Tuesday 11 January 2011

Trainspotting - with added Vitamin D

A sparkling morning beckoned us outside, and the big skies of the West were calling.  We headed back up to  the re-opened cycle track which runs alongside the new Bathgate-Airdrie railway line. This time, we hoped to see some trains.


And we did! The Edinburgh train -

and the Glasgow train!


Both drivers tooted their horns and waved as they passed - completely making a little boy's day.

We enjoyed some wonderful, wide open views.This is one of my favourites along this route. Just visible in the centre of this picture is Dalziel and Scullion's art installation The Horn - one of a series of pieces of motorway art that border the M8.
We watched a crow taking his morning bath.  He certainly did some serious splashing around in the freshly thawed water.
But we mostly enjoyed being out in this big blue day - and a much needed dose of vitamin D.


Almost home, we stopped to watch the workmen and machines trying to finish off the road at the entrance to the new station.  For several years we have been waiting for and watching the construction of this rail link and station.  Its completion means that local people will be 25 minutes away from the centre of either Edinburgh or Glasgow. Now it is almost here and we are leaving for a land that has never been touched by trains or railroads. I think we'll cope, somehow.

16 comments:

  1. Everything looks so blue! It's gorgeous--but cold! Are you sure the crow wasn't drowning? LOL! I can't believe it's bathing in such cold. Amazing!
    There's just something about boys and trains. It's very endearing.
    Thanks for sharing your bright day!

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  2. What a wonderful blue/white world. It is so foreign to me, snow that is. Gorgeous photos of the wee one and how great it was that the drivers tooted the horns.

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  3. Just gorgeous... I have a touch of green eyed envy! Vitamin D mega important, my DH takes it in big big doses to help control the MS symptoms.

    Hope you have a very blessed week

    San x

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  4. Beautiful blue/whiteness! Mgic. We are left now with the thaw which is basically, er, mud. Masses of it. Trying to find the beauty in it :lol I had my vit. d levels checked with a blood test the winterbefore last and they were seriously low, and I go out every day for walks! Been taking a supplement now everyday since then (big doses) and do feel so much better (but of course that is combined with other things anyway). Give it to the kids too and they actually even ask me for it when they are not feeling right.

    Could you pm me your croft address (GP is fine if you don't have my email, I can't remeber if you do!) so I know where to send the kombucha?

    Claire xox

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  5. Beautiful pictures as always. It looks like a lovely bright day was had there, lucky you, it was grey and brown here all day yesterday and is much the same today. I am liking Claire's idea of a vit D supplement, I could do with feeling perkier. It's meant to be great for the immune system too.
    It's so nice when the driver waves or toots isn't it, the tractor drivers do sometimes here and it makes the boys day.
    What is the area around you like? Zol has applied for a couple of jobs in Stirling and Glasgow, although we would obviously live rurally.

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  6. Such a lovely story Jacqui. These are truly the simple pleasures of childhood. My kids could watch birds, trains, trucks, planes and the likes for hours. We are under 19 inches of snow at the moment. Happy Winter.

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  7. Isn't it great when those good old train drivers toot at the kids waving and watching!

    Beautiful photos

    Michelle xx

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  8. A lovely outdoor adventure for sure. One that will certainly stay with your boy. So bright! Brave crow - maybe his friend dared him!

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  9. When my oldest (now 28) was little, he just loved trains. We would sometimes bike over to one of the crossings just to watch the trains go by. Thanks for bringing back some really fond memories! (BTW, your little guy is darling!)

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  10. The snow looks so pretty with that bright sunshine on it!! And the trains!! I will be on a train bound for Kingussie in a week, you've really made me look forward to it, seeing your lovely photos, as I had been feeling a bit wobbly about taking the children on such a long journey. I can remember my friend saying that she got sunburnt one Winter from the sun bouncing off the snow and now I can see what she meant!! xxxxx

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  11. Anonymous13/1/11 21:22

    What beautiful photos. I feel all crisp and clear now! I was so glad to read that the drivers both waved to James. Your mention of a land without trains reminded me of something our Gaelic teacher told us. He said that in the 19th century school inspectors came to the Western Isles to test the children's intelligence. They showed them pictures of trains, and other things which the children had never seen and couldn't identify. The inspectors were astounded at the terrible ignorance of the Highlanders! I can imagine that might have happened. (The children were probably also likewise astounded at the many important things that the school inspectors didn't know about.)

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  12. Christine - that is very interesting, and I can well imagine that too. i remember talking to a lady whose young daughter had never seen a double decker bus until 2 years ago when she went to visit a relative in Glasgow.
    We love train drivers who toot toot. I wonder if it is part of their training :)
    xx

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  13. Bless those drivers! xx

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  14. what gorgeous pics....i love those bright, crisp blue-skied winter days...

    i dare say you'll manage fine without the bustle of the 'south'...;)

    xo

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  15. you have captured such a sweet smile on that darling little face. so glad I took the time to look around here.

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  16. By coincidence my daughter and I bought Vitamin D today. We feel seriously in need of it at this point in the winter!

    Look out for my train photos soon. I think we had the same weather.

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