Exhibition 200 Train

The birth of the modern passenger railway can be traced back to 1825, with the opening of the Stockton & Darlington line in County Durham. Many events have been organised this year to commemorate the bi-centenary and I was determined to catch Inspiration - an exhibition train currently touring the UK (until March 2026). Curated in conjunction with the National Railway Museum, entry tickets are free although a timeslot must be booked in advance. The aim is to showcase ground-breaking railway firsts, along with science, engineering and cultural themes. Many exhibits are family-friendly and there is also a carriage dedicated to career prospects. The most convenient date for me was in Glasgow and I took a bus through on a Saturday morning and walked down to the Central Station.

The train was docked on a main platform and the engine was named Michael Portillo, after the former government minister who has carved out a successful post-political career presenting Great British Railway Journeys on the BBC. A total of 16 series has been completed. I waited in line until I could enter the first carriage and studied some of the landmark facts painted on the metalwork. The Channel Tunnel was completed in 1994. Onboard wi-fi arrived in 2003. Construction of HS2 began in 2020, although that's a thorny issue. I stepped into the rear coach and started shuffling my way forward. The exhibition was very busy and - as expected - many kids were present. My eye was drawn to a familiar photograph - Linlithgow Station in 1845, the oldest known Scottish railway image. I had seen another copy at a recent event within Stirling Castle. Railway themes run through popular fiction. Examples are Harry Potter, Thomas the Tank Engine, A Bear Called Paddington, Murder on the Orient Express and of course The Railway Children. All of these publications were successfully filmed. A direct freight link with China was established in 2017. It took 18 days to complete the journey of almost 7500 miles and the 34 containers passed through seven countries. The first railway to link two major cities was the double-track Liverpool & Manchester in 1830. It featured full timetabling, proper signalling and no horse-drawn traffic was permitted. The expanding network obviously changed the ability of people to move around the country beyond all recognition, but these new transport corridors were also used to carry telegraph and - later - telephone infrastructure, allowing information to be instantly relayed across the nation. Railway operations themselves have always taken advantage of new technology developments. Real-time train updates were introduced at principal stations in 1974. Of course, the railways changed the way clocks were set in Great Britain back in the 1840s. Running services across the land required synchronised timings, rather than each town or region being a few minutes out of kilter with the next. Huge armies of labourers constructed the network, wielding picks and shovels, although steam-powered machinery was also used. The pay was high, but living conditions were dire. As for healthy & safety protection, forget it. Women took on many railway roles during the world wars, but driving remained largely a male preserve. We had to wait until 1979 for a female to be appointed to a permanent position in the cab. Karen Harrison also rose through the ranks in the train drivers' union, ASLEF.

A whole carriage was devoted to potential railway careers. Glasgow Central tour guide Paul Lyons was present. He appeared many times on the BBC documentary series Inside Central Station, which depicts various aspects of life within Scotland's busiest rail interchange. Several seasons have been broadcast. I did the tour back in 2014, shortly after the launch. Still going strong, I can thoroughly recommend the experience. The nation's railway system has constantly evolved over the last two centuries. The severe cutbacks of the 1960s hit hard and many towns lost their station. A few lines have re-opened in recent years, notably the Borders route and the extension to Leven, in Fife. Global climate concerns certainly strengthen rail's hand and I'm sure we will see new projects come on stream. Politically speaking, the system is moving back towards a nationalised set-up. It's an ever-changing landscape and one that's eternally fascinating to me. I very much enjoyed the travelling exhibition. Other stops on the Scottish itinerary were Edinburgh Waverley, Aberdeen, Strathspey Heritage Railway (Aviemore) and the Scottish Railway Preservation Society operation at Bo'ness, West Lothian. It wasn't all train history today though. A heritage bus passed by as I emerged from the Central Station concourse. I enjoyed a couple of pints at the Crystal Palace Wetherspoons pub in Jamaica Street - the UK's oldest commercial building with a cast-iron façade, inspired by the legendary centrepiece of the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. The tall arched windows flood the interior of the former furniture showroom with natural light. Fopp music store is a few doors up. The company has half a dozen outlets around Britain and also stocks books and films. The resurgence in the vinyl market and the general stubbornness of physical media has led to an upturn in fortunes for the chain, that once boasted over 100 shops. The place was buzzing and even had a doorman welcoming customers. A nice bit of old school!

Germany 2025

One year on from our last foray to the Fatherland, we were on a plane to Berlin, en route to the Uckermark region where my mother-in-law Bärbel lives. As our flight wasn't due to land until early evening, we arranged to stay the night at Nicole's cousin's place on the outskirts of the capital city. The flight ran to schedule and we left our car at a large parking facility just off the M8. A shuttle bus took us to the terminal building. Two hours later, Madeleine picked us up at Berlin Airport and we had a good night's sleep, although Tofi the cat did pay us a visit in the middle of the night. What a perfect start to our holiday!

The next day, we ate a vegan breakfast and took the suburban train (S-Bahn) from Adlershof into the city centre. The main station (Hauptbahnhof) has several retail floors and was opened in 2006. We encountered one of the Berlin Buddy Bears - colourful life sized fibreglass artworks that symbolise tolerance and understanding. Around 500 examples are dotted around the city. Trains of all shapes and sizes come and go 24/7 at the Hauptbahnhof. After leaving our cases in the secure lockers, we jumped on a tram outside the entrance and went a couple of stops along to the Natural History Museum, where we had booked a 10-11am time slot. The charge worked out at around £10 per head, which was fine. Museums in Germany (both large and small) are almost never free. We were travelling on a Berlin-Brandenburg ticket which offers travel on all modes of transport across the two states, for up to five people. The €35 price tag was probably slightly dearer than the total cost of the individual journey legs, but we had the flexibility to jump on and off the system without any hassle. The museum dates from 1889 and is currently undergoing a long-term renovation project. The upper galleries are currently off-limits and two thirds of the building remain basically unchanged since 1945. The vast collection encompasses a wide range of specimens and two famous exhibits confront you as you stroll into the impressive entrance hall. The Giraffatitan skeleton is the largest mounted dinosaur skeleton in the world and the assembled bones stretch up to the roof, reaching a height of 13 metres. The remains were unearthed in modern-day Tanzania. Fitting the entire display in a single camera frame is practically impossible. Also prominently featured is the Archaeopteryx - a fossil of a very early bird ancestor with reptile characteristics that lived around 150 million years ago. Discovered in 1875 near Eichstätt (Bavaria), this particular specimen is the most complete example of its type and arguably the best known fossil across the globe. We proceeded into the System Earth gallery. A large globe in the centre of the hall shows animations and film sequences on topics such as plate tectonics, volcanoes, the impact of asteroids and meteorites, mountain formation and the atmosphere. These themes are discussed more extensively in island displays around the room. More dinosaur action presented itself in the shape of Tristan Otto (pictured below) - one of the few Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletons outside North America. A mere 66 million years old! The original skull is displayed in a separate display case, allowing visitors to view the detail up close. Around the corner, the massive "Wet Collection" sits within a rectangular glass-walled room. Visitors can explore all four sides and the high shelves house endless specimens preserved inside jars. The water/alcohol mixture prevents decay. Moving on, I passed by giant creepy-crawly models, including a house fly, common flea and a fearsome spider. They were painstakingly built by Alfred Keller between 1930 and 1955.

The taxidermy section had a dodo on display. The large flightless bird became extinct in the 1660s and was endemic to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Human settlers aren't thought to have been directly responsible for the ground nesting dodo's disappearance, although habitat destruction certainly played a part. Experts reckon the introduction of rats (and possibly also cats and dogs) was the main danger, as the alien newcomers attacked chicks and feasted upon the vulnerable eggs. A famous museum resident is Bobby the Gorilla, regarded as a masterpiece of taxidermy. He arrived at Berlin Zoo in 1928, aged two, but died from appendicitis in 1935. His continuing presence in the city has cemented legendary status for the great ape. The special exhibition space is currently hosting the museum's historical mounted bird collection. Most of the specimens are over a century old and are currently in the process of being relocated as part of the development plan. All 11500 examples were cleaned, photographed, digitised and packed into transport boxes. Instead of keeping the crates behind closed doors, the renovation programme offered a rare opportunity to make the unique collection accessible to the public for the first time, under the cunning title Zugvögel - migratory birds. The display wasn't a visually stunning experience, with many birds crammed together into small cabinets and tagged with only Latin names. Nevertheless, I learned useful new facts about our feathered friends and the challenges they face. Populations are declining globally at an unprecedented rate. In just 40 years, we have lost a total of 600 million birds in Europe. It's frightening to think that such massive changes are occurring within my own lifetime. I spotted a stuffed great auk, which has been extinct since around 1850. Clumsy on land, it was easy prey for sailors who ate the flesh and used the fat for lamp oil and the feathers for insulation. News of the seriously declining numbers reached the natural history institutions and this exacerbated the demand for specimens, thus adding to the problem. We left the museum after a couple of hours and those without time-slots were having to wait in long queues outside. I would certainly like to return one day in the future when the building has undergone more refurbishment.

Back at the Hauptbahnhof, we grabbed a sandwich and waited for our connection. Trains run hourly to the Uckermark, the largely rural region where Nicole is from. We boarded a service bound for Schwedt and the carriages were quiet. We alighted at Angermünde, a historic market town and the closest mainline station to Nicole's home village of Schönermark. Her Uncle Gerald ferried us seven miles to Bärbel's place, where we received a warm welcome. An ample supply of food and drink would be a key feature of the next week and a half! The next day we woke to the sad news that Gerald had been admitted to hospital with a suspected stroke. Fortunately he was released after a few days and appears to be well on the way to recovery. He generously loaned us the use of his car for the duration of our stay. Bus services do pass through the village but they are limited. On our first fully day, we drove out to Blumberger Mühle - a local nature reserve on the outskirts of Angermünde. A visitor centre, shop and café are on site. The complex belongs to NABU (Naturschutzbund) - one of the oldest conservation groups in Germany. Formed in 1899, the organisation now boasts almost a million members. Entry to Blumberger Mühle was just €4 and the reserve belongs to the wider protected area of Schorfheide-Chorin, whose territory stretches to 1300 square kilometres, including areas of marsh, meadow and woodland, dotted with innumerable lakes. We passed through the reception area and went for a wander around the familiar trails. Unfortunately the rare-breed pig (of Hungarian origin) had passed away since our last visit. The bird hide looks out across the extensive carp and tench ponds, created by monks in the 13th century and still farmed today. The mill (after which the reserve is named) was established in 1707 and ran for almost 200 years. Following WW2, fish production was intensified and the operation was off-limits to the general public, thereby allowing nature to exist alongside the commercial activities. The collapse of the Berlin Wall irrevocably changed the economic outlook of eastern Germany and NABU purchased the ponds and surrounding land in 1993 ensuring a long-term future as a wildlife haven. A kingfisher darted by and many cormorants were sitting out in the water. At the turtle pool, just one resident was visible, basking on a log. This native European species lives in still or slow-flowing water and is threatened by extinction. Destruction of habitat is the main reason. Modern farming developments have led to the draining of naturally wet areas and the straightening of rivers. There are also far fewer egg-laying spots. Thankfully, NABU is looking after the turtles wherever possible. Part of the conservation programme involves not releasing the young turtles into the wild until they are sufficiently large enough to avoid being easy pickings for predatory birds and fish.

We completed our wander around the reserve and browsed the shop before heading off. The next destination was Gut Kerkow - a farmstead that has organic meat and other quality produce for sale. Kerkow rear their own cattle and geese. The business extends to four retail outlets in Berlin. Partnerships with other organic suppliers provide a wide range of food options. As a little treat, I picked up a couple of regional beers and a few sachets of powdered chocolate and vanilla pudding. On the way home, we picked up Bärbel, who had been visiting a relative in the village of Greiffenberg. There is an Asian takeaway on the main road and we decided to have Döner for dinner. Kebabs are very popular in Germany and the bread is of a superior quality to the British version. I ordered the full covering of salad and asked for it to be topped with herb sauce. We drove back the short distance to Schönermark and unwrapped our foil packages at the kitchen table. The perfect way to round off our first day in the Uckermark. Well, almost. We tuned in to watch the German Bake-off final. Good fun, and remarkably similar to the British version. Thursday is when Bärbel does the weekly shop and we went to the Rewe supermarket in Angermünde. Prices have risen sharply over here, as in the UK. We fed two bags of empty bottles into the recycling machine to earn a voucher for a few Euros, redeemable in the store. When can we have this system back home? Normally there's no more mundane activity than a supermarket run, but it all comes to life overseas. I gaped at the German products and purchased a few of my favourites. This included Sülze, the closest thing to potted hough, and Rindfleischsalat, chunks of beef in a spicy salad mix. I located a few dark beers among the crates of pilsner. At little more than a Euro per bottle, it barely dents the wallet to indulge in the national drink. In the afternoon, we headed a few miles to Pinnow village. A lovely ice-cream parlour is situated here and we tucked into elaborately decorated sundaes. We sat in the garden marquee as the main building was very busy. Pinnow has a railway station and no doubt this helps bring in a few people. Nicole's nephew Elias arrived the following day. Aged 12, he loves visiting his gran and planned to stay for a long weekend. Also in Schönermark was Aunt Ruth - a lively character who lives near Berlin. Relaxing family time and a healthy dose of laughter. On Saturday, Nicole, Elias and I attended a special event at Blumberger Mühle. The carp ponds were being fished and NABU were also providing birdwatching walks. I was quite surprised at the number of people in attendance. A real local family occasion. The pools were around a mile and a half from the visitor centre and a tractor shuttled folk back and forth in a covered trailer. This was a free service. The traditional horse & cart option cost a few Euros per head. We joined a bird tour and wandered along the water's edge. Two guides explained the highlights of the local wildlife and supplied interesting facts about the regular species. We had seen another kingfisher on the way in and various waders were splashing about in the middle distance, while a heron flew overhead. Afterwards, we observed the fishing operation. The commercial catch was winched out by bucket into waiting boats and various stalls had been set up on the grassy bank. I munched my way through a herring baguette and wondered if the carp harvest would supply the Christmas demand. Fish is traditionally eaten on the 24th of December, known in Germany as Heiligabend.

Nicole's brother Maik arrived on Sunday, with his wife Jenny and their daughter Malia. She is a toddler and kept everyone entertained during the afternoon. It is customary to have Kaffee & Kuchen on these occasions. Any concessions to sensible eating fly out the window on holiday. I took the opportunity to burn a few calories on Sunday morning, while Nicole met up with Madeline, who was in Schönermark visiting her parents. I planned a walk along local farm tracks, four miles each way. Setting off early morning, it was fairly chilly and the autumn colours were spectacular. The Uckermark is criss-crossed with Feldwege that today just carry the odd agricultural and the rare type of human known as a walker. Or perhaps a cyclist if the surface is favourable. Several hiking routes run through the region but they are usually very quiet. This is intensive farming territory and two-legged leisure expeditions isn't a massively popular pastime around these parts. It does provide those who venture out with the opportunity to get away from it all. Over my eight miles, I saw two cyclists and two dog walkers, all at a distance on other paths. Maybe I should set up a pilgrimage route. Would that fly in a former communist state? On my travels I saw large flocks of cranes and geese in adjacent fields. The former is a rarity in the UK but a ubiquitous sight over here. Graceful in flight, the long-legged wader stands over a metre tall (the largest in Europe) and their call can be heard up to three miles away. Nesting deep in reedbeds, these large birds can slink into dense vegetation and easily disappear from the sight of predators. Their diet is omnivorous. The continental population has moved out of the danger zone since the 1990s and now occupies the slot termed least concern. Traditionally, eastern European cranes migrate to North Africa but milder winters in recent years have prompted some to remain at home all year round. Who knows what the long-term effects of climate change will be. The final third of my walk was on a minor concreted road and a handful of cars passed by. I turned around when I met the main Schwedt highway and retraced my steps back to Schönermark. A large sign informed me that EU funding had been allocated to improving parts of the Feldweg network to allow smoother access for bicycles, horses and tractors. I smiled wryly at the much-asked question, what has a united Europe ever done for us? Shanks's pony didn't rate a mention but I was having fun nonetheless. I was a little weary upon my return, as tramping a soft sandy surface for a few miles saps stamina. I rested for an hour and awaited Nicole's return. We had booked a tour of the Heimathaus - the village museum, available to view by appointment. A lady from across the road is one of the custodians and she showed us around the various rooms. A wide array of objects was on display. Farming implements featured heavily, as did the tools of traditional trades once performed in the village, many within easy living memory. Nowadays the nearest shops are several miles away. I remember the convenience store, but not the pub. The situation the past couldn't have been more different, with a selection of traders and craftspeople offering their wares, such as the butcher, baker and saddler.

It struck me that rural East Germany was probably a generation behind central Scotland in terms of local business outlets. I do remember an old-fashioned cobbler shop in Lochgelly, but the proprietor was an elderly man seeing out his final days. Many of the amenities referred to in the Schönermark museum were still active in the 1980s. Apparently working horses and carts could still be occasionally seen prior to the collapse of the Berlin Wall, but these conveyances would reflect my dad's youth back home, not mine. One room was laid out as an old classroom and I studied the historical maps of Germany on the wall. The building in fact is the former school, established in 1827 and closed in 1951, becoming a residential property and later a youth club. Schönermark was recently incorporated into the Schwedt city region and the current village population is around 325. Electric light arrived in 1920. The railway station opened in 1881 but was closed to passengers in 1996. Probably due to the fact that it lay inconveniently couple of miles distant, while car ownership rocketed in the post-communist era. Soviet tanks rolled through in 1945 but the local minister successfully managed to persuade the invaders not to inflict any damage. Written references to the settlement occur as far back as 1287 and photographs of the 700-year celebrations were on display. Nicole recognised a few faces. The museum was opened the same year, the house having been rescued from possible demolition. A most interesting tour. I took the opportunity to sign the guest book and place a donation in the box. Outside, the gardens are well maintained and the museum building (pictured below) is pleasing to the eye. The church stands next door and we had a stroll through the grounds. I've never been inside, despite the fact Nicole's family used to live next door. Religion was officially frowned upon, but tacitly tolerated out in the sticks during the DDR years. I should imagine traditional Christian congregations are dwindling here, as is the case back home. A scale model of the village circa 1800 is displayed in the museum with the settlement clearly grouped around the place of worship. Changed days indeed. As we walked back to the house, I noticed a large information panel that showed the main points of interest within Schönermark. Nice to see these efforts. We drove the three miles to Biesenbrow, a neighbouring village known for being Ehm Welk's place of birth. He was a highly regarded journalist and writer during the first six decades of the 20th century. We were in town for a spot of birdwatching and Nicole's nature guidebook directed us to a large pond on the outskirts. We parked on a minor road and walked just over a kilometre to the site of a dam with a handy viewing platform. A lovely peaceful location. Reed beds grew by the water's edge and we spotted little grebes and the ubiquitous cormorant. Suddenly a kingfisher appeared and we tracked its motion through binoculars. This was a mere appetiser and the next fly-by presented three of the colourful birds simultaneously. Never before had I seen more than one on a single occasion. A real highlight of the holiday so far. The kingfisher is called Eisvogel in German. Literally ice bird.

We walked back to the car in high spirits. A loud siren sounded across the landscape, summoning the volunteer fire brigade. Two emergency vehicles eventually drove right past us but we never did discover the nature of the incident. The next day, we travelled to Schwedt, the principal town in the Uckermark and close to the Polish border. Largely destroyed in the final days of the war (including the castle), new housing blocks were constructed in the 1960s and the main industry is the oil refinery, opened in 1958 and connected to the Druzhba Pipeline, a 2500-mile supply network that serves several eastern European nations. Schwedt has lost a quarter of its population since Germany was reunified in 1990. Many jobs were lost in the old DDR as industry was restructured. Capitalism and Communism didn't mesh harmoniously. Nevertheless, Schwedt is a clean and an interesting place to visit. We walked through the Oder Centre - an indoor shopping complex built in the mid-90s. Several eating places ply their trade within, alongside a mix of chain stores and smaller concerns. Unfortunately the national book chain Thalia withdrew recently. During the 20 years I have been visiting this part of Germany, I have witnessed a sharp fall in town-centre retail footfall. The reasons are obvious enough. Newsagents are still relatively common as Germany retains an attachment to printed magazines. I purchased a train publication and the Berliner Morgenpost. We also visited the smaller shopping centre on the main drag and Nicole stocked up on products from the chemist. After an ice cream in the corner café, we hit the independent bookshop in the remnants of the Altstadt (old town), some of which was restored post-1945. Wall plaques explain the history of the various historic buildings. The bookstore owners used to have another outlet in Angermünde but this closed a few years ago. Thankfully the Schwedt shop still exists and offers a good selection of reading material. I bought a Krimi (crime novel) set in the Uckermark. We found a thank-you gift for Gerald in the regional shop further along the street. Having access to a car allows you to cover far more ground. A mermaid statue stands on the banks of the shipping canal and a little boy seemed fascinated by her assets on the human half. Clearly a future boob man! Elias and I fetched Softeis from a café and we ate our second chilled treat by the water. Such indulgences are permitted on holiday. A freight barge chugged by, something rarely seen in the UK. Our canals are almost exclusively devoted to leisure pursuits nowadays. The natural River Oder lies further afield and has intact flood plains. This region forms the border with Poland. We walked past the main church (pictured below), the town's oldest surviving structure. Largely burnt out during the hostilities, the impressive stone building rose from the ashes during the 1950s.

Watercourses would feature prominently the next day as we took a train from Angermünde to Bernau (towards Berlin) to meet up with Nicole's father Jens. Once again, we purchased the regional ticket, which saved us a few Euros. Jens drove us out to his recently acquired country cottage which requires some renovation. We wandered down to the nearby lake and then drove through the forest to a little place called Eichhorst, situated on the Werbellinkanal. There are many walking and cycle routes in this area and the navigable waterway links the Werbellinsee (a large lake) to the Oder-Havel Canal, a 52-mile water transport artery that connects Berlin to the Baltic Sea port of Stettin (now in Poland). We enjoyed an amazing fish burger in a little restaurant, eating al fresco as boats passed through the village lock. Jens drove us along to the Werbellinsee. A professional musician, he pointed out many of his old haunts over the day. One such place was a Czech themed pub on the shores of the lake. We sat by the water for a while, enjoying the autumn sunshine. Back on the road, we passed through Eberswalde - a major town in Brandenburg, with over 40,000 inhabitants and surrounded by forests. Despite the attractive location, Eberswalde was a centre of industry during the Soviet-controlled years. After the 1990 Wende (the change), the concept of a planned economy became redundant and many factories closed across the far east of the country, causing widespread unemployment and flight to more prosperous areas. Some manufacturing remains in Eberswalde however. Industrial cranes are pieced together here. The town tram system was torn up in 1940 and replaced by trolleybuses. Incredibly, they still run. We saw a couple in operation as we made our way through the town. Solingen and Esslingen are the only other places in Germany to have this type of transport system, which has been entirely absent from the UK since 1972, Bradford being the last city to have buses running under the wires. I had earned my geek stripes, but more was to come on that score. We pulled over at the Schiffshebewerk Niederfinow - the oldest working boat lift in Germany. Opened in 1934 on the Oder-Havel Canal, the riveted-steel engineering marvel replaced a cumbersome lock staircase and it took just 20 minutes to raise traffic vertically through a distance of 36 metres. In 2022, a new lift (pictured below) was opened in order to cope with longer barge trains (which had to be separated before entering the old system). The two facilities stand a short distance apart, clearly from different eras. The original lift is expected to function for some years to come and the entire site is a tourist attraction in itself, attracting half a million visitors annually. The viewing platforms platforms provide a fantastic panorama of the surrounding flat landscape. We purchased tickets solely for the old installation and a switch-back footpath brought us to the top of the massive embankment. We strolled out on to the structure and saw a boat pass through. Our elevated position allowed us to see for miles around. Well worth the climb! Back at Jens's house, we met his partner Andrea and had Rouladen (beef olives) for dinner. Roundly stuffed, we took an evening train back to Angermünde an interchange station. The principal route continues to Stettin but you can also travel to Prenzlau and Schwedt.

The next day we took Elias back home and briefly chatted with his older brother Jonas, now a young man as tall as me. We has now accomplished our major plans and the remaining time was fairly relaxed. Another shopping trip and the chance to acquire some goodies to take back to Scotland. A short drive to a lake in Landin village where we previously saw bearded tits yielded no fruit on this occasion. Rather than attempt a potentially stressful journey to the airport in one go, we spent our final night at Madeleine's place in Berlin. An S-Bahn connection took us out to her district and her husband Sven booked us an Uber for the following morning. I had never used the service before but the car arrived on time and whisked us effortlessly to our destination. The driver was Polish and very chatty, revealing she worked seven days a week. Those at the coal face aren't getting rich in the tech world either. The usual rip-off food prices at the airport applied, but we did manage to locate the free water dispenser. Everything ran smoothly and we arrived back home without any issues. Well, until I opened my case and found a letter from the security team inside. I had stashed my power-bank in there, not realising such devices are prohibited in hold luggage due to fire risk. The device had been destroyed. My dad had a similar experience with a sausage decades ago. You live and learn.

Lothian National Trust

Today we ticked off two historic properties on the other side of the Forth. After battling our way through the Edinburgh bypass traffic, we arrived at Musselburgh, a coastal town of 20,000 inhabitants. Our destination was Newhailes House, a Palladian mansion set within 80 acres of parkland. It was the home of the Dalrymple family for over three centuries and has been in the care of the National Trust for Scotland since 1997. Unfortunately the tours were already fully booked and we had to content ourselves with a walk around the grounds. General entry to the estate is free and many families were out in force. We examined the dovecot just beyond the main entrance.

Pigeons were kept as a source of meat and eggs. The squat white building contains over 600 nesting boxes and was restored in 2018. The house is A-listed and comprises the original core, flanked by later extensions. Sir David Dalrymple purchased the property in 1709 and oversaw the construction of the library wing, anticipating the beginnings of enlightenment culture. The new laird sat in the Parliament of Scotland from 1698 to 1707 and graduated to the post-union House of Commons. He served as Lord Advocate and Auditor of the Exchequer in Scotland. The family became a wealthy Edinburgh legal and political dynasty, although John Dalrymple (brother of Sir David, and Secretary of State) was painted as one of the darkest figures in Scottish history when he organised and authorised the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe. Newhailes passed through multiple generations until the barony became extinct in 1971, following the death of Mark Dalrymple. He had no children and his widow Lady Antonia passed away in 2017 at the age of 91, thus ending the family line. She had occupied an apartment within the mansion and - finally - an estate cottage. The Government had accepted around seven thousand volumes from the massive Newhailes Library collection upon the passing of Sir Mark, in lieu of death duties. The National Trust adopted a policy of minimal conservation, aiming to freeze the property in time. The grounds once contained a series of impressive garden features, including an atmospheric shell grotto, an elegant summerhouse, water gardens with cascades combined with quieter, reflective pools, and a beautiful walled flower garden. The latter area fell into disrepair and functioned as a mink farm for several decades in the 20th century. Now partly restored, we wandered the paths and came across pumpkins, apples and sunflowers. The stable block (also A-listed) has been converted to a café but we opted for the ice-cream parlour in the former dairy, before heading further along the coast to the Scottish Ornithologists Club headquarters at Aberlady. The shop and art gallery are open to the general public. We perused the Coastlines exhibition, featuring paintings by Liz Myhill and Louise Pallister. Craggy rocks hosted resting razorbills and curlews waded through the ebbing tide. We meticulously chart the contours of the coast but the birds regard it simply as their playground. We drove inland to Preston Mill - the last working water-driven example in East Lothian and a rare survivor from the days when almost every village had a milling operation. Grain from local farms was turned into oatmeal and animal feed. The exact date of opening is undocumented but it is believed that parts of the stone building date from the 17th century and the structure is known to have been remodelled at least four times. The resemblance to a witch's hat makes the mill instantly recognisable. It also featured in the hugely popular Outlander TV series, which ensures a steady flow of visitors from across the globe. The machinery is around 150 years old different grades of oatmeal were produced. A small country mill was largely a self-sufficient project. Vegetables would have been grown onsite, and poultry kept. A tour was just about to begin as we arrived and we joined the group. The mill was formerly a focal point of village life. People stopped to buy grain and eggs, while indulging in the inevitable gossip.

Preston Mill was given to the National Trust in 1950 (following a major flood) and ran commercially until the end of that decade. It was the first industrial property to be run by the esteemed heritage organisation. The mill buildings are A-listed and the adjacent visitor centre hosts a small exhibition. The River Tyne flows close by the site and a lade brings water to power the internal workings. The wheel was last replaced in 1909. A system of conveyor belts, gears, hoists and pulleys processes the raw grains and the tour was informative. The working conditions must have been cramped and the dusty atmosphere would not have been kind to the lungs. It was also a noisy place to work, as we found out when the guide opened the sluice gates, which cranked the machinery into action. No ear plugs back in the day. The distinctive red pantiles on the roof were brought over by boat from the continent. They also served as ballast on the return journey, after the initial cargo had been offloaded. We inspected the kiln and noted the bricks on the outer wall that marked the levels of previous episodes of high water, a problem that still occurs today. The Outlander scenes had the principal character Jamie Fraser hiding underwater from the pursuing redcoats. The John Muir Way passes right through the complex and a handful of walkers ambled by. The popular lowland trail cuts right through Central Scotland, from Dunbar to Helensburgh. Although the mill remains in full working order, this is purely for demonstrative purposes. No flour is actually produced these days. A little gem of a place.