Gartnavel Hospital 2: Bingham's Pond

Welcome to my wee photoblog on Glasgow, where we feature the  joys and unjoys of walking and cycling through a fascinating, beautiful and often badly run city. For the blog's origin and a a list of all posts see the  'Introduction' post  -

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/introduction.html

Today is 31 October 2011 and we are going to have a walk round Bingham's Pond by Gartnavel Hospital. The pond was created  in the 1880s. see

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSE01280&remove=99&t=2

and underwent a 'naturalisation project' in 2003 - see

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Parks_Outdoors/Ecology/conservationaction/binghamspond.htm

From which -

'The project involved the creation of two islands, along with shallows around the edge of the pond. The islands and path margins were seeded with a wildflower mix, the shallows planted with emergent and marginal aquatic vegetation (around 8000 plants) and the bottom of the pond planted with submerged vegetation. The work created a more natural environment with colourful plants providing an attractive setting along with habitat for aquatic vertebrates, especially waterbirds, and invertebrates including insects such as damselflies.
After completion of the project Mute Swan, Mallard, Moorhen and Coot all nested for the first time on the islands and among the new vegetation. All successfully produced young, with five cygnets, six broods of Mallard, two broods of Moorhen and one of Coot.'

For a winter walk round Gartnavel Hospital see

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/05/gartnavel-hospital-winter-walk-february.html

We are walking in from Shelley Rd

Turning right to the east and the Gt Western Rd end

Walking round to other side - looking across at Gartnavel

Note the request re feeding the birds bread - it is widely ignored at Bingham's Pond, as indeed is most dietary  advice in Glasgow

Toxic food for the swans

The interactions  with dogs and swans are fascinating; each group has an air of studied indifference - like hard cases on neutral ground

Illusory probably but these two acted like old friends; the pigeon has just said 'coo' and the swan is saying 'Aw shucks'

For photos of the Forth and Clyde Canal swans see

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/forth-and-clyde-canal-part-2-swans.html

These ducks were very busy about something. . .

. . .not sure what

Worth cropping. . .

We'll crop here also. . .

We have now left by the Gt Western Rd entrance

Let's take a pic of the stairs down first

Bus stop opposite for those arriving from Clydebank, Drumchapel, all points west. Many have alighted here with heavy hearts

looking west. . .

. . looking into town. Nice wee  M&S on right

Now past the taxi rank and back in Shelley Rd

Back by the pond

Water getting quite tranquil

Back out in Shelley Rd looking back way we came

Wee look back at the swans

We are heading up to the  Beatson Cancer Centre - on the left where the sun is

Feel free to drop me an email with suggestions, offers of £20 notes etc. The address is damnyouebay@gmail.com

Reviews of Scotland: 1000 Things You Need to Know


RADIO AND TELEVISON

'I love it - I'm giving this copy to a friend and buying another for myself' - Darren Adam, Presenter, Radio Forth, 17 November 2008

‘It’s a great wee book’ – Stephen Jardine, introducing Edwin Moore on Scottish Television’s Five-Thirty Show

'A fantastic book' - Scott Wilson , talk 107 Breakfast Show host (see In Memoriam talk 107)

'A great read' - Dougie Jackson, Drivetime host, Smooth Radio 105.2

THE PRESS

'Despite its apparently humorous format, this is a serious and extensive dictionary on all things Scottish; from Jean Redpath to Lorne sausage, from Flodden to the Corries. Is particularly good on history and minutiae. There's a useful chapter on famous Scottish legal cases and another on literature. Excellent' - Royal Scottish Legion, Feb 2009

'This is the ultimate Scottish reference book' - Waterstones Christmas catalogue, 2008

'This is a fascinating look at the history of Scotland: its languages, politics and great achievements, from its origins in the ancient landmass of Laurentia 400 million years ago, to devolution and Billy Connolly. Edwin Moore has collected a thousand important facts about this beautiful country, covering Scottish history and culture, correcting misconceptions, and examining the mysteries of haggis and bagpipes with insight, warmth and impressive attention to detail' - The Good Book Guide, November 2008


'This is a recipe for revealing how horribly ill informed you are about your country. Although, if you are skillful, you can nod sagely as you read some new fact and mutter 'Ah, yes!' as if recalling the information from your excellent schooling. Where else will you find a real recipe for making haggis from scratch side by side with a potted biography of David Hume; a section of the Declaration of Arbroath and the curiously touching fact that Lulu was only 15 when she had a hit with 'Shout'? The whole thing is of course, silly - but oh so addictive.' - Matthew Perren, i-on Glasgow, December 2008


'. . . well crafted and witty' - Bill Howatson, Aberdeen Press and Journal, 18 October 2008


‘While most of Edwin’s entries are entertaining and scholarly – he writes like a Scottish Bill Bryson – it is when he takes an interest in the backwaters of history, the details lost down the back of the sofa, that he is at his best’ – Jack McKeown, The Courier, 27 October 2008


'History, it is said, is written by the victors. Trivia, meanwhile, is written by the guys with the smeared spectacles and the breathable rainwear. The first discipline is linear and causal; to quote from Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys, history is “just one f****** thing after another”. Things look different, though, when viewed through the prism of trivia. The past is reduced to one big coleslaw of fascinating facts that in their randomness tell a more mixed-up tale entirely.
The first approach leads to big, frowning books by the likes of Tom Devine and Michael Fry. The latter results in small, cheerful books such as Scotland: 1,000 Things You Need to Know, Edwin Moore’s valiant attempt to navigate the more trivial contours of enlightenment and clearances, crown and parliament, dirt and deity.
Moore proceeds from a sincere and controversial first principle: Scotland is really a rather pleasant and interesting place. . .As a work of popular scholarship, though, it’s in a different league to the Scottish novelty titles that get stocked next to the bookstore tills as potential impulse purchases, those little handbooks of parliamo Caledonia and regional braggadocio, such as Weegies vs Edinbuggers.' - Allan Brown The Sunday Times, 21 September 2008

'In his book, Scotland: 1000 Things You Need to Know, Edwin celebrates all that sets us Scots as a race apart - our language, law, flora, food, and of course, our people. From our poets, architects and inventors, to our artists, entertainers and fighters. But he doesn't shy away from the more unpleasant aspects of our history. . .' - Robert Wight, Sunday Post, 14 September 2008

‘We think we know all about William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and the Union of the Crowms. However, according to Edwin Moore, author of , Scotland: 1000 Things You Need to Know, we’re still in the dark about many aspects of our history and culture. . . The Big Issue looks at 20 of the most astonishing examples of secret Scotland.’ – The Big Issue, 18-24 September 2008

'What's the connection between Homer Simpson and Larbert, and why are generations of lawyers grateful to a Paisley snail? Need to know more? Author Edwin Moore has gathered 1000 facts like these about Scotland in a quirky new book. Brian Swanson selects a few favourites. . .' - Scottish Daily Express, 13 September 2008

'The palm for Christmas-stocking books seems to have passed recently to popular science, with best selling titles every year such as Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze? This year there has been a gallant attempt at a historical fight back. Scotland: 1,000 Things You Need to Know(Atlantic Books, £12.99) asks (and answers) such post-turkey questions as ‘How many kings of Scotland died in their beds?’, ‘Who on earth decided that the Declaration of Arbroath was the cornerstone of modern democracy?’ or ‘Why is iron brew spelled Irn-Bru?’ Mark Mazower,History Today; The Best of History in 2008, December 2008


'A real treat for the serendipitous Scotophile' - Reginald Hill


FROM THE INTERWEB


www.Booksfromscotland.com (on the new paperback edition)
Book of the Month, May 2010
'Whether it's Scottish lochs or Enlightenment philosophers, the facts of the devolution referendums or the mysteries of Irn-Bru, myths will be debunked and truths revealed in this light-hearted but rigorous overview of Scottish history and culture.'