LISTINGS DAYS OUT
waan to highlight the present shortness of the canal, which although 31 miles long is split into several sections. leaving Edinburgh with a mere three-and-a-half- miles before being piped under Wester Haiies. There will be a prize for the most appropriately dressed crew.
I FARM CRAFTS DAYS Sat 30/Sun 1. 10am—5pm. Almond Valley Heritage Trust. Millfield. Kirkton North. Livinston. £1.50 (75p). 0506 414957. Victorian farming and dairying demonstrations at this popular open air museum extending over sixteen acres. Besides the farm and its animals. the centre includes the water- powered Livingston Mill. the industrial history of West Lothian explained in the Shale Oil Museum and an all—important tea room.
I GALA DAY Sun 1. noon—4pm. Saughton Park. Balgreen Road/Gorgie Road/Stevenson Drive. Edinburgh. Free. May Day and Edinburgh Fling event with oodles of attractions. sporty events. kids rides. food, celebrities and entertainments. I PETANOUE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS Sun 1. from 10am (registration from 9.15am). lnverleith Park. East Fettes Avenue. Edinburgh. £3 (spectators free). Petanque. the French game of boule. is a growing sport in Scotland with twenty clubs around the country. This open tournament for the Cassini Trophy should attract a broad selection from the Edinburgh French community besides provide the opportunity for any newcomers to try their hand. Bring your own boule. but some will be available to borrow. Hot food available all day. Edinburgh Fling Event.
STRATHCLYDE
I AEROBATHON Sun 24. SECC Finnistoun Quay. Over 120,000 people are expected to take part in this mass aerobics in six satellite-linked venues. Join them at the SECC. where they will be contorting and pumping to benefit the RSSPCC in easy- to-learn moves such as ‘The Supermodel'. The Surf Dude‘ and the ‘Fred Astaire‘. All participants must be over eighteen. Contact the Aerobathon Hotline on 0891 664410 (calls charged at 48p a minute) for further details.
I AYR AGRICULTURAL SHOW Wed 4/1'hurs 5. 9am—7pm. Ayr Racecourse. Whitletts Road. Ayr. £6 (£3). The first of the large agricultural shows in Scotland and second only to the Royal Highland Show in size. the Ayr Show boasts the usual round of prize animals. show jumping. parades and agricultural equipment.
I BOAT JUMDLE Sun 1. 10am—5pm. Scottish Maritime Museum. Harbourside. lrvine. £2. Everything you need ifyour bent is messing about in. on or under the water. From a well-used yacht to a never- used nautical washer. the professional or
leisure water enthusiast’s desires should be sated at one of the 100 stalls selling new and used chandlery, fenders. rope. fishing tackle. inflatables and sub-aqua equipment. Refreshmean available all day and the ticket price includes entry to the museum with its extensive maritime exhibits.
I THE [ONE MARCH Sat 24. 10.30am. Meet at the People’s Palace. Glasgow Green. Free. Walk the mid-Clyde with Doug Hawkes of the Mid-Clyde Valley Project. leaving the People's Palace at 10.30am. following the Clyde Walkway to Yoker and then across the Renfrew Ferry to Blythswood. lnchinnan and the Renfrewshire coast. Pub lunch about 1pm at the Yoker slipway. All ages welcome. I RAILWAY KINGDOM Daily. 1 lam-5pm. Mechanics Workshop. New Lanark. Lanark. £1.75 (95p). 0555 666601. See photo caption.
I FROM HERE TO PDSTERITY Thurs 5. 2.30pm. Central Library. East Kilbride. Free. Treasures from the Scottish Film Archive presented by Jo Shanington. including early film of Glasgow.
I TRADITIONAL GAMES Sun 24. 2—4pm. David Livingston Centre. Station Road. Blantyre. £2 (£1). 0698 823140. A chance to re-leam old forgotten skills and games such as peevers (hopscotch). girds 'n‘ cleeks (hoops). whips 'n’ peeries (tops) and the diablo. Organised by Fair Play For Children In Scotland. The David Livingston Centre is open daily (10am—6pm. Sun: 1—6pm) and not only celebrates the discoveries of one of Scotland most famous explorers at his birthplace. but also provides plenty of things for kids to do and a spacious tea room.
I UGANDAN RHYTHM Sat 23/Sun 24. Ham—4pm. Maryhill Community Central Halls. 304 Maryhill Road. Glasgow. £20 (£10). Booking from 041 946 1605. Albert Ssempeke. the ‘master musician’ of Ugandan traditional music leads this weekend workshop organised by Spirits Music Productions which promises an intensive introduction to the ensemble music of Uganda. combining drum orchestra, xylophones and singing in the subtle and powerful dance of interlocking rhythms and melodies.
I WOODCRAFT AND FORESTRY FAIR Sat 23/Sun 24. 11am—5pm. Kelbum Country Centre. South Offices. Fairlie, Ayrshire. 0475 568685. £3 (£1.50). Traditional woodcrafLs. environmental art. tree surgery and snigging are among the many displays and attractions at these two days devoted to displaying the many different aspects of woodcraft and forestry skills. Besides Kelbum’s regular attractions and facilities there will be plenty of information stands, interactive family activites and craft displays.
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I PIBELLI INTERNATIONAL RALLY Sat 23/Sun 24. Klelder Forest (signposted from the itielder Reservoir), Northuniberland and Kershope Forest, (signposted from Newcastieton). Free. Get into top gear as the second stage oi the British Bally Championship reaches Into the Borders. Just. Carl Lewis will not be appearing in high heels although the cars will race through a variety of Forest Enterprise property. Full timetable and parking details trom BAc Motorsport on 0753 681736.
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I BELTANE FIRE Sat 30
, 11pm. Salton ilill, Edinburgh. Free, but donations welcome.
RJ. COLBERT
Celebrate the burning out of the cold days of winter and see in the summer at this ancient tire ritual. Beltane on Caiton Hill was re-incarnated on 1988 with specific
' new rituals including the procession oi the May Queen and her attendants around the
hill, the Beltane Toast and the ceremonial ‘ltllling’ and re-birth oi the Green Man. This year‘s organisers have also promised numerous tire sculptures, ceremonial puppets and Iantems. Bring something to beat as you circle the tire three times, a Beltane Bannoch to throw on the tire and some spirit for the Beltane Toast. In accordance with council regulations, any person who appears to be drunk and disorderly will be asked to leave. The Bites at Spring, an exhibition of Beltane photos
‘ by BJ. Colbert is on display at The Cameo, Home Street, until the end at May.
It has been the most successful season on record up on the Scottish ski slopes. and the season still goes on. All resorts reported recent fresh snow as we went to press. even if lower slopes were exhibiting ‘Spn'ng conditions' (frozen in the morning. slushy in the evening: the best skiing is at noon). So ifyou fancy trying out the pistes but haven‘t yet got round to it. there is still time. What‘s more. the prices are down. as are the crowds.
I Ski Clubs For the social life and post- piste piss-ups, your local ski-club can’t be beat. They also organise mini-buses to slopes on most weekends and can put you in touch with other people who might want to car share.
Glasgow Ski Club meet every Thursday at 9pm in The Scaramouche, Elderslie Street. Details from 041 424 1893 or 041 883 6665.
Edinburgh Ski Club meet every Tuesday from 9.30pm at the West End Hotel. Palmerston Place. For an information pack phone 031 220 3121.
I ounce: Chairlift company: 08556 226. Closed Tue/Wed. The closest resort to Glasgow and Scotland’s first commercial resort. The first tow opened in 1956. 'lt'sjust tremendous up here.’ said our contact. with so much snow that they were having problems digging out the upper lifts. All runs complete. otherwise. with extremely deep, wide. fresh. cover. The resort plan to close for
maintenance on Mon 2 May. but to re- open on weekends as soon as possible thereafter.
I NEVIS RANGE Chairlift company: 0397 705825. Scotland’s newest and hence most modern ski resort boasts the UK's only gondola system. The highest pistes in Scotland are at the top of Aonach Mor (4006 feet). Creche facility: three-seven~ years. Although spring snow is prevelant on the lower slopes. the upper areas have good fresh cover with so much snow they are still having to dig out the lifts. The gondola system is open all year. The skiing will definitely stay open until 8 May. from when skiing will continue depending on demand.
I CAIRNGORM 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. The resort is reckoned to be Scotland‘s largest. boasting 28 runs. Low season prices and summer opening (9am—5pm) are now in operation. A11 runs complete with ‘tonnes of the stuff‘.
Ski Festival Sat 23/Sun 24 with next year’s equipment to put to the test. sponsored skiing in fancy dress. ski demonstrations of telemarking and snow
boarding. an all-comers grand slalom race (£1 a o) and even evening skiing.
I GI. NSHEE Chairlift company: 03397 41320/41343. Edinburgh‘s closest resort. Creche facility: over two years. The three valleys of Glenshee offer 38 pistes on 40km of runs and a massive uplift capacity of 18,500 skiers an hour. However. the dotteral returning to nest on the eastern slopes of the ski area mean that skiing on the east side of the road will have to stop in the imminent future. All the other runs are complete with full cover and spring snow conditions. Reduced price skiing.
I THE LECNT Chairlift company: 09756 51440. Scotland’s best resort for absolute beginners. with easy green and nursery slopes right next to the car park. Creche facility: over three years. All runs complete. with good skiing
The List 22 April—5 May 1994 73