Another piece for the Clutha Project, this time reflecting on childhood memories of days out on the Clyde. For those that could not afford a full holiday or eating out in a restaurant, the answer was to pack a picnic, get cheap train tickets down to Gourock, Largs or Wemyss bay and then a ferry out on the Clyde either just to cruise for the day or maybe to visit somewhere to eat your picnic, play crazy golf, or go to the beach for a few hours. A day trip to Dunoon was often the choice in our house but its geographic location appeared to give it one of the highest rainfall instances in the UK. More often than not we would have to take refuge in a bus shelter there to eat our picnic and wait for the sun to come out again, but it never seemed to matter to us as kids. Billy Connolly famously sang in the 1970's of the decline of the Guest House industry in Dunoon as people realised they could broaden their horizons with the help of cheap foreign holidays provided by Freddie Laker.  This was just another facet of the social changes affecting the Clyde area from the 1960's onwards - gradual but inevitable. There are still places to stay in Dunoon, but it's not the high-density tourist destination that it once was. And there's still plenty of rain.......

I had intended this to be a song but in the end felt it was better as spoken word with musical accompaniment. All the instruments in this track are virtual.... in case anyone's wondering how my guitar and mandolin playing  has suddenly improved.... :)

RAIN IN DUNOON.

When we didn’t have much
The smallest things would do
Like the way we took our comfort
In those small words “I love you”
Or the carefully made sandwich
Of dates or cut-price jam
Or sometimes, if we were lucky,
Some cheese and smoky ham.

With flask of milky coffee,
And a blanket for the ground
We’d set off on our journey
And listen to the sound
Of steam making dreams
As we’d clatter down the rails
To Wemyss Bay and the ferry
That would take our spades and pails

Across the sparkling water
To the joys of far Dunoon
To ice creams, parks, and castle
And a hopeful afternoon.
Where parents left their drudge behind
And children freely played
That great trip doon the watter
Was where memories were made.

But always in the picnic bags
Our anoraks were ready
For the weather there is fickle
And the rain can fall so steady
And many’s the time the Bus Shelter
Became our restaurant
Where a warm drink and a date sandwich
Was all we’d ever want.

These days we have our easy jets
And far-off holidays
The steamers went to scrap-yards
And no crowds now pass this way
The gift shops and the cafes
With signs saying “Come back soon”
Are these days not so busy
When the rain falls in Dunoon.

© enlimila 20/10/2021

Rain In Dunoon

(Clutha Project) Rain In Dunoon

This is my latest spill-over page for newer stuff. The older material is at @enlimila and @enlimila-plus

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(Clutha Project) Rain In Dunoon

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