WRITE A LOCAL LEGEND

A few weeks ago, we visited Eyemouth, on the North Sea coast, for the first time. It was lovely and it was a shame we only had time for an overnight stay.

Today, in the Irvine Maritime Museum shop, on the Atlantic coast, I bought a copy of The Eyemouth Mermaid.

It's a lovely story, very nicely illustrated, aimed at under-eights.

Eyemouth is hosting it's annual Herring Queen festival, when a mermaid appears on a quest of her own. Aided by a local lad, she finds what she is looking for and the festival goes ahead.

There's a nice little touch in the notion that "sea-glass" is what the mer-folk use to see what's happening on the land. Perhaps the author Jennifer T Doherty came up with that, perhaps it's a story she heard... perhaps it's true!

The story itself, has very little to do with the town, except for the inclusion of the festival.

If you get to travel this summer, see what nice locations and local festivals you can find, and maybe weave one or two into a legend.

If you can't physically travel, explore your childhood memories for favourite places - then write them a children's story of their own.