Typical

As Rosemary was away, I decided to have a day away and headed over west to Helensburgh. I fancied going to Hill Top, the Charles Rennie MacIntosh designed house.

I spent the train journey doing a wee bit writing and the time passed quickly. In Helensburgh I saw a really nice globe (of the world) in a charity shop window... I've wanted one for ages but I thought...htf am I going to cart that about and decided against it. By this stage I was quite hungry and I passed a board in the street which advertised the quality of their coffee...that would do. The place was called the Riverside Courtyard. Walking in, it looked a wee bit fancy for me being on my own but the staff were nice. Good coffee and eggs Marrakech followed (poached eggs with Moroccan spices, peppers and some good bread). Perfect.

I then headed up to Hill Top, about a mile outside the town centre. It's National Trust so apart from accompanied kids, I was the youngest there by a mile. The house was amazing. Everything was in perfect proportion, almost Japanese in style, but not. The way the light fell in the house was amazing.....through the carefully designed windows, and the jewel like rose and purple glass panels in the interior doors. Everything was in balance. 

After a wander in the gardens, I headed back to town. The streets of Helensburgh are like none I've ever come across. There were few pavements, more carefully mown grass bankings with small channels cut through them to prevent water logging. I walked along one seemingly endless road lined with Victorian and Georgian mansions and large houses. A fascinating and unique place, built on money when Glasgow was a hub of world trade. 

I didn't get many photos...the light was crap and although it was a cool place to visit, I wasn't inspired!