On the radio this morning they said that Eskdalemuir was the coldest place in Scotland at minus 5 degrees. I expect most people have not heard of the place but I jumped up and remembered it for we had been in June 2018 and stayed in this little village, rather rundown but with two stone circles up the road. We had gone because Paul had wanted to see the Buddhist monastery once more and deliver some books for their library.
I was rather disappointed in the monastery, it had large buildings to house those who wanted a quiet retreat and its layout confused me. We had both gone into the temple separately because Paul wanted my reaction. It had an extraordinary colourful interior, might find something on the net, full of gold leaf and paintings. Lavish is what I would call it. There was, at first this humanlike person sitting on a tall chair, I honestly thought it was a statue, for I stared a couple of minutes and it did not move. Yes it was a human meditating, so still though.
Taken from the Kagyu Samye Ling site
I have often thought what it would be like to live in this backwater, nearest town is a long drive and obviously very cold. We stayed in wooden huts, kitted out as self sufficient apartments, think the one next door was let to a monk.
It was good accommodation, you had a welcoming tray of food on arrival and in summer was an ideal place to stay, though there were midges.
Scotland is wild and beautiful, lots of landscape and managed forests which are not so appealing but coming from England one notes that houses are so far apart in the countryside, anyway a few photos.......
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Reminded me of a trip to Golspie we made a few years ago. We stayed in a log cabin in a small wood. It was a freebie - we weren't on holiday as such. We were helping a group who were walking from Lands End to John O'Groats, dropping them and collecting them from various points.
ReplyDeleteI suspect walking in Scotland is much easier than England, though walking the coastline would be best. log cabins and yurts are the 'in' thing for holidaying, I often wonder how they fit the bathroom in!
DeleteI remember from our time living in the Scottish Borders that Eskdalemuir seemed very remote and got a lot of rain.
ReplyDeleteHello, Scotland is an interesting place, but Eskdalemuir village did seem out on a limb, though the countryside was beautiful.
DeleteThe hills just roll one right into another. Lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like them Debby, Scotland is beautiful, but the weather can be extreme.
ReplyDeleteIt will be nice when we can plan trips again. I look forward to the beautiful lands that people can share on their blogs!
ReplyDeleteYes although I am only sharing from the past, will I have the courage once this is all over to explore again I wonder?
DeleteI have read about this place Thelma -mostly good things. Sounds very interesting.
ReplyDeleteWell I suppose you are talking about the Samye Ling temple Pat. I find that retreats are places where we hide from real life, either permanently or temporary.
DeleteI have lost track of when your Paul died but it cannot have been very long after his last visit to Eskdalemuir. From what you have written before, I understand that Buddhism fascinated him. It's good that he got back there before the black cloud cast its shadow upon him.
ReplyDeleteThere was about a year between, the summer of 2018 when we made the visit, then the summer of 2019 when I spent every day travelling to York hospital to sit by his side. Summers seem a long way away at the moment though....
ReplyDeleteI think he did not really follow the tenets of Buddhism, but had been educated in the thinking of it.