My Account
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After graduating from St Andrews University in 1980 with a B.Sc. in Geography, I worked offshore in the UK and Norway North Sea on oil rigs on jobs ranging from geotechnical analysis to being part of a drilling crew. In 1985 I left the oilfields to train as a teacher and began teaching Geography in 1986. From 1990 onwards, I taught French and German. Over the years my interests have led to my involvement in exchanges and twinnings between Germany, France and Scotland, not only as a participant but also as an organizer. Qualifying as a Blue Badge Guide in 2002, I started guiding in English, French, and German. For 4 years, I worked as a part-time course leader, lecturer and assessor for university level students in the Office of Lifelong Learning at Edinburgh University. In June 2014, I left secondary teaching to work full time as a Blue Badge Tourist Guide. In 2015 in line with my passion for Scottish food and drink, I successfully completed my Master's Degree (M.Sc.) in Gastronomy at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. I live, with my wife, Ann, in the town of Linlithgow, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots who was born in the magnificent Linlithgow Palace. The town is just a short train journey from the centre of Edinburgh. Well worth a visit and perhaps an overnight stay, or even serving as a base for day trips to the surrounding area. In addition to interests stated on this page, my interests are: • Scottish culture, especially social history • The geography of Scotland, its landscape • Hill walking • Cooking • Scottish food
BSc (Ord) St Andrews University, 1980. PGCE Geography Teaching Qualification, Moray House College Edinburgh,1986. Additional Teaching Qualification in French, Jordanhill College, Glasgow, 1990. Second Year German Studies Qualification, Stirling University, 1994-1995. STGA Blue Badge Tourist Guide Training. Universities of Strathclyde and Edinburgh, 2000-2002. MSc Gastronomy. Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. 2015.
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