Spring 1971 An Edinburgh Adventure

On Saturday, 6 March, 1971 five of us took off on a spring adventure - Ali Douglas; Les Ramage; Boo-Boo Hanlon; Iain and Peter Hoffmann..

  Ali Douglas; Iain Hoffmann; the Author; and ‘Boo-Boo’ Hanlon in front of

Mons Meg, Edinburgh Castle, 1971

      

We took the number 27 bus to Edinburgh Castle to explore our heritage. It was always good fun going out together, great company with many laughs. Although we had a rough outline of the day ahead, we never quite knew what would happen or who we might meet along the way.

                   

Iain Hoffmann; the Author; and Boo-Boo Hanlon - Soldier unknown

         

Iain Hoffmann; Boo-Boo Hanlon; and the Author 43 years later at

Swanston Golf Club, Edinburgh

From the castle we walked all the way down the Royal Mile and then up and over Arthur's Seat. We were in no hurry and walked at an easy pace, calling in at one or two of the shops along the way. There were fewer tourists around then and the Old Town still had a significant population, so it was local people and workers who were in the area.

                

Iain Hoffmann and Ali Douglas Boo-Boo Hanlon and Les Ramage Arthurs Seat 

Although we were young and fit the climb up Arthur's Seat was a stiff one and we quickly built up a sweat and the beginning of a sound appetite. At one stage, whilst running through the long grass, we unknowingly came to the edge of a sharp precipice which would have been all too easy to have fallen over.

 Ali Douglas and either Les Ramage or  Boo-Boo dangerously close to the edge above Holyrood Palace

We had a general sense of direction now. Once we had reached the summit and taken in the 360 degree panoramic view of Edinburgh, we traversed Arthur's Seat and got sight of Duddingston Loch in the valley below; we'd found our bearings. It was downhill now. We leapt like hares and galloped like horses, occasionally crashing, rolling and laughing, as we ran and tumbled down the hill.

                        

No matter the weather, Holyrood Park and Duddingston Loch are quite magical with quiet  parts where you can completely escape the city.

                    

Duddingston Loch, Charles Lee, 1853

A century before, Robert Louis Stevenson enjoyed it in all the seasons too. He writes in the winter of 1874, of looking down on the frozen loch, at the skaters flitting around, under the light from the moon and lit torches.

                    

Skaters, Duddingston Loch, Charles Lee, 1857

A fantasy in dull school lessons was to visit Duddingston Loch on a spring or autumn Saturday afternoon with a rubber dinghy and gently float around the loch, whilst listening to a football commentary on my miniature radio.             

Duddingston Loch

After the excitement of Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Arthur's Seat, the long road through Duddingston to Durham Road was the least enjoyable part of the journey, particularly because by then, we were hungry.

 Boo-Boo Hanlon, Duddingston Golf Course, 1971 the end in sight

Afternoon tea awaits for five hungry boys

We hadn't planned ahead or notified our grandparents, but we knew from old, that there was no trouble turning up announced on their doorstep. There was a warm welcome and a massive tea soon followed bacon and eggs and scones and buns were soon drummed up for us to enjoy.

  

Grandfather (Gaga), buying the Ford Zephyr, Hawick with the Author

After tea, we got a lift back home from Portobello to Oxgangs in our grandfather's large stylish Ford Zephyr car with its American styled tail fins. It easily accommodated three in the front and three in the back. I suppose we were cheeky in requesting a lift back by 6.30 pm, but Ali had to get home to see an Aunt and Uncle. Even after the day’s adventures, we still had the energy to play a game of singles and dodgy ball well into the evening.

Happy, timeless and seemingly endless days of friendship and companionship.

VignetteTaken From Edinburgh Photos Website Courtesy Peter Stubbs-Motivated By Series On Edinburgh Prefabs

Peter Hoffmann

Highlands, Scotland


Thank you to Douglas Blades for allowing me to reproduce the photo below, and also to Peter Hoffmann who wrote:


1960s

Grandfather's Car

"During the 1960s, the Hoffmanns had a general Sunday pattern for many years which revolved around being collected at 'The Stair' by our grandfather any time after 11am to be taken down to Portobello for the day.

We didn't have a telephone and of course mobiles weren't even dreamed of back then. Anne, Iain and I used to stand at our parents' front bedroom window to look out for our grandfather's car (Ford Zephyr Mk6) coming down the hill at Greenbank.

It's uncanny to think we could see that far from the far end of Oxgangs Avenue, but this was when the prefabs were still there and before the new blocks of flats were built which replaced them. We couldn't be entirely certain that it was his car, but there were relatively few cars on the road back then on a Sunday.

A cry would go up: 'That's Gaga!' - and we'd all rush to get ready. Sometimes of course it wasn't and we'd go back to our waiting stations."

Oxgangs Avenue

Photo taken from the balcony of 6/6 Oxgangs Avenue

Prefabs in the foreground, Oxgangs development in the background.



© Douglas Blades (one of 41 members of Peter Hoffmann's 'Stair 6, Oxgangs' blog site.
Thank you, also, to Peter Hoffmann for sending a copy of this photo to me.

Spring 1971 - An Edinburgh Adventure

On Saturday 6 March, 1971 five of us took off for a spring adventure-Ali Douglas; Les Ramage; Boo-Boo Hanlon; Iain Hoffmann; and myself.

We took the Number 27 bus to Edinburgh Castle to explore our heritage. It was always good fun going out together - great company with many laughs. Although we had a rough outline of the day ahead, we never quite knew what would happen or who we might meet along the way.

Ali Douglas; Boo-Boo Hanlon; Les Ramage; Iain Hoffmann and General Haig

Ali Douglas; Iain Hoffmann; Peter Hoffmann; Boo-Boo Hanlon; and Mons Meg

Iain Hoffmann; Peter Hoffmann; Boo-Boo Hanlon; and a Scottish Sudger!

From the castle we walked all the way down the Royal Mile and then up and over Arthur's Seat. We were in no hurry and walked at an easy pace calling in at one or two of the shops along the way. There were fewer tourists around and the Old Town still had a significant population, so it was local people who dominated.

Ali Douglas; Peter Hoffmann; BooBoo Hanlon and Les Ramage

The climb up Arthur's Seat was a stiff one; even though we were young and fit we quickly built up a sweat and the beginnings of a sound appetite. 

Iain Hoffmann and Ali Douglas (back); BooBoo Hanlon and Les Ramage (front)

At one stage whilst running through the long grass we unknowingly came to the edge of a sharp precipice which would have been all too easy to have gone over.

Ali Douglas and Les Ramage on the edge looking toward Holyrood Palace

We had a general sense of direction. Once we had taken in the summit 360 degree panoramic view of Edinburgh we traversed Arthur's Seat and got sight of Duddingston Loch down in the valley; we'd found our bearings. It was downhill now. We leapt like hares and galloped like horses, occasionally crashing, rolling and laughing as we ran or tumbled down the hill side.

Duddingston Loch By Moonlight Charles Lees

Duddingston Loch was always quite magical, no matter the weather in Holyrood Park there are times when you can completely escape the city. Robert Louis Stevenson enjoyed it in all the seasons a century before and writes in the winter of 1874 of looking down at the skaters on the frozen loch flitting around under the light from the moon and lit torches. My fantasy was to come down on a Saturday afternoon with a rubber dinghy and float around the loch whilst listening to a football commentary on my miniature radio!

Boo-Boo Hanlon; Iain Hoffmann(?); Ali Douglas

After the excitement of Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and Arthur's Seat the long road through Duddingston to Durham Road was the least enjoyable part of the journey-particularly because by then we were hungry.

Outside Duddingston Golf Course - Boo-Boo Hanlon - a great character and a great friend over the years

We hadn't planned ahead or notified our grandparents, but we knew from old, that there was no trouble turning up unannounced on their doorstep. There was a warm welcome and a massive tea soon followed - bacon and eggs, scones and buns were soon drummed up for us to enjoy. 

After tea, we got a lift back home the seven miles to Oxgangs in our grandfather's large stylish Ford Zephyr car with its American styled tail-fin. It easily accommodated three in the front and three in the back. I suppose we were cheeky in requesting a lift back by 6.30 pm, but Ali (Douglas) had to be back home to see an Aunt and Uncle. We meanwhile still had the energy to play a game of singles and also dodgy ball well into the evening. 

Our Grandfather buying the Ford Zephyr in Hawick circa 1967

Happy, timeless and seemingly endless days of friendship and companionship.

Iain Hoffmann; Brian 'Boo-Boo' Hanlon; and the author 

12 November, 2014, 43 years later, Swanston Golf Club