LOCAL WALK:
LOCAL CHARITY: PROPERTY MATTERS:
The local walk feature this month is a short drive away, is not too challenging and is a site with an interesting historic backgroundideal if you’re looking for a little change of scenery to ease yourself out for some fresh air this spring!
All our usual columns are here, including the local charity which is CyreniansOlder People Acive Lives, who are looking for volunteer befrienders, so do drop them a line if you can help.
I’d like to wish all readers a fantastic Easter break! There are a few ideas for activities over the Easter weekend on the What’s On page. If you know of events for charity or community groups over the summer who would like to publicise them locally, feel free to drop me a line as they are included free of charge on the What’s On page.
Thank you for reading Konect and supporting local businesses.
Just across the county border into South Lanarkshire is a historic site that calls itself “the birthplace of the Scottish Industrial Revolution.” Besides some interesting history, the site of the Wilsontown Ironworks is a good venue for a peaceful walk and picnic if you’re looking for a change of scenery.
Take the A706 towards Lanark. Shortly after the Heathland Forest entrance, turn left onto the B7016. At the bend in the road go straight ahead – there is a Wilsontown sign – and you can park in the Glen car park on the righthand side.
Wilsontown Ironworks was established in 1779 by the three Wilson brothers of the Cleugh estate here, transforming an area of bleak moorland and a weaving community into a hive of noisy industrial activity which carried on through highs and lows for 63 years, closing in 1842. Some transformational discoveries were made at Wilsontown, including hot blast. After the ironworks closed, the site was then mined for coal for another 100 years or so until that too closed in the 1950s.
It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Forestry Commission, who look after the site, has created a series of trails to explore along with information boards. Although there are very few remains of buildings, you can see where the crowded workers’ homes were, and discover hidden features from the days of the ironworks and coal mining, as well as plants and animals that inhabit the place today.
There are three way-marked trails and you can try one or all of them depending on how much time you have. Besides this you can head deeper within the Heathland Forest.
All trails begin from the Glen Car Park and are mostly gravelled surfaces although some of the gravel can be a bit loose and muddy in places.
THE GLEN TRAIL
This is an easy half mile circular walk on unsurfaced grass trails that take you past the Moosewater Burn and through broadleaf woodland. Part of the estate, it’s adjacent to the ironworks itself; you pass the site of the Wilson’s grand mansion, of which there are just a few stones left. Enjoy birdsong and the babbling of the burn.
THE PEAT POND PATH AND QUALITY ROW TRAIL
These two walks both start across the road from the car park, where a short link path takes you to the orange and blue waymarkers for the Peat Pond and Quality Row trails respectively, within the old ironworks land. The trails are both around a mile or so, and take you through the industrial landscape, through forest areas and past the site of the workers houses and the remains of Wilsontown Inn.
If you do all three trails and explore some of the unmarked trails too, you can easily spend a couple of hours walking. Bring a picnic; there is a picnic table at the car park and plenty of tree stumps to sit on as you go around the trails. Alternatively, The Inns Forth on 50 Main Street, Forth, is just a mile away and offers sit in and takeaway food.
The ironworks heritage
Established in 1779, Wilsontown was at the forefront of technological advances in metallurgy, some of which were discovered by accident.
The Cleugh estate here, owned by three brothers Robert, John and William Wilson, was a remarkable site for ironworks as, along with some neighbouring lands which the Wilsons purchased, it had all the necessary minerals (ironstone, coal and limestone) to produce good quality wrought iron.
The Wilson’s created a huge operation with the mines, iron foundry, workshops, offices and housing for the hundreds of workers needed. The housing was squeezed in adjacent to the industrial buildings, and a school was provided. There were 2000 people from all over the world living and working in Wilsontown in its heyday. Iron was transported on carts along the toll roads via West Calder to Edinburgh (Leith), via Bathgate and Ballencrieff Toll to Bo’ness, and via Shotts to Glasgow.
As you walk the paths today there are plenty of hints of what once went on. Forestry work uncovered 77 bell pits a number of years ago and the area has been cleared so that you get a better indication of how it once looked.
This article was written by Helen-Jane Gisbourne, Konect editor, after visiting Wilsontown Ironworks. For more detailed information on the history see www.forthdistrict. co.uk/villages-history/wilsontown.html and https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/wilsontown
Hearing loss is a common problem among the elderly, affecting around 40% of people over the age of 50 in the UK.
It can have a significant impact on their daily lives and lead to social isolation, depression and anxiety due to the lack of ability to hear and participate in social activities or perform everyday tasks.
Presbycusis is age-related hearing loss, which occurs due to changes in the inner ear that develop over time, with common signs including:
• Feeling that other people are mumbling or slurring their speech
• Finding it difficult to follow conversations, particularly when there is background noise
• Certain sounds seeming overly loud or irritating
• Having difficulty hearing higher-pitched sounds like a telephone ringing
• Finding men’s voices easier to understand than women or children’s voices
• Experiencing a ringing, buzzing, or hissing sound in one or both ears (known as tinnitus)
Noise-induced hearing loss can occur as a result of exposure to loud noises over a long period of time, such as working in a noisy environment or attending concerts or other loud events. This can also be caused by a single event, such as an explosion or gunshot.
Other factors such as genetics, certain medications, and illnesses such as diabetes or high blood pressure can also cause hearing loss.
Although there are many causes of hearing loss in the elderly, there are also many treatments available, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, medication, and surgery.
If you or a loved one is experiencing hearing loss, it is important to seek medical attention and explore the available treatment options.
The Living Well column is contributed by Home Instead Livingston. Contact them for advice and support on 01506 346046 or see www.homeinstead.co.uk/livingston
Over the last few years, we have been bombarded on all sides by headlines which seem to be designed to wind us up to fever pitch.
Whether that’s ‘we are going to freeze’ or ‘beware of giving your hard-earned money to scammers!’ The scary things just seem to keep on coming and we could all be forgiven for thinking that the only way out is just to scream at the top of our lungs, with feeling!
Catastrophising and imagining the very worstcase scenario in every situation is exhausting and takes a real toll on our mental health.
Most of us overthink every day; what if the train is late or we lose our job, or get ill or something happens to someone we love?
How many times have you or someone you
love complained of stomach ache or some other pain and found yourself browsing the internet for a diagnosis, only to discover that those are the exact symptoms of something scary? Thankfully, in almost all cases, we find that there is nothing at all to worry about and we have spent our energy needlessly. How good would it feel if we could just switch off our busy brains and silence those chattering mind monkeys?
Switching off that worrying and overactive mind is one of the biggest favours we can ever do for ourselves. Just the act of bringing our minds back to the now, to the very minute we are living in, is a practice that can change our lives forever.
The Life Coaching column is contributed by Francine Orr, NLP coach, hypnotherapist & reiki practitioner. Francine is based within Linlithgow Chiropractic on Wednesday afternoons and is also available online. See www.orrganise.co.uk
Thinking too much about absolutely EVERYTHING...
Upon settling into West Lothian since moving from Essex, Lynda expressed to her son that she wished to support the community as she had done so in her hometown, to which her son replied “why don’t you try volunteering for OPAL?”
Since then, Lynda has been volunteering with OPAL for four years and fulfils a variety of roles; a befriender on a one-to-one basis and over the phone, supporting attendees at a group and helping with administrative duties. Whilst undertaking multiple roles isn’t a necessity, OPAL encourages volunteers to embrace opportunities that wield their qualities and interests.
As a West Lothian-wide service for those aged 60 and above, OPAL aims to sustain or enhance older people’s wellbeing and independence. With older people often at risk to feelings of loneliness and isolation, it is dedicated volunteers such as Lynda that are vital in enabling OPAL to support people to reconnect socially and build self-confidence.
Throughout her previous careers and volunteering at the local hospital in Essex, people had been drawn to Lynda’s ability to make people feel heard. Later, after being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, Lynda had to re-build her mobility through determination and a positive outlook. It was these such attributes that Lynda brought with her to OPAL and can be seen in her interactions with service users, providing a listening ear and encouragement.
“It’s nice to be able to listen to somebody and to hear their stories; I enjoy the stories that they share with me.” Lynda adds, “Volunteering with OPAL is extremely rewarding because I feel like I’ve given something back.”
Another volunteer, Brian, echoes this sense of contributing your qualities to helping others, describing volunteering for OPAL as a “feeling of sharing your skills and time.” Brian adds, “We all have things we are good at, others may value your help and knowledge. Through volunteering, you can enrich both of your lives.” There are a variety of opportunities to explore at OPAL that you can lend your life experience and abilities to, all of which support older people in your community. As Lynda concludes, “You won’t look back!”
This article was contributed by Cyrenians OPAL, 27 George Street, Bathgate, EH48 1PG. Tel: 01506 815 815. Registered charity number SC011052.
“You won’t look back!”
Cyrenians OPAL (Older People, Active Lives) volunteer encourages others to begin volunteering today
Be who you’ve always been... a social butterfly
At Care UK being a social butterfly doesn’t stop when you make the journey into care. Bring your life with you to a place you can call home.
If you’re considering care call 0333 060 5547.
Trusted to care.
Cairdean House, Colinton
Lauder Lodge, Portobello Murrayside, Corstorphine careuk.com/edinburgh
We all, quite rightly, think of our home as an investment. However the context is quite different from a property bought purely for this purpose and which generates a passive (or active) income.
The demand for self-catering or serviced holiday accommodation continues to rise and with platforms such as Airbnb becoming more widely used and trusted by consumers, many property owners are utilising space in the family home to capitalise on this growing sector of the market. This could be as a result of children (or parents) moving out (or moving on) and spaces that have the potential to be used as guest accommodation become available. Or, in some cases, purpose built ancillary accommodation that has been added or forms part of the original property and is part of a bigger plan to perhaps operate a ‘lifestyle’ business.
Other examples of income generating properties are not always as obvious. Some people want or need their home to accommodate their business requirements too. This could be in the form of a yard or outbuildings for storing vehicles, a field for livestock or, more commonly, separate accommodation to use as business premises. We regularly work with clients who have dedicated space within their property or, more typically, a separate detached building that they use to operate a business from. Depending on size, this can be a simple home office above a garage or space to accommodate several members of staff.
These types of properties are not always naturally associated with generating an
income as they are primarily family homes, however changes in lifestyle, changes in working habits and the demands for a healthy work-life balance can often be catered for with certain types of property.
An even less obvious example of property generating an income comes in the form of multi-generational living. It’s widely accepted that people are living longer, and being able to provide private or self-contained accommodation within a property for an elderly parent has obvious social benefits as well as financial. Children often now choose to stay at home well into their 20’s,even 30’s, to help save for a deposit for their first property and being able to provide independent living space as a starter home not only affords an opportunity for first time buyers to save, but can also mean the ‘bank of mum and dad’ doesn’t have to fund a deposit or help with rental costs.
If you are thinking about a change in lifestyle or about generating an income (or saving) from your property, there are many properties that offer this flexibility and provide opportunities that may not always be obvious. We regularly work with buyers who are specifically looking for these types of properties and advise sellers how best to highlight and promote the unique financial benefits of their properties to this market sector.
This selection of properties on the market all generate, or have the potential to generate, some form of income or financial benefit to the owners.
If asked about properties that generate an income, most people would naturally think ‘buy-to-let’ as this is the most popular and well-known type of property investment in the UK.
Generating an income from your property . . . or have the in-laws move-in!
DOES EASTER WEEKEND MEAN IT’S SPRING?
Gardeners really know that spring has arrived as we pass Easter weekend and the clocks have sprung forwards at the end of March.
Spring it may be but we will still be getting late frosts during April, so young plants grown inside will need careful hardening off (getting used to being outside) before you plant them out in their permanent positions. Be prepared to cover plants with fleece if frost is forecast, or have the plants moveable into a shed overnight. But we all want to get planting, so what is safe to plant now? Hardy shrubs and perennials are fine to plant so long as they haven’t been forced into soft growth indoors. But sweet peas are the classic plants to get growing outside for a summer display. They are classed as hardy annuals, and with a week or so hardening off outside it is safe to plant them in their permanent position.
They make a stunning display trained up a wigwam of bamboo canes and you can even have this in a very large pot place where you can see it from inside. Use Multipurpose + John Innes compost. Arrange 6-8 2.1m (7ft) canes in a pot tying the tops together, and plant two sweet pea plants to each cane. Use the little circular metal plant rings to tie the plants to the cane. Garden centres will be selling sweet pea plants in packs this month, choose a mixed colour or single colour mix and plan for a summer of fragrant showy blooms. Keep picking them weekly to encourage more flowers!
The gardening project is contributed by Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Gardens. Inspiring, informing and entertaining, for more than 40 years.
As April heralds the start of the asparagus season, so bountiful in Scotland, let’s go green (pardon the pun), lessen our carbon footprint and put an Italian twist on this truly delicious native vegetable. The essential ingredients for a good risotto are: Parmesan cheese, butter and a quality stock. The essential equipment required is a heavy bottomed saucepan (some prefer a wok). The process is not complicated at all, just follow these easy steps to enjoy a truly wonderful and mouth-watering dish.
Ingredients:
• 350g risotto rice, (Arborio, Carnaroli, Vialone Nano)
• 250g asparagus spears
• 200g Parmesan cheese, grated (preferably Parmigiano Reggiano), reserve some for the table
• 90g butter
• 1/2 medium onion, peeled and very finely chopped
• 1000-1250ml vegetable stock, homemade or use a good quality stock pot
• Salt to taste
Serves 4
Method:
1. Wash and trim asparagus by gently snapping off the woody part at base of stem. Peel downwards from bottom of tip and cut stem into 1-1.5 cm pieces. Reserve the tips.
2. Put the stock into a saucepan, bring to boil and leave to simmer on a low heat.
3. Put 60g ONLY of butter into another heavy saucepan on a low to medium heat, add onion and cook until golden.
4. Add the asparagus (NOT the tips) and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add risotto rice, allow to cook until lightly toasted for a 1-2 minutes.
6. Stir in one ladle of boiling stock and simmer gently until it has been absorbed, stirring constantly.
7. Continue to add remainder of stock a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly over a 15-18 minute period (risotto should be served al dente, with a slight bite).
8. After stirring for 15 minutes, add asparagus tips and cook for a further 3 minutes.
9. Once cooked, add Parmesan, remainder of butter, stir gently, TASTE, add some salt if required, serve immediately and enjoy!
The recipe was contributed by Gina Giubarelli of ‘Bellini Cookery School.’ Gina lives in West Lothian and is passionate about food! She offers classes in basic cooking and a healthy diet. Contact Gina on ginabellini@aol.com
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If any of my neighbours read this, the reason I’m staring out the window so much is I’m on the lookout for this bird. The striking male sparrowhawk. Weighing in at a notso-fearsome 220g, he may not be the biggest bird of prey but he makes up for that in stealth and power.
During this year’s big garden bird watch, he appeared on the back fence and I sighed with relief when he disappeared empty clawed. Rather unusually, he came back later that day for a second attempt at the little birds but was far more relentless in his approach. Trying every angle to get them as they hid in the honeysuckle/ clematis before sadly he caught one of the female sparrows.
The power they have in their talons is phenomenal, which I’m sure you can probably tell in this picture. They’re very long in comparison to other birds of prey and it’s to give them extra reach. They are incredibly efficient predators, flying low before rising up to take their prey by surprise. They have feathers which act like the flaps on a plane to help control their speed and steep. Their tails flex from side to side and fan out to help them steer their way through what can be thick
woodland.
When you feed birds in the garden, having a sparrowhawk turn up is a risk but they really are a breathtaking sight when you see them doggedly pursue their prey.
This column is contributed by Clare Harte and Kate Stevenson, who grew up in Edinburgh and now live in West Lothian. Together they run Scottish Sisters Photography and travel around the country to watch and photograph amazing wildlife and scenic landscapes.
Follow them on Facebook: @ScottishSistersPhotography
^^^ Solution in the May edition
ACROSS: 1. Frenzied (7), 5. Horizontal (5), 8. Regularity (9), 9. Prohibit (3), 10. Severe (5), 12. Set free (7), 13. Protest (13), 15. Digit (7), 17. Used to sweeten (5), 19. Frozen water (3), 20. Small flower (9), 22. Examinations (5), 23. Longed for (7). DOWN: 1. After fourth (5), 2. Beer (3), 3. Strengthen (7), 4. Praised (13), 5. Faithful (5), 6. Shaking (9), 7. Portable light (7), 11. Recalls (9), 13. Repairs teeth (7), 14. Replies (7), 16. Formal garments (5), 18. Quick (5), 21. Automobile (3).
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