Last time we were anywhere near the Horseshoe Inn in Eddleston  we were at the Barony Castle Hotel. In the grounds of the hotel there is the Great Polish Map of Scotland. A remarkable concrete structure in a pond  made by Polish war veterans in 1979.

Anyway, the Horseshoe Inn stands at the end of the road that leads up to the Barony Castle and that’s as far as we were going today.

Unwanted visitors

Everyone knows that horseshoes are lucky without perhaps knowing why. Let us help you with some well established facts. Many years ago the whole of northern Europe was inhabited by fairies, elves and goblins. When Celtic tribes invaded their lands they took refuge in the forests and started wearing green to camouflage themselves. Rightly or wrongly, these little people were blamed for many of the misfortunes suffered by the settlers. The relationship between the two groups was at best uneasy. However, it was quickly understood that the elves  feared the metal weapons of their enemies … they were afraid of iron! Hence folk took to hanging horseshoes above their doors to discourage unwelcome little visitors.

Logic

All of the above is absolutely true, however, there is still much debate about which way a horsehoe should be hung in order to derive maximum benefit. Some think the two ends should point up the way to prevent luck falling out. Others think it should be the other way so that the luck falls on those below. We lean towards the former because logically with both ends down the way it would never be able to retain enough luck to disperse. Don’t think about it too much. The big question was how lucky the  Horsehoe Inn would be for us.

It’s a real traditional kind of place with lots of beamed ceilings and open fires. The restaurant was very busy so we opted for the bar which was quiet. There was a very comprehensive menu but we were just passing through so coffee and a scone was all we wanted. They didn’t ask if we wanted the scone toasted but that’s the way it was when it arrived.  Sitting by a cosy log fire eating scones and drinking coffee we felt nicely cocooned from the realities of the world outside. Lucky indeed.

Merry Christmas

The World Cup finishes today with a final which is not being billed as Argentina v France but rather Messi v Mbappé. On account of my sister living in Nice along with the Auld Alliance and all that, we will be supporting France. 

Unbelievably, in three days time it will be the shortest day of the year, yeah! As well as light the longer days also bring hope and heralds the beginning of another year.

As we prepare for a family invasion over the festive season it just remains for us to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year. We’ve very much appreciated your comments and support over the past year. May all your horseshoes be the right way up!