Leaderfoot viaduct

A few weeks ago, Mr hazelh and I signed up for a private tour organised for the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland. This morning we met a small group of other Friends on the Mound and then a minibus took us all to Mertoun House near St Boswells for a guided tour of some of the Duke of Sutherland's art works. These included items from the Bridgewater collection, established by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater in the 1700s. We stopped en route at the Buccleuch Arms for tea/coffee and shortbread, and a lecture about the assembly of the collection and the principal players in its story. The whole experience was wonderful, and I have learnt so much. For example, I had always wondered why the Bridgewater canal was so far from Somerset, but had never bothered to look this up. Now I know the reason.

Since we weren't allowed to take photographs at Mertoun, Mr hazelh took advantage of the extra height when travelling by minibus and snapped the Leaderfoot (former railway) viaduct as we passed it on our return journey to Edinburgh.

Back home once more, I settled down to some work. First I helped Bruce with a document. Then I started to draft a full proposal for The Conversation. I also completed my Tuesday run (which I would normally have done in the morning had we not been visiting Mertoun.)

Exercise today: 30 minutes on the exercise bike; 40 minute fartlek run; walking (18,397 steps including run).