In Search Of The Arch

After breakfast, we discussed our various tasks for the day. The forecast was good and a trip somewhere to have a picnic is a great suggestion from Pat. Forget the tasks!

"Let us go to the town with the Arch. We sometimes travel through the arch when we head north by way of Cairn O’ Mount." is given as the possible destination.

Edzell? Fettercairn?"  These are the two likely candidates.

Pat looked doubtful. However, we were ready to go just before noon and we headed to Edzell.

I had checked if we could visit Edzell Castle and Garden. Not open.

We headed along one of my more circuitous routes by way of Monikie and Friockheim.

It is years since I had driven that route, which is now peppered with 20 mph speed limits and several new "brown visitor signs".

We discovered two new country parks: Crombie and Monikie. .Both feature water and many walks. More places to visit.

We made it through the Edzell Arch and arrived at Fettercairn. The arch is a memorial to an overnight stay by QV in Fettercairn. Cost of construction. £250!

The arch is shown as today’s Blipfoto.

Pat is convinced this is not the Arch she had in mind, and so we await the result of her cogitations.

I don’t think it is the one in Paris. I have never driven to Paris.

We drove back to Edzell and found a rather fine park to have our picnic.

Surprise in the post was a copy of the excellent book describing the Villas of Alexander "Greek" Thomson. This has just been published by The Alexander Thomson Society and the last in a trilogy of books, the first two being about Terraces and Tenements.

The surprise was that I had ordered these in April 2018. Covid has played a major part in the delay of the final book. However they are fabulous works.

I know several of the volunteers and Office Bearers in the Society, having come across them several times in my career.

 I must write a letter of congratulations to Zoë Herbert who was the Project Director who did the bulk of the work in the three superb volumes. They are magnificent.