Brig O' Doon

.Friday 11th August 2017

Today we started out with a train  from Stirlingto Glasgow Queen Street Station then headed on foot to Glasgow Central to catch our train to Ayr.  When we arrived in Ayr we contemplated walking to Alloway but it was raining a little so we caught the bus.  We alighted from the bus outside the cottage where Robbie Burns was born.  We handed over our National Trust cards and the lovely gentleman guided us to what we should do and see.  We went to the cottage first where we met anor lovely gentleman who gave us the story of Robbie's early years while we were standing in the home where he was born. Robbie Burns was the first child of William and Agnes born on January 25, 1759 then followed by his brother Gilbert two years later a sister Agnes and Anabella then William John and Isabella.  His father William wanted more for his sons so he formed I guess a partnership with five other families closeby and they employed a teacher by the name of John Murdoch who was 18 to teach the children in the Burns family home. Robbie was 6 and Gilbert 4 but they learned quickly and well they could speak French as well as English.  The education they received at such a young age gave them their future.

The teacher lived with the family as did Betty Davidson a cousin of Agnes she helped about the house and the dairy in return for board and lodging and her influence on Robbie was far-reaching.

Time went on they moved to different farms being tenant farmers. Robbie had a thirst for knowledge and his education far reaching he remained friends with John Murdoch and wrote to him always. He became a Freemason at age 22 he had nine children by different women two sets of twins one set daughters born in March 1788 died in infancy.  He became an Excise man as well to earn money and keep his family.  He wrote endless poems and is of course responsible for Auld Lang Syne.  He died in 1796 it is thought heart disease.  The first "Burns Supper" was held in a cottage in Alloway in 1801 and they are still held to this day in many places around the World.

We then made our way to Brig O' Doon which was way more stunning that I could ever have imagined I had always wanted to see Brig O' Doon since childhood it was worth the wait.  There is a hotel

called Brig O' Doon House just by the bridge and there was a wedding there today a very beautiful bride.  We went thru the gardens quite outstanding and then the Museum and there are many thousands of artifacts one could have stayed there all day.  We had coffee in the coffee shop then went to the present Alloway Parish Church of Scotland which was built in 1858, but the recorded history of the Church in Alloway dates back to 1236.  The now ruined Alloway Kirk, across the road from the Parish Church was built in 1516 this is where William and Agnes Burns lay at rest. The Church was beautiful and very welcoming and the stained glass windows stunning.

We walked back to Ayr about 45 mins then caught the 16.52 train to Glasgow Central Station and then walked to Glasgow Queen Street to catch our train home to Stirling arriving at 7.00pm.  This was a big day we walked back to our hotel and had dinner there as well.  Very special day indeed.

Tomorrow is a day around Stirling and a visit to the laundromat in readiness to head to Edinburgh on Monday.  I hope I have all of this correct.  Sabine and Sam