Scotland November/December 2021

ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL

The world’s leading Scottish-interest magazine

Flora MacDonald

Outlander is back Visit the show’s famous locations

Scotland’s favourite heroine

SECRET STUARTS

ROBERT BURNS HERALDED

MOUNT STUART

The poet’s first official Coat of Arms

ISSUE 119 Nov/Dec 2021 £4.95

James III: useless king or ‘Renaissance’ leader?

Our most outlandish stately home

GLASGOW

The city of culture’s unmissable attractions

Ron Lawson ‘Surf to Summit’

Scotland’s most original and in demand artist opens his largest Solo Exhibition in 3 years at the Strathearn Gallery, Crieff. Celebrating a return to the islands, Ron is seeing his favourite locations with a new perspective.

‘Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, Shetland’

The Scottish Wilderness… Endless skies, vast landscapes dotted with lone cottages, dramatic mountainscapes and rugged coastlines. The raw beauty of this environment appeals to no-one more than Ron Lawson, one of Scotland’s most iconic painters. Thrilled to be able to return to his beloved Highlands and Islands for the first time since the start of the pandemic, Ron has produced a new body of over 50 paintings inspired by his recent travels.

“It was wonderful to return to the islands for the first time in 2 years. I’ve been visiting them regularly for over 20 years but this is the first time I’ve actually gone in late summer. Ravenous midges aside, what struck me the most was the purple hue of the landscape due to the flowering heather. I just had to paint it!”

For Ron’s largest Solo Exhibition in over three years, the prolonged absence from travel along with a late-summer expedition has caused Ron to view locations with a different perspective. As well as capturing his distinctive shorelines and croftscapes, Ron is also looking towards higher ground to include his experiences of some of Scotland’s majestic mountains.

Having developed a fascination for the terrain and geology of the Scotland over the years, Ron’s incorporating more of the rocky environment he loves into his work- The Cobbler in Arrochar and Am Basteir and Bla Bheinn on Skye will all feature in this show: “I’m excited to be painting mountain pieces for this exhibition. I don’t want to paint huge panoramas, but instead, close-ups showing the dramatic make up and formation of mountains.”

‘Heather Hill’

Back down to earth, lighthouses sitting on incredible rocky clifftops have captured Ron’s attention, as well as the island of Eriskay: “Eriskay is a wonderful remote heaven - rocky up and down with amazing formations and boulders- almost like a moonscape in places.. The way the land lies, cottages look like they’re just perched on cliffs and the top of rises.”

Regardless of Ron’s chosen subject matter though, it is his relentless pursuit of capturing the feeling of standing in a remote and beautiful Scottish location that drives him on and continues to create incredible demand for his paintings.

“When you experience the Scottish coast and the islands, it leaves an indelible impression in your mind. I’ll never get bored of visiting or painting it and I aim to spend more time there, experiencing different seasons.

Through continually studying and painting my croftscapes, I strive to capture a perfect vision of how you feel when you’re actually there – the real sense of space. At times I’ll paint my memory of a place, sometimes deliberately exaggerating the remoteness of a cottage just to convey the feeling I experienced standing there, in majestic and splendid isolation...”

‘Mono Cottage, Harris Rocks’

Having exhibited his work professionally for almost 45 years, Ron Lawson has become one of Scotland’s best known contemporary artists, with a global following for his unique paintings. The huge demand for his work means his bi-annual Solo Exhibitions with the Strathearn and Annan Galleries are eagerly anticipated and are regularly sell-outs.

‘Surf to Summit’ looks like no exception.

Ron Lawson’s ‘Surf to Summit’ Solo Exhibition opens at the Strathearn Gallery, Crieff at 10am on 30th October and runs until 21st November.

As demand for paintings is expected to by high, to receive an electronic catalogue ahead of the show opening, please email your details to: info@strathearn-gallery.com ‘Eight Sheep’

‘Old Uist Cottage’

Gallery hours: Mon - Fri 10am - 5pm Sat 10am - 5:30pm Sun 12pm - 4pm

The Strathearn Gallery 32 West High Street Crieff, Perthshire, PH7 4DL, Scotland T: (01764) 656100

www.strathearn-gallery.com

2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700 Fax: 020 7349 3701 Email: editor@scotlandmag.com www.scotlandmag.com

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© The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, 2021/2022. 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 effort has been made to ensure its accuracy.

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Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye

Editor’s letter After being kept away from the places I love, as soon as lockdown lifted, I couldn’t wait to get out on the road in Scotland again, which is why you’re hearing quite a lot from me this issue.

First up, in City of culture (p14), you can hear me wax lyrical about one of my favourite cities, Glasgow, which is filled with more heritage attractions than you might realise, and is also the launchpad for many a Scottish trip.

Next up, in Written in the stars (p24), I visited Mount Stuart, one of the most outrageous stately homes I’ve ever come across, and handily, it’s very accessible from Glasgow.

And my final big piece this issue, Rewind, rewild (p30), was fuelled by a trip I managed last summer (between lockdowns), which really opened my eyes to some of the crucial work being done to restore Scotland’s landscapes to their natural state.

Elsewhere this issue, ahead of the release of Series 6 of Outlander, In on the action (p38) by the excellent Robin McKelvie details how you can have your own adventure in some of the show’s key locations.

Scottish traditions are also high on our agenda, from advice on how to host the perfect Burns Supper in Let them eat haggis (p54), to a scheme created to help preserve the at-risk craft of kiltmaking in Plaid it safe (p58).

And if you ever wondered what happened to Flora MacDonald after she rescued Bonnie Prince Charlie, then Flawless Flora (p74) should hold the answers.

I hope you enjoy the issue, and that you’re getting ready for your own Scottish holiday now restrictions are easing – I’d love to hear about them, so don’t be shy.

ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL

The world’s leading Scottish-interest magazine

Flora MacDonald

Outlander is back Visit the show’s famous locations

Scotland’s favourite heroine

SECRET STUARTS

ROBERT BURNS HERALDED

MOUNT STUART

The poet’s first official Coat of Arms

ISSUE 119 Nov/Dec 2021 £4.95

James III: useless king or ‘Renaissance’ leader?

Our most outlandish stately home

GLASGOW

The city of culture’s unmissable attractions 001_UK_COVER_SM119 v7.indd 1

05/10/2021 16:37

COVER IMAGE:

Culross village, Fife. © John Peter Photography/Alamy Inset: Flora MacDonald. © Ian Dagnall Computing/ Alamy

SALLY COFFEY

Editor

editor@scotlandmag.com

@Scotland_Mag

facebook.com/ScotlandMagazine

@scotlandmagazine

Scotland 3

58

Lewis p82 Dunvegan Castle p74

14

Knoydart p68

Cairngorms p36

Glasgow p14 Mount Stuart p24

CONTENTS ISSUE 119

03 Editor’s letter 06 The Clan Courier Local news and the latest travel tip-offs

09 Dates for your diary This season’s best events and plans for 2022

10 Notes from the isles Kate Francis shares the pros and cons of close-knit island communities

12 We’ve got mail Your letters and stories of Scotland

14 City of culture Discover the historic attractions of Glasgow, which easily rival those of the capital

24 Written in the stars Admire Mount Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute’s most ambitious and personal project

30 Rewind, rewild Appraise Scotland’s efforts to restore the country to her natural state

36 Clinging by a claw Will a project aiming to release Scottish wildcats into the Cairngorms save this struggling species?

38 In on the action Visit some of Outlander’s key locations ahead of the release of its sixth series in 2022

68 Just under 200 square miles of untouched Highland backcountry, Knoydart is transport-free

30

© JEREMY FLINT/CSG CIC GLASGOW MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES COLLECTIONS/VISIT SCOTLAND/KENNY LAM/ RICKFORDUK/SHUTTERSTOCK/PETER CAIRNS/NORTHSHOTS. ILLUSTRATION © MICHAEL A HILL

24 44 The unpopular king Considered a failure, could James III be credited as Scotland’s first Renaissance monarch?

50 No standing still Learn how the company that makes whisky stills has adapted to the times

52 Burns heralded 225 years after Robert Burns’ death, the bard’s wish for his very own Coat of Arms has been fulfilled

54 Let them eat haggis The past president of the Robert Burns World Federation on how to host the perfect Burns Supper

56 In search of dissenters Our expert explains why not all church records are held centrally

58 Plaid it safe An at-risk craft, Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers is doing all it can to train the next generation

64 Delight & reunite How baking traditional empire biscuits brought a family together over their shared Scottish heritage

68 Out of darkness must come light Explore the munros, dark skies and community spirit of the remote Knoydart Peninsula

74 Flawless Flora Follow Scotland’s most famous heroine, Flora MacDonald, across the Atlantic

82 The story behind...

Novelist John MacKay shares the inspiration behind his sweeping family saga, Home

Scotland 5

News & events

CLAN COURIER Small islands thinking big, quirky events make a comeback, and a royal visit

[PROPERTY]

WHO WILL BE KING OF THE CASTLE?

[SHOPPING]

THE PERFECT SHOT Less is more, so they say, and at Holyrood Distillery in Edinburgh, they are putting their money where their sip is, producing a gin that rejects the current trend of using lots of botanicals, relying instead on juniper, and juniper alone.

The result is that Height of Arrows gin is a clean and fresh spirit, with beeswax and salt lending texture and full-bodied flavour. It works effortlessly in a classic martini, so our editor tells us. £34.95. holyrooddistillery.co.uk

[EVENTS]

YOU’RE HAVING A GIRAFFE Next summer, Edinburgh will show off its playful side even more than usual as a trail of 40 eight-foot giraffes will be placed throughout the capital.

Supported by Glenmorangie Distillery, whose symbol is a giraffe, thanks to its long-necked stills, Edinburgh Zoo’s ‘Giraffe About Town’ trail is a large-scale public art exhibition that will hopefully inject a little humour into the recovering city, as well as raise money for vital wildlife conservation.

Giraffes are currently at risk in the wild and with Edinburgh Zoo welcoming a herd in May 2021, the trail is timed to help raise awareness of their plight and also raise extra smiles during festival season. giraffeabouttown.org.uk

Scotland 7

© RICHARD NEWTON/ALAMY

Residents of the small island of Rum must wait patiently to find out who – if anyone – will become the new owner of Kinloch Castle, a crumbling ruin that was once a popular visitor attraction/hostel.

Whoever it is will have to prove they have sufficient funds to restore it, as it’s thought that necessary renovations to the red sandstone turreted castle would cost around £20m. It would cost £50,000 alone to restore the orchestrion – thought to be the world’s oldest – that once belonged to Queen Victoria.

The castle has been looking for a buyer for some time and previous attempts to save it by the Kinloch Castle Friend’s Association and even The Prince’s Regeneration Trust, have failed for one reason or another.

Now, after inviting offers to buy the castle for a nominal fee of £1, NatureScot, the organisation that owns Kinloch, says it has received 11 proposals, which will now be assessed to identify those that meet the criteria that it has set out for beneficial ownership.

NatureScot says: “Any future owner will need to contribute towards three key objectives: securing the conservation and preservation of the castle; contributing to the sustainability of the Rum community; and enhancing nature on Rum, including promoting its enjoyment, and minimising the castle’s impact on the natural environment.” nature.scot

[COMMUNITY]

CANNA YOU HELP THIS ISLE? With just 15 residents, the tiny island of Canna, the westernmost of the Small Isles archipelago, is appealing for donations to help it build three community-owned houses.

It is the latest step in the island’s bid to grow its population to around 30. At present, there are no empty houses for anyone new to move into.

Geraldine Mackinnon, Chair of the Isle of

Canna Community Development Trust, said: “The Isle of Canna Community may be small, but we are always up for any challenge that will help us create a sustainable future for our island.

“We have a positive track record with previous projects and hope everyone will come on board and help us make our community housing a reality.” crowdfunder.co.uk/isle-of-canna-housing-project

[ H E R I TAG E ]

ROYAL VISIT FOR BURNS HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay and Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Rothesay, visited the birthplace of Robert Burns on 9 September – the first Royal Visit to Burns Cottage since Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited in 1995.

The Royal Highnesses entered the cottage where Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1759, where they viewed several special items, including the wedding ring of Burns’ wife, Jean Armour, which includes fragments of the couple’s hair, and an original manuscript of Auld Lang Syne, which features prose in Burns’ handwriting.

On leaving the cottage, The Duke of Rothesay, who is Patron to the National Trust for Scotland, the charity that

8 Scotland

looks after the cottage, joined frontline staff and volunteers at a reception to mark the charity’s 90th anniversary.

The National Trust for Scotland’s Chief Executive, Philip Long OBE FRSE, said: “The humble origins of Robert Burns, in a building his family shared with livestock, provide a breathtaking juxtaposition with the worldwide fame and undying influence his talent enabled him to achieve.

“The Duke and Duchess asked many questions and their fascination with the cottage and the history it embodies was evident for all to see.”

The first ever Burns Supper was held in Burns Cottage in 1801. Turn to page 54 for details on how you can host the perfect Burns Supper.

News & events [TRADITIONS]

© ALLAN WRIGHT/ALAMY/JOHN SINCLAIR/COLIN HATTERSLEY/JOSEPH MCKENZIE, HIGH SCHOOL BOYS LUNCHTIME, DUNDEE, 1971 (FROM HAWKHILL:DEATH OF A LIVING COMMUNITY)/THE JOSEPH MCKENZIE ARCHIVE

CARRY THAT WEIGHT With everything that’s been going on, we’ve really missed some of the quirkier aspects of Scottish life, and so the Scottish Coal Championships were widely welcomed back to Kelty on 28 August after a five-year break (lack of sponsorship had already impacted it).

On the day, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was among those who awarded prizes to the men, women and children who participated in the gruelling race, which celebrates the village’s coal-mining past.

Contestants have to carry a bag of coal across a distance of 1,000 metres. Men must carry a 50-kilo bag of coal, ladies carry a 25-kilo bag, and children carry a 15-kilo bag of coal.

Michael Boyle, founder and race organiser, said: “A big congratulations to not just the winners, who certainly hit a rich seam of form on the day, but to all those who took part in making this such a marvellous event. As one of only two coal races in the world none of this could have taken place without the generous sponsorship of National Pride UK, National Lottery Awards for All Scotland, Fife Council, and the Scotland’s Events Recovery Fund, as well as other sponsors.”

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY With exhibitions and events slowing returning, you can celebrate Scotland wherever you are

SCOTLAND 25 November 2021 2 January 2022 CHRISTMAS AT THE BOTANICS, EDINBURGH The Royal Botanic Garden in the capital returns with its festive, illuminated trail. rbge.org.uk Until 23 January 2022 THE LOVING EARTH PROJECT, DUMBARTONSHIRE An exhibition at the Scottish Maritime Museum Dumbarton of a selection of textile panels created in response to the climate emergency. scottishmaritime museum.org Until 9 January 2022 INSPIRING WALTER SCOTT, EDINBURGH On the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth, experience his novels through objects that inspired him at the National Museum of Scotland. nms.ac.uk 28-29 January 2022 BURNS SUPPER, EDINBURGH All aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia for its annual Burns Supper. royalyachtbritannia.co.uk 4 February 2022 THE ERSKINE BURNS SUPPER, GLASGOW Celebrate Scotland’s national bard in the stunning baronial setting of Sherbrooke Castle. erskine.org.uk

Until 20 March 2022 A LOVE LETTER TO DUNDEE, DUNDEE An exhibition showcasing Joseph McKenzie’s stunning black and white photographs (see above), which document the incredible transformation of Dundee at the city’s McManus Gallery. mcmanus.co.uk Until 27 March 2022 SCOTLAND’S CLIMATE CHALLENGE A small exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland looking at the ways in which Scotland is tackling the climate crisis. nms.ac.uk

US & CANADA

3-4 December 2021 SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS WALK WEEKEND, VA The Scottish Christmas Walk honours Alexandria’s

heritage with a weekend of family activities. campagnacenter.org/ scottishwalkweekend 15-16 January 2022 CENTRAL FLORIDA HIGHLAND GAMES, FL Experience traditional Highland athletics, dance, music, culture and food at Winter Springs. flascot.com 5 February 2022 SARASOTA HIGHLAND GAMES, FL This annual games has been running since 1994.

There will also be a ceilidh and concert. sarasotahighland games.com 26 February 2022 NE FLORIDA HIGHLAND GAMES, FL Meet at Green Cove Springs for athletics, music, food and fun. neflgames.com

Scotland 9

JOURNAL

| Window into Scotland

Notes from the Isles

Our writer realises living in a small community comes with both advantages and (occasional) disadvantages…

Words by KATE FRANCIS

ABOVE: Kate and Cronie, her faithful Border Terrier TOP RIGHT: The village of Avoch on the Black Isle BOTTOM RIGHT: Kate has become an ‘agricultural student’ based at her home on the Black Isle

10 Scotland

O

ne of the many advantages of island life is the prevailing community spirit. Being fortunate enough to divide my time between our family base in the Outer Hebrides, and my home on the Black (almost) Isle, I am part of two close-knit communities and have recently had reason to realise what that means.

Stupidly, I lifted an extremely heavy sack of rubble into the boot of my car, and then up into a dustbin. This resulted in a trapped nerve in my chest, which was so screamingly painful that I couldn’t sleep and was a moaning wreck.

Word of my misfortune spread round our community like a pandemic. While I was trying to get through to our surgery on the telephone to ask for advice, a neighbour marched into my kitchen, grabbed Cronie and took her for a walk.

Another neighbour drove up to the back door, heaved the remaining seven sacks of rubble into his trailer and carted them down to the dump.

And Maggie, next door, arrived and insisted on going to the surgery for me to collect the prescribed medicines.

Since then, people drop in every day to check up on me and see what they can do to lighten my load, and my family take turns to come and boss me about, each one on their way to and from our Hebridean home. Even my fellow dog walkers seem to be in on the game and stop me constantly to ask what they can do to help.

There is one slight drawback to this close-knit mesh of instinctive kindness: local gossip. Recently, I had a handsome man in his late 60s to stay for a week, to recover from the death of his mother, Sue, who had been one of my dearest friends.

Roddy has always been like an extra son to me, and I am like a loving aunt to him. A landscape gardener and tree surgeon, he insisted on singing for his supper by labouring in my wild garden – chopping and hacking and digging, in full sight of all passers-by along the track.

It was a happy week and we spent hours reminiscing about the good old days when he was a boy, and his father was my Douglas’s commanding officer. In 1961, after the amalgamation of the Cameron Highlanders with the Seaforth Highlanders, to become the Queen’s Own Highlanders, the new regiment was posted to Singapore to settle down together and become a properly merged regimental family.

My oldest daughter, Mary, was born that year and Sue, with four sons, became my mentor and guide in baby care.

Roddy and I relived those days with much teasing laughter and I think he enjoyed his visit as much as I did.

But then I noticed a few raised eyebrows among my neighbours and some references to my “good looking visitor” and I realised that word of a “toy boy up at the old farmhouse” could be spreading rapidly, so I made a point of stopping to chat with any neighbour I passed, dropping the subject of my guest into the conversation, “.... the son of one of my oldest

© VISIT SCOTLAND/PAUL TOMKINS/DISCOVER FRASERBURGH/DAMIAN SHIELDS

Window into Scotland |

friends.” I think it did the trick because I didn’t notice any more raised eyebrows. There was no malice in the implied suspicions, but I couldn’t bear anybody thinking I could ever possibly find a replacement for Douglas – my beloved rock.

I have become an agricultural student. Surrounded as I am by farmland, both arable and livestock, I usually encounter one of the farmers who rent the local fields, on my walks, and I learn something new every time. For instance: sugar rises in the leaves of grass in the morning, dropping back down in the afternoon, so harvesting for hay must be done in the mornings when the grass is at its most lush.

If the hay is baled with too much moisture in it, the bales can cook up a huge heat and burst into flames. Also, wool is no longer profitable except when of a very specialised quality, so sheep shearing has become a bore and the fleeces are left to rot.

My most recent discovery is that ploughing is bad for the environment, sending up all sorts of pollutants into the ecosystem, so now the seeds of the next crop are sown immediately after harvest, onto the stubble of what has just been cut.

This year, our recently harvested fields were barley and I’ve already discovered the seedlings of next year’s rape, growing profusely through the stubble.

The next lesson I wish to learn is from the cattle farmer whose cows are in the two fields below my house. I’d like to know how much longer it will be safe to leave the grumpy old bull among the flock, surrounded as he is by quite a few of his unneutered sons, who are extremely macho and spend their days trying to mount their placid mothers who are all members of his harem.

Foraging has been good this year and I could almost live off the land. The wild raspberries and blueberries are now over, blackberries and rowans are in full flood, elderberries are nearly ripe, watercress is choking the burn near my house and there are masses of chestnuts waiting to fall.

journal

The good news is that Lord Fandango, the errant peacock I mentioned in my last column, has been re-housed. Having decided that my neighbours’ cottage garden wasn’t adequate for his requirements, he had taken up residence in the gardens of six adjacent cottages down along the shore.

Although everyone liked him, he was very destructive when it came to flower beds and his abundant peacock poo was not pleasant underfoot. His owners managed to capture him, and he is now blissfully happy on the estate of Darnaway Castle in Morayshire, the ancestral home of the Earls of Moray. The huge, impressive castle, built in the early 1800s, is on the site of a much earlier castle and the grandeur of it is truly fitting for Lord Fandango, not least because there are lots of semi-feral peacocks and peahens already living there and he will be able to establish and rule over a happy harem. S

There is one slight drawback to this closeknit mesh of instinctive kindness: local gossip Scotland 11

MAILBAG

| Your letters

WE’VE GOT MAIL A selection of messages from our readers across the globe

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

We had spent the weekend camping at Torridon. On the way back to Glasgow we took a slight detour to Applecross.

My friend, who was driving, had never driven the Bealach na Bà before, but to his credit he made it look easy.

The view (below) from the top is incredible and I can’t wait to visit again.

Nick Vernon, by email

The Bealach na Bà pass winds through the mountains of the Applecross Peninsula

UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT… IDENTIFIED

At the bottom of page 51 of your article on David Livingstone (Issue 117), there is a picture of something that you refer to as “an object owned by Chuma and Susi”. This is a powder horn used for carrying gun powder for muskets. I am a retired American Civil War re-enactor and while I was in the artillery, some of us carried muskets as well.

I thought you’d like to know.

Tom Bowman, by email

Can’t see yours or want to read more letters? Go to scotlandmag.com/ yourviews

DRESSED TO IMPRESS

Congratulations on the lovely magazine, and congratulations to the sharp-eyed reader, Carol A Suarez of California, who spotted the photos of two young girls in the drawing room at Kinloch Lodge.

When I saw the smocked dresses, I retrieved the attached photo (above), me circa 1949, wearing the dress my Auntie Betty sent from England. I expect you are hearing from other daughters of the Scottish diaspora!

P Katherine Hay-Huntington, by email

I subscribe to your magazine and read the article about the National Piping Centre in Glasgow (Issue 117), which got me thinking: whatever happened to the Highlanders’ Institute? I played in the band there for a couple of seasons in the 1950s. I think they were in Elmbank Street, Glasgow, at the time.

During my time there I had the pleasure of playing with Bobby MacLeod on a couple of occasions when he and his band were also playing.

I left for Canada in December 1953 and on one of my trips home, I was told that the Highlanders’ Institute was no more. Perhaps you can shed some light on this? I am now 88 years old, and I still play four hours a week.

Unfortunately, it is not Scottish country dance music.

Edward Munn, Canada

The Editor, Scotland, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ

12 Scotland

editor@scotlandmag.com facebook.com/ScotlandMagazine

@Scotland_Mag @scotlandmagazine

© WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT LETTERS FOR PUBLICATION

THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC

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TRAVEL

| Glasgow

Cityof Culture Scotland’s most populous city is packed with heritage attractions that can easily rival the capital Words by SALLY COFFEY

14 Scotland

Glasgow |

TRAVEL

THIS IMAGE: The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow’s West End

Scotland 15

TRAVEL

| Glasgow

© IAIN MASTERTON/ALAMY/MARK SYKES/AWL IMAGES/JOHN GUIDI/ROBERTHARDING/RACHEL KEENAN. ILLUSTRATION: © MICHAEL A HILL

CLOCKWISE, FROM NEAR RIGHT: Inside the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum; the City Chambers in George Square; the Mackintosh at the Willow tearoom

16 Scotland

Glasgow |

travel

T

hough Edinburgh may be known for its World Heritage Status, Glasgow is not short of an accolade or two – being named European City of Culture in 1990 and UNESCO City of Music in 2008, which was just as well, as it had been down at heel for a while before that.

In the 1980s, people had pretty much written off Glasgow, as mass unemployment caused by the collapse of the ship industry as well as the closures of its steelworks, coal mines, and factories, took their toll. However, Glasgow is nothing if not a master of reinvention, and by the 1990s it was proving itself as a cultural powerhouse, filled with creative energy and vision.

Thankfully, it didn’t have to start from scratch, but built on the foundations that were already here, such as the brilliant museums (mainly free) and the buildings that tell the city’s story, from its medieval origins, through its industrial growth and modern-day regeneration.

So, as with any good story, on this foray into Glasgow’s cultural attractions, we should start at the beginning, at Glasgow Cathedral, the oldest of all the city’s buildings.

The city of Glasgow grew up around a church founded in the 6th century by St Mungo, Glasgow’s patron saint.

Though that building is long gone, it was located on the site of the present-day cathedral, which was consecrated in 1197.

With its central stone spire, age-worn dark stone, and dozens of arched windows, it is a beautiful example of a medieval cathedral, and it is the only one on mainland Scotland to have survived the Scottish Reformation with its roof intact.

It wasn’t for a want of trying by the Reformists, but by the 16th century, the cathedral was so much part of the fabric of the city that the tradespeople took up arms to protect it: an early demonstration of the resilience of Glaswegians.

Inside, highlights include a rood screen, which is a rarity in Scottish churches today, and the crypt, which is the symbolic burial place of St Mungo.

Scotland 17

travel

| Glasgow

CLOCKWISE, FROM THIS IMAGE: The Glasgow Necropolis, situated beside its cathedral; the neoGothic architecture of the University of Glasgow; Buchanan Street station on the Subway

As the population swelled, Glasgow’s rich merchants felt there should be a grander cemetery befitting the status of the city

18 Scotland

Looming above the cathedral is the Necropolis, also known as Glasgow’s ‘City of the Dead’.

Dating from 1832, the cathedral was initially built as a burial place for Glasgow’s rich merchants, who felt there should be a grander cemetery befitting the status of the city as the population swelled.

As such, Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, an architect renowned for his Greco-Egyptian style, was enlisted to create many of the tombs. He wasn’t the only designer whose work can be seen – Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the architect known for his ‘Glasgow Style’ take on Art Nouveau, created the Celtic headstone of one Andrew McCall, a close friend of his father’s, and it is believed to be his first public work.

From the cathedral quarter, it’s a 20-minute walk to George Square (or you can make use of the hop-on hop-off City Sightseeing bus) the nucleus of the city, where you will see the elaborate City Chambers, another showcase of Glasgow’s power and wealth, this time built in the late Victorian era.

Opened by Queen Victoria herself in 1888, legend has it that the small holes in the shelves in front of the seats of the main council chamber, were added to hold flowers to mask the stench of members of the public from the Queen’s sensitive nose during the opening ceremony.

You can find out about this and much more on a free tour of the City Chambers, which also takes in the three-storey Italian white marble staircase, a ludicrous addition for a public building, but one that William Young, the architect,

GOING UNDERGROUND WORDS BY STEPHEN ROBERTS “The train goes round and round; You’ve never lived unless you’ve been on the Glasgow Underground” (Cliff Hanley’s The Underground Song, 1952).

Opened 125 years ago in December 1896, the Glasgow Subway wins the bronze medal for antiquity amongst underground railways. The London Underground was way out front (January 1863), whilst Budapest’s iconic ‘Line 1’ pipped Glasgow for silver by months.

Few people would place Budapest and Glasgow on the podium, but the world’s more renowned metros and subways, such as Paris and New York, were 20th-century openings.

Just under 6½ miles long, Glasgow’s Subway is far simpler than its rivals. There’s one vaguely elliptical line of 15 stations, with a northwest kink at Kelvinhall. It burrows under the mighty Clyde twice and the River Kelvin once and carries around 12¾ million passengers annually.

Originally a cable haul railway, with cars shifted by a moving cable, the system has been electrified since the 1930s. That said, the subway has never been extended beyond its original 125 design, despite proposals.

Construction began in 1891, the assistant engineer being Edinburgh-born William Tait (1866-1929), overseen by Glasgow-born Charles Forman (1852-1901). It was the work of the Glasgow District Subway Company, whose HQ was above St Enoch station, while the steampowered plant driving the cable was between West Street and Shields Road stations.

Opening day (14 December 1896) was inauspicious as a collision between two cars under the Clyde saw the system closed until 19 January 1897. There was another partial closure between September 1940 and January 1941 after a bomb dropped close to Merkland Street station, damaging both tunnels during the war.

The system is today operated by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and is the easiest way to get around the City Centre and West End (from as little as £1.55 each way).

It’s a subway with attitude, allegedly dubbed ‘The Clockwork Orange’ (from a dystopian and thuggish Anthony Burgess novel), but with little provenance as locals prefer more imaginative names such as ‘The Subway’, ‘Tube’ or ‘Underground’.

years of the Subway

Glasgow Cathedral Glasgow’s oldest building is a must-see on any visit to the city. glasgowcathedral.org Glasgow Necropolis Admire the morbid grandeur of this City of the Dead. glasgownecropolis.org Glasgow City Chambers These free tours are one of Glasgow’s best-kept secrets. glasgow.gov.uk/article/19136/ City-Chambers-Tours Gallery of Modern Art Come to doff your cap at the Duke, or step inside to see the art. glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/ venues/gallery-of-modern-art-goma Mackintosh at the Willow Tea for two in the Salon de Luxe is about as luxurious as it gets. www.mackintoshatthewillow.com Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum An icon of Glasgow, the Kelvingrove is the city’s most popular attraction. glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/ venues/kelvingrove-art-galleryand-museum University of Glasgow Tours of this building are a must for Harry Potter or Outlander fans. gla.ac.uk/explore/visit/ attractions/guidedtour The Hunterian Odd specimens in one building, art in the other. What’s not to like? gla.ac.uk/hunterian The Riverside Museum This museum is a homage to Glasgow’s shipbuilding heritage. glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/ venues/riverside-museum Pollok House This country house is a surprising find in Glasgow. nts.org.uk/visit/places/ pollok-house The Burrell Collection Back for March 2022, this art collection is hoping to revive the city’s fortunes once more. burrellcollection.com Bar Brett After a busy day, dine in one of Glasgow’s most exciting eateries, from the team behind its only Michelin-starred restaurant. barbrett.co.uk

Scotland 19

© MARK SYKES/AWL IMAGES/IAIN MASTERTON/ALAMY

PLAN YOUR VISIT

| Glasgow

Glasgow’s West End is largely thought to be the city’s cultural heartland

ABOVE: The Riverside Museum and Tall Ship Glenlee

20 Scotland

deemed necessary. Indeed, the staircase is so ostentatious that it often doubles for The Vatican on screen.

From the City Chambers, it’s an easy walk into the Merchant City, so called as it was here that the wealthy merchants known as ‘Tobacco Lords’ (who became rich off the back of the tobacco and slave trades) kept their warehouses, and occasionally their mansions.

The Gallery of Modern Art, for instance, is in the former home of one of those Tobacco Lords, William Cunninghame.

In truth, most people don’t actually make it inside the gallery, but come to snap a photo of the statue of the Duke of Wellington outside, which has been wearing a traffic cone on its head since the 1980s (the council have given up trying to remove it as it always ends up back there again) and is now such an emblem of the city’s anarchic side that it even features on postcards.

Those that do make it inside this free gallery can see works by emerging and famous artists, many of whom came out of the Glasgow School of Art, such as the New Glasgow Boys.

Of course, aside from its artistic output, the Glasgow School of Art is famous for being the alma mater of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who later won the commission to design an ornate building within the school, which had at its heart a beautiful wooden library. Many people consider it Mackintosh’s masterpiece.

Sadly, the building has been destroyed by not one, but two fires (the most recent one in 2018), and while the future of the building hangs in the balance, you can get your fix of Art Nouveau aesthetics at the Mackintosh at the Willow tearoom on Sauchiehall Street.

Originally designed for Mackintosh’s friend, Miss Cranston, who owned a couple of tearooms, taking afternoon tea here is a real treat, especially in the unapologetically posh Salon de Luxe. In this salubrious setting, as well as Mackintosh’s signature stained glass doors, there’s a gesso panel with the words “O ye, all ye that walk in Willowwood” (a quote taken from the Willowwood sonnets by Dante Gabriel Rossetti) hand-etched by Mackintosh’s wife, Margaret Macdonald, who was a talented artist in her own right.

Glasgow’s West End is largely thought to be the city’s cultural heartland, and you’ll probably want to jump on the Subway to get here. The main attraction is the Victorian red sandstone palace of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, built in the Spanish Baroque style in the late 19th century.

Inside, there is an impressive selection of works, from Dutch and Flemish Masters (including Van Gogh), as well as works by the Glasgow Boys, an 1885 piece by Mary Cassatt and Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John of the Cross.

On the museum side of things, the focus is on natural history and world culture, and one of the most beloved, yet sad exhibits is the stuffed elephant, St Roger, who still bears the bullet hole from when he was shot on the orders of the owner of Glasgow Zoo, and who has stood here for over 120 years.

While the art gallery and museum stand on one side of leafy Kelvingrove Park, piercing the sky on the other side is the spire of the University of Glasgow. Second in age to only St Andrew’s University, the building you see today, topped with crow-stepped gables and turrets, is not its original 15th-century home, but was designed in 1870 by Sir George Gilbert Scott (the same architect behind the Midland Grand Hotel by London’s St Pancras Station), though the spire was later added by his son, Sir John Oldrid Scott.

© MCATEER PHOTOGRAPH/GLASGOW LIFE

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| Glasgow LEFT: Pollok Country Park in Glasgow’s Southside BELOW LEFT: Part of the Burrell Collection, due to reopen at Bellahouston Park in March 2022

With fewer people, Glasgow’s Southside is home to its highest number of parks It’s widely rumoured that JK Rowling took inspiration for Hogwarts in her Harry Potter books from here. True or not, the building has certainly inspired others and its vaulted cloisters with fluted columns have featured in episodes of Outlander.

Set within the Gilbert Scott Building of the University of Glasgow is the Hunterian Museum – the slightly bizarre collections of 18th-century Glasgow physician and obstetrician, William Hunter. Items to look out for include the mummy of Lady Shep-en-hor, which is some 2,500 years old, and William Hunter’s own death mask.

Slightly less gory, across University Avenue but still within the main campus, is the Hunterian Gallery, where you can view the largest permanent display of Whistler paintings in the world, and (for a fee), a recreation of the nearby home of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald.

Still in the west but down by the river, the late Zaha Hadid’s Riverside Museum, with its jagged exterior a nod to the pleated sheds that lined the Clyde during its shipbuilding heyday, is worth a visit.

You can also step aboard The Tall Ship Glenlee, which is moored outside.

With so much to see and do on the north side of the river, it can be easy to forget about Glasgow’s Southside.

With fewer people, this part of Glasgow is home to its highest number of parks, which helped earn the city the nickname ‘dear green place’.

At Pollok Country Park, you can follow the walking trail past fields of Highland cows, while Pollok House was designed by one of Scotland’s foremost architects, William Adam, and displays paintings by some of Scotland’ most famous artists, including Raeburn and Guthrie.

Meanwhile, in Bellahouston Park they are gearing up for the reopening of the Burrell Collection in March 2022, following major restoration at a cost of £68.3 million, which is being viewed very much as a catalyst for Glasgow’s postCovid recovery. This personal collection of Chinese art, stained glass, tapestries, and fine art was originally gifted to the City of Glasgow by its owner William Burrell in 1944 and was called at the time “One of the greatest gifts ever made to any city in the world”.

One of its biggest showpieces is the Wagner Garden carpet, one of the three earliest surviving Persian garden carpets in the world, which will now be on permanent display.

Chief Executive of Glasgow Life, Dr Bridget McConnell, CBE, said: “Our vision for The Burrell Collection demonstrates the city’s ambition for it to become more widely appreciated and well known around the world and for Glasgow to retain its place as a global cultural leader.”

Something tells me Glasgow’s latest reinvention will be every bit as successful as its last. S

© GLASGOW LIFE/CSG CIC GLASGOW MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES COLLECTIONS

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historic houses

THIS IMAGE: The mesmerising Marble Hall at Mount Stuart incorporates 80 different marbles

24 Scotland

| Castle Stuart

Mount Stuart |

STATELY HOMES

Words by SALLY COFFEY

WRITTEN IN THE STARS A true visionary when it came to architecture, the 3rd Marquess of Bute’s most ambitious project was also his most personal

© VISIT SCOTLAND/KENNY LAM

T

he first thing you need to realise about Mount Stuart is that it’s not your standard stately home.

It’s grand, yes, and historic, certainly, and though there are plenty of original oil paintings and family crests, the sober atmosphere so often found in grand country houses is lacking – here it’s more one of amusement as you peruse the artefacts, at turns playful, sometimes even absurd.

But then, that was always sort of the plan wasn’t it? To create a lavish, charismatic and outrageous home, quite unlike anything anyone had seen before.

The house you see today combines two buildings. What is left of the rather more sensible Georgian property, which suffered a fire in 1877, and the extravagant palace that was built up around it and which may have grown to even bigger proportions if its enterprising owner had not run out of time (he died aged just 53). Running out of money wasn’t really an issue for John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, who was reportedly the richest man in the world and is now considered the biggest architectural patron of his time.

Crichton-Stuart was born rich (right here at Mount Stuart in 1847), inheriting the title Marquess of Bute, and all the

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stately homes

| Mount Stuart

enormous wealth that came with it, at just six months old.

The Crichton-Stuarts come from a line that can be traced back to the illegitimate son of King Robert II. Subsequent family members married well – among the most significant unions are that of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, Prime Minister under King George III, who married a wealthy heiress. Later, the 1st Marquess of Bute, married two heiresses, most notably his second wife, Frances Coutts of the banking dynasty.

However, it was the foresight of the 3rd Marquess’s own father, the 2nd Marquess of Bute, that really swelled the family’s fortunes. A businessman and industrialist, the 2nd Marquess put a lot of money and time into the development of Cardiff Docks as a major port – a gamble that paid off and resulted in the vast riches that his son inherited.

Prior to the 1877 fire, Mount Stuart was a relatively prim home, but still grand by most standards. Built in 1719, it was seven bays wide and had two-storey Palladian wings to either side and to the front of the house. Structurally, only the two Georgian wings could be saved, but thankfully most of the house’s contents survived the fire.

The 3rd Marquess had already commissioned a major restructure of the house, but two months after the fire, work began in earnest. The architect Robert Rowand Anderson,

The mosaic detailing on the east front of the house was inspired by St Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev 26 Scotland

CLOCKWISE, who trained in the office of George FROM ABOVE: Gilbert Scott, was tasked with The Marble turning Mount Stuart into an Staircase; the incredible neo-Gothic mansion, two styles of Mount Stuart; the using all the latest technologies. It Horoscope Room; was the first Scottish house to have the Dining Room electricity, and came with central heating, a lift and even an indoor swimming pool. The house was so impressive that it’s said Queen Victoria ordered that Balmoral be similarly wired up.

But it was the fusion of architectural styles that was really a departure from anything else. Take a walk around the outside of the house today and see the decorative arches and detailed sandstone carvings inspired by the 3rd Marquess’s travels – the mosaic detailing on the east front of the house is a homage to St Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev. These unmistakeably Victorian flourishes are tempered by the more conservative design of the wings either side, which having kept their white façade rather than the red of the rest of the building, provide quite the contrast.

This, of course, was not the first architectural project the 3rd Marquess had overseen, far from it. In his lifetime, the Marquess was involved in some 60 building projects, including Cardiff Castle, a project he had begun many years earlier to transform a “semi-reconstructed ruin” into a “Gothic feudal extravaganza”.

The Gothic revival and medieval architecture generally were of interest to the 3rd Marquess, but he had many other interests, which can be seen in Mount Stuart’s eclectic interiors.

© ALLAN WRIGHT/ALAMY/VISIT SCOTLAND/KENNY LAM

Castle Stuart | historic houses

Scotland 27

stately homes

| Mount Stuart The Marble Hall is a space that requires a sharp intake of breath.

Made up of 80 different marbles and soaring 80ft high, its level of detailed craftmanship is mesmerising.

The huge columns connected by arches that point to the star-studded celestial ceiling, is one clue to the Marquess’s fascination with astrology, but there’s more. The stained glass windows, each painted with a different sign of the Zodiac and with references to mythology (another of his interests), illuminate spectacularly; the room has been designed so that light hits certain spots at specific times of the day.

There are more astrology references upstairs in the Marquess’s private quarters. On the domed ceiling of what is known as the Horoscope Room, there is a map of the stars and the planets aligned exactly as they would have been at the time of his birth.

Connected to this room is a glass observatory, which once would have been a great place to watch the night sky. It was later used as an operating theatre when the house was requisitioned as a naval hospital during the First World War. The 3rd Marquess was also very interested in religion and was particularly drawn to Roman Catholicism. Indeed, it caused something of a public scandal when he became confirmed into the church by Pope Pius IX in Rome (rather than being a member of the Church of England).

The Marble Chapel, whose spire is the highest part of the house, acknowledges this connection. Weddings take place in the dazzling white church of all denominations, but its design, including the Cosmati flooring, is very much influenced by the architecture found in Catholic churches in Italy.

And then there is art, which was a crucial element to the house, long before the 3rd Marquess rebuilt it. Though the 3rd Marquess added comparatively little to the Bute Collection of art within the house, he nevertheless ensured it was on display.

Most of the family’s art collection, which includes many works by both Flemish and Dutch Masters, was amassed by the 3rd Earl of Bute in the 18th century, though his son, the 1st Marquess, catalogued much of it. Later, the 4th Marquess added to the collection, continuing the theme of Dutch masterpieces, but also acquiring some Tudor panel portraits.

The 4th Marquess also established the Edinburgh Tapestry Company (now Dovecote Studios) in 1912, employing master weavers Gordon Berry and John Glassbrook, who came from the workshops of William Morris. A tapestry, called Lord of the Hunt, begun by the pair and completed by their apprentices after they were both killed during the First World War, now hangs in the Marble Hall. Look closely and you can see their initials and dates of death woven into the lower border. The weaver’s bobbin and shears can also be seen, symbolically cutting the thread of life.

This commitment to art is upheld today, and a walk through the halls and many public rooms, show how successive owners have left their artistic mark.

In 2001, the Visual Arts Programme was set up to showcase the works of contemporary Scottish and international artists.

Exhibitions often flow through the house and grounds, sometimes deliberately jarring with the more traditional artworks. A juxtaposition of which the 3rd Marquess would undoubtedly approve. S

PLAN YOUR VISIT GETTING THERE Mount Stuart is on the Isle of Bute, one of the most accessible of all of Scotland’s islands. It can be reached in 90 minutes from Glasgow by car or train to the ferry port at Wemyss Bay, from where you take a 35-minute ferry ride over to Rothesay on the island. Taxis outside the ferry port will take you the 15-minute journey to Mount Stuart. calmac.co.uk

TICKETS The house and its extensive grounds are open from April to October each year. Tickets from £13 for an adult/£11 for concessions. mountstuart.com

STAY IN THE GROUNDS There are some beautiful and spacious self-catering properties within the grounds, from converted kennels to grand loch-side mansions, including one, Quien West, especially converted for wheelchair users. mountstuart.com/stay

28 Scotland

© KEITH HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY/MOUNT STUART TRUST/COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND PATRICIA FELMING GALLERY, GLASGOW

LEFT: Ilana Halperin’s exhibition is one of many modern art shows hosted at Mount Stuart

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Words by SALLY COFFEY

REWIND, REWILD As the world meets to discuss climate change at COP26 in Glasgow, we look at efforts taking place to restore Scotland to her natural state, so it can be enjoyed by future generations

30 Scotland

Rewilding |

ENVIRONMENT

LEFT: A stag at Alladale Wilderness Reserve THIS IMAGE: At Alladale 800,000 native trees have been replanted within the reserve

Y

ou may think of the Scotland as a place of large open landscapes, with hillsides freckled with purple heather and occasionally topped with dense banks of trees, but really, this vision is a creation, rather than what nature intended.

Scotland was once covered in a huge blanket of Caledonian forest that was home to birch, hazel, pine and oak trees, and though native trees can still be found in pockets of the country, they are far from what they were – according to NatureScot, Scotland’s Nature Agency, just 4 per cent of Scotland’s total land area is covered with native woodland.

The changing landscape is due to many factors: the farming practices of early agricultural settlers, the introduction of non-native plantations in the early 19th century, large-scale sheep farming, the popularity of gaming estates in the Victorian era, and, of course, the big industry of forestry.

And it’s not just the trees that have gone – much of Scotland’s native wildlife has departed too, which has upset the natural order of things. Man has hunted Scotland’s big

mammals – wolves, bears and lynx – to extinction, leaving no natural predator for the red and roe deer, which eat up the seedlings of new trees almost as quickly as they can be planted.

And it’s not just big mammals: numbers of birds, smaller mammals, and insects have dwindled as their habitats have been eradicated, upsetting the natural diversity. And so, if there is any chance of restoring ecosystems, concerted efforts on a large-scale are required.

In March 2021 the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, a coalition of over 20 organisations, called for the Scottish Government to set in motion plans to rewild 30 per cent of Scotland’s land and sea, as well as some of its towns and cities, by 2030, and urged the government to be brave and declare Scotland a ‘rewilding nation’.

While this may seem overly ambitious, it’s likely that campaigns like this will be bolstered following the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), which is taking

Scotland 31

| Rewilding

place in Glasgow this autumn. During the conference, leaders will no doubt discuss the global call to action outlined in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 paper, in which it calls the scale up of the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems as a “proven measure” in the fight against climate change.

But what exactly is rewilding and how can it benefit Scotland’s landscapes and ecosystems? While the term

‘rewilding’ may suggest a return to how things were before, this is only partly true. A large part of the ethos is to restore key elements of an ecosystem and then allow the natural processes to take over, making them self-sufficient if you like.

Across Scotland, there are many long-term restoration projects currently underway that aim to revive ecosystems, which will hopefully result in the return of native wildlife and fauna.

Cairngorms Connect, for example, is a 200-year plan shared by neighbouring land managers within the Cairngorms National Park to improve habitats – including woodland, blanket bogs and water courses – and ecological processes across a huge 60,000-hectare area. It is the biggest project of its kind in the UK. The Glenfeshie Estate, which is part of the program, has already done a huge amount of work to regenerate woodland, which experts say looks like it will be hard to reverse. The estate is now home to a large number of species of plants and wildlife, around 20 per cent of which are ‘nationally rare’ or ‘scarce’, including Scottish wildcats, pine martens, ospreys, black grouse and ptarmigan.

Visitors can stay in one of the cottages on the estate and go out with rangers to see first-hand the work that has been done, or join one of the Big Picture Rewilding Retreats with Wilderness Scotland (wildernessscotland.com), which includes a stay in the heart of one of Scotland’s most beautiful glens, which is gradually being returned to her natural beauty.

The next planned retreats take place in June or October 2022.

Another place where a long-term rewilding programme is underway is Alladale, a vast reserve in the Sutherland interior of the northwest Highlands, about an hour-and-ahalf northwest of Inverness.

Set across 23,000 acres of wilderness, the reserve was purchased by philanthropist Paul Lister in 2003. Since then he has been trying to undo some of the damage done to the glens and hillsides in the area over the centuries by replanting native trees – 800,000 and counting – and bringing back red squirrels.

Alladale also has a number of places to stay – including Deanich Lodge, which is surely one of the most remote places to stay in Scotland – and you can hike or take a ranger-led tour throughout the reserve, where, bit by bit, the landscape is being returned to how it once would have been.

For Paul Lister, one of the members of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, rewilding is a way of showing there are alternatives to the way land has been used and cultivated in Scotland for centuries, and he considers landscapes like his, where nature is being encouraged, as being in “recovery”.

Lister says: “What Alladale really does is show a different model to the Victorian model

The Glenfeshie Estate is now home to a huge number of species of plants and wildlife, around 20 per cent of which are ‘nationally rare’ or ‘scarce’ 32 Scotland

© PETER CAIRNS/2020VISION/NORTHSHOTS/MIKE UNWIN

environment

CLOCKWISE, FROM THIS IMAGE: A ptarmigan at Alladale Wilderness Reserve; Eagle’s Crag Cottage at Alladale; part of the Glenfeshie Estate; a pine marten at Alladale

Scotland 33

environment

| Rewilding

BELOW: Slackbrae self-catering cottage on the Brucefield Estate

that was established 150 years ago that is nowadays quite frankly not very productive. The model of hunting, shooting and fishing on our land of the last 150 years is not the model that is going to see us through the next 150 years.”

Instead, Lister hopes to provide a place where those curious about rewilding can come and hole up for a week or so and enjoy seeing nature thrive.

I visited Alladale in 2020 and found it to be an incredibly beautiful place, where wild ponies roam, Highland cattle drink from streams, and the hills, and lochs sing nature’s song.

PLAN YOUR VISIT ■ Alladale Wilderness Reserve has four private lodges to choose from: all are set within incredible scenery, while only one is self-catered. alladale.com ■ There are two self-catering cottages and a mountain lodge, which sleeps up to 12 people, available to book on the Glenfeshie Estate. glenfeshie.scot ■ From luxury yurts and glamping huts to the main house, the Bamff Estate offers several options. bamff.co.uk ■ Groups of up to four can stay on the Brucefield Estate at Slackbrae cottage, which has been fully renovated to withstand the harshest of winters. brucefieldestate.scot

34 Scotland

Among its many conservation projects, Alladale has been active in the recovery of the threatened Scottish wildcat by joining a captive breeding project in partnership with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and Saving Wildcats (see page 36). Lister also hopes one day to return wolves to the reserve, though he says it will be as part of a much larger fenced reserve.

One rewilding project that has been going on a little longer than most is at Bamff, in northeast Perthshire, where a reintroduction of beavers programme – they were considered extinct in the UK by the 16th century – has been so successful since launching in 2002, that it contributed to the animal being reclassed as a native British species in 2016.

Visitors can stay on the estate, and as well as see the creatures themselves, you can learn about the impact the animals have had on the local ditches, which the beavers have converted into ponds using a series of dams that in turn have benefited otters, water voles, herons, ducks, and much more wildlife.

Buoyed on by the project, the Ramsay family who run the estate now plan to rewild a further 450 acres of fields and woods on the estate.

At the Brucefield Estate, meanwhile, they’re not rewilding so much as regenerating and protecting what they have. Brucefield is a largely untouched country estate with a rich landscape of architectural history and unique ancestry dating back 700 years. Since returning home in 2012, owner and biologist Victoria Bruce-Winkler, 9th Lady Balfour of Burleigh, has been passionate about regenerating the 420-hectare family estate.

Having instigated a 10-year wildlife plan that includes monitoring and managing the estate’s rich habitats, including woodlands with ancient Scots pine, meadows and a lowland heath, which is a Natural Scotland site of special scientific interest, Bruce-Winkler is now ready to welcome guests onto the estate with a stay at Slackbrae, a former forester’s cottage, which has been sustainably restored to provide low-energy self-catering stays.

Victoria says: “We have been working tirelessly with ecologists and conservationists for the last 10 years to preserve the unique heritage of the estate. Our vision is to create an estate where people can come and relax, explore the heritage of the estate and surround themselves with nature.” S

© BRENDAN MACNEILL

At Alladale, wild ponies roam, Highland cattle drink from pure streams, and the hills, lochs and rivers seem to sing nature’s song

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T Clinging by a Words by JANICE HOPPER

CLAW Will a large-scale project that aims to release Scottish wildcats into the Cairngorms save this struggling species?

36 Scotland

he Scottish wildcat is a highly elusive creature that not only holds a valued place in the forests and hills of Scotland, but also within the nation’s history and heritage.

The Scottish wildcat is part of the country’s clan culture, with wildcats standing as emblems for Clan Chattan and Clan Macpherson.

The ‘Highland Tiger’ is a handsome beast with its thick bushy ringed tail and large size — a wildcat is roughly 1.5 times bigger than a domestic moggy — but this sleek creature is on the brink of extinction.

Although the Scottish wildcat has been protected by law since 1988 (making it illegal to kill or disturb a wildcat) such steps didn’t go far enough to protect the animal’s precious gene pool. As recently as 2019 the International Union for Conservation of Nature issued a gamechanging report concluding that there was no longer a viable wildcat population living wild in Scotland. Strenuous and immediate intervention was required, or the prospect of the wildcat being consigned to the history books would become an irreversible reality.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) says: “Once widespread throughout Britain, the UK’s wildcat population has rapidly declined since the 1800s and there is now estimated to be as few as

Scottish wildcats |

© WALKER ANGELL, JR

Strenuous and immediate intervention was required, or the prospect of the wildcat being consigned to the history books would become an irreversible reality

ABOVE: A wildcat at Alladale Wilderness Reserve near Ardgay in Sutherland

rewilding

30-40 individuals in the wild. Interbreeding with domestic cats is recognised as the leading cause of this decline, along with habitat loss and persecution. Although there may be some wild living wildcats in Scotland, there are too few of them and hybridisation is too far advanced for them to form a self-sustaining population.”

Urgent action swiftly came into play. A European partnership project dedicated to Scottish wildcat conservation and recovery called ‘Saving Wildcats’ established Britain’s first large-scale dedicated conservation ‘breeding for release’ centre. This complex collaboration brought together NatureScot, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Forestry and Land Scotland, as well as European partners including Nordens Ark from Sweden, and Spain’s Junta De Andalucía that spearheaded the recovery campaign of the Iberian lynx.

In 2020 the Saving Wildcats partnership’s ‘breeding for release’ centre became a reality. Located in a quiet area of the RZSS’s Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore, it brought together wildcat experts, a specialist veterinary unit and a pre-release training programme to prepare the animals for life in Scotland’s wilderness.

The RZSS describes the centre as: “roughly 6 hectares, filled with dense foliage, including trees and shrubs, along with platforms, walkways and dens. It’s designed to ensure the wildcats have plenty of opportunities to display natural behaviours.”

While set at the popular tourist attraction of the Highland Wildlife Park, the breed and release centre is off limits to the public to avoid contamination and health risks, disruption to the team and the animals, and a key focus is limiting human contact to avoid domestication.

RZSS says: “These enclosures are complex and enriching areas for the wildcats, and are managed in a way that supports our objective of preparing wildcats suitable for release by developing their natural behaviours and reducing their habituation to human presence.” The wildness of these wildcats is to be protected and encouraged at all costs.

In March 2021 the first cat was introduced, a kitten called Nell, originally from the Alladale Wilderness Reserve near Ardgay in Sutherland. Today six cats inhabit the centre, unknowingly carrying the future of the species on their furry shoulders.

In June 2021, Nell was joined by Droma, a one-year-old female from a private collection, and Embo, a two-year-old male, arrived from The Wildwood Trust in Kent. In late summer two further one-year-old cats, Fruin and Cranachan, arrived from Camperdown Wildlife Centre in Dundee, and Chester Zoo sent three-year-old Margaret. Over 30 zoos, wildlife parks and private collections are members of the current wildcat breeding programme, and kittens born into this programme are all potential candidates for the breed and release project in Scotland.

The RZSS is expecting more cats to arrive from other collections in the upcoming months, and construction of new pre-release enclosures has begun. Following 2022’s breeding season, young wildcats will move into these specially built enclosures for the final training that will prepare them for life in the wild. Here, human contact is virtually off limits, and CCTV monitoring will record the cat’s behaviour and training during in its final months of captivity.

The Saving Wildcats project aims to annually release 20 wildcats from 2023 onwards, potentially within the Cairngorms National Park.

Each animal will wear a GPS collar so their movements and behaviour can be recorded and analysed. Described as ‘Britain’s rarest mammal’, the ‘Highland Tiger’ is slowly padding the long road to recovery. S Follow updates at facebook.com/SaveOurWildcats

Scotland 37

travel

| Outlander adventures

38 Scotland

Outlander adventures |

travel

IN ON THE

action Ahead of the release of the sixth series of Outlander, here’s how you can have your own adventure in some of the show’s key locations

THIS IMAGE: Culross village in Fife, which poses as Cranesmuir in Outlander INSET: Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan, with Claire Randall, played by Caitriona Balfe, in Outlander

Scotland 39

© VISIT SCOTLAND/KENNY LAM/STARZ ENTERTAINMENT, LLC/ROBERT WILSON

Words by ROBIN MCKELVIE

travel

| Outlander adventures

Outlander Series 6

T

ouring Scotland on a bus, peering out the window at those spectacular locations you’ve already fallen in love with from the time-travelling historical TV romance Outlander, is a glorious experience.

But how about actually immersing yourself in the locations and landscapes, and taking centre stage on a hike, cycle ride or boat cruise around the show’s most spectacular locations?

will be released

by Starz in early 2022

A real-life Scotsman leads the way on Outlander-themed hiking. The John Muir Way honours the man who had a pivotal role in setting up America’s national parks. In the Lothians you can take in a trio of the most famous Outlander settings along this walking route First up on Edinburgh’s fringes is Hopetoun House.

Outlander fans will recognise it as the Duke of Sandringham’s home. The Red Drawing Room stars in the show, as does the West Lawn, in the scene of the duel involving Sandringham and the MacDonald clan.

Enjoy afternoon tea in the Stables Tearoom, which doubles as France in Series Two. And, of course, on the Hopetoun Estate you’ll discover Midhope Castle – Jamie’s home of Lallybroch.

The John Muir Way pushes west to Blackness Castle, a striking fortress on the banks of the Firth of Forth, the rugged backdrop for numerous scenes, including Jamie’s brutal flogging. Finally, there is Linlithgow Palace, a Stuart stronghold where Mary, Queen of Scots was born. In Outlander, it’s baleful Wentworth Prison, scene of ‘Black Jack’ Randall’s excruciating degradation of Jamie. johnmuirway.org

40 Scotland

© VISIT SCOTLAND/KENNY LAM/NATALIYA HORA/JOHN CARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY

THE OUTLANDER WAY

CLOCKWISE, FROM THIS IMAGE: Hopetoun House in South Queensferry; Doune Castle, near Stirling; Blackness Castle, near Linlithgow

Outlander adventures |

travel

CRUISE OR CHOO CHOOS Crave a more sedentary experience?

Hop on the Forth Belle (they run a transfer from Edinburgh) and cruise your way to Blackness Castle, enjoying afternoon tea, as well as views of the world-famous trio of Forth Bridges.

From the water you’ll realise how dangerous it would have been in ‘The Reckoning’ for Jamie and Clare to leap into the water to escape. Or take a trip on one of the steam trains run by the volunteers at the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway (their station is just a few miles to the west). You can conjure up Frank and Claire living out their World War Two ‘London’ drama on the steam-filled platform. forthtours.com; bkrailway.co.uk

FREE-WHEELING THE FORTH On to two wheels now on the Sustrans ‘Round the Forth’ cycle route. The highlight is Culross, also the start of the Fife Coastal Path. This postcard-perfect heritage village is Cranesmuir in Outlander due to its rich treasure of 16thand 17th-century buildings. Wandering around feels like

you’re in the midst of Outlander filming. Claire works in the herb garden at Culross Palace. On the south side of the Forth you can dip into the green country parks of Beecraigs and Muiravonside, which both appear in Outlander. sustrans.org.uk/find-other-routes/round-the-forth

FEEL THE WIND IN YOUR HAIR Heading north towards the Highlands, why not follow in the tyre tracks of Frank and Claire, hiring a classic car to tour

Scotland 41

| Outlander adventures

the sites? McKinlay Kidd offers a range. Gun your way to Castle Leoch (Doune Castle), seat of Outlander’s Clan MacKenzie, then head north in search of the mysterious Craigh na Dun standing circle that first spiralled our heroine through time back to 1743. Of course, the ‘stones’ were just erected for filming, but the setting in Kinloch Rannoch is unmistakable; deeply dramatic too, with Highland hills brooding all around.

If you want more time in Highland Perthshire, stay at the Dunalastair Hotel Suites and get the hotel to organise an intimate guided four-seater car tour with Highland Travel on an Outlander theme. Some of the cast stayed here during filming, so you might glean a nugget of insider gossip. mckinlaykidd.com/classic-and-sports-car-touring; dunalastairhotel.com; highland-travel.co.uk

TIME TRAVEL YOURSELF Deeper into the Highlands, the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore lets you wander through a replica settlement of old croft houses. You half expect kilt-clad Highlanders to vault around the corner chasing British ‘Redcoat’ soldiers.

The village really offers a poignant insight into the epochal period of Scottish history that Outlander explores so vividly.

LEFT: Malva Christie (Jessica Reynolds), Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones), and Allan Christie (Alexander Vlahos) in the all-new Outlander BELOW: The Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore

The Highland historical vibe reaches its zenith with the pivotal action of the early series when Jamie and ‘Black Jack’ Randall finally fight to the death on Culloden Moor as the battle that changed the world of the Highlanders forever rages. Walking across the moor is an experience so much richer than just peering out from the museum or a bus.

Indeed, the more you put into your Outlander explorations, the closer you get to both Diana Gabaldon’s stories and the history behind them. highlifehighland.com/highlandfolkmuseum; nts.org.uk/visit/places/culloden

Want to know where you can see a unicorn in Scotland or come face-to-face with a selkie? Let us lead the way…

42 Scotland

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44 Scotland

King James III | LEFT: James III by unknown artist, after 1578 RIGHT: A coin dating from 1484-88 depicts James III, King of Scotland 1460-88

© ANTONIA REEVE/NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND/GRANGER HISTORICAL PICTURE ARCHIVE/ALAMY

Words by KIRSTEN HENTON

THE UNPOPULAR KING Considered a failure by many, could James III be credited at least with bringing Scotland into the Renaissance age?

H

istory does not remember King James III fondly.

A pious, recluse of a man who was often poorly counselled and cursed with his own similarly poor judgement, he provoked the nobility, fell out with his family, and exhibited an apparent disinterest in goings-on outside of Edinburgh and Stirling.

He was said to be, almost obsessively, engaged in foreign politics, especially yo-yoing relations with England. He held grand ideas of empire building in continental Europe along with a distasteful habit of aggrandizing himself.

Yet, some suggest that James III’s self-belief in his authority, interest in foreign affairs and patronage of artistic endeavours mark him out as Scotland’s first Renaissance monarch. How valid is this argument? To answer, we need to understand the world in which James III sat on Scotland’s throne.

ARISE, KING JAMES III When James II was killed by a rogue exploding cannon during his siege of Roxburgh Castle on 3 August 1460, his eldest son James, aged just eight, was thrust from his life as a young prince into a coronation at Kelso Abbey within days.

James III’s rule started strongly. There was no immediate opposition and little diversion from his father’s policies, with many of the same people remaining in positions of state. His mother, Mary of Guelders, acted as a skilled regent until her death in 1463 when James fell victim to rival nobles clambering for influence over the young king.

It wasn’t until 1469 that the 17-year-old King James III was able to shake off self-serving guardianships and take full control of his government and country.

James quickly gained a bit of an image problem,

HISTORY

history

| King James III

The perception of James III as a tyrannical king was fuelled by rumours that he murdered one of his brothers and poisoned his wife

While James was busy offending his nobles, the Renaissance was sweeping Europe. A cultural rebirth, it was a conscious shift away from the darker period of the Middle Ages. Greek and Roman philosophies were revived, and education was encouraged.

The notion of humanism – putting man as opposed to God at the centre, spread through literature, art, and new ways of thinking. There was increased interaction between nations as exploration stimulated trade, as well as flourishing political, economic, and scientific ideas.

While the Renaissance proper began in Florence in the 14th century, Turpie points out that it was the slightly later Northern Renaissance in France and the Low Countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg that most affected Scotland.

He says, in Scotland “forms of art, literature and architecture” were “more directly impacted by the ‘Northern Renaissance’ than the Italian Renaissance for reasons of geography, trade and political connections.”

TRAITS OF A RENAISSANCE MONARCH Every self-respecting Renaissance monarch indulged in the romantic side of the movement; the patronage of art, music, architecture, and literature by the royal court was a vital

46 Scotland

HOW RENAISSANCE WAS JAMES III? At first glance, James could be credited with some of the above. As Turpie says, “James was certainly interested in new forms of art (he commissioned portraits and religious art), religious expression (he founded a new chapel at Restalrig) and architecture (in particular, at Linlithgow Palace).”

However, as Dr Norman Macdougall writes in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, these were “hardly lavish”

by Renaissance standards and James did not establish a dazzlingly opulent Renaissance-style court.

The 16th-century Scottish chronicler Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie may have written that James “delyttit mair in singing and in playing upon instrumentis nor he did in defence of the bordouris or in the ministratioun of justice” but Macdougall argues that this source, which came years after James’s death, is more of a comment on the king’s tendency to isolate himself instead of dealing with matters of state.

James also enacted an unpopular policy to raise money, whereby he granted remissions for crimes for a price, undermining the entire justice system. What’s more, far from centralising the courts, as James rarely left Edinburgh, local issues in other parts of Scotland that should have been resolved at justice ayres – local courts typically presided over by the king – were left unsettled and, in some cases, created long running feuds. Neither of these actions could be considered particularly Renaissance-like.

Meanwhile, the addition of a crown to his personal coat of arms shows James stamping his authority. Historically, Scottish kings had recognised the religious authority of the Pope and (in theory) political authority of the Holy Roman Emperors, whereas this slight change, as Turpie states, “signalled that [James] considered himself the sole authority in his kingdom.”

© SARAH HICKSON/KAY ROXBY/ALAMY

THE RENAISSANCE IN SCOTLAND

component. However, a true Renaissance monarch expressed interest in other traits of the trend as well.

These tended to include the swing towards an autocratic style of rule by centralising power, relying more on personal authority and less on parliament, while also centralising the judiciary and court system.

Renaissance monarchs typically pursued the latest developments in military technology, notably artillery and ships that could both defend and extend territory, necessary for any ambitious outward-looking ruler.

© GRANGER HISTORICAL PICTURE ARCHIVE/CHRONICLE/ALAN MORRIS/ALAMY

however. He rarely travelled far from Edinburgh so was not a visible ruler across Scotland. He doled out sought-after positions within the government to his favourite courtiers, much to the frustration of the nobles.

The perception of him as a tyrannical king was fuelled by (unfounded) rumours that he not only had one of his two brothers murdered in prison, but later poisoned his own wife.

It’s been said he, at best, mismanaged, if not embezzled, the kingdom’s finances and neglected political and economic issues in favour of fanatically pursuing alliances with England. Many in Scotland came to disapprove of James’s rule and, even today, he is “generally viewed as an unsuccessful monarch in everything he did,” according to Dr Tom Turpie of the University of Stirling.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP RIGHT: King James III’s wife, Margaret of Denmark; the nave of St Magnus Cathedral in the Orkney Isles, an archipelago annexed by the king; James III with his son (later James IV)

Scotland 47

history

| King James III

© IULMUS MEDIA/SHUTTERSTOCK

THIS IMAGE: Both James III and James IV made significant additions to Linlithgow Palace, just west of Edinburgh

As far as satisfying his territorial ambitions, James III had both won and lost. He may have gained the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland through his marriage to Margaret of Denmark in 1469, but, along with many failed attempts at expanding Scotland’s borders, he was the king who lost Berwick-upon-Tweed for the final time to England in 1482.

Turpie concludes that while James III was “clearly interested in new forms of art, literature, architecture and the political potential” of Renaissance thinking, it’s “probably an exaggeration” to call him Scotland’s first Renaissance monarch.

In fact, it is probably fairer to say that his son, James IV, was the real titleholder. “James IV ticks all the boxes,” says Turpie. “He also behaved more like a ‘Renaissance king’ in terms of centralising power, the law and paying for new forms of military technology.”

“James IV behaved more like a Renaissance king; centralising power, the law and paying for new military technology” 48 Scotland

A TEMPLATE ‘BAD’ KING’?

There are many reasons the image of James III as, what Turpie calls, a “template ‘bad king’, who showed all the negative traits of the Stewart dynasty – greed, cruelty and arrogance in foreign policy” persists.

But there are aspects of James’s character that deserve to be highlighted. He may not have been a radical Renaissance monarch, but he was a devout man, something that could pass as a motive for his inclination towards religious art, architecture, and practices. Indeed, if court gossip is believed, it was said he had no illegitimate children and only one possible mistress – positively restrained for a king of his day.

A POSITIVE SPIN The Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488 was James’s final act. Yet another feud in a series of rebellions by enraged nobles, the king’s opposition was supported by his 15-year-old son and would-be-king, James, who had become the nobles’ figurehead. It was here that James III was fatally wounded and died, aged just 36 (or 37).

Perhaps a generous way of viewing James III’s contribution to the Renaissance is that, in death, he enabled his son, James IV, to accede to the throne trouble-free, which opened the flood gates to the first genuine wave of the Renaissance in Scotland. S

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MADE IN SCOTLAND

| Whisky

NO STANDING STILL Without stills there would be no whisky, and the company that makes them has had to adapt to the times Words by JOHN LAMOND

TOP RIGHT: Copper stills at The Borders Distillery, the first Scotch whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837 BELOW: Bunnahabhain Aonadh

TASTING NOTES ■ The second in Fettercairn’s Collection, Warehouse 2 Batch No.002 is bottled from a selection of first fill ex-American Rye and first fill ex-Bourbon barrels.

Distilled in 2009 and limited to 6,000 bottles, its nose is quite full with notes of honeyed apple and allspice; with water, sweet, sugared confections leap out with new tanned leather. The flavour is quite full-bodied, rich, and medium-dry with buttered gingerbread, lemon zest and espresso coffee finishing long and gently spicy with the coffee notes continuing on the tail.

48.5% abv, it retails for £55 (US$75). fettercairnwhisky.com ■ Bunnahabhain Aonadh is a limited edition from the distillery, ideal for Christmas gifting. Distilled in 2011, the spirit was matured in sherry butts and then finished in port pipes. Bottled at 10 years old and 56.2% abv, the nose is instantly fruity with rich dates, red berries, and a little vanilla oak; water releases caramel. The flavour is more of forest fruits with gentle cinnamon spice and some salty nuts finishing long, with dark chocolate, a touch of coffee and spicy black pepper. Price £120 (US$170). bunnahabhain.com

50 Scotland

servicing and repair. This was fortunate as the whisky industry fell into recession from 1978 and many distilleries were mothballed for much of the 1980s.

The current worldwide expansion of the distilling industry has seen Forsyths supply stills to whisky distillers in Japan, Korea, Canada, and Australia, as well as to rum distillers in the Caribbean and tequila distillers in Mexico. It even shipped a complete whisky distillery to China earlier this year.

Demand for Forsyths’ stills is so great that there is currently a two-year waiting list for new customers.

Many years ago, I was sent a sales brochure from a stillmaker in New Zealand. The company was offering stills for home distillers, manufactured from stainless steel or aluminium, as well as from copper.

Copper is malleable and can be relatively easily shaped. It also cleanses the spirit. Stainless steel causes the spirit to turn black, while copper keeps it clear. Plus, copper is resilient and copper spirit stills can last up to 25 years.

The copper starts at 4mm thick and, over time, becomes thinner. Forsyths’ staff travel around checking stills with an ultrasonic meter. If the still becomes too thin, the vacuum, which has been created by the boiling off of the liquid contents causes the still to implode. This ongoing maintenance of the world’s distilleries is a major part of Forsyths’ business and, as happened in the 1980s, the company has again been fortunate as we see the oil and gas industries struggling, while the predictions are that worldwide whisky sales will continue to grow considerably in the next 10 years. S A Master of Malt, John Lamond is one of the world’s leading authorities on whisky and author of The Malt Whisky File, The Whisky Connoisseur’s Companion and Le Snob: Whisky.

© VISITSCOTLAND/PRIMAGING

A

t the heart of every Scotch whisky distillery lie the still(s). And, yes, some distillers have started out with only one still, which they used for both distillations. Stills are made of copper and are either onion-shaped kettles within which the wash is boiled up and evaporated, or (very) large continuous groupings of pipes and plates that deliver a similar result. In malt whisky distilleries, these onion shapes vary enormously in size and shape, which defines the flavour pouring out of them.

Forsyths in Rothes is the world’s pre-eminent still-maker. The business was started in the mid-1900s and bought by Robert Willison in 1882. Alexander Forsyth started his apprenticeship as a coppersmith in the 1890s and served as a tradesman and then foreman until 1933 when he bought the business from the soon to retire Willison.

The purchase saw the birth of A. Forsyth and Son. At that time, stills were riveted and, when the son Ernest (better known as ‘Toot’) returned from the First World War, he introduced the technique of welding the plates of copper together, something that was greatly resisted by many distillers as they believed that such a change would alter the quality of their spirit.

In the mid-1970s, the business diversified into fabrication of equipment for the offshore oil and gas and the pharmaceutical industries, as well as construction and vehicle

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heraldry

| Robert Burns

BURNS HERALDED Robert Burns wanted his own Coat of Arms so much, he planned out each detail. Now, 225 years after his death, his wish has come true

P

oet, writer, clairvoyant? Perhaps Robert Burns could foresee his future legacy and know that one day, his fame and significance in the hearts of Scotland would far outreach the achievements of his lifetime, or maybe, he was just a wishful thinker.

Either way, when he wrote to Alexander Cunningham on 3 March 1794, detailing how he would like his Coat of Arms to appear, he was very specific: “I am a bit of a herald, and shall give you, secundum artem, my arms: On a field azure a holly-bushseeded, proper; in base a shepherd’s pipe and crook saltier-wise, also proper, in chief.

“On a wreath of the colours a woodlark perching on a sprig of bay-tree, proper, for crest. Two mottoes-round the top of the crest, ‘Wood-notes wild’; at the bottom of the shield, in the usual place, ‘Better a wee bush-than nae bield.’

“By the shepherd’s pipe and crook, I do not mean the nonsense of painters of Arcadia, but a stock and horn and a Club, such as you see at the head of Allan Ramsay in Allan’s quarto edition of the Gentle Shepherd.”

Sadly, in his lifetime, Burns never received his achievement, but now an official Coat of Arms has been granted, exactly as Burns envisaged it, with a few other elements added that show how his status has grown posthumously.

The Coat of Arms is the result of a petition by the Robert Burns World Federation (RBWF), an international literary society, and it is the only official Burns Coat of Arms in the world granted to the Bard himself, ensuring he is now legally seen as an honourable gentleman in the Kingdom of Scotland.

The petition was first made in May 2021, shortly after the Lord Lyon, Dr Joseph J Morrow, hosted a lecture over Zoom for the Greenock Burns Club – the oldest Burns’ club in the world – which was attended by the RBWF’s then president Marc Sherland and senior vice president Henry Cairney, as well as the junior vice president at the time – Alan Beck.

Beck, now senior vice president, under Henry Cairney as the current president of RBWF, recalls: “It would be fair to say that Dr Morrow, himself a fervent Burnsian, dropped quite a few hints about the sad fact that not only had Burns died before he could petition the Lyon Court for a Grant of Arms, but also that no one had petitioned posthumously on his behalf.”

A crowd-funding campaign was launched across Burns

52 Scotland

© ROBERT BURNS WORLD FEDERATION

clubs and, remarkably, by September the Lord Lyon was ready to Grant the Arms to the RBWF, which now owns them. As you can see from the image, the Arms have been granted as per Burns request, with a few additional things, which are only usually assigned to very significant people, such as a peer of the realm or a Knight of the Thistle, but which the Lord Lyon can grant at his discretion.

Firstly, there are the two supporters, which are usually reserved for nobility. On the left as you look at it is a border collie – Burns had a dog like this called Luath – while on the right the supporter is an old grey mare, a reference to the horse in Tam O’ Shanter.

On top of the compartment (the design in heraldry placed under a shield) is an old brig (Brig o’ Doon) and beneath it “banks and braes”. On the banks there are “red, red roses” and more than one “mountain daisy”. To the right, nestled in a flower, is a wee “mousie”.

ABOVE: The Robert Burns Coat of Arms LEFT: (Left to right) Marc R Sherland, past president of the RBWF; Neil McNair, junior vice president; Col Peter McCarthy, Lord Lieutenant of Renfrewshire; Henry Cairney, president; Dr Joseph J Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms; Alan Beck, senior vice president

And then there are the flags, another detail only normally granted to the highest figures in Scotland. On the left, there is the St Andrews Saltire, which is the national flag of Scotland, and on the right, the flag of Robert Burns himself.

Henry Cairney, current president of the RBWF, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been the RBWF president who accepted this magnificent Coat of Arms on behalf of Robert Burns. Burns’ works and influence extend, ‘the world o’er’ and it is the express remit of this organisation to cherish and promote those works, the poet’s life and his honour. The Lord Lyon has indeed honoured Burns’ immortal memory with this wonderful work of art and legal document, and Burnsians from Dundee to Dunedin will be joyful about this, as am I.” The RBWF meets annually and has done every year since 1885. In 2022, the event will be held in Calgary, Canada. S To find out more or to order a copy of the Arms, go to rbwf.org.uk

Scotland 53

traditions

| Burns Supper

LET THEM EAT HAGGIS The past president of the Robert Burns World Federation, Marc R Sherland, tells us how to host the perfect Burns Supper

54 Scotland

Burns Supper |

traditions

I

t is said that the few who first sat down to have a meal in Burns Cottage, Alloway, in 1801, did so because they missed their friend, Robert Burns, so much after he died in 1796.

On the anniversary of his death on 21 July they held the first commemoration organised by the Rev Hamilton Paul.

I’ve often tried to imagine what that would be like: to be so admired as to inspire that kind of following, after death.

At that first meal, haggis and sheep’s head was on the platter. The principle had been established and the very next year the newly formed Greenock Burns Club (founded in 1801) held its own Burns Supper, moving it from the summer and placing it on what it thought was the anniversary of Robert Burns birth on 29 January 1802. It was a few years before parish records proved that his actual date of birth was 25 January.

In those days, when the Church still held sway, the meal would always start with the saying of Grace, often the Selkirk Grace, known to have been used by Burns, though he did not write it. Interestingly, Robert did compose several Graces to be used before and after a meal and these days sometimes these are an alternative.

So, what makes a decent Burns Supper? It’s a recipe that can be added to or subtracted from, but the basics are as follows:

1 2 3

Take a good company of people who get along, or who promise to for as long as the meal lasts.

Appoint a person who will chair the proceedings and ensure the smooth running of the event.

Capture and cook a well-fed haggis and bring it into the room for a good reciter to perform the ‘Address to a Haggis’.

Usually, this is undertaken with great solemnity with music leading a procession of haggis on a platter, a piper playing appropriate tunes and the cook who has undertaken the preparation of the beast for slaughter. (Please don’t microwave a whole haggis, as when stabbed it will likely explode.)

4 5

Serve a simple fare of mashed potato and turnip alongside the haggis.

Some Burns Suppers start with soup, often a cock-a-leekie soup, complete with prunes, though a good Scots broth is often substituted.

THIS IMAGE: The ‘Address to a Haggis’ should be performed with great solemnity

© VISIT SCOTLAND/KENNY LAM

6

There are usually two key speeches at every Burns Supper; the Immortal Memory and the Toast to the Lasses and its Reply. The former is the most important and should praise and explore some aspect of the life and work of Robert Burns; this can also explore his frailties and occasional bad behaviour, but it should be nuanced, and fair handed. The Toast to the Lassies is a tribute to the female of the species, but can be delivered in part as tongue in cheek. The Reply from the Lassies usually gives menfolk a well-deserved roasting, as it should. After each toast there should be the lifting of a glass in tribute to the subject of the toast.

7

Some form of after-dinner entertainment is usual, with recitals of Burns poems, Scots songs and sometimes dancing and drinking on the menu.

Scotland 55

ancestry

| Scottish Covenanters

IN SEARCH OF DISSENTERS If your ancestor broke away from the Kirk, then you may have to dig a little deeper to find their records

A

lthough the state-based Church of Scotland (‘the Kirk’) was established at the Reformation in 1560, it has had a tortuous history. Over the last four centuries there have been many doctrinal based splits from the body, leading to the creation of smaller, equally Presbyterian, denominations.

Between 1560 and 1690, the greatest threat to the Kirk’s cohesion was the issue of episcopacy, the rule of bishops.

The Presbyterian notion of church governance was entirely democratic, with congregations calling their own ministers and electing elders to serve their needs. In the aftermath of the Union of the Crowns in 1603, the Stuart monarchs, King James VI and his successor King Charles I, were in favour of imposing a more Anglican style of governance, as found in England; here the head of the Church was the monarch, who controlled the national flock through a system of archbishops and bishops. It was the diametric opposite of the Presbyterian system.

In 1638 a National Covenant was signed by Scottish nobles and lay people supporting Presbyterianism, with these ‘Covenanters’ challenging the episcopal desires of Charles I, leading to the Bishops Wars and the Wars of Three Kingdoms – the outcome was an English Commonwealth and the separation of Charles I’s head from his body.

After the Restoration of Charles II to the English throne in 1660, the Presbyterian form of governance was targeted by the Crown, and episcopacy imposed. Congregations that refused to renounce the Covenant were persecuted and forced to meet in secret outdoor ‘conventicles’; those found preaching in such a manner could be executed. Following the Sanquhar Declaration of 1680, which renounced allegiance

The issue of episcopacy was finally defeated by the Glorious Revolution

56 Scotland

to any monarch, a wing of the Covenanters called the Cameronians, led by Richard Cameron, resisted militarily, leading to open warfare and the ‘Killing Time’ of the 1680s.

The issue of episcopacy was finally defeated by the Glorious Revolution, with Presbyterianism restored in 1689 as the form of the Scottish church. The hard line Cameronians refused to join the settlement and created the Reformed Presbyterian Church, while the wing of the Kirk in favour of episcopacy split away to become the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Following the Act of Union of 1707, many landowners wished to have a say in which ministers might be appointed to churches on their patch. The 1712 Patronage Act enabled this, leading to further schisms from dissenters, with the Original Secession Church formed in 1740, and the Relief Church in 1761. The issue lingered for a century, with the biggest split occurring in 1843, when a third of the Kirk’s members walked away to form the Free Presbyterian Church.

It would not be until 1929 that most of these bodies re-joined the main Kirk, although some denominations and congregations remained independent.

For family historians, the parish records of some of these dissenting congregations can be found on ScotlandsPeople (scotlandspeople.gov.uk) in the ‘Other Records’ category, whilst others are found at the National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk), local archives, or in private hands.

Records from the Scottish Episcopal Church (scotland. anglican.org) are held across the country, with large collections in Aberdeen, Dundee, and St. Andrew’s. S Chris Paton runs the Scotland’s Greatest Story service (scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk) and is author of ‘Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records’ and ‘Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet’. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies from the University of Strathclyde, and blogs at scottishgenes.blogspot.com

© PUBLIC DOMAIN SOURCED/ACCESS RIGHTS FROM LAKEVIEW IMAGES/ALAMY

Words by CHRIS PATON

THERE’S A LOT GOING ON AT LOCHTER…

LOCHTER

ACTIVITY CENTRE

THE ROBERT BURNS SOCIETY OF CHARLESTON PRESENTS THE FOLLOWING 5 November 2021

The Charleston Tartan Gala

Regimental Pipes and Drums, the Citadel * Cocktails and Clarsach * Dance * Haggis Ceremony * Plated Dinner� Laura Albert’s Tasteful Options� Daniel Island * Charleston, SC� Black Tie, Highland Evening Dress, Mess Dress�

29 April 2022

The National Tartan Day Dinner

Regimental Pipes and Drums, the Citadel * Cocktails and Clarsach * � Haggis Ceremony * Plated Dinner� Charleston, SC� Black Tie, Highland Evening Dress, Mess Dress�

30 April 2022

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Scotland 57

Words and photos JEREMY FLINT

PLAID IT SAFE Considered an at-risk craft, one company is doing all it can to inspire and train the next generation of kiltmakers

58 Scotland

Meet a kiltmaker |

scottish crafts

THIS IMAGE: Rose Ellis, a graduate of Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy, working on a Gordon Nicolson kilt

Scotland 59

everyday heroes

| Meet a…Blacksmith

T

he Scottish kilt is one of the most iconic and traditional items of clothing in the world and is a symbol of Scottish culture, family heritage and national pride. Kilts are popular Scottish attire for Highland dancers, Scottish pipe bands, the military, and are worn at other special occasions, such as weddings, graduations, and of course, Hogmanay.

The skilful art of kiltmaking has been a part of Scottish heritage for centuries. According to Heritage Crafts Association: “a long multi use version of the kilt has been worn by men in the Scottish Highlands for centuries but the knee length kilt we know today became popular in the early 18th century.”

The kilt – also the ‘Great Kilt’ or Feileadh Mor in Gaelic – began its journey as a blanket-like garment made from tartan and coloured with dye from local plants, that was worn around the waist or the neck for warmth and to sleep in.

Over time the kilt was tailored into a more fitted garment for the military. The Victorians continued to develop tartan and kilts until eventually they became the eight-yard hand-tailored garments that we know today.

The craft of making kilts by hand is a unique skill that only a privileged few know, and this ageing craft is at risk of becoming extinct – it was added to the Heritage Craft Association’s list of endangered crafts in 2021.

Thankfully, all is not lost. Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy (EKA), founded in 2016, is an expanding community of kiltmakers, which is hoping to reverse the trend.

The EKA is run by Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers, a specialist in creating fine traditional handmade kilts. Owner, Gordon Nicolson, says: “We pride ourselves as being one of the most exciting businesses at the forefront of the kiltmaking industry and are leading the way in training the next generation of kiltmakers so the art of kiltmaking is not lost”.

Since its foundation, the EKA has helped raise the profile, popularity, and standard of kiltmaking to another level. “We are the only kiltmaker to train our makers in-house. This has allowed us to create the very best handmade kilts,” Gordon says.

One success story is Rose Ellis (pictured) who was inspired to take up the course with her textile background and a postgraduate Master’s degree in Fashion & Textiles. Having trained as a weaver, kiltmaking was a natural progression for Rose. She describes it as a “steep learning curve”, having never made a garment before. “My speciality has previously always been with the design and construction of cloth on a loom, so I was really starting from scratch,” she says.

Rose loves to work with her hands and likes the beauty and tactility of the cloth used for making kilts. “My favourite texture to work with is Tweed. There’s something about the rugged and coarse nature of the cloth, that feels raw and deceptively simple, but can be tailored into the most elegant garments” she says.

A favourite part of kiltmaking for Rose is witnessing the transformation of an eight-yard length of cloth into one of the most complex and mesmerising garments. “Although intensely time consuming, it can feel like it comes together in the blink of an eye, once you know what you’re doing!” she says.

The individual processes vary from kilt to kilt, depending on the specifications, the size, and the cloth. “I am currently making a kilt for

“There are thousands of hand stitches involved and a great deal of painstaking measuring and checking” 60 Scotland

Meet a kiltmaker |

my fiancée and hope to do it justice for our wedding,” says Rose.

Making a kilt is really hard and takes a massive amount of training.

“Hand-made kilts are meticulously made and are designed to look stunning. In a way it is an untouchable craft,” says Emma Wilkinson, one of the academy’s previous graduates and now a kiltmaking tutor who has made over 100 kilts.

“Generally, a kiltmaker can make a kilt from eight to nine yards of wool in the region of 10 to 24 hours after a lot of practice! It’s a real labour of love.”

Made entirely by hand from 100 per cent wool from the finest mills in Scotland – Lochcarron of Scotland renowned for their fantastic tartans, and Lovat Mill, the ‘Home of Tweed’, for example – the cloth is first checked for imperfections before sewing, tailoring, garment construction and plenty of maths.

With one long length of fabric, three straps and buckles, some canvas to give it structure around the body and lining to finish it off, the kiltmaker will calculate what size the aprons (the two flat areas on the front of the body) and each pleat must be to fit the wearer perfectly.

Once happy with the numbers, the maker will mark out the important points to hand sew with chalk, working to the nearest millimetre. “There are thousands of hand stitches involved and a great deal of painstaking measuring and checking. The pleats are tapered to size and straps and buckles are also carefully measured and hand stitched into position. Essentially, there are hundreds of small

TOP LEFT: A sporran, a traditional part of Scottish Highland dress worn at the top of the kilt

BOTTOM LEFT: The kilt begins as an eight-yard length of cloth and is transformed into a complex garment

scottish crafts

THIS PAGE: Each pleat is meticulously measured so that the kilt fits the customer perfectly

Scotland 61

scottish crafts

| Meet a kiltmaker

GET KILTED OUT Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers’ handmade kilts start at £495, with Highland-wear packages ranging from £845-£1600. Kilt hire is also available for special occasions.

processes which all come together to make our kilts fantastic for our customers” Emma says.

“Our job is to teach our students these skills and attract both young and passionate people from all walks of life to kiltmaking and our academy.”

Students who have been taught here THIS IMAGE: have gone on to start up their own Gordon Nicolson, businesses and create kilts for their owner of Gordon Nicolson own clients, Highland wear retailers all Kiltmakers and over Scotland, and even for Gordon founder of EKA Nicolson Kiltmakers itself.

Tasked with upholding excellence in British craftsmanship, Rose plans to make more kilts in the future and would encourage anyone to sign up to the course and maintain the incredible history and heritage evident in the art of kiltmaking.

“You will learn what it means today and the importance of upholding a tradition, which is essential for grasping the craft in context. To learn the secrets of such a historical skill feels like a great honour, as well as a great challenge, which is an incredible source of motivation.”

Once a secretive skill, EKA thrives on sharing its knowledge with the global pool of talented makers, to ensure the future of the craft. This also helps mills, sporran makers and tailors maintain a viable business.

In essence, Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers has recognised the importance of the strong link between kiltmaking and Scotland’s identity, and the need to sustain this endangered craft by upholding the tradition of Highland-wear tailoring for future generations. S

62 Scotland

© GORDON NICOLSON KILTMAKERS

You can find out about EKA courses at the website below. www.nicolsonkiltmakers.com

EKA thrives on sharing its knowledge with the global pool of talented makers in order to ensure the future of the craft

... from kilt to catwalk Lochcarron of Scotland weavers of authentic tartans, Highland Wear, accessories and homeware ...

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www.lochcarron.com hello@lochcarron.com | +44 (0)1750 726025 Visit The Weavers Shop in Wester Ross IV54 8YH For Private Fittings by appointment contact Anna in our Selkirk shop anna.douglas@lochcarron.com +44 (0)1750 726100

Scotland 63

traditions

| Scottish baking

Words by SARAH STACKHOUSE

Delight & reunite Our US-based writer prepares some of the dishes that remind her ‘mom’ of their Scottish heritage, just in time for the festive season

T ABOVE: Classic empire biscuits, a popular bakery treat in Scotland

64 Scotland

he aroma was a mixture of sweet and savoury as I bustled around my grandmother’s kitchen creating the menu items I was sure would be appreciated.

I was in the midst of cooking a themed feast – a festive birthday surprise for my mom, which had been inspired by an event five years previously that had made my mom beam.

That crisp September day, in a Balmoral bakery, we gazed admiringly at a case filled with splendidly yummy pastries, but there was one that caught our eyes particularly.

The white icing hugged the biscuit in such a delicate way. Another layer of biscuit was below, with a thin smattering of jam marrying the two

layers together. Lastly, there was a colourful little jelly perfectly balanced on top – without it, this dessert would be incomplete.

It was perfection; a pleasant blend of sweet and delectable. As soon as my mom saw it, her face lit up in pure elation in a way I’ll never forget. She told me that she hadn’t seen these biscuits since she was a young girl. As a child she shared them with her grandmother, who was originally from Scotland. I will never forget how happy she looked in that bakery, as we asked them kindly for two biscuits.

We took a stroll down the lane and found a quaint park to sit in. Surrounded by the rustling trees, it was there that I tried my first empire

© ISTOCK/GETTY/SARAH STACKHOUSE

Scottish baking |

biscuit and mom relived the flavours that she remembered from her childhood. It is amazing how a two-inch, round pastry could connect us to a time from faraway and remind us of the simple moments of happiness that exist in this world.

As I sat at my grandmother’s kitchen table now, trying to convert recipes from metric into US measurements, I wondered what I had got myself into.

But I knew it would be worth it: I envisioned how relishing the flavours would pave the way for reminiscing and telling stories of our travels to a country that we were so dearly missing.

Our time together in Scotland could only be described as full of adventure, laughter, and true mother-daughter bonding, immersed in the culture of our ancestors.

When creating the menu, I chose a combination of dishes we had tried while in Scotland, as well as

Food has the power to connect people and turn them into authors

foods we had yet to savour. By including dishes that we had already tasted, it would turn us into storytellers around the dinner table. Putting our two minds together to recall, we could share the finest of details of the wheres, whens, and whys of our Scottish adventures.

Meanwhile, adding dishes we hadn’t yet been able to try gave us the opportunity to discover the history, ingredients, and meaning behind other traditional Scottish food. One of the best ways to explore a country is to eat your way through it.

The menu I had settled on included the following: rumbledethumps, vegetable tattie soup, mac and cheese pies, empire biscuits, tablet and millionaire’s shortbread.

When I was researching Scottish dishes, it brought back many fond memories of items we had tried, seen on menus, smelt in restaurants, and even travelled many miles to taste.

I knew I had to include rumbledethumps as the name was too much fun not to. Mom had always loved soup and was vegetarian, so I thought the tattie soup would complement the mac and cheese pies well.

traditions

THIS PAGE: Sarah creams the butter and sugar, the first step in the empire biscuit recipe, in her grandmother’s kitchen

Scotland 65

traditions

| Scottish baking

MAKE YOUR OWN EMPIRE BISCUITS BISCUITS 2 sticks (225g) butter (softened) 2½ cups (350g) plain flour ½ cup (115g) of granulated sugar One egg, beaten

ICING Confectioner’s sugar Water

FILLING Raspberry jam (homemade is even more delicious)

TOPPING Gum drops or fresh raspberries

METHOD BISCUITS 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180°C).

2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Stir the beaten egg into that mixture.

4. Gradually mix in the flour, forming a soft dough (I prefer to mix by hand versus using a machine).

5. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface – pat

66 Scotland

and flip a few times, binding the dough together.

6. Roll out dough to about ¼ inch thickness.

7. Use a two-inch fluted cookie cutter to cut dough.

8. Place cut out dough circles about an inch apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

9. Bake in 350-degree oven for 12-15 minutes until edges are slightly browned – do not overbake!

10. Remove from oven and leave for several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely, ICING & TOPPING 1. Once biscuits are cooled, spread about a teaspoon of jam on a biscuit and place another biscuit on top of the jam – repeat until you run out of biscuits.

2. Mix desired amount of confectioner’s sugar with a few drops of water to make thick, non-runny frosting (make according to your personal taste).

3. Spread frosting on top of cookies.

4. Place the gum drop, raspberry or desired sweet in the centre of the frosted cookie. Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted by Sarah from somethingsweetsomethingsavoury.com

Scottish baking |

traditions

© SARAH STACKHOUSE

I envisioned how relishing the flavours would pave the way for reminiscing, allowing us to tell stories of our travels to a country we were so dearly missing

When it came to selecting the desserts, there was no question that I had to include empire biscuits, made specially with our homemade raspberry jam from fresh berries we had picked only a few weeks earlier.

Apart from that, my favourite dish to make was the millionaire’s shortbread. Perfecting the caramel layer and watching the gloopy goodness layer on top of the shortbread (before adding the chocolate) was quite satisfying. Its richness cannot be matched, and its silky soft crunch melts away with every bite. I may have had a sample or two before it made its way to the dinner table.

Tears fell from my eyes as I rolled dough, mashed potatoes, and opened the oven doors. It was such a powerful experience for me, reliving all the memories from Scotland, realising how fortunate I was to be able to experience such beautiful moments with my mother and grandmother, just as my mom had with hers.

Thinking back to the story she had told me that day in Balmoral, my Scottish connections run much further back than when I studied there for my bachelor’s degree, or the trips mom and I enjoyed together, but rather they go back many

generations, with our ancestors no doubt sharing food, culture, stories, and memories.

I know you are probably wondering how the dinner turned out. What fun would it be if I didn’t save that for last? The rumbledethumps were a crowd favourite, as was the millionaire’s shortbread. However, the jelly on top of the icing was seeing mom’s smile exactly as it was five years ago in that bakery in Balmoral.

Witnessing her genuine happiness will forever bring a smile to my face and tears to my eyes.

Food has the power to connect people and turn them into authors, as tales are passed down through generations.

Even if just for a few hours over a meal, we can empower our hearts and taste buds to travel wherever the aromas take us. The ambience enabled people to recall stories, be present in the moment, and make future plans.

If there ever is a time to travel the world without ever leaving home, look no further than your spatulas and bowls, and the world awaits you. A world that is in your hands to create, conversations that are yet to be had, and delicious treasures that your await your taste buds. S

LEFT TO RIGHT: Sarah cuts, ices and decorates her homemade empire biscuits; Sarah’s mom seizes the chance to have an empire biscuit at a bakery in Balmoral on that visit five years previously

Scotland 67

travel

| Knoydart Peninsula

68 Scotland

Knoydart Peninsula |

travel

Out of darkness must

COME LIGHT

THIS IMAGE: Inverie, the Knoydart Peninsula’s main settlement RIGHT: Writer Megan Eaves

© RICKFORDUK/SHUTTERSTOCK/MEGAN EAVES. ILLUSTRATION © MICHAEL A HILL

Megan Eaves goes in search of munros and starlight on the Knoydart Peninsula, but discovers a community spirit that burns brighter still

I

’m on my way to Knoydart Peninsula to swap social distancing in London for total isolation among Knoydart’s wanly lit days and sparkling starlit nights.

Knoydart is essentially off the grid and not a simple place to reach.

Just under 200 square miles of untouched Highland backcountry, apart from forest tracks, the whole peninsula is completely transport-free. It is not connected to the mainland road or rail network, nor to the National Grid. Its power is supplied by a community-owned hydro-electric dam; water comes from a large stream called the Millburn and is collected into drums and run through UV filters at each property. There are no streetlights and no mobile signal. Little wonder Knoydart has been called ‘Britain’s last wilderness’.

Getting here requires real effort. After many trains, I reach Mallaig where a small ferry crosses the slate-grey waters of the

Scotland 69

travel

| Knoydart Peninsula

Follow the progress of the community buyout of the pub at theoldforgecbs. org/blog

The only other way in is a gruelling 16-mile hike over the uninhabited wilderness known as the Rough Bounds

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Wild ponies are used by deer stalkers to help transport their hunting take; Sgùrr Coire Choinnichean in Knoydart rises above Loch Nevis and Inverie Bay; Knoydart River Cottage; Megan’s host, Britta, serves up local delicacies; The Old Forge, Britain’s most remote pub

70 Scotland

Sound of Sleat and Loch Nevis to Inverie, the peninsula’s main settlement – a white-stone village of around 120 full-time residents and Britain’s most remote pub. The only other way to get here is by taking a gruelling 16-mile (26km) hike over the uninhabited wilderness known as the Rough Bounds. The main starting point for this trek is at Glenfinnan, where the railway passes over the curved viaduct famed for its role in the Harry Potter films.

Knoydart’s history is inextricably linked with the whole history of Scotland. At its peak in the 1740s, Knoydart was home to nearly a thousand people, mainly crofters and farmers. In 1853, most of Knoydart’s populace was sent to Canada by ships, as part of the infamous Highland Clearances, which saw the forced eviction of thousands of people from the Highlands and western islands of Scotland. However, several families refused to leave, kick-starting more than a century of struggle over Knoydart, during which time the peninsula was owned by numerous landlords.

After generations of difficulty, the community on Knoydart banded together and raised funds to purchase the Knoydart Estate – a large portion of the peninsula’s land. In 1997 the Knoydart Foundation was formed, and in 1999 the estate became a self-actualised, self-owned community run by a charity, the Knoydart Foundation. The foundation provides affordable housing and green energy and cultivates a sustainable tourism trade and wildlife management scheme for active reforestation of the peninsula and management of wildlife, including its deer population.

At mid-afternoon, I step off the ferry in Inverie, fresh-faced and dampened by sea spray and rain. Only two other sets of travellers were on the boat, but all of Inverie seems to be out to meet us – innkeepers greeting guests with socially distant waves; locals loading crates, boxes

© ANTONIA SIWIAK/ALAN PAYTON/ALAMY/MEGAN EAVES

Knoydart Peninsula |

travel

of food and Amazon deliveries into their trucks – the only vehicles on Knoydart, all brought in by ferry, too.

My host is Britta Bernard, owner of Knoydart River Cottage, a luxury bed and breakfast that sits under the shadow of the corbett Sgùrr Coire Choinnichean, along the banks of the fast-running Inverie River.

While the rest of the world was devastated by COVID-19, Knoydart’s remoteness left it relatively untouched by the pandemic. At the time of my trip, the virus had not reached the peninsula and the locals wanted to keep it that way. So, guests were expected to walk to the cottage rather than risking air exchange in a vehicle – a fine chance to get the lay of the land. I load my rucksack into Britta’s truck, and she gives me directions.

“Just walk up the track this way, past the lodge and follow the signs for the bunkhouse. Once you see the bunkhouse, keep going a little and you’ll easily find us on the left. If you reach the river, you’ve gone too far.”

I spend six days on Knoydart, but the light changes hundreds of times. It seems to surround you and move through you and be part of you in a way that light doesn’t elsewhere. Perhaps this is because, at the end of October, the sun rises late and sets early, arcing across the southern sky for a few short hours, eking pale rays through fast-moving clouds. Here and there the light is shrouded in cloud, before offering bright blasts of light glimmering off puddles and waves. Rains wash in and out with passing breezes.

Mornings unfold slowly over cups of tea, waiting to see if drizzle will clear. Then the walk down the lane, along the river, past the bunkhouse and up the main village’s row of white cottages fronting Loch Nevis.

There is a clearing about halfway down the track that offers a perfect view across the harbour to Morar, a finger-like peninsula to the south.

Sometimes the water is glassy with a grey light and thin whisps of fog brush the granite top of Morar’s highest peak, Sgùrr an Eilein Ghiubhais.

Other times, there is a sharp blue canvas of sky above rollicking waves.

One morning, the rain clears, and I don my hiking boots and waterproofs and walk past the pier along a dirt track that offers passage for forest trucks and deer stalkers. It leads north towards Knoydart’s wild centre, near the peninsula’s highest munro, the 3,346-foot Ladhar Bheinn.

Along the way, a small herd of semiwild ponies trots over to me, their long manes tangled and their bellies fat on Highland grass. The ponies are employed by deer stalkers to help transport their hunting take, but at other times are left to roam free around the Knoydart Estate.

It’s a nine-mile (15km) hike to the confluence of Bheag River and a large stream called Allt Coire Torr an Asgaill, where pebbles of garnet line the riverbed. Here and there, sprays of rain mean putting my hood up and down.

The only sound is the gentle whistle of the breeze against the purple-gorsecovered mountainsides, which loom in every direction.

On my visit in October 2020, there is nowhere to go in the evening, as Scotland’s pandemic rules are strict on early closures. Even still, I had hoped to visit Britain’s remotest pub, the Old Forge, a place so legendary that

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| Knoydart Peninsula

In a time of pandemic, climate apocalypse and global uncertainty, the people of Knoydart offer hope

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: The B&B’s dark skyfriendly lighting; the roadless peninsula is a walker’s paradise

72 Scotland

PLAN YOUR VISIT THE OLD FORGE Billed as Britain’s most remote pub, the Old Forge has no shortage of tourists who want to cross its threshold as a one-off, but locals desperately want to turn it into a community pub. theoldforge.co.uk

THE LOOKOUT An upmarket bistro that offers seasonal, locally-sourced dishes like haggis, tatties and Loch Nevis scallops, or Knoydart venison. thelookoutknoydart.co.uk

KNOYDART BREWERY Knoydart’s only brewery, located in a converted chapel, makes six brews including the rich,

malty Dubh Lochain Porter, named for nearby ‘Black Loch’. knoydartbrewery.co.uk

KNOYDART RIVER COTTAGE Family-run luxury cottage overlooking the Inverie River.

Owner Britta makes epic meals, such as ‘Scottish tapas’ and local seafood paella. knoydartrivercottage.co.uk

KNOYDART SHOP This community-owned shop sells locally made arts and crafts and food and drink. All surplus income is donated back to the Knoydart Foundation for re-investment into community projects. facebook.com/theSHOPKnoydart

© MEGAN EAVES

people used to hike the Rough Bounds just to spend an evening at one of its foot-stamping music sessions. But like the sky I came in search of, the windows of the Old Forge are dark, too (though the pub has been open again since May 2021).

Interestingly, the pub is now up for sale, though the owners are in no rush to sell, since it is a profitable business (despite the pandemic), but there has long been a desire among locals to buy the pub and run it as a cooperative.

At the time of writing, a crowd-funding scheme was in the works to make community buy-out a possibility and if successful, the pub will be incorporated into the Knoydart Foundation.

But back to my visit. Instead of a night in the pub, I gobble down Britta’s home-cooked, local venison stew in my cosy cottage, light a fire in the wood burner, turn off the lights and wrap up in a woolly jumper to sit on the back terrace with a bottle of Knoydart Brewery porter.

Britta is passionate about protecting Knoydart’s night sky and has installed shielded, amber-coloured, dark sky-friendly lighting. All of her light fixtures point down without glare, protecting the view and the wildlife that live in the surrounding fields and forest.

The moon is rising up the glen, casting a cool glow down the shadowy hillside. The Inverie River roars, invisible, below the house. Overhead, thousands of stars twinkle brightly and the Milky Way washes across the sky. A faint green whisper hints at aurora undulating on the northern horizon. An owl hoots, and there is rustling in the hedge nearby – nocturnal creatures going about their lives.

Under this sky, I can’t help but think of the people who were forcibly removed from these lands – their lands – and sent on ships far away.

They would have looked up at these same stars, like me wrapped in woolly jumpers, warming hands over a log fire. Although Knoydart has suffered many tragedies, out of their troubled history the peninsula has cultivated a deep sense of community.

The peninsula’s story is a heart-warming example of community investment and fair management of people and nature together in a sustainable, regenerative way.

In a time of pandemic, climate apocalypse and global uncertainty, the people of Knoydart offer hope and a lesson in the value of investing in each other and protecting our world for future generations. S

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heroes of scotland

| Flora MacDonald

FLAWLESS FLORA Flora MacDonald risked her life to rescue Bonnie Prince Charlie, but where did her staunch moral compass take her next? We follow our Outer Hebridean heroine across the Atlantic Words by JENNY ROWE

74 Scotland

Flora MacDonald |

© IAN DAGNALL/JAN HOLM/ALAMY/HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND/ DUNVEGAN CASTLE COLLECTION

S

cotland’s most famous heroine, there’s hardly a bad word written about Flora MacDonald. Her gravestone memorial, scribed by English writer Dr Johnson, says it all: “Flora MacDonald. Preserver of Prince Charles Edward Stuart. Her name will be mentioned in history and if courage and fidelity be virtues, mentioned with honour.”

Born in South Uist, where a monument marks the spot, and buried at Kilmuir Cemetery in north Skye, not many people know that Flora spent almost four years living in North Carolina. Indeed, following her world-renowned rescue of Bonnie Prince Charlie – pretender to the Scottish throne – after his failed uprising, Flora’s life was punctuated with several further daring escapades, though her part in the princely plot may well have coloured how stories of her life have been subsequently told.

Flora was 24 when she met Bonnie Prince Charlie cowering on the Outer Hebridean island of Benbecula in June 1746, a couple of months after the Jacobites had been well and truly defeated at the Battle of Culloden.

Though reduced to a fugitive at this point, Flora agreed to help the so-called ‘Young Pretender’ escape, and so she did, with the help of six boatmen and a manservant (Charles’s

heroes of scotland

companion Captain O’Neill), who together rowed the desperate Prince, in disguise as Irish spinning maid Betty Burke, across the Minch. They reached dry land at what is now known as Rudha Phrionnsa or Prince Point, in north Skye near Uig. The duo apparently stayed in the home of Lady Margaret of Kingsburgh, whose son Flora would later marry, and the next day, still in hiding, the pair travelled to Portree, the main town of Skye.

Supposedly, The Royal Hotel stands on the site of McNabs Inn, which was the last known meeting place between Flora and Bonnie Prince Charlie before he sailed to Raasay and on to France. He died in Rome in January 1788, but he might have died 42 years earlier if it weren’t for Flora. So, what of his fearless accomplice? What fate lay in wait for her?

CLOCKWISE, FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair, preserved by Flora MacDonald and now held at Dunvegan Castle, Skye; a portrait of Flora Macdonald

by Richard Wilson, 1747; Dunstaffnage Castle near Oban; the romantic ruins of Armadale Castle on Skye

Bonnie Prince Charlie escaped [...]

But, what of his fearless accomplice?

What fate lay in wait for Flora?

Scotland 75

heroes of scotland

| Flora MacDonald

Flora was imprisoned at Dunstaffnage Castle before she was transferred to the Tower of London

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Flora’s possessions, held in the collection at Dunvegan Castle on Skye; the Flodigarry Hotel on the Trotternish Peninsula, Skye; Flora MacDonald’s grave at Kilmuir Cemetery on Skye

76 Scotland

The wrath of the British government, as it soon became clear. The boatmen who had rowed them “over the sea to Skye”, as the heavily romanticised Skye Boat Song tells it, were apparently not as faithful as Flora herself and had spilled the beans. Our Scots heroine was promptly arrested and imprisoned at Dunstaffnage Castle just north of Oban on mainland Scotland. Reopened in August 2021 by Historic Environment Scotland after the COVID pandemic, Dunstaffnage, one of Scotland’s oldest stone castles, is the first point of interest on our post-Prince tour of Flora’s life.

For this was just the start of her story. Flora was held at Dunstaffnage for only a couple of nights before she was transferred to the Tower of London. Her fame, even then, was such that she gained sympathy among Londoners, and

she was swiftly released in 1747. She wasted no time in returning to Scotland where, on 6 November 1750, she married Allan MacDonald of Kingsburgh at Armadale Castle, the seat of the Macdonalds of Sleat, in south Skye.

Writers and friends Samuel Johnson and James Boswell also visited Armadale while documenting their Journey of the Western Isles of Scotland in 1773 and they met Flora on this trip, inspiring the aforementioned memorial. Dr Johnson’s glowing testimony to her good character continues in his travel account: “a woman of soft features, gentle manners, kind soul and elegant presence.”

Unfortunately, a strong moral fibre does not equate to money in the bank, and Flora’s family were struggling financially. After a disagreement with their landlord over rent, in 1774 the couple chose to emigrate to North Carolina, along with some of their children. But shortly after they settled in Anson County on an estate near Mountain Creek named ‘Killegray’, the American Revolution broke out.

Allan, along with two of their sons, joined a regiment of Royal Highland Emigrants in support of the British.

Meanwhile, Flora’s reputation had preceded her and there are various legends surrounding her involvement. One

© DUNVEGAN CASTLE COLLECTION/GFC COLLECTION/ALAMY/JAIME PHARR/SHUTTERSTOCK

Flora MacDonald |

account, supposedly given by eyewitnesses, suggests she “urged [the Highlanders] to duty, and was successful in exciting all to a high military pitch.” Either way, in 1777 Allan was captured and Flora was evicted from their home.

For not the first time in her life, Flora, accompanied by her daughter, chose to escape by boat. But en route back to Skye from Nova Scotia, Canada, their ship was attacked by French privateers. The popular tale goes that Flora refused to seek safety below deck, instead exposing herself to gunfire while encouraging her increasingly panicky crew to hold their nerve. Amid the chaos, Flora broke her arm.

In spring 1780, Flora and her daughter arrived back on Skye after enduring quite the journey. Flora settled among her clan in South Uist, while her daughter married the tutor to the MacLeod heir and lived at Dunvegan Castle on Skye, where Flora stayed for a time. Open to the public between May and October, the castle still holds some of Flora’s most precious possessions, most notably a lock of the Prince’s hair and a pin-cushion hand-embroidered by Flora with the names of supporters of the Jacobite cause.

Allan was able to join Flora in Scotland in 1785, and they lived in Flodigarry on the Trotternish Peninsula on Skye. In

heroes of scotland

1790, at the age of 68, it is thought that Flora died in a cottage now used as accommodation by the Flodigarry Hotel. Three thousand mourners attended her funeral and between them they consumed 300 gallons of whisky. Buried at Kilmuir, Flora’s body is believed to have been wrapped in a sheet in which Bonnie Prince Charlie had slept at her mother-in-law’s, way back in 1746. Many think that Flora had saved the sheets herself, fuelling rumours that she may have been in love with the Prince. It is, however, believed that it was her mother-in-law who preserved the linen.

Indeed, as much as it might be tempting to imagine, there is no historic evidence to prove that there ever was any romance between Flora and the Prince. And while there are some southerners in the US who allege they can prove they are descendants of their illegitimate child, our heroine’s stalwart character would suggest otherwise (and considering Flora was locked in the Tower of London nine months after their supposed liaison, it is, unfortunately, highly improbable).

Loved far and wide and faithful to the last, Flora may well have cherished her encounter with the Prince for the same reason we cherish her: as a steadfast symbol of hope and bravery in the face of adversity. S

Scotland 77

SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies

SCOTTISH SOCIETIES If you are interested in joining any of these Scottish Societies, please contact them at the address shown and they will be happy to provide you with membership information.

CL AN ANDERSON and the Chief, Hope-Vere Anderson, invites

A nationwide organization of over 2,000 families who trace their ancestry to any of the branches of Clann Domhnaill. We embrace all the MacDonalds and other surnames that are recognized as branches or adherents of the greatest of the Highland clans.

membership from Anderson descendants and those bearing the name Anderson.

Contact casltd73@gmail.com for more info, or Clan Anderson, 3734 Hunting Ridge Dr. SW, Lilburn, GA, 30047 or c/o Barbeth, New Abbey, Dumfries DG2 8DB Scotland.

Marion Schmitz,

CDUSA Membership Secretary 1685 Casitas Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103 membership@clandonaldusa.org

W W W. C L A N A N D E R S O N S O C I E T Y. O R G

Armstrong Clan Society

Arms awarded by the Lord Lyon in 1985. We invite descendants of the Armstrongs, Crosiers, Fairburns, Groziers and Nixons thru their paternal or maternal lines to join this famous family. We are tax-exempt and publish the ARMSTRONG CHRONICLES quarterly for our worldwide membership.

www.armstrong.org Chris Armstrong, President Armstrong Clan Society P O Box 346 Flowery Branch, GA 30542 Membership is open to those descended from Baird, Barde, Bard, Beard, Beaird, Byrd, Bayard, Bardt, Barth and Biard or varied spellings of the name of Scottish origin.

In addition to the Society newsletter and the opportunity to associate with fellow clansmen, members may query the Society genealogist, whose database contains over 100,000 entries of Bairds and related names. For information write: Clan Baird Commander Richard Baird of Rickarton, Ury and Member of the Lochwood, President, Stonehaven, Scotland Scottish Clans and Dr. Debra Baird, Convenor Associations, Inc. www.clanbairdsociety.com

Clan Blair Society Membership cordially invited from Blair descendants, and other interested parties.

clanblair.org

Russell McCrary Email: clanmembership@clanblair.org

CLAN CAMPBELL SOCIETY (NORTH AMERICA) A society for Campbells, members of recognized septs, their descendants and their friends. Recognized septs include: Ballantine, Burnett, Burns, Caddell, Calder, Harris, Hastings, Loudon, MacArthur, MacConachie, MacDiamid, MacIver, McKellar, MacKelvie, MacKessock, MacNichol, MacTavish, MacThomas, Moore, Muir, Orr, Pinkerton, Thomas, Thompson.

Prospective members, please email membership@ccsna.org or visit www.ccsna.org

clandonaldusa.org Clan Crawford Association Membership extended to all Crawford’s of various spellings worldwide. Join to preserve our legacy & receive assistance with events, heraldry, highland games, DNA genealogy, forums, surname history, quarterly newsletter and more.

Joanne Crawford, Board of Directors jcrawfordphd@sbcglobal.net

www.clancrawfordassoc.org

Clan Cumming Society USA Established 1997

Contact Information: G. Allen Cummings, Secretary 330 S Middleton Drive Unit 203 Calabash, NC 28467

Website:

www.clancumming.us Clan Cunningham International Open to all Cunninghams and associated families from the District of Cunninghame. Write to:

Kathleen Lester 2201 CR 44800 Blossom, TX 75416

www.clancunninghamintl.org

CLAN DAVIDSON SOCIETY

Invites membership from Davidsons of all spellings and of all septs and descendants from Scotland.

Write for application form: John Dawson PMB 132, 10 Benning St. Lebanon, NH 03784 john@jdawsonservices.com www.clandavidsonusa.com

CLAN CARMICHAEL USA President Don Carmichael Membership Chair Adele C. Harrah 3732 W. Palo Alto Avenue Fresno, CA 93711 membership@clancarmichael.com www.clancarmichael.com

78 Scotland

Celebrating 175 years of Home, Family and Love.

708-447-5092 | ChicagoScots.org

Carol Morton-Bianchini, Secretary Clan Douglas Society of North America PO Box 6974, Portland, OR 97228 Phone: 971.300.8593 DouglasSecretary@comcast.net

Clan Dunbar

DUNBARS OF THE WORLD, UNITE! Join your clan, wherever you are, and learn more of the illustrious history of the great family that once owned huge amounts of Scotland.

Meet the warriors, maidens, bish-ops and merchants whose talent, bravery, politics and poetry made the name reverberate throughout the Middle Ages.

Under the leadership of Sir James Dunbar, BT, Chief of the Name, and Chieftain David C. Dunbar, Clan Dunbar is now International. **Exciting DNA Project ** Clan Tour of Scotland with focus on Dunbar history planned for summer of 2019 ** Interactive Clan Website ** Genealogists CONTACT: Kathryn Dunbar, Secretary, PO Box 1493, Tomball, TX 77377-1493; Chieftain@ClanDunbar.org

www.ClanDunbar.com

CLAN ELLIOT SOCIETY, U.S.A. Welcomes membership of all who are connected with this great border family. William Elliott, Clan President.

Direct inquiries to: The Scottish Home Membership-Treasurer 2800 Des Plains Jim Avenue Dougherty N. Riverside, IL 60546

160 Webb Town Road Tunnel Hill, IL 62792 https://elliotclan-usa.com

Scottish Societies | SCOTLAND

Forbes Clan-Forbes.org @ClanForbesSociety president@clan-forbes.org Sign up for a free e-newsletter!

SALTOUN SALTOUN SALTOUN

LOVAT LOVAT LOVAT

Operating under the authority of The RT. Hon. Lady Saltoun, Chief of the name of Fraser The RT Hon. Lord Lovat, Of the Clan Fraser of Lovat Registered members are invited to share in the bond of this heritage and receive the Nessie newsletter.

For membership and information please visit www.CFSNA.com

Clan Irwin Association

Clan Leslie Society International The Honorable Alexander Leslie Chief of Clan Leslie Loren Leslie, Chieftain Septs: Abernethy, Bartholomew, Carnie, Lang & More (Moore) Send inquiries to: Linda Flowers, CLSI Treasurer, 302 SW 3rd, Tuttle, OK 73089 Email: lflowjingo@sbcglobal.net www.clanlesliesociety.org

Ne Oublie • “Do Not Forget” to join us!

www.clangrahamsociety.org www.facebook.com/ClanGrahamSociety

The Clan Gregor Society

Est. 1822, Edinburgh, Scotland Worldwide organization for MacGregors

Inquiries to: Pat McGregor Skelton 139 Dixon Circle Fayetteville, GA 30215

Valerie McDougall VP Membership

Valerie McDougall VP Membership

PO Box 338047 PO BoxMcDougall, 338047 Valerie VP Membership Greeley, CO. 80633 80633 MacDougall MacDowall MacDowall POGreeley, BoxCO. 338047, Greeley, CO. 80633 Home Page:ww.macdougall.org Email:membership@macdougall.org HomeEmail:membership@macdougall.org Page:ww.macdougall.org • www.macdougall.org Email: membership@macdougall.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Facebook: www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Names with Clan MacDougall of Argyll Names Associated with Clan MacDougall of Argyll Names Associated withAssociated Clan MacDougall of Argyll and Clanof MacDowall of Galloway and Clan and MacDowall Galloway Clan of MacDowall Galloway

MacDougall

Macoual Coul MacCoul Coul MacoualMacCoul Coul MacCulloch Dulothe MacCowan MacConcher MacDugle Conacher MacConcher MacConacher Conacher MacConacher Conacher MacClintock MacDoual M’Gowall MacDowall Coyle MacCoyle Coyle MacDougall MacDill MacCoyle Coyle MacCowan MacLintock MacDill McDowell Dole MacDole Dole Mcdougle McDoll MacDole Dole MacHale MacLugash McDoll MacCullich Dowdle MacHowell MacDugal Macoual MacCullagh Dulothe MacDulothe Dowdle Dulothe Dowdle MacDulothe Doual MacKichan MacConcher McDougal McLintock MacDoual Doual MacDoual Doual MacDowal McDougal Dougal MacLinden MacDill McCown MacDougall MacDougald Dougal MacDougallDougalMacdowell MacDougald Dougle MacLucas McLullich McDoll Mactheul Dougle Mcdougle McDougald Dougle Mcdougle McDougald Dugal MacCoul McCulloch MacDulothe McCown Dugal MacDugal MacDugle Dugal MacDugal MacDugle Dowall MacConacher MacLintock McDougal MacNamell MacDowal Dowall MacDowal DowallMacowen MacDowall MacDowel MacCoyle MacDougald MacDowall MacClintock Lullich MacDole McHoul McDougald McDowell MacLuke Macdowell MacDowell MacdowellMacDowell McDowell Lullich May MacCullich Lullich McLullich MacCullich Spelling Variations Vary McLullich or Omit the Mac, Mc McCulloch MacCullagh MacCulloch McCulloch MacCullochMacCullagh MacLintock McLintock MacClintock MacLintockMacClintockMcLintock McCown MacCowan Macowen MacCowanMcCownMacowen Mactheul MacHale McHoul MacHale MactheulMcHoul McCown MacHowell MacCowanMacHowellMcCownMacCowan M’Gowall MacNamell MacKichan M’Gowall MacKichan MacNamell MacLintock MacClintock MacLinden MacLintockMacLinden MacClintock MacLuke MacLucas MacLugashMacLucas MacLukeMacLugash Spelling Spelling Variations May Vary or Omit the Variations Mac, Mc May Vary or Omit the Mac, Mc

The American Branch of the First Family of Scotland welcomes inquiries from descendants of Hay / Hayes / Haynes, Constable, Delgatie, Erroll, Gifford, Leith, MacGarra, Peebles and Turriff

ClanMacKinnonSociety@gmail.com / @The_MacKinnon @TheMacKinnon

Clan Maclachlan Association of North America, Inc. All spellings of MacLachlan, Gilchrist and MacEwen.

Founded in 1965.

CMANA, Inc.

Lt. Governor John Cherry, Treasurer JCherry@aol.com www.cmana.net

www.facebook.com/ClanMacLachlanSociety

Clan MacRae Society of North America Granted Arms in 2008

We invite MacRaes of all spelling variations and their descendants to join our membership in preserving the traditions of our Clan.

Please send inquiries to: Bruce McRae, President brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com 303-670-9611

Society of North America

MACLAREN MACLAURIN LAWRENCE LAWSON LOW[E] LOW[E]RY LAW[E] PATTERSON MACPATRICK MACRORY

Recognized by the Chief of Clan MacLaren

The Clan Hannay Society

www.ClanHay.com

www.TheMacKinnon.com

Clan MacLaren

Inquiries should be sent to: Sherri Lambert, Treasurer PO Box 5399 Vernon Hills, IL 60061

April Rich Membership Chair 218 Oxbow Drive Willimantic, CT 06226 clanhaymembership@hotmail.com

Septs: Love, MacKinney, MacKinning, MacKinven, MacMorran, Morren, Sherry

www.macrae.org

Hamiltons and those of Hamilton descent are cordially invited to join the Society.

For those with family names of Hannay, Hannah, Hanna and Hanney.

Membership Sec: Mrs. Jacquie Hannay 5 Picket Cross, Bankend Road, Dumfries DG1 4AH SCOTLAND www.clanhannay.org

Family | History | Philanthropy | Fun

Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc.

Clan Hamilton Society

Visit our website: http://www.clanhamilton.org

Since 1891

Clan MacDougall Society Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc. of North America, Inc.

Organized July 1975 The first worldwide Clan Graham Organization

CLAN GRAHAM SOCIETY

Clan MacKinnon Society

Chief and Patron

Alexander H. Irvine, 27th Baron & Laird of Drum, Chief of the name Contact: Brian S. Ervin 1103 Highview Road Lapeer, MI 48446 248-854-0798 brian.ervin@clanirwin.org www.clanirwin.org www.facebook.com/groups/clanirwin * Twitt@Clan_Irwin IRWIN * IRVINE * IRVIN * IRVING * ERWIN And the many other spellings of the name

Membership invited from all U.S. residents of or connected to the name in any of its recognized forms.

INQUIRIES TO: Roger H. Johnston 107 Stellamar Drive Hutto, TX. 78634 texscott2020@gmail.com Visit the Clan Website: http://www.clanmacgillivray.net

Clan MacInnes

Int’l Assn. of Clan MacInnes (Aonghais)

Worldwide, we welcome descendants of all spelling variations, including (Mc)Angus, (Mc)Canse, (Mc)Ginnis, (Mc)Guenis, (Mc)Inch, (Mc)Innes, (Mc)Innis, (Mc)Kinnis, (Mc)Masters, (Mc)Neish, (Mc)Ninch, and more.

Scott Mcinnis, Member Services: scott@macinnes.org or visit: www.macinnes.org

Mark McLaren, FSA Scot President 611 Indian Home Rd. Danville, CA 94526 President@clanmaclarenna.org

CLAN MacLELLAN John B. McClellan, Jr. Treasurer Clan MacLellan 383 Ash Brook Lane Sunnyvale, TX 75182-3250 treasurer@clanmaclellan.net

Welcomes MacLellans and their descendants regardless of surname spelling to join in preserving our heritage.

Family names include: MacClellan(d), McClellan(d), McLellan(d) Scholarships available for Scottish studies.

Visit our website: www.clanmaclellan.net

Scotland 79

SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies

Clan Macnachtan Association Worldwide

Descendants of the CLAN MACNAUGHTON are invited to join our Worldwide Association to learn and share our MacNaughton and Scottish heritage. For more info go to: clanmacnaughton.net or contact Mary Nivison Burton, Membership Secretary at: membersec@clanmacnaughton.net New Second Edition!

A History of the Clan Macnachtan Paperback available through Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca

Clan Macneil

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

Invites all Macneils . . . regardless of surname spelling, some of which are listed below: MCNEILL MACNEIL MACNEAL MACNIEL MCNEELY NEAL NEILSON O’NEILL to join us in preserving our heritage. Contact: Sally Mitchell, VP Membership, 183 Pheasant Walk Way, Vilas, NC 28692, 770-713-3544; Email: membrshipcma@gmail.com or visit www.clanmacneilusa.us

Clan MacNicol of North America Chief John MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac Clan MacNicol, a small but vibrant Clan active in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and the U.S.A. From the misty Isle of Skye, the Hebrides and the Northwest Highlands, the sons and daughters of MacNicol, Nicol, Nicolson (and of other spelling variations) have spread to six continents. Nearly two centuries ago, the Chiefly line emigrated to Australia where it thrives to this day.

Membership open to all who acknowledge the Clan Chief as its leader and wish to join the Society.

New members receive a copy of the book on Clan history and two Clan newsletters during the year.

President and Deputy Membership Secretary Jeremy Nicholson Website www.clanmacnicol.org E-mail presidentna@clanmacnicol.org Postal Address P.O. Box 501166 Atlanta, GA 31150-1166, USA

Canadian Membership Secretary Jacques McNicoll Website www.clanmacnicol.org E-mail mcnicollclan@videotron.qc.ca Postal Address 202 rue Berlioz Apt. 203, Verdun, Québec H3E 1B8, Canada

ClanMacRae MacRaeSociety Society Clan ofofNorth NorthAmerica America Granted GrantedArms Armsinin2008 2008 We invite MacRaes of all We invite MacRaes of all spelling variations and their spelling variations descendants to joinand ourtheir Clan descendants to join ouryour Clan MacRae Society.

Learn MacRaeMacRae Society. history Learn your Scottish and family lineage!

Scottish MacRae history and

family lineage! www.macrae.org Need more info? Contact: www.macrae.org Bruce McRae, President

The Clan MacThomas Combie McColm McComas McComb(e) McCombie McComie McComish

SEPT NAMES

www.clanmacthomas.org

MacOmie MacOmish Tam Thom Thomas Thoms Thomson

Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, 19th Chief, welcomes members.

Please direct inquiries to: Cathy McComb Ludemann North American Branch membership-na@clanmacthomas.com

CLAN MAITLAND SOCIETY

CHIEF: IAN MAITLAND The Earl of Lauderdale WE ARE ALL RELATED! Contact your local society NORTH AMERICA Rosemary Maitland Thom Rthomnvprdcan@aol.com www.clanmaitlandna.org AUSTRALIA Amanda Maitland 6/1 Hinemoa Avenue, Normanhurst NSW 2076 clanmaitland@yahoo.com.au NEW ZEALAND Judette Maitland 33 Disley Street, Highbury, Wellington 6012 NZ judette@xtra.co.nz We welcome all with Maitland, Lauderdale, Maitlen and similar name spelling. See the entire list and your family history at: www.clanmaitland.org.uk

Clan Maxwell SOCIETY

Adair Maxton Blackstock Mescall Dinwiddie Monreith Dinwoodie Moss Edgar Nithsdale Herries Paulk Kirk Peacock Kirkland Polk Latimer Pollo(c)k Latimore Sturgeon MacKittrick Wardlaw PO Box 3225, Staunton, VA 24401

www.clanmaxwellsociety.com

Clan Ross America

Representing the great Highland Clan of Ross since 1976

303-670-9611 Need more info? Contact: brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com

under the patronage of the 27th Hereditary Chief of Clan MacTavish, Steven MacTavish of Dunardry.

Anyone bearing the name MacTavish or any of the recognized connected names and their descendants and all variant spellings are invited to join us to celebrate our history. Members receive a newsletter, the “Non Oblitus” and support in doing family genealogy.

Cash - MacTavish - Stephenson - Stevens Stevenson - Thompson - Thomson For membership information please visit us at www.clanmactavish.org www.facebook.com/ClanMacTavish or contact: Clan MacTavish Treasurer

Clan MacTavish

membershipsecretary.mactavish@gmail.com

23 Garland Rd. Lancaster, NH 03584

CLAN POLLOCK Among the Most Ancient Families of Scotland. If you are a descendant of Pollock, Pollok, Pook, Polk, Polke, Paulk, Poalk, Poalke, Poulk, Poolke, Pogue, you are cordially invited to contact: Archie D. Pollock, Jr. P. O. Box 404, Greenville, Ky 42345 (615) 456-1699 apollockis@comcast.net

80 Scotland

Defenders of Freedom, Mindful of Knowledge & Labor Dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of the families McCuistion, McCuiston, McQuiston, McQuistion, McQuesten, McChristian, McQuestion, McQueston and all variations thereof in the United States, who are descendants of Uisdean, son of Alexander McDonald, Lord of the Isles, Earl of Ross and Justiciar of the Highlands. Uisdean is also a descendant of Robert the Bruce, hero-king of Scotland.

Contact: BJ McCuiston, Secretary, PO Box 2193 Gilroy, CA 95021-2193 or billiejo@garlic.com

n Young Cla

A charitable & social “We organization formed to promote fellowship among those surnamed Young, descendants of any Scotsman and anyone interested in all things Scottish.

Ride!”

For membership information, contact Linda Young-Sheiko Membership Secretary (616) 581-2229

clanyoungmembership@yahoo.com www.clanyoungsociety.com

Family of Bruce International, Inc., USA

Family of Bruce International, Inc., USA, the only such organization recognized by the hereditary chief of the Name of Bruce, The Rt. Hon. Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, is a non-profit organization established to create kinship amongst its family members and promote interest in the Family of Bruce and its history. Membership is open to persons who qualify by surname, by descent, or by recognized septs: Carlisle, Carruthers, Crosby, Randolph and Stenhouse. Associate membership is also available.

Membership inquiries should be directed to: Donald E. Bruce, FSA Scot President 1051 Eagle Ridge Trail Stillwater, MN 55082 bruce1051@comcast.net

Polly A. (Bruce) Tilford, Secretary 5561 Earl Young Road Bloomington, IN 47408

www.familyofbruceinternational.org

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Bruce McRae, President 303-670-9611 CLAN MACTAVISH Inc. brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com The only organization authorized and

Clan Uisdean, USA

Paul D Ross, President Virg Bumann, VP Membership 1015 Archer St. San Diego, CA 92109 membership@clanross.org info@clanross.org www.clanross.org

Clan Sinclair Association, Inc. (U.S.A.) Do you know who came to North America almost 100 years before Columbus’ famous voyage?

Prince Henry Sinclair in 1398

Come join (and enjoy) your Sinclair family President Tom H. Robinson TomHRobinson@aol.com

Membership Contact Keith A. Sinclair ClanSincMembership@gmail.com

For a list of spelling variations and septs Website: www.clansinclairusa.org

HOUSE OF BURNETT, INC.

Sanctioned by James C.A. Burnett of Leys,

Chief of the Name, and Head of the House of Burnett

Contact: Jackelyn A Daugherty, Secretary PO Box 666 Topock, AZ 86436 (928) 788-9434 jdaugherty@1791.com

RBANA RBANA

Robert Burns Association of North America Robert Burns Association of North America Welcomes membership of all who are interested in the Life Welcomes membership of all who are interested in the Life and Works of the Scottish Bard Robert Burns, as well as and Works of the Scottish Bard Robert Burns, as well as Scottish literature and culture. RBANA is an association Scottish literature and culture. RBANA is an association dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of the life, dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of the life, works and philosophy of Scotland’s National Bard – Robert works and philosophy of Scotland’s National Bard – Robert Burns, as well as to the promotion of Scottish culture and Burns, as well as to the promotion of Scottish culture and heritage in North America. heritage in North America.

Contact Details: Contact Details: Secretary: secretary@rbana.com Secretary: secretary@rbana.com President: president@rbana.com President: president@rbana.com Website: www.rbana.org Website: www.rbana.org

Scottish Societies | SCOTLAND

Muirhead Clan Society

SCOTTISH HERITAGE USA, INC.

www.clanmuirhead.com

Crest Badge Of Clan Member

St. Andrew’s Society of Albany

P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28374

Supporting the work of the National Trust for Scotland and providing grants to non-profits promoting and preserving Scottish Tradition, history, crafts and culture. shusa457@gmail.com www.scottishheritageusa.org

Chev. Raymond L. Morehead, GOTJ, FSA Scot.

President/Chief Elect 6522 194th Avenue E. Bonney Lake, WA 98391 1-253-219-8736 E-mail: raymond@clanmuirhead.com

FOUNDED 1803

150 Washington Avenue Albany, New York 12210

www.standrewssocietyalbany.org “Relieve the Distressed” “Faire Sans Dire”

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www.standrewssocietymilwaukee.org Contact: Tom Westgaard, FSA Scot Phone 414-421-1598 P.O. Box 210288 Milwaukee, WI 53221-8005

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St Andrews Society of the City of Milwaukee

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Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York 150 East 55th Street - 3rd Floor New York, NY 10022 David M. Murphy, 103rd President Tel. 212/223–4248; Fax 212/223–0748 www.standrewsny.org

Nesbitt Nisbet Society of North America Clan Nisbet, a Borders family, welcomes Nesbit/Nisbet and all various spellings worldwide.

Share our history and learn about Alexander Nisbet, Scotland’s famous author of heraldry.

For more information, visit www.ibydeit.org or contact Dave Nesbitt Harvey, President, at dharvey@ibydeit.org.

NC Scottish Heritage Society 506 Shinnecock Court New Bern, NC 28562

Join us to learn more about your highland heritage and an opportunity to publish your own research

www.theargyllcolonyplus.org Like Us On Facebook

St. Andrew’s Society of Pittsburgh Welcomes Scots and all interested in Scottish heritage and traditions www.standrewspittsburgh.org or call Paul Thompson 724-468-5800

Scotland 81

CULTURE

| Real-life tales

Novelist and broadcaster John MacKay shares the inspiration behind his sweeping family saga, Home

T LEFT TO RIGHT: John MacKay; the croft on the Isle of Lewis that inspired the book

82 Scotland

here’s no place like home.

We all know the phrase and most of us recognise a truth in it.

But where is home? The house you live in now? The house in which you grew up? Where your heart is?

What about a place with family ties stretching back more than 250 years? A place where you can see the marks left by the generations of family who came before? Where you are immersed in the landscape and influences that shaped them and ultimately you?

That’s an experience denied to most because of the great population shifts of the last two centuries. I was lucky.

My parents always referred to the Isle of Lewis as ‘home’, even though I was born and raised in Glasgow. Every summer I would return to my grandmother’s house on the west side of the island and play among the ruins of old blackhouses. I knew it was a different place, but it was only as I got older that I understood and appreciated how unique it was.

The blackhouse in which I was playing had been built by my great-great grandfather in the optimism of land tenure finally being secured for crofters. At the same time, I was absorbing stories about the lives and adventures of these earlier generations.

That kindled an interest in genealogy which,

as those who’ve explored it will know too well, became something of a mission, even obsession, to track down every last detail.

And as the stories emerged, the loves and losses, the triumphs and tragedies, I was struck by how the waves of a tumultuous century washed over even the most remote communities. It struck me, too, how history is so often told through the great names and the grand houses, but it was lived by the common people and their communities.

The house in which my mother was born, in Carloway in Lewis, was one such home. Within a few years of it being built it had lost a son to war, another to the Spanish Flu and a daughter to emigration.

It was a repeating pattern through the century; answering the nation’s call when summoned or forced to leave out of economic necessity. All against a background of the people’s struggle to live their lives in a place the world was leaving behind.

It inspired me to tell the story of a house through the experiences of those who had lived there during the last century.

That is Home. It is not my own family history, but it is informed by it. I see it as the story of families across Scotland and I hope people will make their own connections.

And the house that inspired Home?

I still visit my aunt there every year.

After all, despite the various flats and houses I’ve lived in through the years, it is still the one definable place that will always be home. S John MacKay’s novel, Home, is available to buy through Luath Press Ltd, £9.99, luath.co.uk

© KENNY MACKAY

THE STORY BEHIND…

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