Waaay OT - Walking in Scotland

Hello -
I tried to post this earlier, but it vanished, so I may have posted a
partial. Sorry if that went through.

I've been here a long time, but almost always as a lurker. I signed
TDB on its first visit to Houston, did a row swap with Rowena and Mim
and some other folks who don't post anymore, and still read RCTQ every
day. So, when I had an off-the-wall question with international
import, who do I turn to? Yep - you got it.

Anyway - my darling daughter is traveling to England and Scotland in
mid-August. She is travelling alone, and plans to walk between
Edinburgh and Glasgow along the canal paths. Background - she is a
capable, independent woman, and usually has good sense about personal
safety and such. This trip is a way of celelbrating her fifth year of
living with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Her cardiologist raised
his eyebrow, but just cautioned "common sense, rest when you're tired,
take a train if you need to".

My question to my internet friends - what are the issues that she may
have overlooked? How are the paths for safety and trafic? Are there
other people around, pubs/villages, etc. I can't ask her these
questions without seeming like a worry-wart (which I am) . Anyway -
any reassurance, advice, tranquilizers?
Thanks -
Rosalie

I live in a very canal popular area (though it isn't Scotland).
The towpaths (paths along the canal that used to be used by the heavy
horses pulling the long narrow boats) are pedestrian only. So no
problems with traffic.
Even in the cities, traffic is well regulated and sidewalks will be
everywhere (beware, they are often called 'pavements'). She might get
called upon by a person in a boat to help with lock gates. If she has a
heart problem, she should decline - those things are heavy.
I presume she will travel to Scotland by train if she lands at one of
the London Airports? Or she might be flying to Glasgow? The
long-distance trains will be lovely.

There are usual pubs close to tow paths, the boat people use them a lot.
There are resident boat people and holiday-maker boat people. It should
be an interesting walk for her. The pubs would not be close together,
and there may not be many houses along the way. She will have to plan
her route to go between one village and another during the day. I don't
think anyone would walk after dark along a canal - too much danger of
slipping and falling in. It will be getting dark about 9 I'd say in
Scotland at that time of year.

The people around will most be on the boats on the canal, or moored.
Even moving they go slower than walking pace, so she would be able to
chat and walk alongside.

Sorry I can't give you any detailed information. I prefer Edinburgh,
but I understand Glasgow has changed a lot since I went there last and
is not quite a 'cool' place to be around. Just in case your worry
really gets to you - they both have excellent hospitals.

Jo in Scotland will be able to help you more, if she pops in and sees
your post.

All the best to you and your daughter.
..
In message
,
Round Rocker writes
Hello -
I tried to post this earlier, but it vanished, so I may have posted a
partial. Sorry if that went through.

I've been here a long time, but almost always as a lurker. I signed
TDB on its first visit to Houston, did a row swap with Rowena and Mim
and some other folks who don't post anymore, and still read RCTQ every
day. So, when I had an off-the-wall question with international
import, who do I turn to? Yep - you got it.

Anyway - my darling daughter is traveling to England and Scotland in
mid-August. She is travelling alone, and plans to walk between
Edinburgh and Glasgow along the canal paths. Background - she is a
capable, independent woman, and usually has good sense about personal
safety and such. This trip is a way of celelbrating her fifth year of
living with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Her cardiologist raised
his eyebrow, but just cautioned "common sense, rest when you're tired,
take a train if you need to".

My question to my internet friends - what are the issues that she may
have overlooked? How are the paths for safety and trafic? Are there
other people around, pubs/villages, etc. I can't ask her these
questions without seeming like a worry-wart (which I am) . Anyway -
any reassurance, advice, tranquilizers?
Thanks -
Rosalie

--
Best Regards
Pat on the Green

On 29/07/2010 22:11, Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:
Anyway - my darling daughter is traveling to England and Scotland in
mid-August. She is travelling alone, and plans to walk between
Edinburgh and Glasgow along the canal paths. Background - she is a
capable, independent woman, and usually has good sense about personal
safety and such. This trip is a way of celebrating her fifth year of
living with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Her cardiologist raised
his eyebrow, but just cautioned "common sense, rest when you're tired,
take a train if you need to".

There aren't a lot of points where she can switch to public transport;
Linlithgow and Falkirk for the train, but the bus service in that part
of Scotland isn't great, and she'd have problems finding the right stop
and a timetable if she came off the canal path at some random spot.

But it's a contour canal so it's flat. The path is reasonably good.
There are people using it all the way (joggers, cyclists, dog walkers).
With a mobile phone that works in the UK and either a GPS doohickey or
the appropriate maps (three OS Landranger 1:50000 ones will do it) there
shouldn't be much problem.

There aren't many pubs, shops or restaurants along the route, so she'll
need to carry some food and water.

A wander along it via Google Earth will tell you more, though it's not
high-res enough to show the dog****.

And at this time of year it's wise to book Bed & Breakfast stops ahead
for a day or two at least.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

On 29/07/2010 21:19, Round Rocker wrote:
Hello -
I tried to post this earlier, but it vanished, so I may have posted a
partial. Sorry if that went through.

I've been here a long time, but almost always as a lurker. I signed
TDB on its first visit to Houston, did a row swap with Rowena and Mim
and some other folks who don't post anymore, and still read RCTQ every
day. So, when I had an off-the-wall question with international
import, who do I turn to? Yep - you got it.

Anyway - my darling daughter is traveling to England and Scotland in
mid-August. She is travelling alone, and plans to walk between
Edinburgh and Glasgow along the canal paths. Background - she is a
capable, independent woman, and usually has good sense about personal
safety and such. This trip is a way of celelbrating her fifth year of
living with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Her cardiologist raised
his eyebrow, but just cautioned "common sense, rest when you're tired,
take a train if you need to".

My question to my internet friends - what are the issues that she may
have overlooked? How are the paths for safety and trafic? Are there
other people around, pubs/villages, etc. I can't ask her these
questions without seeming like a worry-wart (which I am) . Anyway -
any reassurance, advice, tranquilizers?
Thanks -
Rosalie


Hiya,

I'm no expert, but what I would recommend would be to get some maps like
Jack suggested. Then consider how far she can walk in one day without
getting overtired. 5 miles? 10 miles? Be realistic and consider that
it will probably rain at some point during the day, which is less fun to
walk in. It might not, but it probably will, it is Scotland after all.

After figuring out how much she can walk in each day, it would be wise
to book a Bed & Breakfast (let's say 10 miles) at each 10 mile stretch
she wants to see. She needn't do the entire thing if you see what I
mean, she could find several 10-mile stretches that go past interesting
places (historical or natural) and just concentrate on those. Perhaps
she could pick a nice 20-mile stretch that has good train links in the
beginning and end, and a village or town with a Bed & Breakfast booking
in the middle.

The thing that worries me isn't the personal safety or the
transportation (though those are important considerations) as much as
the lack of planning. The schools are all on holiday, and it is tourist
season here in Scotland, and there is no guarantee that if she shows up
in a nice village at the end of the day there will be anywhere for her
to sleep, if you see what I mean. I'm sure she could get something to
eat at a pub, but I think accomodation might be the tricky bit. We
drove across Canada when I was 16, and had figured out how far we would
be able to drive each day, and had booked a hotel in that city for the
night. I can't imagine just walking or just driving and hoping for the
best.....



-- Jo in Scotland

SO sorry - I mean Glasgow is NOW a cool place, typo for 'not' to appear.
..
In message , Pat S
writes
I live in a very canal popular area (though it isn't Scotland).
The towpaths (paths along the canal that used to be used by the heavy
horses pulling the long narrow boats) are pedestrian only. So no
problems with traffic.
Even in the cities, traffic is well regulated and sidewalks will be
everywhere (beware, they are often called 'pavements'). She might get
called upon by a person in a boat to help with lock gates. If she has
a heart problem, she should decline - those things are heavy.
I presume she will travel to Scotland by train if she lands at one of
the London Airports? Or she might be flying to Glasgow? The
long-distance trains will be lovely.

There are usual pubs close to tow paths, the boat people use them a
lot. There are resident boat people and holiday-maker boat people. It
should be an interesting walk for her. The pubs would not be close
together, and there may not be many houses along the way. She will
have to plan her route to go between one village and another during the
day. I don't think anyone would walk after dark along a canal - too
much danger of slipping and falling in. It will be getting dark about
9 I'd say in Scotland at that time of year.

The people around will most be on the boats on the canal, or moored.
Even moving they go slower than walking pace, so she would be able to
chat and walk alongside.

Sorry I can't give you any detailed information. I prefer Edinburgh,
but I understand Glasgow has changed a lot since I went there last and
is not quite a 'cool' place to be around. Just in case your worry
really gets to you - they both have excellent hospitals.

Jo in Scotland will be able to help you more, if she pops in and sees
your post.

All the best to you and your daughter.
.
In message
,
Round Rocker writes
Hello -
I tried to post this earlier, but it vanished, so I may have posted a
partial. Sorry if that went through.

I've been here a long time, but almost always as a lurker. I signed
TDB on its first visit to Houston, did a row swap with Rowena and Mim
and some other folks who don't post anymore, and still read RCTQ every
day. So, when I had an off-the-wall question with international
import, who do I turn to? Yep - you got it.

Anyway - my darling daughter is traveling to England and Scotland in
mid-August. She is travelling alone, and plans to walk between
Edinburgh and Glasgow along the canal paths. Background - she is a
capable, independent woman, and usually has good sense about personal
safety and such. This trip is a way of celelbrating her fifth year of
living with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Her cardiologist raised
his eyebrow, but just cautioned "common sense, rest when you're tired,
take a train if you need to".

My question to my internet friends - what are the issues that she may
have overlooked? How are the paths for safety and trafic? Are there
other people around, pubs/villages, etc. I can't ask her these
questions without seeming like a worry-wart (which I am) . Anyway -
any reassurance, advice, tranquilizers?
Thanks -
Rosalie


--
Best Regards
Pat on the Green

-
e *m *a *i *l * *: * *j *a *c *k * @ * c *a *m *p *i *n * . * m *e * . * u
*k
Jack Campin, *11 Third Street, *Newtongrange, *Midlothian EH22 4PU,
*Scotland
mobile: 07800 739 557 * * *http://www.campin.me.uk * * *Twitter:
JackCampin

Thanks for the great advice from all. I was probably not as clear as I
could have been.

Kate has indeed made confirmed reservations all along the way. Her
plan is get her SIM card in London at the train station, so she will
be communicado at all times. She's waited up at night until the
bargain sleeper car fare from London to Edinburgh was posted so she
could save on a hotel at each end.

The things that a website can't or doesn't tell you, like Jack's
advice that the bus system is not great in that area, are invaluable
pieces of information. She is planning for damp and chilly (by Texas
standards).

Thanks to all, so far, and any other info is appreciated./
Rosalie


.

Hi,
Marion, Jack's partner here
for details of buses, and connections and trains use the following
website, the travel planer on it works well,
http://www.travelinescotland.com

There is also a train station at Polmont between Linlithgow and Falkirk,
and a needlework shop , a fabric shop with quilt fabrics and a quilt
shop in linlithgow, the higest denisity in any scottish town, and a
palace as well.

THe Canal culture here is rather different from England and Wales as we
only have this one canal and a couple of "shortcuts between bits of sea"
so their isn't the pub/ cafe culture next to the canal, but it is away
from it in villages and towns, some of which don,t see a lot of
tourists, partly as the canal was not navigable end to end for about 60
yrs till restored about 10 yrs ago.
I have walked some lengths and it was good, Edinburgh to Kingskowe is
good (and train back to edinburgh is a possibility. In Linlithgow there
are boat trips, so she may be able to ride a couple of miles, same at
Ratho, where there is a narrowboat adapted to carry the disabled.
several floating Resteraunts on this stretch to edinburgh as well.