Today’s post is 1750 words, 43 photos, an 8 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
This week I’ll take you to Dumfries, Scotland and the land of Robert Burns, the celebrated poet and lyricist. If you missed the first five stories in this series on Scotland and England, click here, here, here, here, and here.
But first….
Holodomor Remembrance Day
Yesterday, November 23rd, the fourth Saturday of November, the people of Ukraine, and the countries where Ukrainians now live, commemorated Holodomor Remembrance Day. This day honors those Ukrainians who perished during the Great Terror-Famine of 1932-33 promulgated by the Soviet Union under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin.
I didn’t know much about Holodomor until we visited Ukraine in 2019. Since then I’ve tried to help others learn what the Soviets did to the Ukrainian people over 90 years ago. This knowledge helps to understand why the Ukrainians are fighting back so hard against the recent invasion of Russia into their sovereign territory and why we need to support their efforts. Click here to read my 2023 blog on the Holodomor. Click here and here for more resources on the Holodomor.
Slavi Ukraini! (Glory to Ukraine) Heroiam slava! (Glory to the Heroes). Light a candle in their honor.
Now on to the rest of the story.
Dumfries
The market town of Dumfries is located on the River Nith about 25 miles from the border of Scotland and England. With the 2022 population listed as just over 33,000 people, it’s the largest town in southwestern Scotland. The mainstays of the economy are agriculture, light manufacturing, and tourism. 
We arrived late in the afternoon and checked into our AirBnb across the River Nith from the city center. We walked to the tourist information center but it was closed for the day. In planning this trip, I became intrigued by all the hoopla in the guidebooks about Robert Burns so decided on a visit to the city where he lived and died. While I was acquainted with the song “Auld Lang Syne” that is typically sung at midnight on New Year’s Eve, it bids the past year a sad goodbye, I didn’t know Robert (Rabbie) Burns was the songwriter. The first time I heard of Burns was when I was in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. One of the professors in the department where I studied, stood up at a meeting and recited a poem with a Scottish accent. At first I thought it was a joke. Oh no, he was serious because it was January 25, Robert Burns birthday, a day when Burns Suppers are held to celebrate and recite poems by the bard.
After scoring some takeout from the a shop across the street, we stayed in for the evening and did some laundry in preparation for our walk in the Yorkshire Dales. The next morning, we walked back to the tourist center where the attendant was very helpful, providing us with maps and suggestions of things to see and do. Most of it revolved around Robert Burns.
The Robert Burns Trail
From the visitor center, we walked the three blocks to the Robert Burns House. Our first clue that we were in the right place was the street sign.
The house, made of sandstone, is quite simple as are the interior rooms and furnishings. Admission to the house is free. There is a small gift shop selling all things Rabbie Burns.
We were greeted at the door by Paul, the attendant on duty. He invited us in and provided a bit of history of the house and Rabbie Burns.
The poet and his family lived in this house from May 1793 unit Burns died on July 21, 1796 at the age of 37 from a rheumatic heart condition. His wife, Jean Armour, who gave birth to their last child the day of his funeral, continued to live in this house until her death in 1834. The kitchen was said to be the action center of the household. On display were a few artifacts from the time when the Burns family lived there.
For Burns the poet and lyricist, much of his writing took place in the small study on the second floor of the house. He is said to have written several of his more familiar songs and poems at the desk in the photo below. Burns was born in 1759 on a farm in Ayr and grew up in poverty and hard work. His early education was erratic, most from his father and a local teacher. He wrote some of first poems at age 15 but work in manual labor took most of his energy.
After years of drifting from around farms, overseeing slaves in Jamaica, siring seven children out of wedlock, and spending time in Edinburgh, he married Jean Armour and settled on Ellisland, a farm near Dumfries. While on the farm, Burns took a traveling job for Customs and Excise, keeping records and collecting taxes. Within two years, he left the farm for Dumfries while continuing his job with Excise. Soon he contributed the lyrics of 100 songs to Melodies of Scotland. He wrote many of his famous works during his time in Dumfries and drew criticism for his support of the French and the American Revolution. His travel, especially during harsh weather, took a toll on his health, he died on July 21, 1796 at age 37. A known womanizer, he fathered 12 children, seven were born out of wedlock. Of the 12, five survived to adulthood.
The works of Robert Burns has had a lasting affect on poetry and lyrics. He wrote with passion about the Scottish identity, articulated a range of emotions, and spoke of inequality. He influenced poets such as William Wordsworth and Percy Shelley, writers like Sir Walter Scott, and musicians including Bob Dylan. His works are said to be the most translated in the world. There is even a Robert Burns World Federation with the purpose of celebrating and educating the world of his work and life. Not bad for a farm boy from humble beginnings.
After about a half hour at the Burns House, Paul directed us to St. Michael’s Kirkyard where Burns is buried. As luck would have it, the mausoleum would be open at 11:15 AM accompanied by a short presentation by Gerry, another docent in the Burns complex. At that moment, Gerry appeared and we walked with him to the church yard. On the way, we passed a statue of Jean Armour, the wife of Robert Burns, with one of her young children likely Maxwell, the son born the day Burns was buried.
St. Michael’s Kirkyard
The historic St. Michael’s Parish (a Church of Scotland Congregation) has been around for over 1000 years. The current church was built in the mid-1700s and is now considered a place of historic significance. 
The sculpture in the church yard in the photo below is carved of sandstone and is called the Robert Burns Rock. It reflects some of the elements in a couple of his most famous poems. 
As we walked through the graveyard, Gerry pointed out some of the contemporaries of Robert Burns and the very old headstones. 
We passed by the original grave site of Burns located in the very back corner of the cemetery. He rested there until 1815 when a mausoleum was constructed and his remains exhumed to be reinterred in the floor of the mausoleum. His wife and son Robert were later buried with him.
Gerry opened the gates to the mausoleum and invited us to view the interior. 
Gerry pointed out that the statue of Burns is as a ploughman, a farmer plowing the soil. Much of his inspiration for this work came from the land, nature, and the people who occupied this space. Gerry spoke of the reverence for all things Burns including the fact that thousands of people visit the mausoleum each year.
We (my Traveling Partner and The Youngest) had an inspiring and interesting morning learning about Robert Burns. I have a new appreciation of his work and influence.
It was close to lunch time so we walked up High Street to the city center looking for a place to dine. There in front of us was another statue of Robert Burns with the Burgh Church of Dumfries, commonly known as the Greyfriars, behind it. The church now closed but was reportedly near the site where Robert the Bruce killed the Red Comyn, reigniting the flame for Scottish independence from England in 1306.
Nearby was the recently renovated unique fountain that has stood in the town square for over 140 years. 
After a delicious lunch in a local bakery/cafe, we walked over to the Moat Brae Centre. This center was established to establish a national children’s literature and storytelling center. The house Moat Brae was where author J. M. Barrie, Scottish novelist and playwright, lived and created Peter Pan. We looked at a few of the free exhibits and the gift shop. The Centre is now closed due to financial difficulties.
Ellisland Farm and Museum
Back at the car, we headed out of Dumfries to Ellisland Farm and Museum where Burns lived and farmed before becoming the tax assessor, a job that kept his family from starving. The 8 mile drive through the rolling hills and the rock walls was stunning. Burns chose Ellisland because of its beautiful setting along the River Nith, it surely was. This is where he wrote about 25% of his songs and poetry including the world famous “Auld Land Syne” and “Tam o’ Shanter.”
Burns leased the farm in 1788 and built a new house the following year. We entered the house and paid the 5£ (about $6 USD) per person admission. The attendant pointed us to a small room where we watched a good film about Burns life on the farm. Afterwards, we viewed the exhibits, one that displayed the desk by the fireplace where he would write his songs and poems. We then headed outside to see the rest of the farm.
After checking out the displays of farm machinery, we noticed a path that led down to the River Nith. Burns would pace the path along the river and draw inspiration of what he observed. We walked in his footsteps, enjoying the fresh spring air and pleasant day. We could see why it was so important to his work.
After our pleasant visit to Ellisland, we drove a few miles further to the village of Thornhill where we enjoyed tea and cakes, a very Scottish thing to do in mid to late afternoon. I had a lovely carrot cake and coffee, my traveling companions had a tasty rhubarb cake and tea. Another enjoyable day in Scotland.
Join me next week when we travel through the Lake District in England to the Yorkshire Dales.
Until then, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM