Soutra without the Kama

Someone asked me recently where my occasional online pseudonym - Soutra - comes from. I've used it for many years as my default login name for various services, including Technorati (although I've now amended that to show my full name instead). First things first - it has, unfortunately, nothing to do with the Kama Sutra! Those of you who know the Scottish Borders, and especially those who use the A68 (Edinburgh to Newcastle) road, will know all about Soutra Hill. Some 20 miles south of Edinburgh is the hill that I have used as a kind of psychological threshold between work and home, more or less every working day, for more than 16 years now, since I moved to Lauder in 1990. When I feel the need to, I can drive south across the big hill every evening and leave my working cares and concerns behind, and then let them come back to me the next morning as I drive north once more for another working day. Interestingly, though, with everything that is happening in Scottish education at the moment, I haven't felt the need to make use of the hill's shield-like qualities of late - there's just too damned much going on that is exciting and energising in our country's education system at the moment, and too much of interest happening across the world in education to permit me any negative thoughts just now. Long may it continue. addendum: Soutra Hill is the site of a very important Scottish historical site - Soutra Isle. Founded around 1160, the hospital at Soutra (known as the House of the Holy Trinity at Soutra) "was, in its heyday....one of the three most important hospitals in Scotland." The hill was also on the route of the ancient Roman road known as Dere Street, that linked York and Perth by way of Cramond on the Forth Estuary. Most recently, the hill has played host to the Dun Law Wind Farm - 26 majestic wind turbines - I like them, by the way!! Technorati Tags: soutra, lauder, dun law, soutra isle

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© John Connell
The views expressed in this weblog are entirely my own and are not intended to reflect the views of any other individuals or organizations. All sources will be fully acknowledged.