We're back for Season 2! Starting where we left off, we're back to Scotland for a trip down memory lane with Gemma Cowen. Gemma is a self confessed history novice, music and culture lover and proud Scot. They discuss Ben and Gemma's trip to one of the most remote landmarks on Aslett's book, the Isle of Iona, as well as some equine based mythology and many embarrassing stories about Ben.
You can now buy us a coffee if you enjoy our episodes - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminsbritain
We'd love you to subscribe and rate us on when you listen to your favourite podcasts. Follow us at @benjaminsbritainpod on Instagram for social content and updates.
We're back for Season 2! Starting where we left off, we're back to Scotland for a trip down memory lane with Gemma Cowen. Gemma is a self confessed history novice, music and culture lover and proud Scot. They discuss Ben and Gemma's trip to one of the most remote landmarks on Aslett's book, the Isle of Iona, as well as some equine based mythology and many embarrassing stories about Ben.
You can now buy us a coffee if you enjoy our episodes - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/benjaminsbritain
We'd love you to subscribe and rate us on when you listen to your favourite podcasts. Follow us at @benjaminsbritainpod on Instagram for social content and updates.
00:00:00 Ben
Welcome to Season 2 with Benjamin Britten.
00:00:02 Ben
Nicky we're back.
00:00:04 NIcky
We are back.
00:00:05 NIcky
We've got second season.
00:00:06 NIcky
That's very exciting.
00:00:08 Ben
Who would have thought we'd be back to Season 2?
00:00:10 Ben
People actually listen to this.
00:00:11 Ben
We have eight excellent guests lined up for this second season, Nicky.
00:00:15 NIcky
Yeah, we've got some really good guests lined up.
00:00:17 NIcky
Lined up
00:00:17 NIcky
00:00:18 Ben
We've already started recording a couple of them, some great landmarks, great stuff.
00:00:21 Ben
Worries and will be.
00:00:23 NIcky
Dave
00:00:24 Ben
We'll be releasing them over the coming weeks, weeks and months.
00:00:26 NIcky
The best way you can find teasers and spoilers and show notes from the episodes is to follow us, our Facebook page and our Instagram at Benjamin Britten Pod and just search for Benjamin Britten podcast on Facebook.
00:00:41 NIcky
We'd also really like to get your feedback.
00:00:43 NIcky
Your stories, if you've been to any of the landmarks.
00:00:46 NIcky
Talk about so please.
00:00:48 NIcky
Just send us a DM message comment on our Facebook and we might read it out.
00:00:53 Ben
Since, uh, since.
00:00:54 Ben
We last recorded.
00:00:55 Ben
I'm pretty sure there's been a pretty momentous birthday amongst this podcast recording group.
00:00:58 Speaker 4
Oh
00:01:01 NIcky
Yes my house.
00:01:03 NIcky
The Big three yard.
00:01:03 Ben
Wow, happy birthday that takes me out.
00:01:06 Ben
Happy birthday Nicky Pavitt yeah.
00:01:08 NIcky
Yeah.
00:01:08 NIcky
00:01:09 Ben
How does it feel you know leaving your 20s behind me?
00:01:11 NIcky
I actually feel pretty good about it, yeah?
00:01:14 Ben
It is.
00:01:15 Ben
Do you feel good that you've turned 30 as a podcast host?
00:01:18 Ben
You know that's that.
00:01:18 Ben
Must be huge.
00:01:18 NIcky
It may, yeah.
00:01:20 Ben
Life achievement down.
00:01:21 NIcky
There I mean.
00:01:21 NIcky
00:01:21 NIcky
I mean, in the last couple of weeks I did.
00:01:24 Speaker 4
Really.
00:01:24 Speaker 4
00:01:24 NIcky
Really, really interesting things like watch loads of TV was the first time I got the car fix for myself.
00:01:29 NIcky
So yeah, you know it was pretty wild.
00:01:31 NIcky
Pretty wild way to end it.
00:01:33 NIcky
You may have a not very long to do either saying yourself.
00:01:36 Ben
No, I'm still still two weeks left in my 20s and I'm treasuring every.
00:01:40 Ben
Every moment of them.
00:01:42 NIcky
Are you going to fit any landmarks in before your birthday?
00:01:45 Ben
Well, we can now travel wherever we want within Wales and I took full advantage of that last weekend.
00:01:45 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:01:51 Ben
What do I do?
00:01:51 Ben
My first landmark since since December dragged my brother or my my dad.
00:01:56 Ben
I'm allowed to battlefield in mid Wales is excellent.
00:01:59 NIcky
Are we know that the battlefields are always.
00:02:01 NIcky
Right?
00:02:02 Ben
Listen, they're not affected by Corona.
00:02:04 Ben
They're always open, so I've done so many battlefields recently.
00:02:07 NIcky
That is a very good point.
00:02:08 Ben
Soon all restrictions are going to end and landmark season is upon us.
00:02:12 Ben
Nicky it's.
00:02:13 Ben
It's gotta be a big summer to make up for a miserable year of landmarks.
00:02:17 NIcky
What we should do is introduce our first guests of Season 2.
00:02:21 Ben
Yes, our first Castle season is someone has.
00:02:24 Ben
And almost as many landmarks as anyone else, and she was there right at the beginning.
00:02:29 Ben
She was the one actual here who kind of convinced me to go public with this whole project.
00:02:33 Ben
So you've only got her to play.
00:02:35 Ben
He's a dear friend of mine.
00:02:36 Ben
She has a love hate relationship with landmarks and I know Gemma was keen to get as many embarrassing stories in about me as possible.
00:02:44 Ben
So we'll see if she's succeeded.
00:02:52 Gavin Penn - Music
Many, many years ago, Ben bought a book, Landmarks of history and the challenge he uptook.
00:02:58 Gavin Penn - Music
Visit all the sites, tick off everyone, he would not be satisfied until there all were done.
00:03:06 Gavin Penn - Music
From England to Scotland, Ireland to Wales You can count on Benjamins, know the facts and tales
00:03:15 Gavin Penn - Music
So come an ride along with Benjamin Britain and get to know the places in the spaces around you.
00:03:23 Gavin Penn - Music
And also there's Nicky Pavitt
00:03:27 Ben
On the podcast this week is Gemma Cowan, visitor of over 50 landmarks, a friend of mine for over 15 years, and probably the person who has been to the most landmarks.
00:03:39 Ben
Who's actually the least interested in history?
00:03:42 Ben
Welcome to the podcast Gemma Cowan.
00:03:45 Gemma
Thank you, thank you for having me.
00:03:46 Ben
Jenna, why don't we get started?
00:03:48 Ben
Why don't you tell the listeners?
00:03:50 Ben
How we know each other?
00:03:51 Gemma
Right then, and I know each other who camp, they used to go and count together on the Cardiff boys were basically the equivalent of having a really popular boy band come to summer camp.
00:04:02 Gemma
So what I mean by that is the bus would arrive.
00:04:05 Gemma
All the girls would be screaming.
00:04:08 Gemma
I'm watching and running towards.
00:04:10 Gemma
Their bus and they would come off with their rucksacks.
00:04:12 Gemma
Like hey, maybe like.
00:04:17 Speaker 4
Oh my God, it's bad.
00:04:18 Gemma
No one was the bigger fan of the party.
00:04:21 Gemma
Based on the class girls, will I am.
00:04:23 Speaker 4
That's true.
00:04:25 Gemma
It must have been 2006. Yeah, it's that particular campus, the camp where every single barrel on camp fancied Ben and he was at his.
00:04:33 Gemma
People yeah, yeah.
00:04:35 Gemma
It was a great week.
00:04:36 Gemma
For him, it was the.
00:04:37 Gemma
Best week of his life.
00:04:38 Speaker 4
Uh.
00:04:39 Gemma
Every single Carl ritual.
00:04:40 Gemma
Right, and you'd be like, oh, so he.
00:04:42 Gemma
Can't say it depends on the year, it's been solid.
00:04:44 Speaker 4
2nd.
00:04:47 Ben
I didn't even know this.
00:04:48 Ben
I didn't know that was that was my peak.
00:04:51 NIcky
At the age of 14.
00:04:53 Ben
1515 sixteen
00:04:55 Gemma
And I remember.
00:04:57 Gemma
OK, well I'm gonna have to be friends with this guy 'cause he's the one that everybody wants.
00:05:02 Gemma
I have to become his best friend.
00:05:04 Ben
What happen?
00:05:07 Gemma
And after that camp, I think I called Ben every single night for about two years.
00:05:13 NIcky
Wow.
00:05:14 Ben
Yeah, yeah, you really wore me down Gemma, and until I had to accept your friendship.
00:05:21 Gemma
So that is the story of how we became friends.
00:05:23 Gemma
And like Ben said, I basically forced my friendship upon him until he eventually agreed.
00:05:27 Ben
I like to think that you have not learned a lot about history from doing 50 plus, Benjamin brand landmarks would.
00:05:35 Ben
You not say that.
00:05:37 Gemma
You are a very positive person Ben, and that's what I love most about you.
00:05:42 Gemma
I was thinking it would be very funny to do like a very basic pop quiz on the landmark 5.
00:05:49 Gemma
Or is that coming?
00:05:51 Ben
I'd definitely test you before I'd say your history knowledge is basic.
00:05:55 Gemma
Suboptimal.
00:05:57 Ben
It is about so we're trying to do something about that.
00:06:00 Ben
If I asked you, I.
00:06:02 Ben
Know that let's try it.
00:06:04 Ben
How many wives did Henry the eighth?
00:06:07 Speaker 4
8.
00:06:08 Ben
OK, so you see, this is our starting point and that's OK.
00:06:13 Ben
OK, do you have?
00:06:14 Gemma
Any time I should know the answer to that?
00:06:17 Ben
If you were close, it's 6.
00:06:19 Gemma
Oh damn it sorry, don't know that.
00:06:20 Ben
Yes.
00:06:22 Gemma
Yeah, the musical 6 asked me again.
00:06:25 Ben
Sorry, sorry Gemma, it's.
00:06:27 Ben
It's made it into the blood.
00:06:31 Ben
If I if I.
00:06:32 Ben
Ask you what happened in 1066.
00:06:34 Ben
What would you say to that?
00:06:36 Gemma
Battle of Hastings.
00:06:37 Ben
Uh, you see Jenna, you, you know your stuff, you know your stuff.
00:06:39 Ben
Right?
00:06:39 Ben
00:06:42 Speaker 4
I actually know nothing about that.
00:06:43 Gemma
I just know that fact.
00:06:45 Ben
It it's in every pub quiz that's ever been written, so it's it's a good history factor now.
00:06:50 Ben
I bet back then when you got to know me well, I don't know.
00:06:53 Ben
I don't know if you ever foresaw something like Benjamin Britten happening.
00:06:57 Speaker 4
No.
00:06:59 NIcky
Did you think Ben was in a 2016?
00:07:03 Ben
Do you remember your first reaction when I told you what I was doing because it was really early on in the process where you got involved.
00:07:12 Gemma
Yes, you had seen 1 landmark already, haven't you?
00:07:15 Ben
And I'd seen the one we did was was my 12th landmark.
00:07:19 Gemma
All right, well that wasn't correct. Then holes in it and I remember I think we were already in the car you were like, I'm gonna make this a goal of mine. I want to visit all 500 landmarks and I said that's absolutely brilliant. You should do all your friends and family. She put it on social media.
00:07:35 Gemma
And get everybody involved.
00:07:37 Gemma
I bet everyone will love it.
00:07:38 Gemma
I feel like we had that conversation 1st and then.
00:07:41 Gemma
We turned off at the landmark.
00:07:43 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:07:44 Gemma
Which was the one in Barnet.
00:07:47 Gemma
The Battle of Barnet and it was this big.
00:07:48 Ben
Well done.
00:07:50 Gemma
That's 'cause I wrote it down, actually.
00:07:52 Speaker 4
You know?
00:07:52 Speaker 4
Know
00:07:52 Gemma
You don't arrive at this pretty miserable briefly line.
00:07:58 Gemma
Pretty great day.
00:08:01 Ben
It was a battle memorial and obelisk in in Barnet.
00:08:05 NIcky
Sounds like adult.
00:08:07 Ben
Yeah.
00:08:07 Ben
00:08:07 Ben
Yeah, it's a test.
00:08:08 Gemma
Yeah, I think I.
00:08:08 Ben
It's a type.
00:08:09 Gemma
Think we would call that Dad.
00:08:10 Ben
Make it like this.
00:08:11 Ben
Might be my first dead.
00:08:13 Gavin Penn - Music
Oh wow.
00:08:14 Gemma
Oh, would it be in Shirley 'cause it was the first one in public?
00:08:17 Gemma
Is it even a dot if there's no one else there to see it then?
00:08:21 Speaker 4
Good question.
00:08:22 Gemma
So his Castle still looking quite pristine, you know so bad it's everything and he goes so Gemma or sogem this is the Battle of Barnet where enter well that was remember.
00:08:34 Ben
Well played today and later.
00:08:36 Ben
We'll edit that in.
00:08:37 Gemma
Uhm, and I was like.
00:08:40 Gemma
Yeah, see that idea I just said.
00:08:44 NIcky
I take it that.
00:08:45 Gemma
Well, you know it's wrong like this.
00:08:47 Gemma
I'm not sure it's really going to take off.
00:08:50 Gemma
No, I didn't see that, and I like to think I had something to do with Benjamin Britten being the success that it is today.
00:08:57 Gemma
What what do you think there?
00:08:59 Ben
Well, it it was very early on.
00:09:02 Ben
I hadn't before this.
00:09:03 Ben
I hadn't posted a single photo anywhere yet.
00:09:06 Ben
I I wasn't sure who I wanted to publicly say.
00:09:09 Ben
Great.
00:09:10 Ben
I'm doing 500 mallards.
00:09:13 NIcky
Understandable.
00:09:14 Ben
You know that's not not because it's embarrassing, but because you know there's there's some kind of commitment that I would be then putting out there in the world.
00:09:23 Ben
But I think Gemma convinced me that yeah, you should.
00:09:26 Ben
You should do this.
00:09:27 Ben
You should make this a thing.
00:09:28 Ben
I mean, it wasn't called Benjamin script.
00:09:30 NIcky
Somebody talking about a new relationship.
00:09:32 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:09:33 Gemma
Yeah, it sounds a bit like you were you were finishing up and history anonymous class.
00:09:40 Gemma
You were trying really hard not to get sucked back in.
00:09:44 Gemma
Clampdown not bicker, I just
00:09:46 Speaker 4
Can't stay no.
00:09:48 Ben
5-5 years later, I can't kick the habit. He definitely responsible for everything that came.
00:09:52 Ben
Next, which was.
00:09:54 Ben
Starting to post every single landmark onto Facebook.
00:09:58 Ben
And then ultimately, Instagram. And this thing grew and grew from that. Now it was April 2016 and my 12th landmark, so.
00:10:06 Gemma
Wow was actually 2016. That's funny so 2006. You're basically a boy band. Everyone loves you and then you get 10 years a decade.
00:10:15 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:10:15 Gemma
Later, and you're the historian Nerd, no one has.
00:10:18 Speaker 4
No.
00:10:18 Speaker 4
00:10:19 Gemma
Not yet, but is doing really weird things instead brilliant?
00:10:23 Ben
OK, Gemma, obviously Gemma, you know you might be able to tell listeners from the accent Jenny you grew up in.
00:10:30 Ben
Do you remember learning particularly about?
00:10:32 Ben
Scottish history the people.
00:10:35 Ben
Proud of Scottish history into it at school.
00:10:38 Ben
You know, Saint Andrews day.
00:10:39 Ben
William Wallace.
00:10:41 Gemma
We, yeah, we definitely did in primary school for sure, and I'm sure we did in secondary school.
00:10:45 Gemma
Dead insect.
00:10:45 Gemma
00:10:46 Gemma
I mean, I remember enjoying learning about Mary Queen Scots.
00:10:49 Gemma
I had a lot of time for Mary Queen of Scots.
00:10:51 Gemma
I thought, yeah, I was quite into.
00:10:51 Ben
Mary Queen of Scots, yeah.
00:10:51 Ben
Mary Queen of Scots.
00:10:53 Gemma
Her yeah she was.
00:10:54 Gemma
She was a good one.
00:10:56 Ben
One of the best, yeah.
00:10:57 NIcky
I certainly didn't do any Scottish history at school.
00:11:02 Speaker 4
Like
00:11:03 NIcky
I didn't do any Welsh history.
00:11:04 NIcky
All these courses history.
00:11:06 Ben
Excuse me, typical English arrogant imperialists only learning about English history.
00:11:14 NIcky
No, yeah Ben, did you ever learn about Scottish history?
00:11:17 Ben
No, I mean I watched Braveheart when I was a teenager and that was basically my Scottish history education.
00:11:23 Ben
Honestly, through doing landmarks in Scotland, I've learned so much about Scottish history.
00:11:28 Gemma
You love Scotland now.
00:11:30 Ben
You know, I really didn't realize until I was an adult that Scotland before the acts of Union had its own completely unique national story in history completely independent of England.
00:11:43 Ben
It would have been fun to learn about that in school.
00:11:44 Ben
Welsh History in school was so dull they chose the worst parts of our history.
00:11:51 Ben
Teachers it was it was uninspiring.
00:11:54 Gemma
Don't worry, Ben, I'm sure you'll be in the curriculum soon enough. People will learn about Ben Solomon who went round the UK, Mr Take 500, yes 500 landmarks. And yeah on on Scotland. 'cause obviously Ben and I have done quite a lot of the Scottish landmarks together and find his brilliant way.
00:12:13 Gemma
Of making sure they're as far away from each other as possible, yeah.
00:12:17 Ben
Yeah, yeah, they're really spread out there.
00:12:19 NIcky
So it's a lot of quality time in the car of which I'm not allowed to drive yet.
00:12:25 NIcky
Speaking of Scotland, I've got a bit of a feeling that there might be some Scottish landmarks or landmark today, so Gemma where in the world are you taking us for?
00:12:25 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:12:37 NIcky
The landmark that you and Ben are visited.
00:12:39 NIcky
There's 50 to choose from, so I'm not really sure how you decided.
00:12:44 Gemma
Iona Abbey, ooh ah what is Iona?
00:12:49 Ben
Tell us tell us about Iona, Abidjan and why you've chosen that landmark.
00:12:52 Gemma
Who's Ben and I wanted to do a proper adventure one we were like, let's do like a real adventure and we're like Ben goes.
00:12:59 Gemma
You know there's this one all the way over here and it's so remote.
00:13:03 Gemma
Should we do this?
00:13:04 Gemma
And I was like, yeah, that sounds fun.
00:13:06 Gemma
I'm Ben is brilliant because he just organizes and schedules the whole thing.
00:13:10 Gemma
So to get to a.
00:13:12 Gemma
You need to do the following.
00:13:12 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:13:13 Gemma
This is from London.
00:13:15 Gemma
Bus to Airport Airport to Glasgow, stay overnight in Glasgow.
00:13:22 Gemma
Morning 'cause you need to pick up car in the morning.
00:13:25 Gemma
You then needs to drive to open.
00:13:29 Gemma
From Albany you get ferry number one to Mull Isle of Mull.
00:13:34 Gemma
Some interesting facts about Isle of Mull.
00:13:36 Speaker 4
Wow.
00:13:37 Gemma
One you can only go left.
00:13:40 Gemma
All right?
00:13:41 Speaker 4
That's all.
00:13:42 Gemma
There is nothing else on Isle of Mull.
00:13:44 Gemma
You go one way or the other.
00:13:46 Gemma
There's one route and that is it.
00:13:48 Gemma
Another interesting fact about Isle of Mull is it's really easy to pass your drivers test there because of that.
00:13:54 Gemma
Oh yes.
00:13:56 Gemma
Which I didn't because I didn't.
00:13:58 Gemma
I didn't try because I wanted to and Ben said no, we don't have time for that.
00:14:03 Ben
And I'm pleased I stuck with that.
00:14:03 Gemma
It was quite an experience.
00:14:05 Gemma
And when you say to somebody, you will now have one rude and you explain that you're getting another ferry from Model 1.
00:14:13 Gemma
Might think to get to the other fairy must take 30 seconds.
00:14:17 Gemma
I mean, how big can this island be?
00:14:19 Gemma
There's another another we were driving right this world.
00:14:20 Ben
Hours.
00:14:23 Gemma
To get to the other ferryport quite unbelievable mall is absolutely gorgeous.
00:14:27 Gemma
Yeah, beautiful mountains.
00:14:29 Gemma
The scenery was fantastic.
00:14:30 Gemma
Well never been an idea of Scotland trip.
00:14:32 Gemma
We always have Scottish music in the background.
00:14:34 Gemma
You know we have a great adventure.
00:14:36 Ben
I cannot recommend driving to Iona.
00:14:40 Ben
More it's it's such a fun experience.
00:14:44 Gemma
So then we get to the second ferry and to get to Iona is actually even more tricky.
00:14:50 Gemma
We were quite lucky, but the C can often be quite rocky.
00:14:53 Gemma
And of course, if it's really choppy, they won't let anyone on the ferry 'cause it's really choppy.
00:14:58 Gemma
It's not a fun time, but you're not allowed any cars or my or not, so we had to leave the car and model.
00:15:03 Gemma
Can't get the ferry to Iona with like five other people.
00:15:09 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:15:09 Gemma
Let's go and then.
00:15:10 Gemma
We arrived and it was beautiful.
00:15:12 Gemma
I mean it was sunny outside.
00:15:13 Gemma
It was cold.
00:15:14 Gemma
And but very scenic.
00:15:16 Gemma
I think around 200 people live on the Isle.
00:15:19 NIcky
Friends.
00:15:20 Ben
And then yeah, we we eventually got to Iona after about 700 miles traveled. You're missing out one of the best bits of this. This travel. I mean, this is one of, if not the most remote landmark I have ever visited and the experience of driving across Mull to reach an island off an island off the West Coast.
00:15:25 Speaker 4
Oh
00:15:34 Speaker 4
Millimeter.
00:15:40 Ben
Scotland and then seeing this Abbey on the island in the distance on this perfect summer day it was.
00:15:48 Ben
It was like it was an emotional moment.
00:15:50 Ben
We feel like we've traveled so far to reach this landmark and there it was and it was.
00:15:55 Ben
It was.
00:15:56 Speaker 4
Special.
00:15:57 Gemma
Actually I wasn't so fussed about the army, but there was a lovely there was a lovely Highland cow next to it by Patti.
00:16:04 Ben
That was, it was.
00:16:05 NIcky
La Belle Highland.
00:16:07 Gemma
I think I said Daniel, correct me if I'm wrong, but 200 people live on the island, but obviously some of them don't live in the island. All your red 'cause there is nothing to do there. And I remember Ben had obviously done quite a bit of driving. By this point. We just kind of wanted to get something to meet, of which there's not many places to go. There's two options.
00:16:24 Gemma
We decided to go to the hotel for some lunch and like even the menu in the hotel, there's like three things on the menu and I remember we were sitting there having lunch and there was this lady at the table next to us who was having a meeting with who I assumed was the hotel manager and I assumed that she was hearing.
00:16:44 Gemma
To be the rule as chef in this hotel, because I remember the manager going through the menu with her and going through the ingredients and she was actually saying we don't have this.
00:16:54 Gemma
We don't have that we did this and that and this new chef Toby was just like.
00:16:54 Ben
Ah yeah.
00:16:59 Gemma
Go to resource.
00:17:02 Gemma
This guy and the manager was just like, oh, I've got some spare walnuts at home, so I'll bring those in tomorrow and I was just like we are so remote right now that is remotely yeah.
00:17:09 Speaker 4
Right?
00:17:13 Gemma
It was quite funny.
00:17:15 Ben
It felt like we were on the.
00:17:16 Ben
Edge of the world didn't.
00:17:17 Ben
It yeah, it really did.
00:17:18 Gemma
Yeah, read it.
00:17:18 Gemma
Read it.
00:17:20 Ben
And that German, do you remember at all why Iona features in five outlets?
00:17:26 Ben
Landmarks of Britain?
00:17:26 Speaker 4
Ah.
00:17:28 Gemma
I'm definitely going to get this wrong because in my head I think it's something and it's going to be so wrong.
00:17:33 Gemma
That you're like no gem and isn't.
00:17:36 Gemma
That where Christianity first started in the UK.
00:17:41 Ben
No jam actually quite close.
00:17:44 Gemma
Second, benzu.
00:17:48 Ben
It's.
00:17:49 Ben
It's not what Christianity started in the UK, but it is where Christianity started in Scotland, so so you were damn closed. It's been a sacred Christian site for Scott for 1500 years, which is pretty impressive. Gemma, do you remember anything else?
00:17:54 Speaker 4
Ah.
00:17:57 NIcky
Street knows.
00:18:05 NIcky
Oh my God.
00:18:09 NIcky
It was cold.
00:18:11 Ben
I said the name St Columba to you ringing bells.
00:18:16 NIcky
Yes.
00:18:17 Ben
Well the main the main.
00:18:18 Ben
Done.
00:18:19 Gemma
He brought it over.
00:18:20 Ben
Yeah, exactly he we call him St Columba today.
00:18:23 Ben
He was a member of the Irish Royal Family and a big dude in the Christian community in Ireland who just loved to set up churches in his spare time, he decided to get on a boat with 12 followers because he wanted to be like the main man, Jesus Christ himself and sail over to what we now call.
00:18:40 Ben
The Isle of Iona and set up a monastery there so he could spread Christianity to the barbaric tribes of modern day Scotland and Jill.
00:18:49 Ben
What he was extremely successful.
00:18:52 NIcky
I've got a question about that. There's only 200 people that live on the island now, so at the time there probably weren't that many people. I can't imagine it was usually difficult to convert 40 people.
00:19:00 Speaker 4
He
00:19:02 NIcky
40 people
00:19:02 NIcky
00:19:05 Speaker 4
Chip
00:19:05 Gemma
Really good, fine.
00:19:06 Gemma
Just take this needed.
00:19:07 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:19:07 NIcky
Arithmetic and just go.
00:19:10 NIcky
Ah, I've brought you some fresh produce and also you could be Christians.
00:19:15 Ben
Yeah, they're like, yeah, that's a pretty sweet deal that they did.
00:19:18 Ben
They did spread out from this tiny.
00:19:20 Ben
I'll eventually and it became like the Christian pilgrimage site in Scotland, in in the Middle Ages.
00:19:27 NIcky
That's hard to get to even now, so.
00:19:30 Ben
So hard to get to the monks who lived there.
00:19:33 Ben
Were really strict.
00:19:34 Ben
This is a list of things they banned from the island.
00:19:37 Ben
Cows, snakes, frog.
00:19:40 Ben
Thanks.
00:19:41 Ben
And women all those.
00:19:41 Speaker 4
Limit.
00:19:43 Ben
Yeah, none of them.
00:19:45 Ben
None of those were allowed on this Holy Island.
00:19:47 Ben
Right, I think it's sensible.
00:19:50 NIcky
There were no women there.
00:19:50 NIcky
To start with, or they just thought, let's get rid of these gals.
00:19:53 Ben
Yeah, they were along with cows, snakes and frogs.
00:19:56 Ben
They were banned from the island.
00:19:58 Gemma
So long Mark we start again.
00:20:01 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:20:02 Ben
Yeah, so they would have been really upset with you visiting Gemma.
00:20:04 Gemma
Well, I showed them.
00:20:06 NIcky
Yeah, the population of that island get decreased quite fast, like if those girls.
00:20:12 Ben
Well, I don't think the monks cared much about that.
00:20:15 Ben
I don't think they were in.
00:20:16 Ben
It's a procreation match.
00:20:19 Gemma
Ben, do you think you could live on Iona?
00:20:22 Ben
Uh, could I live in a historical landmark?
00:20:25 Ben
Yes.
00:20:27 Gemma
That's the question.
00:20:28 Ben
Well, you know it comes with.
00:20:30 Ben
I mean, Iona isn't much more.
00:20:31 Gemma
Don't say Buckingham Palace Ben I said.
00:20:35 Ben
No, I don't.
00:20:36 Ben
I don't think so.
00:20:36 Ben
I mean, it's it's a million miles away from anything which is part of its charm, of course.
00:20:41 NIcky
And so is the landmark the island?
00:20:44 NIcky
Or is it the Abbey?
00:20:45 Ben
I I think.
00:20:45 Ben
In the book, it's actually the island.
00:20:47 Ben
Believe it or not, it's all about the Abbey.
00:20:49 NIcky
How big is this Abby?
00:20:51 NIcky
I'm assuming it's not massive.
00:20:54 Ben
No, no, it's.
00:20:55 NIcky
And is it the original?
00:20:58 Ben
Not this was a 12th century monastery that was built on the site of the original, but I would say it's beautiful Gemma maybe you would agree it's absolutely stunning with the backdrop of the sea and the islands and the mountains in the distance it is pretty stunning.
00:21:14 Ben
Do you want to hear how John?
00:21:15 Ben
Hale Clive describes it.
00:21:17 NIcky
Only briefly.
00:21:23 Ben
He calls it the most sumptuous.
00:21:25 Ben
In the West Highlands.
00:21:28 Ben
Clive likes it.
00:21:29 Gemma
Clive likes that.
00:21:30 Gemma
Well, well, there you go.
00:21:32 Ben
The number one reason why it's in the book is because there was a really famous Bible that was made there called the book.
00:21:38 Ben
Of Kells in the 700.
00:21:40 Speaker 4
Yes.
00:21:40 Ben
It's like beautifully designed manuscript, really amazing piece of Christian art for the period and this island was a was the target of Vikings again and again and again. The Vikings raided it and like kept on killing monks, monks like 68 monks died in one year in 806 so they smuggled this book out of Iona.
00:22:00 Ben
And took it to Kells in Ireland where it uh, well it's still there today.
00:22:05 Gemma
Oh, OK.
00:22:06 Ben
It's like I've singled out for historical significance is because of this book.
00:22:09 Ben
Of couse it's no longer in Iona.
00:22:12 Ben
Really, really cool though.
00:22:13 Ben
Scottish medieval Kings are very.
00:22:17 Ben
Do you remember that Gemma wow how rude?
00:22:18 Speaker 4
No.
00:22:20 Ben
It's a pretty impressive historic site.
00:22:22 Ben
It was super important to Scotts throughout the Middle Ages until our favor King Henry the eighth decided to abolish Catholicism.
00:22:30 Ben
And.
00:22:30 Ben
00:22:31 Ben
The monastery was was raided and everything was everything was stolen away.
00:22:34 NIcky
How does he even get up there like you'd think?
00:22:37 NIcky
Maybe somewhere like that?
00:22:38 NIcky
You'd get away with it.
00:22:39 Ben
Go heavy, wear those.
00:22:40 Speaker 4
Yes.
00:22:41 NIcky
Riley, Henry 8
00:22:43 NIcky
8 wives.
00:22:46 Gemma
It's six, actually.
00:22:49 Gemma
I went all that way and.
00:22:51 Gemma
I remembered none of that.
00:22:53 NIcky
You didn't even get to see the bloody book, so you.
00:22:55 Ben
Know Gemma can't believe you don't remember any of the history.
00:22:56 Speaker 4
Chat.
00:22:59 Gemma
I remember none of the history because I was just so excited because by this point were you on 300 landmarks.
00:23:06 Ben
About to hit my 300th landmark.
00:23:08 Gemma
To celebrate my I did this very last minute.
00:23:10 Gemma
I asked live as.
00:23:12 Gemma
Let who is, of course, the author of the.
00:23:14 Gemma
Book if he wouldn't know.
00:23:16 Gemma
Trains recording a message for Ben and I explained Bens project him what he was trying to achieve and then we got this amazing video from Clyde being like Hello Ben.
00:23:29 Gemma
And I was so excited about this.
00:23:31 Gemma
I I the entire trip, I just couldn't wait for Ben to see this.
00:23:35 Gemma
Video, so we're on the.
00:23:36 Gemma
Ferry and I remember being.
00:23:37 Gemma
Like then I've got a surprise for you and he was arms crossed going already.
00:23:41 Gemma
What you doing?
00:23:42 Gemma
What's this about so much attitude?
00:23:44 Gemma
I was like what's wrong with you was with your body language.
00:23:47 Gemma
All of a sudden.
00:23:47 Ben
It's because, like you like, had the camera out ready to fill me and I know you were filming me about to film me doing something.
00:23:54 Ben
And you were like.
00:23:55 Speaker 6
The like the like to.
00:23:56 Ben
Catch me perfect like no no, come over here.
00:23:59 Ben
And I was I was getting stressed out.
00:24:01 NIcky
So it seems like it might be a prank.
00:24:03 Ben
Yeah, I didn't know what was about to happen.
00:24:05 Ben
I didn't like it.
00:24:06 Gemma
And then I pushed him overboard and here we are then no.
00:24:09 Gemma
And then obviously he started watching the video and he was.
00:24:11 Gemma
Like Oh my God, it's called my hero.
00:24:16 Gemma
It was very sweet and it it was a lot of fun.
00:24:18 Gemma
It was, yeah, your reaction really was priceless and I'm.
00:24:22 Gemma
So glad I got that.
00:24:22 Gemma
Glad I got that.
00:24:23 NIcky
All on camera?
00:24:24 NIcky
Yeah, that's pretty.
00:24:24 Ben
Good, it was amazing Gemma.
00:24:25 Ben
It was so unexpected to get a message from.
00:24:28 Ben
Clive Aslet it was a mixture of embarrassment and amazement and I just couldn't believe what I was watching.
00:24:34 Ben
Told us.
00:24:34 Ben
Sorry.
00:24:34 Ben
Didn't hear when he went to Iona and we've always wondered has Clive been to all the landmarks we don't know for sure, but he did confirm in the video that I'm there.
00:24:36 Gemma
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:43 Ben
Only while the first time the first person.
00:24:45 Ben
Ever have attempted this, but you know as far.
00:24:48 NIcky
As far as news, anyway, I'm asking hundreds of you.
00:24:50 Ben
This person knows.
00:24:54 Ben
Yeah, that was that was.
00:24:55 Ben
That was really incredible that you got that message from.
00:24:57 Ben
Clive Jenna.
00:24:58 NIcky
I think we might even be able to get the audio from that video and put some of it into this, Sir.
00:25:04 Gemma
Oh yeah, that'd be great.
00:25:06 Gemma
I'm here, live now.
00:25:07 Speaker 4
Why?
00:25:08 Speaker 6
Hello Ben, this is Clive Gemma tells me that you're going around the country following the 500 landmarks and I look, I understand we're just about to go to Iona. I remember going tomorrow when I was a student. I remember and love Iona and I hope you're getting as much.
00:25:29 Speaker 6
Pleasure from doing this project.
00:25:31 Speaker 6
As I did when I visited all 500 and I will be absolutely thrilled to know you got to the end of all 500. Good luck.
00:25:44 Ben
So Jenna, we are schooled.
00:25:46 Ben
I guess to read the landmark that we've been together so far.
00:25:49 Ben
The top rated landmark is 30 hours, 30 rated by my mum.
00:25:52 Ben
So it can't possibly be that, but we'd like to know what you think of Iona Abbey, Isle of Iona.
00:25:59 Ben
Firstly, out of 10, how would you rate it?
00:26:01 Ben
Or its historical significance?
00:26:04 Gemma
Don't know what you think Ben.
00:26:08 Ben
I, I think for Scottish history is pretty significant.
00:26:08 Speaker 4
Cool.
00:26:13 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:26:13 Ben
In fact, I'd say very significant.
00:26:15 Ben
British history probably takes down 1 notch because it is all about Scotland.
00:26:20 Speaker 4
Oh well.
00:26:20 NIcky
We could say that about England, England would you.
00:26:23 Speaker 4
No well spoiled.
00:26:26 Ben
Welsh language landmarks.
00:26:27 Ben
Get an additional point for being Welsh landmarks.
00:26:29 NIcky
Right, right?
00:26:31 Ben
Janet, this is your rating, not mine.
00:26:33 Gemma
OK, So what I'm hearing is a 5.
00:26:36 NIcky
It obviously was significant in a way, but no, we would.
00:26:38 Ben
Huh, huh?
00:26:40 NIcky
Christianity would have got there eventually, wouldn't it?
00:26:42 Ben
He would have made his way up there.
00:26:44 Gemma
You, like I went there, he told me about it again just now and I've already forgotten half of it.
00:26:53 Ben
Is a great reasoning to be fair, OK?
00:26:57 Ben
So get the history.
00:26:58 Ben
What about the fun factor?
00:27:00 Gemma
Definite 20
00:27:05 Ben
Good great answer.
00:27:07 Speaker 4
Wait?
00:27:07 NIcky
We might have to round that down to a 10, but that's fine.
00:27:10 Ben
We'll give it the perfect 10 out of 10.
00:27:11 Ben
And what about its insta worthiness?
00:27:14 Gemma
I give it a 10.
00:27:15 Gemma
I think it depends on the weather, but we were there in a good day so I'm going to give it a 10.
00:27:20 Ben
I, I think 25 out of 30.
00:27:21 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:27:23 Ben
It's good I'm gonna say Gemma.
00:27:25 Ben
This Iona Abbey is for me one of my top ten landmarks of all time it is.
00:27:30 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:27:32 Gemma
Now then, it's top five.
00:27:34 Gemma
We discussed this at the weekend we put it into the pan because you weren't thinking about it.
00:27:35 Ben
It's not physical.
00:27:38 Gemma
You and me both.
00:27:39 Gemma
Know that it's top five.
00:27:41 Gemma
That's probably your third favorite of all time.
00:27:43 Ben
OK, it's my list that much.
00:27:43 Gemma
But for some reason, if you were with me, you won't say top five.
00:27:48 Speaker 4
Oh
00:27:48 Ben
It's a top.
00:27:48 Ben
It's a top 50 landmark and at the lower end of that list now it's no.
00:27:52 Ben
It's absolutely top 10.
00:27:55 Ben
With the best.
00:27:56 NIcky
I keep up with this thing for islands then because you said the same thing to me about the Isle of Wine.
00:28:04 Ben
Yeah yeah we have.
00:28:05 Speaker 4
Fire.
00:28:06 NIcky
To get the ferry.
00:28:07 NIcky
To get that.
00:28:09 Ben
Isle of Wight, top ten landmarks for sure.
00:28:11 Ben
You know if it's that.
00:28:12 NIcky
Isle of Man's gonna be up there one day.
00:28:15 Gemma
That brings us to our next landmark, that Ben and I are going to.
00:28:20 Ben
Damn it.
00:28:20 Ben
My side up the Isle of.
00:28:22 Ben
Man is a potential next trip.
00:28:23 Ben
Which I can't disagree with.
00:28:27 NIcky
OK, so moving on to our third and final section of the episode, and as we know now we're in Season 2 and that is the guest alternative.
00:28:37 NIcky
Landmark.
00:28:38 NIcky
My favorite bit, the bit that Ben doesn't know about.
00:28:41 NIcky
It's something that the guest thinks should be in a list like this Jemma what have you chosen?
00:28:48 Gemma
So I have chosen the cowpeas.
00:28:51 Speaker 6
The kelpies
00:28:53 Gemma
But the story for why the Kelpies had been selected was because Ben and I were doing some landmarks in and around Glasgow.
00:29:02 Gemma
Uh, we decided that we wanted to go to Falkirk, but to get to Falkirk and to get to these specific landmarks we needed my dad to drive 'cause we haven't rented a car and I couldn't drive.
00:29:12 Gemma
At that point, my parents very kindly agreed on the day trip to Falkirk.
00:29:17 Gemma
So we're in the car we're driving for what I think was an hour and a half or two hours again, and the aggressive Scottish rain with the horrible drearily Scottish winds and weather and Gray. My mum's getting really fed.
00:29:33 Gemma
Up and if you think I'm outspoken, I have absolutely nothing on Doctor Polycon.
00:29:42 Gemma
We end up also at the top of the Hill and what basically looks like a Tauren up kids part like, just like a really depressing like heads play area that you'd only bring your kid.
00:29:53 Gemma
If you were really extremely desperate and that particular Hill is where the Battle of Falkirk happened, Ben's going in. This is good history with Ben level enthusiasm, band level, charm. My mum at this point is having absolutely none.
00:29:56 Speaker 4
Schrecks
00:30:01 Ben
OK, good history.
00:30:12 Gemma
Not that she will not fly into any of this, she just looks right at him and goes is that it happens literally sitting on the seat looking at me, being my general thoughts.
00:30:21 Ben
Inspiring.
00:30:22 Gemma
I do come on, help me help me it's your mom.
00:30:24 Gemma
Come on, help me I might.
00:30:26 Gemma
You raise your son, you're gonna have to sort this out.
00:30:29 Gemma
I'm not helping you.
00:30:32 Gemma
And and I I then I.
00:30:33 Gemma
Just whispered what about the after she really liked.
00:30:37 Gemma
Look at the kelpies on the way here bringing the kelpies so.
00:30:41 Gemma
OK, so after photos we already scheduled so I think would be a really good idea for us to see the Kelpies and my mom just changes her choon.
00:30:48 Speaker 4
Really.
00:30:49 NIcky
God save the day.
00:30:52 Gemma
Say something.
00:30:53 Gemma
So then we went to the kelpies so that the kelpies have made it in.
00:30:56 Gemma
For those of you that don't know the Kelpies and Nicky will explain it in a lot more detail than me, but essentially it's.
00:31:01 Gemma
And two sculptures of two horse heads.
00:31:04 Ben
Not amazing.
00:31:05 Gemma
It's absolutely massive, and they're really quite captivating to look at.
00:31:09 Gemma
And just the architecture and design of it is exquisite.
00:31:13 Gemma
And you basically walk around them.
00:31:15 Gemma
You can also walk through them.
00:31:16 Gemma
It's just amazing.
00:31:17 Gemma
How definitely look at each angle as you're walking around.
00:31:19 Ben
Oh, they are so lifelike.
00:31:21 Ben
Aren't they incredible?
00:31:22 NIcky
I think this bed is perhaps the first of the alternative landmarks that you've actually been to.
00:31:28 Ben
Oh, you might be right.
00:31:30 Ben
I I can't remember any of the history at all.
00:31:32 Ben
I just remember being amazed by them.
00:31:34 NIcky
Well, they aren't very old. It was open to the public in April 2014. So in terms of the history of the actual sculpture, that's not really the point because there's a lot of things that bends list that historical and there isn't anything there. This is like.
00:31:49 Gemma
Second, Mickey, you tell him.
00:31:55 NIcky
So I had no idea, so I've been researching about it and I didn't even know what kelpies.
00:32:00 NIcky
Oh
00:32:01 Ben
All is well.
00:32:02 NIcky
Scottish mythological creatures that usually take the form of horses and can transform into any shape, and they they usually found around water.
00:32:12 NIcky
They have.
00:32:12 NIcky
00:32:12 NIcky
They have the strength of 10 horses and one of their favorite things to do was to entice children to ride on their backs so they could drown them.
00:32:15 Speaker 4
Wow.
00:32:22 Speaker 6
No no.
00:32:26
Landmark.
00:32:27 NIcky
Weird mythology, the connection really is 2 things.
00:32:31 NIcky
I mean, I've not been there.
00:32:32 NIcky
You have it surround some canals I believe.
00:32:36 Ben
That sounds about right, yeah?
00:32:37 NIcky
It's buffers canals.
00:32:39 Gemma
You did not seek help.
00:32:40 Gemma
Ease liked water, so I presume they would live near canal.
00:32:43 NIcky
So I think that's the connection the design was chosen because of the connection with water and Scottish mythology and the Forth and Clyde Canal runs through them.
00:32:54 NIcky
So between the two sculptures.
00:32:56 Gemma
Oh yeah.
00:32:57 Gavin Penn - Music
Ah yeah, yeah.
00:32:58 Ben
I remember that yeah, yeah.
00:32:58 Gemma
I remember that.
00:32:58 Gemma
I.
00:33:00 Gemma
Yeah.
00:33:00 Gemma
00:33:00 NIcky
It's meant to have a significance to the canals and the Industrial Revolution in Scotland.
00:33:07 NIcky
And also the fact that it's to highlight how important horses were in like towing the barges on the canals and their importance in the Scottish Industrial Revolution.
00:33:17 Ben
Oh, gotcha.
00:33:19 Ben
I'm convinced I'm convinced this is historical.
00:33:19 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:33:22 Speaker 4
Just about, yeah.
00:33:24 Gemma
More importantly, it's next to a dud site and to make that day a little bit better you could head to the kelpies and my mom.
00:33:32 Gemma
I bet I bet she's never done this, but she used to say I'm going to come here and and see them at every season.
00:33:37 Gemma
I will see that ceiling.
00:33:38 Speaker 4
She did say that.
00:33:38 Gemma
I want to see that when it's follow, she's probably never been sentenced, but I can see what she's saying 'cause the light makes such a difference in how you look at them and.
00:33:46 Ben
But that genuinely breathtaking you.
00:33:49 Ben
It's the largest horses head you've ever seen in your life.
00:33:52 NIcky
They are the largest hole sculptures in the world, actually.
00:33:55 Ben
Wow, wow you.
00:33:57 Ben
Know right your mum on that trip space said to me in the car.
00:34:00 Ben
You know Ben, you're a bit of an anorak, but you're a nice guy.
00:34:04 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:34:05 NIcky
Great.
00:34:06 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:34:07 Gemma
Yeah, what does that mean?
00:34:08 Ben
I think I think that's her calling me and calling me a bit of a loser to be honest.
00:34:13 Ben
Yeah, I was a bit upset that the landmarks we dragged her parents took a couple of duds because we also went to the Battle of Bannockburn, Bannockburn. Ah, sorry, Scott. How I pronounced that, and the museum was closed when we arrived, and this was my 200th landmark.
00:34:28 Ben
Oh my God, I was.
00:34:30 Ben
I was so, so bitterly disappointed with it.
00:34:34 Ben
And I don't know if I had that very well that we had turned up to this museum too late.
00:34:38 Ben
But happy times.
00:34:39 Ben
Have we got to go to the.
00:34:39 NIcky
Kelpies instead I've got a question for you.
00:34:43 NIcky
How tall do you think the sculptures are?
00:34:47 Gemma
Ah, very.
00:34:47 Ben
A.
00:34:49 Ben
Tall yeah, the massive.
00:34:50 Ben
That absolutely huge.
00:34:52 Gemma
Centimeters full.
00:34:55 NIcky
30 meters tall.
00:34:56 Ben
30 meters climbing.
00:34:58 NIcky
It's pretty big, and guess how many visitors they've had since April 2014.
00:35:04 Ben
Well, at least 4.
00:35:05 Ben
We could say that with confidence.
00:35:07 Speaker 4
Yep.
00:35:10 Gemma
I still get a bad joke that I love.
00:35:14 Ben
This alternative landmark is very Gemma Cowan because it's it's Scottish, no, but it's it's near glass.
00:35:19 Gemma
It's on Glasgow.
00:35:21 Ben
It's Scottish, you're Scottish.
00:35:24 Ben
It reminds you of a hilarious outing with your parents making fun of me, which I know you like and and it's it's it's art.
00:35:32 Ben
It's it's a public work of art.
00:35:34 Ben
Which I'll never not be able to think of you when I, if I ever see the cowpeas again, which I hope I will.
00:35:39 Gemma
And such, and I'll never not be able to think of you.
00:35:45 NIcky
Yeah, I think this is a really good pick.
00:35:46 NIcky
And I mean initially I was like but those are really new.
00:35:49 NIcky
They're only and then when I started reading about it and reading about the connection with the horses and the Industrial Revolution and the canals, I didn't even know there were canals in the area.
00:35:59 NIcky
So that was new.
00:36:00 Ben
Did you know what a kelpie was?
00:36:03 NIcky
No, I didn't know like LP was.
00:36:05 Speaker 4
Yeah.
00:36:05 NIcky
So yeah, it's got mythology.
00:36:07 NIcky
It's got industrial revolution.
00:36:08 NIcky
It's got art and we I don't think we've got many art based landmarks in the book or in the alternative ones we've been talking about.
00:36:16 Ben
Now it's your fault between.
00:36:17 NIcky
So little fact for you that each of the kelpies weighs more than three.
00:36:24 Ben
100 tons, but they're hollow.
00:36:27 Ben
They're hollow inside and sure.
00:36:28 NIcky
Yeah.
00:36:28 NIcky
But I think they made us steal the.
00:36:31 NIcky
Artist Andy Scott, who was from Glasgow.
00:36:34 NIcky
He made them in miniature and when I said miniature, I mean they were still quite big and in order to make them they've got some kind of computer programming and scanned them to make the pieces for the main sculpture.
00:36:46 Speaker 4
Really.
00:36:47 NIcky
So he did it in small first.
00:36:48 NIcky
He wasn't there.
00:36:49 NIcky
Piercing them together on.
00:36:50 NIcky
In there, yeah.
00:36:51 Ben
However, he did it it it has such a such an amazing effect.
00:36:55 Gemma
I'm pretty sure they have concerts there as well.
00:36:57 Gemma
I'm sure when we were there there was an advert.
00:36:59 Ben
Well, that would be.
00:36:59 Ben
Well, that would be cool.
00:36:59 Ben
00:37:00 Ben
We don't remember the historical facts, but you remember the concert venues.
00:37:04 NIcky
They don't have lighting around them, yes, so they they definitely do use them in the in the night.
00:37:10 Ben
The kelpies I love them.
00:37:11 Ben
Let's get more Scottish landmarks on our.
00:37:13 Ben
Alternate list
00:37:14 NIcky
So to wrap up the last thing we do is ask our guests to just say what photo they would take at their alternative landmark.
00:37:14 NIcky
So do you.
00:37:14 NIcky
00:37:24 NIcky
Do you have anything in mind?
00:37:25 NIcky
Gemma like poses get Ben to to ride around on the floor like a horse.
00:37:31 NIcky
I don't know, just.
00:37:31 NIcky
Ideas, great idea?
00:37:32 Speaker 4
That's it.
00:37:33 Gemma
I actually thought of that 'cause we do.
00:37:34 Gavin Penn - Music
Workshop
00:37:35 Gemma
Obviously we we did get a filter altogether at the cowpeas and but it wasn't, could you imagine?
00:37:42 Ben
Yeah, I I I'm not not not sure you.
00:37:42 Speaker 4
Yes.
00:37:44 Ben
Can convince me to do that with your parents around.
00:37:46 Gemma
I think maybe Ben at the top of the kelpies or we could get one of me on the top of 1 and then.
00:37:52 Gemma
The other.
00:37:52 Ben
Yes, Whiting account please.
00:37:54 NIcky
But yeah, I I don't know if we actually said that, but there are two.
00:37:57 NIcky
Yeah, one of them looks quite poison, the other ones and presumably neighing.
00:38:03 NIcky
What looks share?
00:38:03 Gemma
I'd be the name one. Yeah yeah, yeah, I'd be the one that's like never be the shy 10.
00:38:05 Ben
Rearing its head back.
00:38:14 Ben
I'm right again, 30 meters.
00:38:16 Ben
High kelpy I'm OK.
00:38:17 Ben
I'm OK with it.
00:38:20 Ben
Recommended this in.
00:38:20 Gemma
This has been very lovely.
00:38:22 Gemma
Thank you.
00:38:23 Gemma
Very much for having me.
00:38:25 Ben
It's a pleasure Gemma in the list of people who visited landmarks.
00:38:28 Ben
You are in 3rd place which is more.
00:38:31 Ben
Landmarks is dead than almost anyone else on planet Earth.
00:38:34 Gemma
And there's no one else I would rather visit landmarks with the new Ben.
00:38:39 Ben
I thought you gonna stay with Nicky then.
00:38:42 NIcky
That would've been great, right?
00:38:43 Gemma
No, I was just gonna say I was just gonna say it's it's such a pleasure but going and learning it by all these landmarks and visiting the ball with Ben and and the reason I do it is because we just have such a laugh and.
00:38:56 Gemma
Such an adventure, and yeah, it would definitely recommend to a friend if anyone is on the fence, but should they contact Ben to visit a landmark, I say go and did it.
00:39:09 Ben
Thanks, Gemma.
00:39:10 Ben
Alright Gemma, you can come back and do another one, I'm convinced.
00:39:12 Gemma
Ben and I are going to deliver poo on Isle of Man next, we think.
00:39:17 Gemma
Well, we want to take lots of Instagram content of us doing manly things.
00:39:21 Gemma
All suggestions welcome.
00:39:25 Ben
Thanks so much for joining us, Gemma.
00:39:28 Gemma
Thank you all, bye.
00:39:28 Speaker 4
Yes.
00:39:37 Speaker 4
2nd.