Tuesday 31 December 2013

2013 Picture Quiz

Easy one this year, so no cigar. Simply identify the places we have been.

Section 1 - Castles
No 1


No 2

No 3

No 4

No 5

No 6




Section 2 - Bridges
No 7

No 8

No 9 (=No 8 from the other side!)

No 10
No 11

Section 3 - Water features
No 12

No 13
No 14

No 15

No 16

Section 4 - Ancient (and modern) Monuments
No 17

No 18

No  19

Section 5 - Lonely Cottages

No 20

No 21
Section 6 - Posers
No 22

No 23

No 24
No 25

Friday 27 December 2013

Happy days with Ian


The Ooters are devastated at the untimely death of Ooter Ian Hill on 17 December.

Ian was a regular attender at the Ooters' Wednesday walks and he enjoyed the friendship and the banter.

Ian was a fearless guy and on the Cobbler there's a huge rock of 20 or 30 feet which can only be accessed through a hole called "the window".  Ian was the only one to venture through and up to the top as you can see in the photo below.
Ian on The Cobbler, 26 May 2010


Meikle Bin, Campsies, 2 Aug 2010

 Dun Fion, Arran, 20 June 2012
 Four lochs, 25 July 2012

Glen Afton, 2 May 2012

A bit tousled on Arran, 2009
FRT at the Tap o the Brae, Annbank, 2 Sep 2009
FRT after an ascent of Goat Fell, 31 Aug 2012


 West Brewery, March 2013

Coire Fhionn Lochan, Arran, 25 April 2013


Enjoying the view of Loch Trool, 2009
Ian enjoyed several Ooters' trips to Mosset in France.
Banyuls, France, 8 April 2013
Ian enjoyed partaking of the odd glass of red wine and the even ones too. He fancied himself as a singer too and entertained the company in Mosset with some songs, accompanied by enthusiastic foot stomping. The songs were not from the Boys' Brigade songbook!

He was very competitive and won the Mosset Boules competition 3 years out of 4. The only reason it wasn't 4 out of 4 was that he wasn't on that trip!

Ian wins the 2010 boules competition

Ian in action in the 2010 boules competition

Pic del Madres, France 30 Oct 2009
Ian  on the summit of Goat Fell
Cathkin Braes, 31 July 2013, his last walk with the Ooters
 2010 Christmas Curry
Ian's presence on Wednesdays will be sorely missed and our heartfelt condolences go out to Sheila, Douglas, Allan and David and all of Ian's family.

Please add your favourite Ian stories in the comments.

Friday 6 December 2013

Panto 11 December

I have purchased and received 10 tickets for the panto at Oran Mor. The performance starts at 12 noon and will last an hour. Doors open at 11.00am.
Those going are: Alan, Allan, Andy, Davie C, Gus, Johnny, Malcolm, Rex, Ronnie, Robert.
Each ticket carried a £1 booking fee so the cost is now £9 per ticket.
I am happy to wait until the day of the performance for payment. Allan

Small report :- Well done Allan. You knew all plans would go by the board. Still, we managed to enjoy ourselves. I just wish the camera would lie a little.  Johnny






Our thoughts go out to Ian, Paul, Eddie - hope all well soon and able to rejoin the fun. Anyways, they were saved from appearing in the above rogues' gallery.