The YachtRoyalBritannia

Shakespeare’s king & his real-life foes

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Distribution Scotland Magazine Issue #129, (ISSN 1475-5505) (USPS 020-429) is published six times a year (bi-monthly) by The Chelsea Magazine Company, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ, UK.

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This issue, with festival fever in the air, we’ve decided to zone in on our capital city with not one but three special articles on Edinburgh. In Enlighten Yourself (p16), I’ve rounded up some of my favourite places to visit in the city, which you could try and squeeze into your trip this summer if you’re heading to the festival, or wait until a quieter time of the year.

In The Greatest Show in Scotland (p28), our very own Henrietta Easton gives the backstory on the city’s grandest spectacle of all, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo; while in When Britannia Ruled the Waves (p33) Kirsten Henton shares her personal connection to the Royal Family’s former yacht (now an award-winning visitor attraction), and we couldn’t resist sending Euan Myles along to the Royal Yacht Britannia to get some exclusive photos, too.

Elsewhere, in this issue’s Travels with Tom (p56) our columnist delves into the clan past of the neighbouring islands of Colonsay and Oronsay, while we meet some of the locals of another of Scotland’s lesser-visited isles, which also has strong clan links, Lismore, in Living in the Great Garden (p50). I will warn you though, reading this piece may result in a strong desire to pack your bags, leave your hometown, and never come back. At least that’s the effect it had on me.

Simon Temlett, Awards Director simon.temlett@chelseamagazines.com

© The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2023, part of the Telegraph Media Group. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers. The information contained in Scotland magazine has been published in good faith and every e ort has been made to ensure its accuracy. However, where appropriate, you are strongly advised to check prices, opening times, dates, etc, before making final arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded. The opinions expressed by contributors to Scotland magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

I hope you enjoy the issue, and as always, please do send me your feedback or stories of your recent trips and planned travels – I love to hear from you.

ISSUE 129

14 We’ve got mail

Your letters and stories of Scotland

16 Enlighten yourself

We discover Edinburgh’s best attractions, from the Gothic atmosphere of the Old Town to the Georgian grandeur of the New Town and beyond

28 The greatest show in Scotland

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is renowned the world over for its spectacle. Here, we learn its story

33 When Britannia ruled the waves

Our writer explores how the Royal Yacht Britannia became one of Britain’s best-loved attractions

42 Olympic grade

Jeremy Flint meets the craftsmen making the best curling stones in the world in Ayrshire

46 The House of Dunkeld

In the next part of our series on the kings and queens of Scotland, we pick up the story with the family of Macbeth

50 Living in the great garden

Our writer travels to Lismore to hear what life is like on this small, but beautiful, west coast island

56 Travels with Tom

Our guide visits the Hebridean island of Colonsay and the neighbouring Isle of Oronsay

58 Lockhart

Ancestry expert Dr Bruce Durie tells us the story of one of Scotland’s great Lowland families

62 A Stirling stay

Our writer explains why Scotland’s only lake has always been one of his favourite places to visit

67 Wind, earth and fire

We learn how a new whisky tasting room on Orkney Mainland is paying homage to the heritage of the Orkney Islands

72 The mighty frontier

Author John H Reid suggests that the resistance and threat of the Caledonians to the Roman Empire has been played down by historians

79 Clan events

Our pick of the best Scottish themed events and clan celebrations taking place across the world — start planning now

80 The story behind...

Scottish fiddler Iain Fraser explains how his new album tells the remarkable story of 800 Highlanders who crossed the globe in search of a better life

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