Summerlee Museum Cafe
Heritageway, Coatbridge
The one thing that comes with living in Scotland for so long is knowing that when the weather takes a turn for the best, you just have to grab the bull by the horns, and get out there and enjoy it.
So today, with the sun shining, I decide summer must surely be on its way – and it’s time to scope out some al fresco scone sites for the season ahead.
Summerlee Heritage Museum has been on my bucket list for a while, but, with lots of things to see outdoors, I decided to save it for a blue-sky afternoon.
And, with temperatures in the 20s – a rarity in Scotland, as we know – today is definitely the day for a bit of history and culture.
Almost immediately, I feel like I should probably be part of the display! I used to come here as a child with my parents and on school trips – and it hasn’t changed a great deal.
The exhibits, which range from trams and trains to old wooden desks and living rooms from the 1880s and 1990s, tell the story of industrial life in Coatbridge.
But much of it will resonate with life growing up as a kid anywhere across the country – and, even if you’re as old as the hills, you’ll definitely learn something. Contrary to popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks – and every day is a school day!
After a wander round the museum and along the tram track to check out the old cottages and mine, it’s time for a seat – and a scone.
And Summerlee’s on-site cafe is a lovely little spot for a pit stop. I fuel up on a lovely chicken salad, which I eat at the picnic benches outside in the scorching sun.
And wash it all down with a coffee – and, of course, a scone.
This one is, by far, up there with the some of the biggest scones a scone spy has ever seen. It looks like a flying saucer – and is so heavy it could be made of steel.
Smothered in butter and jam, it’s everything a scone should be... firm on the outside and crumbly in the middle. Possibly a little too crumbly, but that’s no problem as I couldn’t possibly finish a whole one.
And with that it’s just about time to roll this satisfied scone-filled old barrel home for a nap... before it gets sunburnt!