Greetings from Dunbar
Which is a small fishing port some miles east of Edinburgh currently hosting the UK disc golf championships, which is, indirectly, why I'm here.
There's a lot to like about Dunbar. It's neither pretentious not terribly touristy. The architecture's nice, the shops have rings set in the walls for you to leave your dog (I know this is a Terrible Thing To Do but it's the only way that I get to buy any lunch and I can't imagine anyone figuring out my knots in the 45 seconds it takes me to walk in, ask for a sausage roll and cardamon pastry, pay and walk out again) and there are beaches, cliff paths and lots of woodland.
Everything's in a really dark red sandstone, including the sand. It's quite striking. If I remember I'll take my camera out this afternoon. This morning Kili and I explored the woods, which were planned around a (now long gone) manor house. There are lots of uncleared fallen trees with vertical root structures easily twice my height, and underneath each one is a deep dark peaty pool where the roots ripped away the earth. Most of it was easy walking but we ended up in an area made up of patches maybe six feet across, each hemmed in by high piles of fallen trunks and roots. I crawled and clambered and slid and waded through mud, picking up more and more nettle stings and bramble scratches and fighting rising claustrophobia, while the dog sensibly chose routes more suitable for a person 16 inches high with four legs and an aversion to nettles. We did get out before I started gibbering but it was a near thing. This afternoon we're doing beach, although it will be around high tide.
We also met a burly local chap with the tiniest (and least obedient) poodle that I have ever seen.
Dunbar is the birthplace of John Muir, and very proud of it they are too. I have to admit to never having heard of him, being neither Scottish (well, technically about an eighth but not remotely culturally) or American. Anyway, US national parks dude.
Spouse's disc golf takes up many many hours so it's rather like holidaying on my own. The hotel is comfortable and Kili is happy to sleep all the time that we're not out walking. I'm mainly drinking tea and writing. Herc/Douglas (sort of) has reached 8k and is doing pretty well, provided that you're not in any sort of hurry. Hopefully I might finish it this weekend.