Scotland Thread

[The_Munchmaster]

Posted this coz I thought it was a great picture.

 

The Women's Omnium Points race during day two of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow

 

The Sir Chris Velodrome is named after the most successful Olympian from Scotland and Great Britain and has been built to host cycling events at the next Commonwealth Games which will be held from 24 July to 3 August 2014.

[Flashermac]

The Glasgow Santa Dash!

 

 

 

http://www.telegraph...l?frame=2423033

[Flashermac]

The perfect gift?

 

http://www.highlandtitles.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=old-f5564&utm_campaign=uscanada

[The_Munchmaster]

Three men (Thai Buddhist monks) killed in head-on crash on A68

 

 

Three men have been killed in a head-on car crash on the A68 in the east of Scotland, police have said.

 

The two-car incident happened about a mile-and-a-half south of Pathhead in Midlothian, just after 07:30.

 

One of the cars, a Nissan Note, was carrying five people and ended up on its roof.

 

Three male backseat passengers in the car, who were all Buddhist monks (according to todays Bangkok Post they were Thai nationals-MM), died at the

scene. Its female driver managed to get herself free.

 

The male front seat passenger in the vehicle was cut out of the wreckage by fire crews.

 

The Nissan was heading north when it was involved in a crash with a Skoda Octavia being driven in the opposite direction.

 

The two survivors from the Nissan were taken to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and treated for injuries not believed to be life-threatening, Lothian and Borders Police said.

 

The Skoda's male driver was also taken to hospital, but did not suffer serious injury.

 

The A68 was closed near the scene of the crash to allow police to carry out a crash investigation and re-opened later.

 

Insp Simon Bradshaw, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "This is a tragic incident, and we are currently in the process of carrying out inquiries in order to establish the full circumstances of the collision.

 

"At this time, I am appealing to anyone who noticed the gold coloured Nissan Note or the silver Skoda Octavia on the A68 this morning, to get in touch."

[Flashermac]

A Skoda is more solid than a Nissan?

[The_Munchmaster]

Since they became part of Volkswagen they have improved a lot.

[The_Munchmaster]

Three men (Thai Buddhist monks) killed in head-on crash on A68

 

Three male backseat passengers in the car, who were all Buddhist monks (according to todays Bangkok Post they were Thai nationals-MM), died at the

scene.

 

Three men who were killed in a head-on car crash on the A68 in the east of Scotland have been named by police.

 

Phramaha Chai Boonma, 36, Phramaha Pranom Thongphaiboon, 43, and Phramaha Kriangkrai Khamsamrong, 35 were killed in the two-car incident in Midlothian.

 

The Buddhist monks from Thailand were travelling north on the A68 near Pathhead at the Fala Tunnel on Monday.

 

Their Nissan Note overturned and collided with a Skoda Octavia car, which was travelling south at 07:30.

 

All three were pronounced dead at the scene, while a 47-year-old man and the 61-year-old female driver of the vehicle were taken to hospital for various injuries.

 

A 74-year-old man who was driving the Skoda was also taken to the hospital for minor injuries before being released.

 

Road Policing Officers closed the road for around six hours while they carried out an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision.

 

Witnesses on the road on Monday are being urged to call the police.

[The_Munchmaster]

Torchlight procession starts Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations

 

 

Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations have started with a torchlight procession through the city centre.

 

About 7,000 torchbearers were expected to gather on Chambers Street for the annual event which attracts tens of thousands of spectators.

 

Up to 80,000 revellers are due to descend on the capital for Monday night's street party.

 

This year, hourly one-minute firework displays will mark the count down to 2013.

 

From 21:00 GMT on 31 December there will be a display on the hour until midnight, when there will be a longer firework sequence.

 

There will be five live stages, with Scottish bands Simple Minds and The View, as well as The Maccabees and Admiral Fallow among the acts due to perform.

 

Steve Cardownie, Edinburgh City Council's festivals and events champion, said the torch parade is a popular start to three days of New Year celebrations.

 

"It is hugely important to us," he said ahead of the event.

 

Sunday's procession saw thousands of members of the public light up the city's streets

 

"We actually moved it back a day because people were saying they wanted to participate but they arrived in Edinburgh too late to take part.

 

"There will be around 28,000 to 30,000 people. About 5,000 candles have been purchased and a further 2,000 can be purchased on the evening itself, and two charities will benefit because of this.

 

"It is spectacular to watch that procession. It will be making its way down the bridges on its way to Calton Hill. It is a great way to start the celebrations."

[sayjann]

Torchlight procession starts Edinburgh Hogmanay celebrations

 

 

Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations have started with a torchlight procession through the city centre.

 

About 7,000 torchbearers were expected to gather on Chambers Street for the annual event which attracts tens of thousands of spectators.

 

Up to 80,000 revellers are due to descend on the capital for Monday night's street party.

 

This year, hourly one-minute firework displays will mark the count down to 2013.

 

From 21:00 GMT on 31 December there will be a display on the hour until midnight, when there will be a longer firework sequence.

 

There will be five live stages, with Scottish bands Simple Minds and The View, as well as The Maccabees and Admiral Fallow among the acts due to perform.

 

Steve Cardownie, Edinburgh City Council's festivals and events champion, said the torch parade is a popular start to three days of New Year celebrations.

 

"It is hugely important to us," he said ahead of the event.

 

Sunday's procession saw thousands of members of the public light up the city's streets

 

"We actually moved it back a day because people were saying they wanted to participate but they arrived in Edinburgh too late to take part.

 

"There will be around 28,000 to 30,000 people. About 5,000 candles have been purchased and a further 2,000 can be purchased on the evening itself, and two charities will benefit because of this.

 

"It is spectacular to watch that procession. It will be making its way down the bridges on its way to Calton Hill. It is a great way to start the celebrations."

i remember a VERY COLD couple of nights in Edinburgh over the new year period.

watched the procession down from the castle up to Calton Hill and then the bonfire and fireworks.

and a good night on Princes St. watching the bands and just having fun.

i think Big Country and The Bay City Rollers were on the bill that night.

the firework display with the castle in the background is spectacular.....

[The_Munchmaster]

Hogmanay celebrations: Scotland brings in the new year

 

Crowds gathered in Edinburgh witnessed a spectacular fireworks display

 

Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Edinburgh for the Scottish capital's world-famous Hogmanay celebrations.

 

The party saw some 80,000 revellers welcome in 2013 with a spectacular firework display from the castle ramparts.

 

Scottish rock band Simple Minds headlined the Concert in the Gardens, alongside The View and Bwani Junction.

 

Smaller events have taken place in towns and cities across the country.

 

There were five live stages for the Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh, with countdown fireworks at 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00, as well as the midnight display from the ramparts of the castle, which was accompanied by music for the first time.

 

Pete Irvine, artistic director of Edinburgh's Hogmanay, told the BBC that weather conditions in the city were "perfect" for the sold-out party, which he said had proved to be as popular this year as it had ever been in its 20-year history.

 

He added: "I think what is happening here is we are pretty well established, we are the best party on the planet and people are here from all over the world. People want to have fun, they want to have a good time, and this is one place obviously to do that."

 

Tickets for the celebrations were bought by those in more than 60 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Japan, Turkey and the USA.

 

Joanna White and a group of friends travelled from Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia to experience their first Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

 

She said: "We love Hogmanay, we want to come back here every year. It's been awesome.

 

Countdown fireworks at 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00 set the skies alight

 

"There are a lot more people here than we thought, and there's people from everywhere.

 

"It's just a bit cold but we're loving it. You can't have a bad time here. It's perfect."

 

Celebrations got under way in Edinburgh on Sunday with a torchlight procession.

 

A record crowd estimated at 35,000, including 7,000 torch carriers, was led on the procession by the massed pipes and drums and the Up Helly Aa' Vikings from Shetland.

 

The procession made its way through the city streets to the burning of the effigy of a Viking boat and a spectacular Son et Lumiere display on Calton Hill.

 

Tens of thousands of people were in the capital for Hogmanay

 

Events will also take place on New Year's Day, including sled dog races at Holyrood Park and a triathlon which will see competitors swim 400 metres of the Royal Commonwealth Pool, cycle 11 miles around Arthur's Seat and then run 3.5 miles.

 

The Loony Dook, the annual dip in the cold waters of the River Forth at South Queensferry, will also be held.

 

Elsewhere, Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire hosted its traditional fireball display despite the floods that hit the town over the past fortnight.

 

A sell-out crowd of more than 20,000 people congregated for the Open Air in the town's historic Market Square, which was also due to feature music by the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Blazin' Fiddles.

 

Revellers in Aberdeen brought in the new year with a fireworks display at His Majesty's Theatre, while the Proclaimers headlined a Hogmanay concert on the esplanade of Stirling Castle.

 

And Big Country topped the bill at the Red Hot Highland Fling in Inverness.

 

But for the second year in a row, there were no official celebrations at midnight in Glasgow - with the city's Hogmanayday event in George Square ending at 22:00.