LISTINGS DAYS OUT
IAYS IUT
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.
CENTRAL & TAYSIDE
I COMET HYAKUTAKE Thurs 22-early April. nightly. The Sky (see star chart). Mills Observatory (Balgay Park. Dundee. 01382 667138. free) will be open every weekday night until 10pm. tip to the end of March. See picture caption.
I DISCOVERY DAY Mon I April. 2~9.20pm. Discovery Point. Dundee. Free. 0141 332 4442. See photo caption.
LOTHIANS 8: FIFE
I ANTIOUE DEALERS’ FAIR OF SCOTLAND Fri 22—Sun 24 March. 10am—5pm. Hopetoun House. Sotith Queensferry. £3 (kids free). 01937 832029. A full-on antiques binge. held in the ballroom and tapestry room complex of Hopetoun (which is not yet open to the public for the summer). All the old stuff you could want. front pictures to porcelain. will be for sale froth traders from all over Britain. Full. on-site catering. I COMET HYAKUTAKE Thurs 22—carly April. nightly. The Sky (see star chart). The Royal ()bservatory (Hlttckford Hill. lidinburgh. 0131 668 8405) will be open as usual for public viewing through the popular telescopes until the end of March. every clear week day night. 7—9pm. Phone after 4pm on the day to book. (£1.50). The Edinburgh Astronomical Society are organising a comet viewing jaunt away from the city centre light pollution on Sat 23. Phone the City Observatory after noon on the day: 0131 556-1365. See picture caption. I A CDNFEDERACY OF FOOLS Mon 1 April. 7.30—9.30am. Arthur's Seat. Edinburgh. Free. 0131 5.58 1191. The only public event of the International Conference of Fools. Buffoons and Scatterbrains — being held in Edinburgh for the first time this year — takes place on the first morning after the end of March (if not a Sunday). Not so much a day out. more of a morning tip. this traditional event symbolises the flushing of the Mad March Hare from the area. After assembling at the trig point at the summit of Arthur’s Seat for the blessing at 8am. everyone will rush down The Dasses to St Anthony's Chapel shouting ‘Woodle Woodle Weeble Woy‘ while beating the grass with a bent stick. All welcome. but please leave dogs at home and wear suitable footwear. I EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL Fri 29 .\larch~'l'ue 16 April. Various venues around lidinbnrgh. Mega fun with science. See separate listings. I SCOTTISH MOTORCYCLE SHOW Sat 23/Sun 2-1 March. 10am—5pm. Royal Highland Centre. lngliston. l‘Zdinburgh. £5 (£2). 01555 893405. It‘s not so much a question of what‘s happening at the biggest motorcycle show in the country. it‘s what‘s nut happening. If anything! All the new season‘s bikes will be getting their first airing on UK soil. complete nutters will be showing off their custom
it. - a. a .3 - / E
a. .'.," .399: bar .- , an-.." $ zaasOi..-..-.-_.t—_J 4% \ \ 3‘0. r‘ r“ "[ 2 05.4 \ I I. . V \Vf" 4 \\ O —i
y ’ \‘\ \.
(\"s'mrcll .“¢
3.1
fl. C ..
f 14W41<filfi741<£ in1996
l COMET HYAKUTAKE Thurs 22-Iate April, nightly. The Sky. Mr Hyakutake was perusing the night sky through his 6in lensed binoculars back in January, as one does, when he noticed a smudge. It was a new comet which now bears his name and will be visible in Scotland until late April. Regular comet watchers will know that such events can often be a let down, but as Hyakutake passes a mere ten million miles from Earth on 25 March, it should be visible as a misty glow about the size of the moon in the Northern sky.
bikes. even more complete nutters will be going for the white knuckle ride of the simulator. There‘ll be stuff for charity. bikes ancient and modern. a fashion show. bike/autojumble and even photographs. I SWITCHED ON SCOTLAND ’96 Sat 30/Sun 31 March. 10.15am—5pm (Sat: 4pm). MacRobert Pavilion. Royal Highland Centre. lngliston. Edinburgh. £4 (kids £2). 01829 770880. So you wanna plug and play‘.’ Well this four part market mightjust be the place for you. Besides the decidedly old hat 'hi-fi and audio‘ and
Vroom! This Harley Davidson International Xlli Sportster 883 Hugger is on its way to the Scottish Motorcycle Show. See Lothlans & Fife
‘photography and video' sections. there's ‘in-car entertainment and security‘. and ‘computers and the internet'. Get out there kids but don't forget your wallets.
STRATHCLYDE
I AUTOJUMBLE AND ANTIOUE FAIR Sun 31 March. Biggar. Due to demolition of Biggar Hall. this year‘s fair has been canceHed.
I THE BUTE COLLECTION AUCTION Mon 25. 11am and 2pm. Christies. 164 Bath Street. Glasgow. Free. Viewing Fri 22-Sun 24 10am—4pm (Sun 1—4pm). Objects of art. furniture. prints and pictures. all from the Bute Collection at Mount Stuart House. go under the hammer. Most interesting are 29 lots of uniforms. muslin dresses and moleskin hats.
I COMET HYAKUTAKE Thurs 22-early April. nightly. The Sky (see star chart). Coats ()bservatory (Oakshaw Street. Paisley. 0141 889 2013. free) will be open on Thursdays. 7—9.30pin. until the end of March for public viewing. See picture caption.
I EASTER PARADE Sun 31 March. Ham—4.30pm. Lead Mining Museum. Wanlockhead. by Biggar. Lanarkshire. 1.3 (£1.50). 01659 74387. Wanlockhead opens for the season with a slightly early Easter Parade featuring such traditional Scottish events as a New Orleans jazz band. Also egg painting. egg rolling. hat making and loads of prizes for the best eggs.
I SCOTTISH WOODWORKINC SHOW Fri 22—Sun 24 March. 10am-5pm (Sun: 4pm). SPEC. l-‘innieston Quay. Glasgow. £5 (£4/£3 kids). 01934 522240. A must for all amateur wotxlworkers. this year‘s show will have stands from most of the leading manufacturers of equipment. new products and gadgets. acres of timber and continuous lectures. demonstrations and workshops.
What a yo-yo of a season it's been. No snow. but freezing cold; snow. but too much wind: and now. at long last. a spot of that white stuff has fallen and stuck! These listings are correct at time of going to press: phone to find out up to the minute information.
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 0141 632 9762 or 0141 883 6665.
Edinburgh Ski Club meet every Tuesday from 9.30pm at the Royal Circus Hotel. Royal Circus. For an information pack phone 0131220 3121.
I Dry Ski Slopes Put in a bit of practice before hitting the white stuff:
Newmilns 35 High Street. Newmilns. Ayrshire. KA8 9EA. 01560 322320.
Ninety-metre run with button lift. l-Ivemng classes. Public Skiing Sat/Sun. 2—4pm. £3.50 (£2.50).
Hillend Ski Centre llillend. lidinburgh. 0131 445 4433. Mon-«Sat. 9.30am-—9pm; Stilt. 9.30am—6pm. The longest and most challenging artificial ski run in liurope. Ski maintainancc. coaching days. kids clubs. telemarking and snowboarding.
I CLENCOE Chairlift company: 01855 851 226/232 (ski report). The closest resort to Glasgow and Scotland's first commercial resort. liresh snow on a firm base. w ith all runs complete and all uplifts working.
I NEVIS RANGE Chairlift company: 01397 705 825/855 (ski report). 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). where all runs are complete and wide. The middle runs are OK. widening with drifting snow. Creche facility: three to seven years.
I CAIRNGORM Chairlift company: 01479 861 261. Scotland's most famous ski area is close to the skiing town of Aviemore so there are lots of things to do off-piste while it is closed due to poor weather conditions.
I OLENSHEE Chairlift company: 013397 41320/41343. Edinburgh's closest resort. The three valleys of Glenshee offer 38 pistes on 40km of runs and a massive uplift capacity of 18.500 skiers an hour. Creche facility: over two years.
I THE LECHT Chairlift company: 019756 51440. Suffering from mild weather and a lack of base. although the Buzzard rtm is wide. deep and complete. Creche facility: over three years.
a 442,734"? ..,}.€,é,' h. {/4. , A... y, 11/] I '- {3.4539 ' a ; a, “wt, ‘ I": fr'ri’ "I", ‘1 I t ‘ A . 9 J \ a . . . .- , Is. '\ (I. .II’ . ‘ “vi!”
I DISCOVERY DAY Mon 1 April, 2—9.20pm. Discovery Point, Dundee. Free. 0141 332 4442. A day to celebrate ten years since the return of lifts Discovery to Dundee. There’s tops kid-type stuff during the afternoon, including a visit from Lightning the Gladiator, and music during the evening, culminating in a firework display at 9pm.
The List 22 Mar-4 Apr 1996 81