Overlooking the Whiteadder

The whole purpose of being in the Borders this weekend was to attend the Chirnside Common Good Association annual dinner, which commemorates the birth of the philosopher David Hume on 26 April (old calendar). I should add, by way of explanation, that there is a longstanding association between the Institute I direct and this association, which was supported by my predecessor.

This morning, we were given a short guided tour of the location of Hume's now long disappeared house. This labrador, whose name I didn't catch, was helping  out by showing us the sort of view across the Whiteadder (I discovered this weekend this is pronounced "wit_udder", with a short "i") River towards the Cheviots, which also featured in yesterday's blip and in numerous other pictures I took from the hotel, which Hume would have enjoyed in his time. Yesterday evening we enjoyed both the dinner, and some genial company, but also the contributions of the UK's only professor of public engagement in philosophy, Angie Hobbs, familiar to many people in the UK from Radio 4. She was the after dinner speaker.

Whilst inspecting the site of Ninewells, I was reminded of our favourite Square in Zadar, Trg Pet Bunara (the Square of Five Wells). Well, I did say the memory of this square would sustain me through the dark days of winter. It did. But it also pops up even now as we enter spring. After Ninewells, we hopped back in the car, and wandered gently back through the Lammermuir Hills, stopping off to take some photographs at Whiteadder reservoir.

It's Sunday evening. A busy week beckons. But I'm so glad we had a lovely weekend away.