Na rathaidean fada, lùbach tro Chuimrigh agus Alba

Today’s trivia is on immigrants in Scottland:

• As of late 2025, Glasgow houses the highest number of asylum seekers of any local authority area in the UK, with roughly 4,100 people with ongoing claims.
• By 1905, there were over 300 Italian-owned cafes in Glasgow, part of a wave of immigration escaping poverty in Italy in the late 1800s. These shops became essential to Glasgow’s social scene and often served ice cream.
• There are over 50,000 people with South Asian heritage in Glasgow, with significant immigration from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh beginning in the mid-20th century. Many early immigrants worked as pedlars or in the transport sector.
• In 2021, residents of Pollokshields surrounded a Home Office immigration enforcement van to block the detention of two of their neighbors, leading to their release.
• In the 1890s, many Jewish immigrants traveling from Eastern Europe to America decided to stop and settle in Glasgow, creating a vibrant community.
• Refuweegee: Founded in 2015, this organization welcomes refugees to Glasgow by providing “welcome packs” and fostering connections between newcomers and existing residents.
• The Roma community has a established presence in areas like Pollokshields, with individuals contributing to supporting new arrivals from Slovakia and elsewhere.
• Many notable Scottish people have Italian roots from this migration, including singer Lewis Capaldi, Paolo Nutini, and broadcaster Armando Iannucci

We were greeted by the resident of the house at breakfast again . . .

Finally a photo of The hotel . . .

I couldn’t find the Elva Hill Stone Circle, but . . .

So we headed to the National Trust’s Wordsworth House and Garden in aptly named Cockermouth township, pronounced ko-kah-mouth! But the locals seem to leave off the ‘th’ and prounce it as ‘t’.

We got a sticker and badge each. Another thing for the kids to chuck out when cleaning out the house!

National Trust site said open today, which it was. What they didn’t say was that they’ve just reopened today after exstensive works and in 15min there’ll be a tour of house, otherwise can’t get into it.

It was a bit of a tragic end for Mr and Mrs Wordsworth, however their children lived on to a rip old age.

What they did say was that it’s Johns first day at being a tour guide. He was fantastic and you’d have thought he’d been doing it for years.

Stopped at Moffat, but everything closes at 4pm, their siesta time I gather.

We struck peak hour traffic coming into Glasgow. It looked horrendous but not too bad for us as we were going against the traffic.

We are staying at the Kimpton chain of hotel, as we were super impressed with the one in London. It’s not turning out the same. No self closing toilet seat, no floor heating in bathroom, no heated towel rail, no complementary beer or well stocked fridge, just mainly diet soft drinks, a cold room, street level so everyone can see in, single vanity basin, crappy make-up mirror (2ICs words, not mine), crappy slippers (ditto), no turn down service. Tomorrow will tell what breakfast is like.

We set off for dinner at The butterfly and the pig pub. No tables, so we were sat in bar section and told card game onto night so bit (lots) of noise. Reading the menu there wasn’t anything that took our fancy and reading the first paragraph of menu I decided we should leave as didn’t want the expense of a taxis.

So being in the heart of Scotland, we took the next best thing, Korean at Ssamm Korean BBQ. We weren’t disappointed with super helpful waitress explaining how to eat and recommendation for Korean food.

Got the bill and paid by Wise visa card. Girl came back and said she made a mistake and didn’t include the £0.50, so asked for cash. Said sorry no cash. She went away and came back with eftpos machine, so I tapped £0.50🤔

2IC said won’t like the bed. She was right. Too soft. So is the pillow🤔🤔🤔🤔

Am I just getting grumpy in my old age?

Today’s travels . . .

Coming soon, I hope once connectivity is regained between garmin aand strava