A Walk In The Woods

It was another gorgeous day today -- really, I can see why people want to visit Scotland in the spring. If this is how it is now, I can only imagine it when May and June roll around. It's getting warmer, and it's finally sunnier. I never realized how much of an impact on mood and disposition the lack of sunlight has until I moved here. I have my room set up so that my bed faces the window to take full advantage of the burst of sunlight in the morning.

I may regret that once sunrise gets any earlier, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

After class today, and after lugging maybe 20 books from the library for my paper due this Friday, I needed some of that sunshine. The Lade Braes walk was so pretty when I last went on it that I figured I could take one of the side roads and see where they led.

So, I tried the Viaduct Walk off of the main Lade Braes trail, which was a lot shorter than I thought that it would be, leading as a cut off to The Cannongate, which is one of the roads here in St Andrews (which apparently also is the home of the St Andrews Botanical Gardens -- did not know we had botanical gardens. This must be investigated on another sunny day, as when I walked past it was already after 5pm). I figured, might as well walk down the road until I get to the point where I need to turn back and head home to beat sunset.

Ended up at Spinkie Den, which is at a cross with the Lade Braes walk, so I figured I might as well turn and just go back down the Lade Braes walk since it was such a gorgeous day.

Welcome Spring

Yesterday was the first day of spring, and it couldn't come soon enough. The days are getting longer, the sun seems to be out more and more each day (way to burst through the Scottish clouds, sun!), and the temperature seems to be creeping ever so slightly up. Today I was even a bit warm in my fleece. Tomorrow I may, gasp and astound, just wear a sweater. Love it.

And to welcome spring, there was a bonfire on the castle sands last night. A good chance to sit, chat with friends, welcome in the new season, and check out the awesome supermoon that was hanging over the horizon (because Astronomy is great, I don't care if that does make me a space geek).

It also gave everyone a chance to chuckle at me because no one realized just how much of a space geek I am. Yes, I had to point out the supermoon whenever anyone mentioned how big it seemed tonight. Of course, they also had a moment of 'how do the tides work?' since we were sitting on the beach. With me trying to bite my tongue, because they don't want the lecture -- until Rachel rolls her eyes and goes 'alright... Rebecca, how do tides work?' Again, not my fault I know thing *lol*

My epitaph will read "Rebecca... she knew things."

The pictures are dark, but then it was the middle of the night.


The moon coming up over St Andrews from the castle sands


The bonfire that brave souls were jumping over to cleanse negativity from the winter and start spring fresh


Me and Rachel chilling on the beach

Census 2011

The best way to know that a census is coming is whether or not I'll be in the area once the results matter. US Census 2010? Filled out the form a couple of months before I both moved out of that state and out of the country. So... wasn't really a concern if that area got more federal funding. And now what did I get through my door?



Apparently 2011 is Scotland's census time. And even as a student, we have to fill out the thing. Again, won't be here when the results matter, so... glad to know that you're counting me, Scottish government! Give Fife more money.

And the interesting part is that we don't just mail them in -- apparently we have to return the forms to the building manager. Which, for my building means the Residence Manager in one of the undergrad halls. Who have their office in the undergrad residence.

... which my card does not give me access to.

Thanks guys, for making me return a folder to a building that I can't enter and have to stand outside and wait for an unsuspecting first year to come out so I can go 'hey kid, I'm loitering outside your building, so let me in'.

All The Little Houses

Another photo from my walk down Ladebraes Lane yesterday. Overlooking someone's little garden and across St Andrews. It's fascinating to me here how many buildings are in such a small space -- especially in a small town. St Andrews with its 16,000 is only a bit bigger than the town I grew up in, but it feels much more condensed here.

It's something I found odd, but now very charming, about the UK. Not everything faces the street. It's not always in neat little lines. I mean, I live in an alley behind a car park. Which, while it was a pain to figure out where my house was the first day here (yes, the cabbie and I drove around the block 3 times trying to figure out just where it all was and finally just dropped me off where I thought I might be... and it was closeish), now I kind of like it.

But the idea that something might be behind a building... that was foreign to me in September. Completely went against my very American idea of 'space, I need space, why are you all so close together?' Now? I expect that things are hidden away in nooks and crannies along the streets and it's fun to find those places.

Lade Braes Walk

It was a gorgeous day today. And when I say gorgeous, I don't even mean 'gorgeous for Scotland'. No, no qualifier. Just gorgeous. And while I needed to get some reading done on Locke, it would've been a shame to spend the entire day inside. Instead I decided to enjoy a walk. And while out and about town, I saw one of the signs down one of the alleys that I walk past almost every day and don't usually give it a second thought.



Now, I'd heard of the Lade Braes walk, and that it was a pretty walk. But that was all that I knew. Well, it was a pretty day, and I was looking for a pretty walk, so that sounded like a good deal to me.

Whoever said that it was 'pretty' was using a serious understatement. First, for those who don't know the area, a little history lesson from the historical markers on the trail.

Years ago, a mill lade (stream) ran through St Andrews to the Priory. Built by monks, it provided water for households and power for watermills. The Walk follows the line of the lade which was piped and covered in stages between 1868 and 1893.

Today, it's a fine, varied walk along the braes (hillsides) of the lade from St Andrews to the open country of Craightoun Park. The two-mile route follows the Kinness Burn which fed the lade, but you can turn back into town at several points on the route and visit the Doocot or the Botanic Garden.

Tada, the Lade Braes walk. If you end up in St Andrews, it's a delightful stroll, and a surprisingly beautiful piece of forest and land that I wasn't expecting.


Ladebraes Lane, going behind South Street, before you cross Bridge Street into the walk proper. The wall to the right in addition to being the boundaries of the houses on the lane used to be part of the ancient defenses of St Andrews.


You walk and all of a sudden it opens up into the gloriously green park, complete with play area and football pitch. I had no idea this was out here.


Majority of the walk follows by this fantastic stream and the first buds of spring. There are already huge patches of daffodils just waiting to blossom. I'll be out in another week or so just to see the explosion of yellow sure to come.


More pretty path as you make it to one of the old watermills at the end of the walk.


Speak of the devil -- look, an old watermill! From the path it looks like it's open, or at least not fenced in. I'll have to explore that next time.


Proof of why it was a good day to be out -- you don't get that many gloriously blue skies in Scotland. Although I am getting spoiled hoping for Spring now...