DAYS OUT
LISTINGS
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Britain’s managed forests.
l WILBWOODS EXHIBITION Fri/Sat, 10.30am—3.30pm until 18 Dec. Caledonian Hall Royal Botanic Garden, lnverleith Row, Edinburgh. 031 552 7171 . £1.50 (£1/50p). This major new exhibition and multimedia show at the Botanics tells the story of Scotland’s trees and woodlands, past, present and future. Besides looking at the historic deforestation which has left much of Scotland with a treeless landscape, it includes altemative views on the future of Scotland’s woodland heritage from such diverse bodies as the Forestry Commission, the RSPB, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Trees for Life. There are still a few places left on Sat 5 for the Tales from the Wildwood family entertainment with stories, music and song from the Beasties (Caledonian Hall, 11 .SUam and 1.30pm, £4/£2). On Sat 12 and Sun 13, 1-3pm, there are free willow basket-making demonstrations in the Caledonian Hall with Lise Bech, who has won prizes at the Royal Highland show for her baskets. 0n Thurs 17, (lecture Theatre, 3pm, free) Dr Philip Ratcliffe, head of the environmental branch of the Forestry Commission will be giving a public talk about biodiversity in
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 then alphabetically. All submissions should be accompanied by a contact phone number for our information. Days Out compiled by Thom Dibdin.
BORDERS
I ABBEY ST BATHANS ORGANISED WALK Sun 6, 10am—4pm. Meet at the Visitor Centre car park, Abbey St Bathans (ten miles north of Dunns). Free. A circular hill walk to Edins Hall Broch and Cockburn Law in the beautiful Whiteadder Valley, organised by the Borders Ranger Service. The autumn colours of the woodland against moorland heather and farm land should make for great views during a varied walk. suitable for most ages, but don’t forget your walking boots.
I BORDER CANARY SHOW Sat 5. 2.30—6pm;Sun 6, 9am—3pm. Volunteer Hall, St John’s Street, Galashiels. £1 (50p). The only two-day show of Border canaries in Scotland. Finches brought back by sailors from the Canary Islands in the 15th century proved most adaptable to breeding in captivity. As with dogs which are descended from a common ancestor, over the years many different breeds of canaries evolved, such as the Lizard, the Yorkshire and the Norwich. From the 18008, many labourers and workmen on both sides of the border kept a bird as a pet, although they were not defined as being of any particular type. As a competitive element crept into keeping canaries, rivalry developed on either side of the border and a meeting was finally called in 1890 where the favourite bird was made the definitive Borders canary. Nowadays, the type is the most popular in the world.
I ETTRICK HEAD ORGANISED WALK Sun 13, 10am—4pm. Meet at the end of the public road at the head of the Ettrick Valley near Potburn. Free. A strenuous nine-mile hike around the head of the Ettrick Valley with some excellent views ofthe Moffat and Ettrick Valleys and, if the weather is not too bad. the Lake District and Dumfriesshire. No dogs allowed on this ridge walk organised by the Borders Ranger Service. Don’t forget to take full walking gear and a packed lunch.
I GUY FAWKES DAY CELEBRATION Sat 5. 2—4pm. Traquair House. Traquair. near Peebles. information: 031 557 0707. Under the auspices of Richard Demarco. Flora and Catherine Maxwell Stuart present a full-size guy sculpture made by eight ‘well known’ Scottish artists in collaboration. Traquair House ale will be served.
LOTHIANS & FIFE
I BIRD WATCHING AT HOPETOUN HOUSE Sun 13, 10.30am. Hopetoun House car park, South Queensferry. 031 331 2451. £2 (£1). A chance to look at the birdlife in the Hopetoun estate with the countryside ranger. At this time of year, both resident and migrant birds should be around. Take binoculars if you have them.
I BLACK HOLES LECTURE Fri 1 1, 7.30pm. Royal Observatory. Blackford Hill. Edinburgh. 031 668 8405. £2 (£1.50). Evening star gazing £1.50. The idea of black holes has been around for a long time. but ‘has anyone ever seen one?’ asks the apprOpriately named Dr Alan Heavens. Perhaps there is one in our own galaxy, in the swirling mass ofdust and gas at its centre. But, if there is, lmw could we tell." Besides the excellent exhibitions (open daily, l—5pm), the Observatory is open every clear weekday evening from
7-9pm for a look at the night sky. Phone after 4pm on the day to book. Star gazers will also be interested in the Heavenly Library exhibition at the Royal Museum of Scotland. Chambers Street. Edinburgh (free, Mon—Sat lOam—Spm; Sun noon—5pm). This collaboration between the Museum and the Observatory mixes books and star maps with contemporaneous astronomical instruments.
I HEAD FOR THE HILLS Every Tuesday in November, 7-8pm. Conference Room. Central Library, George W Bridge. Edinburgh. Free (tickets available from conference room from fifteen minutes before the event). This series of four lectures. which should be of interest to any serious or semi-serious walker. begins on Tue 8 with an illustrated talk on the physical background to the Pentland Hills from the Pentland Hills Ranger Service. On Tue 15, a member of the Scottish Mountain Safety Service will give an illustrated talk on mountain safety in winter. On Tue 22 Rennie McOwan, the walking correspondent with Scotland on Sunday. will be talking about hill access. in the final talk on Tue 29, Graham Little of the Ordnance Survey will be giving an illustrated talk about his work in relation to both landscape and recreation.
I HEDGIHG YOUR BETS Sat 12—Sun l3. 2.30—4pm. Almondale and Calderwood Country Park, Mid Calder, two miles south of Broxburn on the A89. 0506 882254. Free. Get your wellies out for this weekend of hedge planting. No previous experience is needed. as the ground will have been prepared. This continues a project started four years ago, which aims to plant a mixed hawthorn and beech hedge along the Country Park boundary with the surrounding farmland. Over time. this traditional Lothian hedge will also provide a wildlife habitat. The two country parks, totalling over 200 acres, provide a rich variety of habitats. from the birch scrub and oak wood of Calderwood to the river banks of the Almond. This is a good time of year to see birds along the river. including dippers, wagtails and the occasional glimpse of a kingfisher.
I WILDWOODS EXHIBITION Fri/Sat. 10.30am—3.30pm until 18 Dec. Caledonian Hall, Royal Botanic Garden, lnverleith Row. Edinburgh. 031 552 7171. £1.50 (£l/50p). See photo caption.
STRATHCLYDE .
I FEEDING BIRDS IN WINTER Sun 13, 2—3.30pm. Mugdock Country Park. on the A81 Milngavie-Strathblane road. £1. Knock-up bird tables and feeders for your garden.
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Q“: '- .. ’1 .. IT OF CHRISTMAS From Sat 12, 113m—
I MODEL TOY FAIR and PHONECARD COLLECTORS BOURSE Sun 13. noon—4.30pm. Visitors Centre. New Lanark Village. by Lanark. 50p (children free). Free car park. Phonecards are the big new thing to collect, and a special commemorative card will be on sale on the day. along with phonecards from all over the world. including many Japanese pictorials and specialist cards from some of the countries leading dealers. The model toy fair will include a display of working Meccano models. including Jacko the climbing monkey and the Barr’s lrn-Bru Ferris wheel. Aficionados of TV and science fiction memorabilia should beam down to Chris Dickson‘s stall and there will be masses of the usual trains and train sets as well as Dinky, Matchbox and Corgi diecast model vehicles. Dealers at both events will be there to buy, swap and sell. Full catering is available at New Lanark. See below for further details.
I SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS From Sat 12.
l lam—5pm. Visitors Centre. New Lanark Village, by Lanark. £2.75 (£1.75; Family ticket £7.95). See photo caption.
I Whoosh! Enjoy a safe spectacle in favour of that great patriot. Mr Fawkes at: Fri 4:
zli/‘r/ric: Rawyards Park. Motherwell Street. 7.15pm.
Cambridge: Dunbeth Park, Kildonan Road. 7.15pm.
Sat5
Barr/read: Cowan Park. 7pm. Free. Edinburgh: Meadowbank Stadium. Gates open at 6pm. display 7.15pm. £1.75. Entertainment from the Caledonian Pipes and Drums and the Edinburgh Samba Band before the 50-minute.
Glasgow: Glasgow Green. 6.30pm. Free. Lots of entertainment thanks to the Parks and Recreation Department. including music from the Humpff Family, a giant bonfire and the ‘biggest, most spectacular fireworks yet’.
Mot/iem'ell: Strathclyde Country Park. Hamilton Road. 6pm.
5pm. Visitors Centre, New Lanark
Village, by Lanark. £2.75 (£1.75; Family ticket £7.95). Until the end of the festive period, lanark’s popular Annie McLeod Experience is transformed into a story for Christmas which tells of the changing traditions from the time when 25 December was just another working day, through the Victorian era with scenes from A Christmas Carol and a Victorian Christmas, right up to the present day. The passport ticket also includes entrance to several of the other attractions in Robert Owen‘s
‘model’ village, including the village store.
76 The List 4—17 November 1994