Royal Scotland Monday 11 June 2012

Monday 11 June


Breakfast is at 07:30 and there is a bit of a queue before entering the restaurant but it soon subsides and we all enjoy a good breakfast.

We are leaving at 08:30 and at 08:15 a man and his nuts are off to feed the red squirrels. Some of the group walk up to watch and take some pictures and by the time we get away it is 08;40. No problems as we have some time in hand this morning.
We are visiting the Falkirk Wheel today and I am going to drive directly there, a journey which should take about two and a quarter hours. We are booked on a boat trip at 11:50 and I would like to arrive in plenty of time so as not to rush everybody.
I am following on my sat nav (a recipe for disaster surely!) when it all becomes a bit confusing where the M73 and A80 go their separate ways as this is a new junction and is not shown as it is on the sat nav. Before I k now it I am still on the M73 which shouldn’t be a problem as I can come off at the next junction. The arrival time hasn’t changed.
We drive through a town called Bonnybridge when I come to a bridge I know I can’t get under! And we are only about a mile from the wheel!
Turning round we skirt the bridge and soon arrive in Falkirk and pick up a sign for the wheel. Well we have two signs, one telling me to go straight on and the other steering me right to the coach park.
I go right, park in the coach bay and then go off to buy the entrance tickets. We are on the wrong side of the canal and it is too far to walk for some of the group. By the time I have walked to the entrance and back we are in the rush I didn’t want!
I drive back to the main road and follow the sat nav as the signs are very poor. The route is through a housing estate and it seems to take ages before we are at the wheel.
I can drop off at the entrance and by the time I buy the tickets and the group are off the bus there is only time for a quick loo stop before boarding the canal boat for a ride on the impressive Falkirk Wheel.
I would have loved to have gone on the trip but there wasn’t time to park the bus and return before the 11:50 departure. The trip takes about 50 minutes and I was going to leave at 14:00 but one of the passengers doesn’t think this is long enough so I change it to 15:00 which I honestly think will be too long. No problems as I would rather have too long than not long enough.
The Falkirk Wheel is a magnificent construction that can take a boat up or down 35 metres from one canal to another saving the use of a dozen locks or more.
Boats and locks fascinate me and this is just the job. Terrific.
We are away by 15:00 and a journey I thought would take an hour and twenty minutes takes an hour and forty five due mainly to the traffic through Perth and getting out of Falkirk.

The hotel were efficient with the unloading of folk and cases (even if I did unload them in the wrong place!) and I am soon following directions to the secure parking. The parking is not far away but it is certainly secure as I can’t get in! The gate is padlocked and I don’t have a key. I am not too impressed with this as the England France game is just about to kick off and I would like to see it. I ring the hotel to vent my frustration and am told a porter will be down with a key when he has finished with the luggage.

Why didn’t they give me the key?
Don’t they know I want to see the football?!!
The porter appears with the key and I am soon parked and even sooner parked at the bar of the Crown watching the footie!
This little pub is next to the hotel and in the very small square bar, no bigger than an average living room, is large screen television with the darts on, another television next to it with the football on and another smaller television behind the bar. Now that’s a pub for you!Dinner is at 19:00 and I check on the group and then go out for a walk.

I am tired and feeling irritable and cannot make up my mind on where to go or what to do.

I have a wander looking for a place to eat but cannot make decide so I go to the large Tesco store at the back of the hotel and buy some rolls, cheese, ham and a small bottle of red and go back to my room for dinner in front of the television watching Sweden Ukraine. Not too exciting but I am happy.