Our last megalithic digression in England before reaching Scotland has been to Castlerigg stone circle in the Lake district. We have already been there last year, when we went twice to the site trying to shoot a breathtaking photo of the stone ring. We waited for hours, hoping that a single sunbeam could touch the stone circle, but all we were seeing was clouds and more clouds. So we tried again this year: the weather was exactly the same. By the way, has anyone ever seen Castlerigg in the sunshine?

After this last English stop, on Sunday we reached Scotland. A splendid sunshine welcomed us at the border but, as usual, it lasted only a few seconds... We didn't remember how cold could be the Scottish weather. We are now wearing our warmest clothes, wondering how we'll survive up to the Shetland islands. Brrr!!! Even if the sky is grey, the landscape is colourful: bright yellow brooms, green trees and fields, red Royal Mail vans and blue (with cold) hands of Paola and Diego...

Along the river White Esk we visited two very nice stone circles: Girdle Stanes and Loupin' Stanes. However, in spite of the awful weather, the barbed wire that ripped Paola's trousers and the fall of our precious Aubrey Burl's megalithic guide in the mud and in some sheep dropping (bleah!), we enjoyed the sites very much: around them there is an evocative atmosphere.

From Dumfries & Galloway we drove to the Borders and found accomdation in Kelso. Even if the weather was always the same (horrible), yesterday morning we decided to visit the only one prehistoric monument of the Borders in our list: Edin's Hall broch. So, after wearing waterproof jackets and wellies, we walked uphill for some 1.5 miles to reach this beautiful broch. The site is definitely worth the effort. Then, in the afternoon, we drove to Edinburgh, where we have met the nice SCRAN people we are working with: Leslie, Graham and Amanda.

We are now in a pretty B&B just round the corner of the SCRAN offices, writing this diary and drinking a warm cup of coffee (Paola) and fruit tea (Diego). We don't know when we will be able to get connected to the Net again: today we'll find out if our Italian cellular phone can be activated for use in Scotland or not. And we don't know if we'll succeed in persuading some old B&B landlady to connect our computer to her telephone line... Keep your finger crossed for us, please. Both for the weather and the Net connection.

See you soon (or later?)

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