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This section gives details of selected events taking place in and around the Central Belt of Scotland this fortnight. Events are listed by area and titan alphabetically. All submissions should be accompanied by a contact phone number for our lntonnation. Days out compiled by Thom llibdin.
CENTRAL & TAYSIOE
I HILLS OBSERVATORY Mon—Fri. 3—10pm; Sat, 2-5pm. Mills Observatory. Balgay Park. Dundee. 0382 67138. Free. Most of the observatory is open to the public, with slide shows and exhibitions. When the sky is clear the observatory‘s ten-inch telescope is open for public viewing during the evening.
THE NORTH
I SKIING ‘The best skiing for twenty years‘ is how the people at Glenshee described their start to the season. See separate heading for details.
LOTHIANS & FIFE
l
at 7.30pm cost £1.50. The next lecture. on 14 Jan, is by Dr Suzanne Ramsey. entitled 'From Thermometers to Spectrometers‘. 28 Jan: ‘The Night Sky in February‘ with Russell Eberst. 11 Feb: ‘Black Holes' with Dr Alan Heavens. Phone to book tickets.
STRATHCLYDE
I COATS OBSERVATORY Mon/1‘ ue. 2—8pm; Wed. Fri/Sat, 10am—5pm; Thurs, 2—9.30pm. Oakshaw Street, Paisley. 889 2013. Free. The observatory is an interesting building in its own right, from both architectural and historical perspectives. However, the real delight is every Thursday when, weather pennitting. public viewing is possible through the observatory‘s telescopes from 7—9.30pm. (Public use of telescopes ends on the last Thursday in March).
I EGYPTIAN BELLY OANOE WORKSHOP Sat 15. ll.15am-5.45pm. (Also Sat 19 Feb and Sat 19 March). Browns Leisure Centre. 35 Coplaw Street, Glasgow. Further details on 0539 731268. £20 whole day. £12 halfday. A day out with a difference from professional belly dancer. Hilary Thacker. The morning session
(11. 15am—2. 15pm) is for beginners and anyone who wants to improve their technique. The afternoon (2.45—5.45pm) is for intermediate dancers with some previous experience. Women should wear skirts if possible and bring a scarf to tie round their hips. No booking required, ‘any age, any size, bring a veil and bare feet!’
I MAGNINTOSII COLLECTION Mon 17—Wed l9, 9am—5pm. Christies, 164 Bath Street. Glasgow. Free. A unique
= opportunity to view the third largest
collection of Charles Rennie Mackintosh furniture and watercolours before it is sold off. The 143 lots of the collection, which leading Mackintosh scholar Dr Thomas Howarth amassed over 50 years. are due to be sold in London in February. The
f collection includes such landmark pieces ; as a tall chair with oval back rail designed I in about 1899. and a writing cabinet
6 designed for Walter Blackie at The Mill
j House which displays Mackintosh’s first
; extensive use of mother-of-pearl as an
inlay. Also included are extensive
; watercolour drawings and sketches made
throughout Mackintosh‘s career.
I NATURAL ART IN THE AFTERNOON Sun 16. 2—4pm. Dalzell Country Park, Motherwell. Free. Meet by the
Ski Sunday here we come! All five of Scotland‘s main ski resorts report excellent snow coverage. with the best Christmas and New Year periods ‘for years‘. The weather looks set for an excellent season’s skiing right up to April. with only the prospect of strong winds likely to cause any problems at the top of the slopes. If you want to get away from the madding crowd, mid-week skiing always leaves the slopes with less tourist coven
Days Out will give a brief report of the situation on the slopes in every issue between now and the end of the high season. For further information on each resort and daily information. call the Chairlift numbers given below. Highlands and Islands Enterprise publish a free brochure. Ski Scotland, which gives comprehensive resort details with prices, travel and accommodation. It is available from most ski shops and Scottish Tourist Board offices.
I GLEKOE Chairlift company: 08556 226. Closed Tue/Wed. The closest resort to Glasgow. Glencoe‘s first tow opened in 1956. For those not up to the ‘Fly Paper‘ black run, the resort offers many nursery runs and easy slopes. The Main Basin is a popular intermediate run providing a wide slope, good for practising those snazzy techniques with plenty of room for correction. All the runs are open. from the 3636 foot summit of Meall a‘Bhuiridh down to the car park.
I NEVIS RANGE Chairlift company: 0397 705825. Scotland's newest and hence most modern ski resort boasts the UK‘s only gondola system. running almost a
lower slopes. The highest pistes in Scotland are at the top of Aonach Mor (4006 feet) leading to the exciting black runs ‘The Flight‘ and ‘Nid Wall‘. Conditions are ‘absolutely ideal‘ at the moment. with snow cover from top to bottom of the long, broad runs. Creche facility: three to seven years.
I GAIRNGORM Chairlift company: 0479 861 261. Scotland‘s most famous ski area. close to the skiing town of Aviemore so there are lots of things to do off-piste. Complete cover with lots of fresh snow. Wide range of skiing on the 22 miles of runs down two valleys, with beginners areas both at the bottom and the top of the slopes. For the advanced skier, the White Lady run is famous for its moguls.
I GLENSIIEE Chairlift company: 03397 41320/41343. Edinburgh‘s closest resort, the three valleys of Glenshee offer 38 runs and a massive uplift capacity of 18.500 skiers an hour. Even during the sudden thaw last month skiing only stopped for a day as the artificial snow cannons got to work. All runs are complete. with extensive snow cover. Creche facility: over two years.
I THE LEOIIT Chairlift company: 09756 51440. Scotland's best resort for absolute beginners. with easy green and nursery slopes right next to the car park. There is no need to stop there. however, with five blue and five red runs and even a black run for the adventurous. Creche facility: over three years.
I lload, weather and ski reports
The following phone numbers give up-to- date information on road, weather and skiing. Calls cost 36p per minute off-peak and 48p per minute at all other times.
All Resorts
Ski Call: 0891 500 440
Ski Hotline: 0891 654 654
Glencoe
Ski Call: 0891 500 795
Ski Hotline: 0891 654 658
llevis Range
Ski Call: 0891 500 799
Ski Hotline: 0891 654 660
Cairngorrn
Ski Call: 0891 500 797
Ski Hotline: 0891 654 655
Glenshee
Ski Call: 0891 500 798
Ski Hotline: 0891 654 656
The Lecht
Ski Call: 0891 500 796
mile from the sea-level car park up to the
Ski Hotline: 0891 654 657
Dalzell/Baron‘s Haugh Car Park. Making ? art in the woods either in small groups or one large one. depending on who turns up.
I .- | I ROYAL OBSERVATORY Daily, 1—5pm (Fri. l—9pm). Blackford Hill. Edinburgh. : 668 8405. £1.50 (75p); Evening star- 5 gazing £1.50. Excellent exhibition. ‘The I Universe‘ uses interactive models. videos. I computer games and photographs of space i to explain the workings of firmament. The star shop sells astronomical paraphernalia . at prices that are mostly earthly. The I observatory's Popular Telescopes are open every clear week night 7—9pm for a visual I tour of the night sky with an experienced astronomer. Phone after 4pm on the day to book. Lectures every fortnight on Fridays
Wear boots and clothes that can get dirty. I SOIIIRREL HUNT Sun 23, 2pm. Drumpellier Country Park. Townhead Road. Coatbridge. Free. Meet in the Peace Garden. Looking for signs of the little grey tree-rats through the woodlands of this extensive Country Park. Drumpellier boasts two lochs and a canal among the 500 acres of heathland. woodland and grasslands, so makes an excellent day out for walking and wildlife watching.
I WILOFOWI. ANO WAOERS Sun 23, 11am. Strathclyde Coutry Park. Hamilton Road. Motherwell. Free. Details from 0698 266155. Meet at the Watersports Centre.
I Organised walk round the Strathclyde
Loch to look at the wildfowl and waders that over-winter there.
E A
EDINBURGH ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE YARD
Original Fixtures Jr Fillings
S Y
Panelled Door: Cart-Iron Column: Etched Glee: W.C.'.r Architrave Lavatory Seat: Door Furniture Bras: Tap: Panelling Ugh! Fixture: Perv: j Marble Slab: Fireplace: f; Spiral 3m in Window Shutter: .1 Balustrade: Sash Lift: I ' Balconies Warn Hand Rain: Chimney Pot: Cast-Iron Bath: Cast-Iran Radiator:
Open Monday-Friday 9-5, Saturday 12-5 UNIT6. ooumsutmi'. (OFF oouuno Still-1m. Harm. EDINBURGH E116 ant TEL: 031-554 7077
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The List 14—27 January 1994 55