ trissle.

Ye Pow’rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer
Gie her a haggis!

See Greasy Truckers Party Food for recipes.

Blogged with Flock

This list was taken from Peter Irvine’s Scotland Is The Place website. Peter writes Scotland The Best, probably the best guide to the country. When I get around to visiting them I’ll add some posts to this blog with pictures and comments.

Roslin Glen - Edinburgh

Spiritual, historical, enchanting (and now very famous because of Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’), with the chapel, a ruined castle and woodland walks along the River Esk.

From Edinburgh follow the A701 from Mayfield or Newington (or bypass, turn off at Penicuik, A720 then fork left on A701 to Roslin). There is some parking at the chapel, 500 metres from the corner of Main Street and Manse Road, or you can follow the B7003 to Rosewell (also marked Rosslynlee Hospital) and 1 kilometre from the village the main car park is to the left.

Yellowcraigs - East Lothian

Perfect for a windy beach walk in the New Year is Edinburgh’s nearest decent beach.

Follow the A1 or the bypass, then A198 coast road. Turn left the other side of Dirleton for 2 kilometres then park and walk 100 metres across the links to fairly clean strand and sea.

Gullane Bents, a sweep of beach, is nearby and can be reached from the village main street. It connects westwards with Aberlady Reserve.

Mugdock Country Park - Glasgow

One of Glasgow’s nearest and easiest escapes. The park which includes Mugdock Woods and two castles is north west of Milngavie.

The regular train from Queen Street station takes 20 minutes. Follow the route of the West Highland Way for 4 kilometres across Drumclog Moor to the south edge of the park.

By car to Milngavie by the A81 the park is 5 kilometres north and well sign posted. There are five car parks. The main one includes the Craigend Visitor Centre (open from 9am to 9pm), the Stables Tearoom (open 10am to 5pm every day), discovery room and theatre.

Many trails are marked out and further afield rambles. This is a godsend between Glasgow and the Highland hills.

Plodda Falls- Near Tomich near Drumnadrochit

Take the A831 from Loch Ness to Cannich (20 kilometres), and then 7 kilometres to Tomich, a further 5 kilometres up mainly woodland track leads to a car park. Walking 200 metres down through woods of Scots Pine and ancient Douglas firs leads to one of the most enchanting woodland sites in Britain, including a Victorian iron bridge over the brink of the 150 metre fall into the churning river below.

The dawn chorus here must be amazing. In winter it freezes into a winter wonderland (ice climbers from Inverness take advantage). There is a good hotel in the village.

Landmark Centre - Carrbridge

A purpose-built tourist centre with audiovisual displays and a great deal of shopping, it’s great for kids who can mess about in the woods on slides, in a ‘maze’ and the large adventure playground, Microworld or (especially squealy) the Wildwater Coaster.

The tower may be too much for Granny but there are fine forest views. Open all year round, seven days till 5pm in winter.