Home, and I've a mud splattered Juicy Couture backpack, brown spots on the shiny pink patent leather. Splattered because of adventures in Edinburgh and Haddington, veering between Leith's properous industrial port, and Traprain's Iron Age. C'mon, I'll show you what we got up to

Around Leith, signspotting.... signs o'the times....

Making it up Arthur's Seat as I was curious where the recent excavation was, but the mud was so churned that unless you'd been elevated, it was hard to make out anything. Arthur's seat, of course, was a fort but it's not always definite if pre, post-or contemporary with Rome.

The next day @BikesNBukes hired me a terrific ebike from @LeithCycleCo as we were going to be tackling some serious hills to get out to Traprain Law, one of the finest Iron Age sites in Scotland.

So, we cruised through East Linton, a very bonny wee village, which has a 16th century bridge across the River Tyne gorge, shown here. In sunshine, the place sparkles

We found ourselves at hailes Castle, which you really, really need to visit. It's an absolute corker. It's set in a valley, beside a river, which is good for getaways, but the valley would make it hard to defend. Probably why the outer walls are abt 15-20 ft thick!

Phase 1 =1200s, under the Norman De Gourley family, it then passed to the aristocratic Hepburns by way of one of 'em saving someone from a 'savage horse'!, Their famous scion, James Hepburn was the 3rd husband of Mary Queen of Scots. It's very likely he was born here. Quite a pad

and off we went again! This time, eyes on the prize of Traprain Law. It was the site of a magnificent hoard of Roman hacksilver and artefacts you can see (and should) in the @NtlMuseumsScot . First excavations c 1914, under Curle and Cree. It just kept getting better

The panther handle and dolphin patera are truly beautiful. But it was used long before it was an oppida (hillfort), with burials and ramparts in situ from 1500 BC and onwards. This be a place of magic, and its 'real' name may have sounded more like it's local name of Dunpelder

There's also the Mother and Maiden stones, which have a cleft between them, which you should make a wish and slide between.Theres what may well have been a ritual( rainwater?) pool, poss offering a glimpse into the beliefs which created things like NI's Knockdhu and Lissanduff.

It's also got an early med phase, with legend attributing St Mungo of Glasgow being the grandson of the draconian King Loth, whose fort this was, and who tried to kill his daughter for being up the duff with young Mung, via a shepherd. She survived, it's all good. Happy ending

and did I mention the semi feral Exmoor ponies on the hill? You can make me go faster by telling me there's ponies up ahead ;)

Ponies.
That is all.

Anyway.
Point is, you can still go out, keep away from crowds and enjoy places.That's the key to surviving this time. Remain close to home, endanger no-one and have the time of your life, as well as taking in the most amazing heritage, lifting mind and soul. Have bike, keep sane

So, peeps to follow if you like this thread: @NtlMuseumsScot @ArchScot @socantscot @DigItScotland @HistEnvScot @N_T_S who have heaps of inspiration.
@LeithCycleCo for the getaway vehicles ;)
and thanks to @BikesNBukes who has great ideas!