Gourock: Cardwell Bay 2011

I really enjoyed going to Cardwell Bay again to take some photos!
This is a mixture of shots from the railings, down on the sand and some views across the water.

It was a bonus to see the rainbow!

The steps were of great interest to me - I recognised them as the old steps we used to access the beach way back in the 1950s! Click here to see them in my photos from the old days.

Largs: New Pier

It was wonderful to be back in Largs last week! Here are some of my photos of the new pier, opened in August 2010 by HRH Princess Anne.

Above: from the pier looking across to Cumbrae

View of Largs from the pier

Below is a great video (I hope it will remain available for some time) showing the grand opening of the pier:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yYR9iufneE

Click here for my photos of the old pier taken on my previous visit to Largs

Innellan: The Snug

Where we stayed a couple of years ago - a few miles down the coast road at Innellan. A very comfortable little detached house, ideal for a couple wanting to 'get away from it all'!

The lounge and kitchen are upstairs, with the bedroom and bathroom downstairs. Everything is clean, well equipped and comfortable with bedding and towels provided. We searched for ages for a self-catering place on this side of the Clyde and could find nothing as good as this (or at such a good price)! There is a TV/DVD player, radio and lots of extras too, including books and games for rainy days or cosy evenings!

Below: the lane leading to The Snug

The coast road beside Trinity Lane

and, looking in the opposite direction, the wonderful Clyde view

I'd definitely recommend The Snug as a lovely quiet place to stay!

See the owners' website - click here

A. J. Cronin - New Biography

Wonderful News! This first full biography comes out this October by the author, Alan Davies, entitled, 'A. J. Cronin, the Man who created Dr Finlay'; definitely not to be missed by anyone who loves Cronin's works.

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'A. J. Cronin, author of some of the best-loved novels of the mid-twentieth century and the creator of Dr Finlay, has been unjustly overlooked by literary biographers. In this, the first full-length life of this eminent but often neglected writer, Alan Davies recounts the story of Cronin's Scottish childhood as the son of a Protestant mother and Catholic father, his subsequent medical career, and ultimately his rise to literary prominence, emphasizing throughout the importance of holding at arm's length many of the apocryphal tales that have accumulated around the memory of the author of "Hatter's Castle", "The Citadel" and "The Stars Look Down", many of which are based on mistaken autobiographical readings of Cronin's fiction itself. Incorporating an account of Cronin's tempestuous relationship with his publisher, Victor Gollancz, and revelations about his private life, Davies' timely and moving book paints a clearer portrait of both Cronin the writer and Cronin the man than the world has hitherto seen.

About the Author:

Born in Pontnewydd in South Wales, Alan Davies read Anthropology at University College London. After a career in industry, he turned to writing and the study of the life and works of A J Cronin, one of his lifelong passions. He has two children and lives in Shropshire with his wife.'

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Some places on line where you can buy this book (needless to say, I have already pre-ordered my own copy!) For those ordering from a local store, the ISBN number is 9781846881121

Alma Books

WH Smith

Amazon (UK)

Amazon (USA)

House Sale Update

After three and a half months of marketing, no one has bought our home in South Wales - in fact, no one has even been to view it! It looks more and more as though we won't be moving to the Firth of Clyde in the near future. Very disappointing :-(