Tag Archives: Ailsa Craig

Scones, topweird

Old Pier Tearoom

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Today, with our Canadian family in tow we have taken the ferry from Troon to the Isle of Arran. Our means of transport, the catamaran MV Alfred is on temporary loan from Pentland Ferries based in Orkney. Us on board the MV Alfred

On a very sunny but fresh day, it took just over an hour to reach Brodick, the capital of the Isle of Arran.

View of Goatfell from the ferry
View of Brodick and the almost 3,000 feet high Goatfell from the ferry

It was mid-morning and so far breakfast had eluded us. We were too early for our hotel so we drove a few miles to Lamlash where we came on the tiny Old Pier Tearoom … breakfast at last!Internal view of the Old Pier Cafe, Lamlash

Natives and locals?
Graphic showing Old Pier and Holy Island
graphic of the Old Pier looking across Lamlash Bay towards Holy Island

Normally we wouldn’t go for scones this early but they had what they called “very cheesy, cheese scones”. Scones with extra cheese. Instinctively we knew that readers would find it unforgivable if they missed out on a very cheesy cheese scone report. So after our breakfast, duty dictated that they had to be sampled. The things we do for our readers?

As we ate we got chatting to a couple of ladies who, seeing that all the other tables were taken, invited us to join them at theirs. When we asked if they were from the island the answer was a little unexpected. One was a “local” and the other was a “native”. The “local” was from Birmingham but lived on the island while the “native” was born and bred and could go back five generations of her Arran family. This was presumably a clear and important distinction for islanders.  They were lovely and the chat was great!A scone at the Old Pier Cafe, Lamlash

Predictably, our very cheesy, cheese scone was indeed very cheesy. With just a little butter, probably the best cheese scone we have ever experienced. Since we don’t have a separate category for such scones we felt this one was sooooo cheesy that we could give it a topweird scone award. Well done the Old Pier Tearoom! You may be tiny but you punch above your weight.

The old pier at Lamlash
Just to prove there is an old pier
Unexpected consequences

Arran is often referred to as “Scotland in miniature“. It has a higher life expectancy, low unemployment, and much lower rates of crime. Even with a large proportion of retired folk living here, it still has a vibrant, independent but Scottish feel about it. It’s odd being on this beautiful island alongside Canadians and seeing the pushback against Trump’s well-thought-out 51st-state/tariffs idea. He may be dividing Americans but he certainly knows how to unite Canadians.

a glove pointing to Ailsa Craig
Someone has very helpfully placed this glove to point out Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde, the source of the world’s best curling stones

KA27 8JN             tel: 01770 600249             The Old Pier

///driveway.depths.creamed

Ordinary, Scones

Maly’s Café

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Girvan is a town with a population of around 6,500 on the Ayrshire coast looking out towards Ailsa Craig. It’s a fishing town but was a popular tourist destination in former years because of its beach. Some of you may not be aware that Girvan is twinned with Torcy, Seine-et-Marne on the outskirts of Paris. The link commemorates Sir Thomas Huston who came from the town. His bravery, fighting the English in 1439, helped capture the town of Meaux and in recognition the King of France granted him the fiefdom of Torcy. Don’t worry if you didn’t know that. Something else you may not be aware of is that Richard Branston’s Virgin vodka was made here by William Grant & Sons. Don’t worry if you didn’t know that either.

Scones can be hard to find

Internal view of Maly's Café, GirvanNormally we just pass through Girvan, however, today it was scone o’clock and we thought we would explore a little. To be honest there is not that much to explore, the towns history as a busy fishing port and holiday resort are well and truly in the past. Nevertheless it was good to be here. The first place we were told had good scones didn’t have any! After a bit of head scratching someone sent us in the direction of this place, Maly’s Café.

Lacking stature

Appearance wise, Maly’s is pretty ordinary looking. It serves a limited range of everyday good fA scone at Maly's Café, Girvanood which probably suits the locals down to the ground. The staff were welcoming and soon had us sorted out with some light lunch and a scone to share. Just like the café itself there was nothing special about the scone. It was perfectly good but simply did not have the  stature of a topscone. English jam, Irish butter and scooshie cream didn’t help.

Pitch to become PM

Anyway, the Tory leadership campaign rolls on. Would you like an extra £6000 per year? Okay you would, but there’s a catch! You have to be already earning £80,000 per year to get it. That’s Boris Johnson’s pitch to become the next PM. The Conservative party has at long last managed to unite the nation … in despair. No matter what side of the Brexit argument you are on you just feel complete and utter despair. Well done them!

BBC is doing away with free TV licenses for folks over 75. The UK’s pensions are the lowest in the EU by quite a margin so this will probably mean that many will have to spend their money on food and heating rather than have a TV. This, in the world’s fourth largest economy? At least they will be spared the state broadcaster’s incessant propaganda. Scrap the TV license!

KA26 9EU          tel: 01465 238009        Maly’s FB

///steadier.sponge.acoustics

ps we were caught out the other day on a visit to Dobbies Garden Centre near Stirling. They had fully loaded cream scones that were so big we decided we would have one to share. Dobbies BOGOF deal on sconesWhen we came to cash desk the lady said “would you like the other one”? Seeing our puzzled looks she said “when you buy one of these scones you get another one free”.  Goodness me what a dilemma! Eventually we thought we might as well take the other one … big mistake. We didn’t get anywhere near finishing them. Can’t make up our minds if Dobbies is just being generous or exploiting our weak wills. We think it’s the latter.