[rab] Great word, eh? One could imagine Kenneth Williams squeezing every last sinewy syllable out of it - much like the way he uttered his favourite word 'proclivities'.

Yes indeed either or both - I agree it's ambiguous, but in a xwd situation you'd soon work out which it was from the letters present - that's often the case with "back" - could apply to either half. As to the use of scale : The Concise OED has for "Lamina", A thin plate or scale - but I agree it's not the first word that jumps to mind for scale.
[Chalky] I'll have a look for your clue.
Whilst I know that peregrinations actually refer (usually) to fairly leisurely wanderings, the word always makes me think of the falcon - which is far from leisurely, being (how to start a arguement) the fastest creature on earth.

Would that be approach ( a pp (very quiet) roach (fish = swimmer) ) by any chance ?

It can make notes to change your beginning as a afterthought (8)

Though it makes no difference to the clue - grammatically that should of course be an afterthought.

Blob]With several days without any attempts could you give a letter or two clue as if part of a crossword.
In the mean time I have had to retreat from the attemt at solving the crossword in one of the broadsheets as I became depressed in my ever worsening attemts. However, I seem to have found my level in one of the tabloids, as an example of difficulty of my daily battle here are two from todays
Wisdom of metropolis ending involved account (8)
Traits game shows up in man at court (10)
Needless to say when really stuck (frequently) there is always the 'Coffee Time' clues.