Tuesday 18th July 1972 Stobo Peebleshire

Paul Forbes; Peter and Iain Hoffmann  Stobo 18th July 1972

Normally the problem with camping in Scotland is the weather; people often get washed out and have to give up and go home. Ironically we’ve had some difficulty with the weather too but for the opposite reason. We’ve chosen one of those very rare occasions when Scotland has a heatwave so it’s been a mixed blessing.

This week is the hottest summer I can recall with the temperature in the eighties. It’s become so hot that most of us have begun to suffer from heatstroke.

Alison Blades and my brother Iain aren’t feeling great at all so I went down to the wee phone box at Stobo and phoned Nana. Fortunately Gaga was able to drive over with Nana and Aunt Heather from Portobello to transport the two of them back home to Oxgangs. Alison in particular was suffering. I’ve been feeling crap and have just been sick.

Alison and Fiona Blades; Paul Forbes; Peter and Iain Hoffmann with our grandparents Stobo 18th July 1972

However in between we’ve had a great time, up early with the light and staying up late into the evening sitting around our camp-fire before turning in for the evening after games of Trumps and talking. And before we all drift off to sleep inside the tent the craic is always good with much story telling, nonsense and hilarity.

And then being awoken in the morning by the sounds of birdsong with the only sound during the night the gentle plashing of water as it lapped against the small pebbles but once or twice during the night there would be a strange sound or screech which broke the silence - What was that? - but we've felt safe and secure in one another's company and soon fall back to sleep.

Saturday 15th July 1972 Stobo Peebleshire

I got £7.30 for my pay which gave me plenty of money to buy in provisions for our camping trip.

St Cuthbert's Co-op Photograph SPL

Paul Forbes and I went down to the Store (Oxgangs St Cuthbert's Co-op) and bought in lots of food plus he persuaded me to buy two large flagons of cider!

We set off for Stobo at 7pm. There was five of us - Alison and Fiona Blades (6/6 Oxgangs Avenue); Paul Forbes; Iain Hoffmann and me.We got a lift down there from Douglas Blades in his red Austin pick-up. 

Douglas's van can only seat two passengers in the cabin so Alison and Fiona sat inside with Paul, Iain and me in the back with all the camping gear and luggage. We were completely open and exposed to the elements but the weather was great. It was a good feeling sitting in the back of the pick-up with the rushing breeze blowing our hair back.

We felt cool, metaphorically and then literally, wynding through the open roads of the Borders. After we travelled through Penicuik we passed Leadburn Junction and made our way to Eddlestone where we turned right for the drive over the gentle Meldon Hills and then on through old Lyne Station, Stobo Castle, Stobo Kirk and the tiny hamlet of Stobo.

To keep sheltered from the wind we had to snuggle up together and kept as low down in the vehicle as possible. Fortunately we didn't come across any policemen en-route, as they might well have stopped us if they'd seen us sitting in the back of an open vehicle.

Stobo Kirk James McIntosh Patrick

Stobo is a bonny spot in Peebleshire set amongst the beautiful Borders landscape. The farmer gave us the go ahead to camp in his field. After setting up the tent with a hand from Douglas we thereafter managed a swim in the River Tweed followed by a good supper washed down with cider which was a deadly combination! We were tipsy.

Paul had drunk too much and was sick. During the night he swore he’d seen a shooting star.

Monday, 5th July, 1971

Helen Blades (6/6 Oxgangs Avenue)

Ah, the summer holidays; what could be better; no Boroughmuir for six whole weeks and the whole Oxgangs playground on my doorstep. I've still got the Wimbledon bug after the past two weeks so Les Ramage and I played tennis in the morning down at Colinton Mains Park; I also had a game later on. The weather's fantastic. It was 73 degrees today, a wee scorcher. I had a small argument with Alison Blades and Mrs Blades up above (6/6 Oxgangs Avenue) which wasn’t like any of us at all, so it threw me a bit; no doubt it'll soon blow over.