During this miserable January boring month I thought I would add a bonus blog on the many shots I took when out for a morning ride/walk into Alloway, the area of Ayr which is the birthplace and home of Rabbie Burns. Here, with the aid of a Lottery grant and treemendous local support they have turned a horrid disused railway tunnel, dull, dirty, unlit, graffiti one, into a wonderful tourist attraction and some incredible art. Could not separate most of the shots I took into part of the next blog, so kept them all together to bore (sorry to entertain you) with an Ayrshire delight.
Coming down from the road on the lefthand side of this shot, you have no idea that the tunnel entrance in front of you will be one hundred and fifty yards of delight.
The first part of the mural is of course Rabbie himself sitting at his desk with his ever faithful dog and all the animals he wrote about.
Tam O Shanter fleeing on his horse from the evil things going on in the Kirk behind him.
Ploughing from the poem To A Mouse.
Rabbie’s sheep in it’s splendid tartan scarf.
Scenes from his garden.
Scenes of the local industries, curling stones on the cart mined from the island Ailsa Craig, the only place in the world where real stones originate from and the paddle steamer Waverly
Locals were asked to contribute to the artwork by paying for their faces to be included within the murals, though the figure in the last one reminds me of our King Charles, I wonder?
The artwork is not yet completed and this was the end piece ready to receive the last few yards of uncompleted mural.
The art is on both sides of the tunnel and even the ceiling is decorated around the lights.
At the far end the railway crosses a bridge over the River Doon, the first bridge you see is the road bridge outside the Brig A Doon hotel and beyond that you can just see the edge of the actual Brig A Doon.
As you turn round and come out of the tunnel in front of you is a small road tunnel. I wonder if that will be next to get some art?
Hope you enjoyed.