Strathbrock Parish Church

 It's almost two years, now, since I took the camera for a walk around this little church which lies nestled in the heart of Broxburn, West Lothian.

I've passed the church entrance way loads of times over the years; always noting it with a quick glance as I drove by. Then, having newly retired from work, and with a little time on my hands, I decided to visit.

It's a small Church: robust and staunch looking in its square frame stonework. The doors were locked and there was no one around - there were a couple of cars in the car park, but they may have been dog walkers who had journeyed further on.

The graveyard is very extensive for a small church. One of the graves is marked for a David Hamilton who was laid to rest in 1773. The church building has, I believe, gone through a few constructions - possibly having its beginnings in a wooden building in the 7th Century. The first stone church in the parish dates back to the 12th Century.

Its well worth a visit.

Linlithgow's Church & Palace.

While June (my wife) had coffee with a friend in one of Linlithgow's many tea / coffee houses, I decided to take the camera for a walk through some of the back streets. But, as inevitability would have it, I ended up strolling down to the Palace.

The entrance fee was £8 and, while that was a fair ask in order to appreciate the architecture, read some of the history and, generally, soak up the ambiance which has been infused into the walls over centuries, it was not such a good experience for my camera: steel barricades, scaffolding and posters severely negated the ancient buildings photogenic potential and left me a good deal under-whelmed.

All was not lost though; I got a few shots worth processing. But, the best aspect of the day took place once I'd left the Palace and started down the narrow Kirkgate path towards the High Street.

Being a bit of a Taphophile I had hoped to gain entrance to the cemetery which adjoins St. Michaels but, disappointingly, that was closed. However, while I was setting up for a shot (see below) I was approached (rather slowly, as he walked with a decided limp) by an elderly gentleman who stopped to ask how my 'shooting' was going. He was a 'tog (photographer) himself, armed with a very skinny looking tripod atop of which was attached what looked like an early version of the Canon Powershot compact models. He said he liked my camera; that he had a DSLR of his own back home, but that he just found it too heavy to carry with him these days.

We got talking, and he informed me that he had come through to Linlithgow by train from Glasgow that morning (it was now mid afternoon). He had walked around the loch and palace and was now on his way to the Canal Centre before heading on back to the railway station. I was very impressed with his enthusiasm; I mean, the lad had a really painful looking gait to his walk, rolling his hips with each step forward.

We continued to chat while walking together along the Kirkgate, until he changed tack and hobbled off on another course. As I walked on, I saw him set his tripod down in front of the imposing statue of John Hope - known locally as 'The Green Man'.

I trust he captured a good crop of images from his trip out of Glasgow, a few of my own are shown below.