Best Beach
My favourite beach is the stretch between Irvine beach and Barassie beach because I used to walk that every Saturday morning, very early, before anyone else was about. On the way I would bury all the dead seagulls and have a wee ceremony, putting the rocks in the shape of a love heart. I was very romantic.
We moved to Irvine in the summer of 1976 and it just got me at the right time. I had never seen water glimmer like that. The sea was my alternate mother and I’d go and talk to her and tell her my dreams.
Best Building
I do love cathedrals – looking up at those monuments, thinking about the footfall over centuries and all the ghosts. Also, the masonry – I imagine some wee fella up there with a chisel, chopping away a dragon’s nose.
When it comes down to it though, you really can’t beat the Mitchell Library in Glasgow – it’s such a part of the story and the city, which is a city full of stories. As you drive across the Kingston Bridge and you see it, it’s more than beautiful.
Best Street
I love Sauchiehall Street. When you walk to the top of that street and you look down – you can see the whole world. It was the first place I started busking. I would look at all the faces there and it made me aware that I was part of a big community. It always seemed like such a family thing to go. We would all get dressed up and go down to Sauchiehall Street and see what we could find.
Best Walk or Cycle
THERE'S a cycle route that starts at the back of Morrisons in Partick and goes all the way up the old railway line – you can cycle so far that you end up at Balloch.
At one point there’s even an avenue of cherry trees and at particular time of the year, you could be cycling through beautiful pink snowflakes.
Best View
I adore the view from my mother’s kitchen window, particularly at sunset. There's one point of the year where the sun sets slightly to the left of her kitchen window.
We moved to the first of the new build houses on that estate in Irvine so there’s nothing blocking the view. You can see across the fields of Ayrshire and the Annick Water. It’s always my favourite place to sit.
Best Shop
At the moment, it’s Ryman because I'm always buying canvases and pens and paints and paper and supply boxes. I don’t do a lot of clothes shopping but I do like the Oxfam record shops, because you’ll get a good rummage and you’ll find 78s in there. I also love shopping in the lanes off Byres Road – you’ll always find so many gorgeous wee ideas.
One of the best things I bought in there was an old cassette player so I could play my auntie’s old cassettes.
Best Scottish Delicacy
Ye cannae whack mussels and whelks – when I was a wee girl at holiday time we would go to Saltcoats and we would clear the rocks of all the shellfish. The whole family would go to the Oyster Bar at the Barras for a treat on a Sunday – my mum and dad would get Clappy Doos, a huge black mussel, but we would all get whelks.
When I was in Fairground Attraction we were playing with Deacon Blue at the Barras and I took the Fairground guys to the Barras to get Clappy Doos – of course they couldn’t even pronounce it, never mind know what they were! I adore seafood feels like comfort to me. When I was a kid it was free. Now I’ll go up to Loch Fyne for a treat.
Best Cuppa
I would always rather pop into my pal’s house for a cuppa but the place I do love to go is on the harbour – a place I’ve always taken my mum and dad. It’s called Small Talk and it’s a gift shop as well as a café. It’s a brilliant cosy wee place where you can get a brilliant toastie and great soup or just have a cuppa.
Best place for alone time
I WOULD have to choose Portencross. It’s a place where I can sit on the rocks – or on a wilder day I can just sit in the car and look out. I like to sit up by the castle and look out at the sea and the passing boats. It’s almost like meditation. And there are beautiful sunsets.
As part of her 40 Years Live tour, Eddi plays Tarbert Village Hall on November 25, Crieff Academy on November 26 and Macdonald Aviemore Resort on December 5.
www.edddireader.co.uk
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