Scarecrows

Bothwell's Scarecrow Festival is something I have long wanted to attend in full and have been edging my way towards doing so over the past few years. I am drawn to the sense of community. I love the fast that most people make the effort to join in and make their own scarecrows to display over the 10 days of the festival. This sense of community is something I know exists in many different places but although I have stayed in many different places I have never been anywhere which has had that togetherness. Growing up I went with a friend to Bathgate gala day and experienced it as well as Broxburn, Whitburn and some others. The Linlithgow parades topped them all. Where my parents and sister live now they all join in for the main event too. Lacking it here I seek it elsewhere and Bothwell is the nearest place.

It started a few years ago with my wife driving through Bothwell. I knew about the scarecrows but anxiety was so bad even just driving through the town taking photos was difficult. There was no way I was getting out of the car and was glad just to get a few blurry photos from afar. Last year I was able to get out. We went one night by car and parked then walked about for around 15-20 minutes looking at all the different scarecrows. That was good but there is more to the festival than just the scarecrows and so this year I as determined to do more. This year I wanted to experience the procession and the open day as well as the scarecrows. Things had definitely chanaged. A year ago it was a big leap walking about in Bothwell. Now I am able to walk there, stay there and walk back. I had done it many times. This time I was going to make a day of it if I could.

On the plus side it was an unbelievably hot day for the middle of September. It was like the summer we never had. T-shirt weather. That in itself lifts the mood and with so many people gathering in one place I knew the atmosphere would be inviting. The only negative was I was the only one who wanted to go. My wife was meeting her friend later and the kids were in no rush to get there to I headed out for the start of the procession.

It was a great day and turned out to be a very long one- a good long one. Lots of people lined the streets for the procession which I followed from start to finish. The highlight was the bikers. Those Harley Davidsons are deafening. The guys would stop to let the procession walk on for a bit then quickly speed up behind them which in close proximity was something to see and hear. The procession ended at a primary school where was an open day. Live country music added to the atmosphere and there were all sorts to do. Later my wife and kids arrived with her friend and her family. We spent a few hours there before going out into the streets to look at all the scarecrows with the kids. It was a really good day out had by nearly all.