The Travel Group plan a number of day trips, mostly utilising the free over 60’s NEC bus pass. These will generally be held on the last Friday of the month but may occasionally change depending on the destination. Longer term, some trips further afield, that incorporate overnight stays, are anticipated. The members suggest places they may wish to visit and a programme of outings is put together.

This year our first visit was to Inverurie and a pleasant time was spent at the Garioch Heritage Centre, which tells the story of the domestic and working life of the people in the area. The centre sits in the renovated Carriage and Wagon Workshop, part of the Inverurie Locomotive Works.

In February, Perth Museum and the Black Watch Museum were our destinations. The focus of the visit was to view, what is believed to be Mary, Queen of Scots, last letter written before her execution six hours later. The Stone of Destiny is also housed in the museum. A short walk alongside the River Tay and across the North Inch took us to Balhousie Castle home of the Black Watch Museum.

Our first overnight stay was in the middle of March to Glasgow. There is so much to see there, therefore some of us opted for the Hop on Hop Off Bus. In the evening we headed for the nearby Merchant City area looking for an evening meal, eventually ending up at a recently opened restaurant serving small plates and sharing dishes. The following morning as it was a beautiful spring day, we changed our plans slightly and walked to Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis then had a wander at the Botanical Gardens. The outing ended seeing one of the famous Play, Pie and Pint productions at Oran Mor.

Picture - Travellers in front of St Mungo mural on the High Street, Glasgow.