Konect Linlithgow August 2021 by Konect Magazines

AUGUST 2021

PARENTING:

You are one ride away from a

Good Mood!

LOCAL HISTORY:

THE BATTLE OF

LINLITHGOW BRIDGE

LOCAL ENVIRONMENT:

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s I write this we’re still in the wonderful spell of warm weather that has made the staycation season very pleasant, and exploration of the local area continues! I’ve spent many of the lovely days recently along the Avon Valley Heritage Trail (as well as a few dips in Avon Lagoon!). It’s a beautiful area along the river from Linlithgow Bridge, and I enjoy letting my imagination play with the contrast between the peaceful beauty of the spot now, and what we know of the battle of Linlithgow Bridge that took place here. I’ve printed an article on the battle before, but re-running it in this issue, see pages 8-9. All our usual columns are here from our wonderful local contributors and experts. I hope you enjoy them in this issue, as ever, please let me know what you think and get in touch if you have an interesting story you’d like to share with the local community.

THIS ISSUE Local History: Battle of Linlithgow Bridge..........8 Living Well: Help & support for dementia....... 11 Property Matters: Buy first or sell?....................14 Local Environment: What long ears you have....................................................................24 Vet’s Tip: Pet Theft..................................................26 Garden Project: Turn garden glut into a dish of delight.......................................................27 Parenting: One ride away from a good mood!.........................................................................28 Puzzles.......................................................................29 Life Coaching...........................................................30 Film Review: In The Heights................................30

COVER IMAGE: Sunshine over the rooftops of Linlithgow.

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THE BATTLE OF

LINLITHGOW BRIDGE Underneath the Linlithgow Xcite sports centre and surrounding housing lies a battlefield, the site of an ancient child custody battle.

The child in question was the 14-year-old King James V, held captive in Edinburgh Castle by his step-father and guardian, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. James’ mother Margaret, who was in the process of divorcing Archibald, was based in Stirling Castle and dedicated to freeing her son, and therefore the crown, from the ever-increasing control of Archibald and the pro-English Douglases. This was not the first attempt to rescue the young king, and James himself was desperate to escape. In September 1526, the opposing factions clashed at Linlithgow Bridge. Margaret’s force of 12,000 men, under the leadership of

the Earl of Lennox, left Stirling with the intent of storming Edinburgh Castle to take James. The route passed through Linlithgow, where the bridge was the only place to get artillery across the River Avon. The current bridge in Linlithgow Bridge, built in the 1960s, is on the same spot as many previous bridges; it was a vital location. On Archibald Douglas’ side, there was a much smaller force of around 2500 men under the command of Lennox’s brother-in-law, the Earl of Arran, mustered from the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow and surrounding area. Arran sent messages to Lennox begging him not to attack, but to no avail.

The Lennox Cairn

ABOVE: The Lennox Cairn, beside the road at Kettil’stoun Mains, erected in the 1990s to commemorate the battle and the murdered Earl of Lennox. A cairn raised at the time of the murder has long since disappeared. The garden around it contains plants from badges that appeared on soldiers’ coats as well as in heraldic devices of the main combatants of Linlithgow Bridge. The red roses appear in the Lennox coat of arms. 8 | LINLITHGOW

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At the bridge and at Pace Hill (around Burgh Mills area today) Arran placed his men and the artillery he bought from the palace and Blackness Castle, to wait for Lennox. The higher ground here overlooked the Bridge and the road in from the west; it was a highly defensible position. On the morning of 4th September 1526, the Lennox army appeared at Whitecross. When Lennox realised that the bridge was occupied and that he could not take it - even with his much superior numbers - he decided to use a ford upstream, near Manuel Nunnery. He couldn’t take all his artillery across here, but with a large number of men he had a chance of out-flanking Arran on the bridge and forcing his way into Linlithgow. It was a bold move, attacking uphill and across boggy ground and it nearly worked. It’s unclear exactly how the battle panned out from this point, but by some accounts Douglas reinforcements from Edinburgh arrived just in time and beat Lennox back across the Avon. The battle quickly became a rout and Lennox surrendered. Nuns at Manuel Priory would have tended to wounded soldiers.

Follow the Avon Heritage Trail, starting from under the viaduct at Burgh Mills Lane in Linlithgow Bridge, to visit the area of the battle site. It’s a pleasant walk and there are interpretive boards up in the woods explaining the battle manoeuvres

The young king James was compelled to attend the battle with a large escort. He was keen to escape Douglas’ guardianship, and he did his best to help, feigning sickness and delaying the soliders accompanying him until their commander threatened him directly. As soon as he heard of the Douglas victory, he despatched one of his loyal soldiers ahead to assure the safety of his friend the Earl of Lennox and others. In an event that stayed with James V through his life, Arran’s son James Hamilton of Finnart murdered Lennox while a disarmed prisoner, before James’ protection could arrive. The approximate site of the murder is where the battle memorial stone is today. When James was 16 years old he escaped his stepfather on his own and headed to Stirling to take control finally for himself. We don’t know how he managed it, when there had been so many failed attempts by so many, to rescue him. For detailed information and research, see the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge Society’s website: www.bolb.org.uk @KonectMagazines

Remains of Manuel Nunnery LINLITHGOW | 9

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LIVING WELL

Where to get support when caring for someone with

D ementia

It’s natural to worry about a friend or loved one who may be living with dementia, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Home Instead specialise in the provision of Dementia Care and through our work we have identified great local and national organisations and fantastic resources that provide sound advice and support for people caring for someone with dementia. • Alzheimer’s Scotland : provide a wide range of advice, support and groups/dementia cafes: alzscot.org, WestLothianServices@ alzscot.org, 01506 533 108 • West Lothian Council Advice Shop, Bathgate Partnership Centre: 01506 283000 • Carers of West Lothian : provides support and information to those caring for someone: carers-westlothian.com, 01506 448000

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• Alzheimer’s Society : alzheimers.org.uk, 0333 150 3456 • Talking Point : Alzheimer’s Society’s online community and discussion forum for anyone affected by dementia: alzheimers.org.uk/forum • Alzheimer’s Research UK : alzheimersresearchuk.org, 0300 111 5555 • Age Scotland : ageuk.org.uk/scotland, 0333 32 32 400 • DementiaUK:dementiauk.org,0800 888 6678 • NHS : nhs.uk/conditions/dementia • Dementia Carer : dementiacarer.net, 0114 296 6229 • Dementia Friends : dementiafriends.org.uk, 0300 222 5855 • Deepness Dementia Radio : deepnessdementiamedia.com, 01851 810 789 If you are concerned that a loved one may have dementia, it is important to encourage them to go and visit their GP who will be able to advise you and help you to seek a diagnosis. You can also contact your local Home Instead office for advice and support on 01506 539541 or by visiting homeinstead.co.uk/livingston

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PROPERTY MATTERS

Buy First or Sell?

Be calm and strategic in current market conditions! It’s the classic dilemma for homeowners wishing to sell their property and buy another; which do you do first, buy or sell?

The pros and cons of each approach are highlighted and exacerbated by the current market, which is characterised by a shortage of properties and fierce competition to buy.

In these conditions, buyers who have already sold their home have an advantage over those who haven’t when it comes to getting an offer accepted on a property. But many are understandably reluctant to put their home on the market knowing that it could sell very quickly and leave them in a difficult position of not being able to find a suitable home to purchase. Launching a new property campaign can take anything between 7-10 days, which can be a long time in current market conditions. If you decide not to put your home on the market until you’ve found one to buy, there is a high probability that you will miss out and it could be weeks or even months before another suitable property becomes available. So what can buyers do to put themselves in a strong position to make a compelling offer and increase their attractiveness to sellers whilst reducing the risks to themselves? A strategic move is to position themselves as “market ready sellers” when making an offer on a property. This means appointing an Estate Agent to prepare photographs, videos, floor plans and all marketing material now, in order

to be ready to go at short notice with your campaign as soon as you secure your next property to purchase. With the campaign already prepared, you can be on the market within a couple of days of making an offer on your next home. An offer on this basis is much more attractive than one from a buyer whose home is not yet ready to market, and could be the difference between securing the purchase or not. Getting external photographs and videos taken now, during the summer months, also has the added advantage of being the time when most homes and gardens are looking their very best.

It’s a well-known fact that you only get one chance to create the best first impression. Rushing the house to market under pressure may result in compromised marketing material if the weather isn’t the best for photographs, or you’ve not had time to prepare the property properly; it could be detrimental to the price you can command for it. The difference between an expensive purchase and cheap sale could cost as much as 20% more than the cost of a move in more controlled circumstances. So be “market ready”: get your campaign prepared now, retain control on the timing, increase the strength of your buying position, and achieve the best price for your home.

The monthly Property Matters column is contributed by Craig Turpie. Craig is a director at Turpie & Co Estate Agents and Letting Agents with extensive knowledge of the West Lothian Property Market and over 20 years experience in bespoke sales and marketing. 14 | LINLITHGOW

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LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

What long ears you have We’re all familiar with the story of the tortoise and the hare but did you know the brown hare can reach speeds of up to 45mph if running from predators. Sorry tortoise, but you don’t stand a chance! Whilst brown hares were an introduced species, this dates back to the Roman times (or even earlier) and are therefore considered a naturalised species, meaning they receive the same protection through wildlife acts as our native species. Sadly, brown hare are the victims of wildlife crime through an activity known as hare coursing. I’ll spare everyone the grim details but it’s important to me to let people know of these activities, which unfortunately does go on in the Lothians. They can be found in a huge variety of habitats from wide open fields, cutting their way through the grass to dense woodland. A great time to see them is in early spring, when you might be lucky enough to see them boxing. This is one of their mating rituals and is usually a female rebuking the 24 | LINLITHGOW

advances of an amorous male. It can be a prolonged affair, and I’ve watched them cover huge distances in the fields as the flirting continues. This hare was photographed in local fields and as it ran closer, I held my breath in case it heard me, but it thankfully passed in front, and scampered off into the distance leaving me with a lovely memory of a wonderful encounter. 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 @KonectMagazines

PET THEFT

Pet theft has been on the increase in the past year - since the beginning of lockdown reports of stolen dogs has increased by 170% and there doesn’t seem to be any reduction in the increasing number being taken.

According to the Missing Pets Bureau as many as 38% of all animals reported lost have actually been stolen and as many as 60% of these are tragically never recovered. But there are plenty of things you can do to avoid this happening to you. First, when you get a pet, ensure it is from a reputable source - if you doubt it, don’t take it. Get the microchip checked and ensure it’s from who it should be from. Owners are legally responsible for doing this. Other tips we advise clients are pretty simple but should not be forgotten including never leaving your dog outside shops or alone in a car.

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Don’t assume your garden is safe and secure it with locks on gates and fencing. Monitor your gates / driveway for any usual markings and report them if found. Some organisations recommend you change your walks and routine making less of a predictable pattern. And be wary if strangers ask you questions about your pets. Don’t let your dog off lead if you have any concerns or if your dog doesn’t have a good recall, and work on training – it could be a lifesaver.

Contributed by Stuart McMorrow, head vet at Westport Veterinary Clinic 8 Preston Road. 01506 844 165 | www.westportvets.com @KonectMagazines

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SMALL AD

BIG Impact

To be included in Konect, please contact us. Our details are on page 3.

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Turn your garden glut into a dish of delight!

some minced beef, cook the meat for 5 minutes. Mix ingredients in bowl with finely chopped thyme, marjoram, lemon juice and black pepper. Stuff mixture into hollow vegetables, drizzle with oil and cook in oven at 180c for 30 minutes. 10 minutes before end place slice of blue cheese on top of each vegetable.

This month the fruits (and vegetables) of your labour suddenly appear as quickly as tennis balls fly out of the server machine. It’s lovely being able to share them with family and friends but it’s even more satisfying eating them yourself. We have a purple piglet project with recipe ideas for apples, tomatoes, courgettes and grapes to help you ring the changes in how you consume any gluts from the garden. Pick the leaflet up next time you are in.

Stuffed Courgette, Pepper and Tomatoes is a recipe that appears in our leaflet Tuscan Potager to Plate. Round courgettes are as easy to stuff as tomatoes and peppers. Scoop out the centres and add this to some chopped onion already fried in oil. Cook until tender and replace with

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Stuffed Courgette

The gardening project is contributed by Dougal Philip, New Hopetoun Gardens. Inspiring, informing and entertaining, for more than 40 years.

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PARENTING

You are one ride away from a good mood! Learning to ride a bike is like a rite of passage. And one of those parenting challenges that many both look forward to and dread in equal measure.

Once your kids can ride a bike it’s tempting to think, job done. But it’s well worth seeing it through beyond just learning to ride because what comes next is the really fun part.

I don’t know about you but that moment when our youngest was first able to properly ride a bike with pedals was an absolute game changer. We were finally able to go on family bike rides. Although it was a bit like the transition from crawling to walking – suddenly rather than speeding about on hands and knees the first steps are exciting but a lot of hard work for not much forward progress When they first ride a bike it’s the same; little legs lack muscle power especially on anything but flat ground, and their pedalling range is shorter and slower than you’d like. It’s frustrating for everyone, especially older siblings fed up of hanging around waiting. But pedalling power builds very quickly and within a few weeks they’re getting up wee hills that defeated them initially. 28 | LINLITHGOW

Obviously, convincing kids that riding downhill is fun isn’t tricky. Getting them back up the other side is a greater challenge. But through a combination of pushing, persuasion, cajoling and good old-fashioned bribery you can get your kids to the top of the hill. The key is to help them see what fun biking can be. That it’s not just a means to an end; a way to get to the park or to their friend’s house. It opens up a whole new world of activities and places to explore. For me taking the kids out on their bikes is one of those times when parenthood offers free license to regress to being a kid yourself. Seeing and experiencing it through their eyes.

There are loads of paths and trails around West Lothian and you can always find something new to do to make it interesting. Last summer we challenged ourselves to cycle from Livingston to Almondell Country Park in East Calder.

We checked a map before we set off to make sure it was achievable via waymarked paths and pavements and set off to explore. This summer we took the kids to explore the Beecraigs Mountain Bike Trails. They’re not ready for anything crazy but there were plenty of green routes (the easy ones) to follow that gave them a taste of what going off-road can be like! Cycling or mountain biking is a great way to get the kids outdoors and getting some exercise (even if they don’t realise it) and no matter how much moaning there might be at the start of a bike ride everyone’s always in a good mood at the end! The parenting column is contributed by Laura Archibald. Laura lives in West Lothian with her family and their campervan Hank. She is mummy, wife, blogger and full-time personal assistant to her two girlie girls. @KonectMagazines

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ^^^ Sudoku solution on page 31

PUZZLES

ACROSS: 7. Take away (6), 8. Irish lochs (6), 9. Couch (4), 10. Wraps around (8), 11. Disregarded (7), 13. Hard, strong alloy (5), 15. Hints (5), 17. Supply (7), 20 Easy going (8), 21. Ashen (4), 23. Heavy mass (6), 24. Woken up (6).

^^^ Solution in the September edition of Konect

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DOWN: 1. Nothing (4), 2. Vegetable (6), 3. Umpire (7), 4 Drudge (5), 5. Type of fish (6), 6. Tends sheep (8), 12. Ran very fast (8), 14. Authors (7), 16. Power, stamina (6), 18. Gas (6), 19. Prickly plants (5), 22. Untruths (4).

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LIFE COACHING

Change what you NOTICE

Last year everyone had the opportunity to see the musical phenomena Hamilton, but before Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda created the hit musical In the Heights which has just had a film adaptation release. If there is anything in common between In the Heights and Hamilton it’s the incredible music. There isn’t a bad song throughout and I can’t wait to buy the soundtrack like right now. The opening 8-minute number is fantastic and spans from Latin inspired music, to rap music. It’s simply incredible. Another stand-out song is Blackout, which is chaotic and energetic, but it perfectly fits the tone of the scene and the story. However, when we move away from the music, this is when the flaws rear their ugly heads. I felt the story was very weak; nothing interesting happened over the span of the 2 hour and 30-minute runtime. The stage show is 2 hours long so you would think the additional 30 minutes would add to the interest but instead scenes are taken out only to be replaced with boring and half-baked ideas. There’s a song called 96,000 which happens 45 minutes in; the song announces that the winning lottery was bought in the store but who won isn’t revealed until a 1 hour and 10 minutes later. It plays no impact to the overall plot, so the plot line feels pointless. Did I enjoy watching In the Heights? Yes. Will I listen to the soundtrack on repeat? Yes. Will I watch the film again?? The Film Review is contributed by Robert Ewing. Robert is passionate about film as an art form, and shining a light on films that may not be on people’s radar. Robert is from Kirknewton. 30 | LINLITHGOW

Can you remember the last time you bought a new car or even a pretty candle? Maybe it was an unusual colour of green or blue or purple. Suddenly, you began to notice just that shade everywhere you looked. Close your eyes and think of the colour blue. Then open your eyes again and scan the area around you and you will find that you are suddenly aware of even the smallest amount of blue. This happens because the brain has a really clever filtering system, called the Reticular Activating System, which sorts through millions of bits of data which come our way throughout the day and categories this information to help us make sense of our world. This area of the brain is the size of your little finger and can influence everything including your self-esteem, your confidence and what you believe about the world around you. We form this filter ourselves by telling our brain what is important to us, what we believe, what we long for and what we fear and, over time, we attract more of the things that we focus on into our lives. We can begin to convince ourselves that we are doomed to experience ‘Groundhog Day’ for the rest of our lives. But, if we created our experiences by the way we think, it stands to reason that we can alter the world around us by thinking differently. Changing the language we use when we speak to ourselves has the potential to change our future 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 @KonectMagazines

SOLUTIONS

SPORTS, HOBBIES, LEARNING, SUPPORT GROUPS & MORE... LINLITHGOW STRING ORCHESTRA - We are a friendly group who meet weekly on Monday’s 7.30-9.30pm (termtime) at Linlithgow Masonic Lodge. Players aged 13+ with a minimum standard Grade 5 or equivalent (no audition) from Linlithgow and the surrounding areas are welcome. Please bring music stands. Contact us via email: linlithgowstringorchestra@ gmail.com through our website: linlithgowstringorchestra.co.uk or search for us on Facebook.

LOCHSIDE PLAYGROUP Parent-run playgroup located in Linlithgow provides 2.5hrs registered childcare during West Lothian School term-time for children aged 2yrs 3mths to 5 years, 9.15-11.45am MondayThursday. A great setting for children to begin their journey into nursery/school, ensuring a stimulating and caring environment (with healthy snacks). Councilfunded places for 2-year-olds available to eligible families. Contact us for more information/to add a child to the waiting list, email: lochsideplaygroup@yahoo.com, through our website www.lochsideplaygroup.org or on Facebook. CARERS OF WEST LOTHIAN - Support and social activities for Carers, Young Carers and Disabled Adults. Services currently via Zoom/phone: weekly Coffee Morning; monthly Mental Health Support Group, Evening Support Group & Bereaved Carer Support Group as well as groups for Young Carers and Young Adult Carers. Regular Social Groups for Adults with disabilities. Virtual Power of Attorney Clinic & Benefits Advice and Counselling.

For information: Tel.: 01506 448000 Email: office@carers-westlothian.com Website: www.carers-westlothian.com GENERATION ARTS - Creative activities for people aged 50 and over, either living at home or in care with complex needs.

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SOLUTION TO JULY CROSSWORD

Online and offline activities in West Lothian such as a dance dvd, art demos, reminiscence, recipes, music and song playlists, dance and song classes. Creative activity and learning can unlock memories and skills that have been lost and creates a spark of joy for all. Contact generationarts. coordinator@gmail.com or phone 07521 358 239 for further information.

MACMILLAN CANCER INFORMATION & SUPPORT - A free, confidential service providing a ‘listening ear’, emotional and practical support, help to access benefits/financial advice and other local services. We also provide expert and easy-to-understand information on a range of cancerrelated topics, which can be sent free of charge. For anyone affected by cancer – yourself, a relative, friend or carer of someone with cancer.

ACROSS: 1. Chateau, 5. Raced, 8. Identical, 9. Ode, 10. Eaten, 12. Mirrors, 13. Relationships, 15. Instant, 17. Ahead, 19. Who, 20. Ambulance, 22. Yield, 23. Enthral. DOWN: 1. Crime, 2. Ale, 3. Extinct, 4. Uncomfortable, 5. Ruler, 6. Crocodile, 7. Dresses, 11. Telescope, 13. Railway, 14. Scarlet, 16. Award, 18. Dwell, 21 Nor.

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE 29

At present we are available by phone, email or online appointment. Please call 01506 283053 or email MacmillanWestLothian@ westlothian.gov.uk

WEST LOTHIAN 50 PLUS NETWORK - Social activities for the over fifties. Run largely by volunteers we offer a wide range of interest groups to help you stay fit and healthy in both mind and body, whilst socialising with others. Something for everyone, but, more importantly, the chance to meet up and join in with old friends or make new friends along the way. Annual joining fee £10. Follow our Facebook page, visit www.westlothian50plusnetwork. co.uk or call 01506 635510. To include your Club or Class, please email details, up to 75 words, to editor@konect.scot

Not-for-profit groups are FREE. There is a small charge for businesses. See www.konect.scot for information.

Disclaimer: The publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage caused by error in the printing of an advertisement. We do not endorse any advertisers in this publication. All material is accepted for publication on the understanding it is copyright free. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior consent of the publisher. Publisher: Lothian Publications Ltd. Geddes House, Kirkton North, Livingston, West Lothian EH54 6GU. Magazine Design: Universal Appeal Ltd. M: 07729 911858 W: www.universal-appeal.com E: info@universal-appeal.com

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