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A Memorable Place – In the Company of Granda is a documentation of me and my best friend Tracing back the steps we used to take together visiting small towns within Fife and the outskirts. We would take pieces on cold meat and bottles of Irn-Bru for the journey and we would stop at beaches, visit the little shops in the small towns, go putting on the Himalayas in St.Andrews. 

My Granda would always make sure he had a light jacket and his bunnet with him. Now that he is older his jackets are getting heavier and a wooly hat is the better option, he also needs his walking stick.

I hope that this will be encouraging for people to spend time with loved ones and cherish the memories that you make together. 

Broughty Ferry

Broughty Ferry is the first destination we visited together on our little trip. 

“Broughty Ferry is a community of some 10,000 households with a current population of over 19,000 located within the City of Dundee on the North bank of the River Tay. Guarding the mouth of the Tay estuary, the 15th century Broughty Castle overlooks the harbour. Built in 1498, the castle was restored during the 19th century and now houses a museum featuring displays on Dundee’s maritime history.”

I remembered having taken a photograph of my Granda years ago at the harbour and thought it would be fun to recreate it so we made a little picnic and off we went. 

Anstruther

Anstuther is famous for its fish and chip shop that sits at the harbour. On Sundays my Granda and I would drive along the beautiful country roads, passing the unique colourful houses that you would only see in fishing villages and stop at the chippy in Anstruther for a fish supper. We would either eat it in the car at Anstruther beach or drive 10 minutes along the road to Pittenweem (another fishing village) and eat it at the play park which is situated up high on a beautiful cliff overlooking the water. 

Elie

Ruby Bay in Elie is a place we often visit together. We share some memories of when my Gran was still with us too which makes it more special. We would go and get an ice cream cone together along and the beach and drive up the steep, narrow hill to get to Ruby Bay. 

My great auntie Peggy told me that it is called Ruby Bay because if you collect some stones and go home and wash them you may be lucky enough to find that the stone is actually a ruby! 

My Mum and I often reminisce about all of the wife’s tales, Scottish stories and funny sayings that my Gran and her sisters would tell us. If only you realised at the time that things like that should have been written down so that we could look back and laugh at them again.

St. Andrews

St. Andrews is probably my Granda’s favourite place to visit. It’s a beautiful drive on the country roads to get there and it’s a bigger town which means he gets everything done that he needs to do like his food shopping, visit the bank and his visit to the bookies!

But our favourite activity was having a game of putting next to St. Andrews Old Course. If it was really busy we wouldn’t be allowed to play as he has no patience at all… Even if we did play we would sometimes skip 2 and 3 holes because there were bigger groups in front of us! But that’s just my Granda and I wouldn’t change him for the world. 

Music

Dr. Hook – Millionaire

Connie Francis – Lipstick on your collar

Middle of the Road – Chirpy Chirp Cheep Cheep

Neil Diamond – Cracklin Rosie

Neil Diamond – I am.. I said

Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue

Roy Orbison – Pretty Woman

Roy Orbison – Only The Lonely

Oak Ridge Boys – Sail Away

The Monkees – Daydream Believer

Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl