Musings from the Merse
Monday, July 20, 2009
If you go here you will see that the Borders is about to become a Mecca for cyclists. They are very thin on the ground at the moment-like all other forms of transportation and I have yet to see more than one cyclist a week on the Tweed Cycle Track or whatever it is called.
The caption to the image above runs as follows:
CYCLING INITIATIVE: Steven Troup from Alpine Bikes in Innerleithen and model, Joni MacKay, recreate the classic Jack Vettriano painting “Lazy Hazy Days” to launch a £100,000 initiative aimed at showcasing the Scottish Borders as a leisure cycling destination.
Verb Sap The Fuzz may not be too apparent on our deserted roads but I should advise visiting cyclists to avoid the style adopted by the two models-' Riding without due care and attention' would be the least of the charges' bought against such obvious offenders
As you will see the article goes on :
"Already popular with mountain bikers, the region is also home to host of road cycle routes from way-marked distance trails such as the 250 mile Borderloop to a network of short circular town trails ideal for day trippers.
The obsession of the tourist highheidyins with short visits to the Borders continues unabated. Its only worth a day trip; bring your bike; nothing else to do.
Certainly it is easy to recreate lazy hazy days around these parts;
particularily hazy in the dreich
Labels: Borders Cyclists, Scotland's Favourite Short Break Destination
Friday, June 19, 2009
CAN YOU EAT IN DUNS? asked a complete stranger accosting Huttonian in the Market Square. 'It is permissable-except during the Jim Clark Rally' I nearly replied but recognised a genuine Tourist- a capital T merited for a rara avis So I pointed out Hugos the new 'Wine Bar/Bistro/ Coffee Shop/ Place- to- be- seen -at, the Siamese Kitchen, Santoush, Black Bull etc etc. He asked about the sights? I told him. He seemed impressed. And surprised. 'The people at the Tourist Office in Kelso were a bit negative about Duns; so I nearly didn't come'
I asked him if he was on a Short Break Visit bearing in mind the slogan beloved of the VisitScotland marketing visionaries.
'Shortish' he said
Looking at his watch
(The image is dated: Hugo's is now the in the brownish building to the left of Cool Cuts-click to enlarge)
Labels: Eating in Duns, Scotland's Favourite Short Break Destination, Tourists in the Merse
