Canine Connection I often cut through the grounds of St Cuthbert’s Parish Church while out and about during my lunch hour. Aside from being a useful shortcut from the bottom of Lothian Road into Princess Street Gardens, it’s a picturesque and fascinating corner of historical Edinburgh and well worth a visit. One feature to keep … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 156
Linlithgow Palace Revisited I’ve renewed my membership for Historic Scotland which means I now have free entry into Linlithgow Palace. When I visited last year I walked around the grounds which is free, but this time I took the car all the way in and parked up in the grounds and spent time wandering around … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 155
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society This was a real treat for me. I had never been inside this establishment in the New Town in Edinburgh, though I had passed by it during my walks around the city. I have a novel almost ready to publish, which features a dystopian take on the city, and has … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 154
Largs On the West coast in North Ayrshire, overlooking the Firth of Clyde is a small town called Largs. The original name comes from the Scottish Gaelic (An Leargaidh) which means, the slopes. Popular with tourists, it is a busy place especially when the weather is nice. Scotland is experiencing one of its driest spells … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 151
Edinburgh Castle There is so much that could be said about Edinburgh Castle, I’ve decided to put down some random thoughts instead, rather than trying to outline its history. I’m a member of Historic Scotland again, having been with the National Trust over the last year, so visiting Edinburgh Castle and then for example Stirling … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 148
Edinburgh Gin I visited the new Edinburgh Gin Distillery, which is located at The Arches, East Market Street, just along from Waverley Station. Great location, with a gift shop and a bar that provides a good view of the Martyrs of Reform Monument and Governor’s House. I managed to take a video of a steam … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 147
Scotland’s Photography Collection I made a point of visiting the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh (due to being close to the Royal Society which I blogged about in part 142) and it was one of those random last minute decisions that paid off. The collection totals over 55,000 artworks with a remit of collecting … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 145
Neglected Tropical Diseases A work colleague of mine has an additional role of photographer with the University and provides a visual record for a variety of international visits and cultural exchanges. I was excited to hear that a couple of his photographs had been selected for inclusion at an exhibition at The Royal Society of … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 142
St Andrews I decided to take in part of the East Coast of Scotland and opted to begin in St Andrews before heading down the coast and around what is known here as the East Neuk. I visited St Andrews on countless occasions, but always look forward to it. There is nothing to compare with … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 131
The Georgian House The National Trust for Scotland maintain the property at number 7 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh, providing visitors the opportunity to see what a property looked like during the eighteenth century. It was built in 1796 for John Lamont, designed by architect Robert Adam. The square was part of the first phase of … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 121
The Fiction Factory 