The Scots putting man in manicure
The George Hotel: Keeping it in the family
Edinburgh, a city in pictures
Living the past Viking style
Saving the Maid of the Loch
Caledonia dreaming in California
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inside this issue 8 Beauty
the dust
20 Spirit
history
Orkney’s most famous pirate reborn in a bottle
and
The all over body grooming boom
28 Old
tale
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of
maid’s
Race to save Britain’s last paddle steamer
38 By
George, Inveraray’s got it! Exploring one of Scotland’s oldest family run hotels
54 Classic
country
Read the book, see the film and tour the area 84 Priceless
64 Edinburgh
life in pictures A photographic guide to capital life
discovery
Ancient treasure horde saved for the nation
90 The
bind
ties that
Scotland and Canada forever friends
72 Living
past
98 Back
on the
in the menu Return of the Haggis to
Celebrating Viking traditions
North America
106 Kilted
Cousins
We’re all Caledonia girls and boys
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112 Unsolved
mystery
The 105-year-old old murder case that’s still open
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It’s a date
What’s on this month
Cover Photo Charlie Allan Photo by Stewart Cunningham
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Scotland Correspondent is an independent magazine published by Flag Media Limited. The monthly digital title provides an international audience of readers with comprehensive coverage of modern day Scotland, its people, achievements, culture, history and customs. Every issue covers a variety of topics of interest to thousands of people every month, many of them visitors to Scotland or part of the great Scottish diaspora. The digital edition incorporates audio, video and text in a single platform designed for use on Apple, Android and Windows devices. The magazine is free to subscribe to and download. For more information on how to get a copy, subscribe or enquire about advertising please contact the relevant departments. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any claim made by advertisements in Scotland Correspondent magazine or on the Scotland Correspondent website. All information should be checked with the advertisers. The content of the magazine does not necessarily represent the views of the publishers or imply any endorsement. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior agreement in writing from Flag Media Limited.
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Male beauty boom and dust I n a country where men are famed for being as rugged as the landscape that spawned legendary role models William Wallace, Robert Bruce, Rob Roy and Sean Connery things are changing. The modern Scotsman, it appears, is becoming more image conscious. If they are not doing yoga dressed in kilts, as seen by more than 20 million people on social media, they are just as likely to be undergoing beauty treatments, massaging oil on their carefully cultivated facial hair or even powdering much more than their nose. While kilts and beards may be all the rage, thanks to the likes of Outlander, the image is undergoing a transformation. The new generation of Scotsmen as just as masculine as their forefathers but a little less macho.
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More than half of beauty salons and spas in Scotland claim to have seen an upsurge in male customers unafraid to put the man into manicure. Facials, all-over tans, body waxing, eyebrow shaping, beard grooming and even moisturising are all perfectly acceptable activities for red-blooded blokes. Globally the male grooming industry is now estimated to be worth more than $50billion and growing. It has sparked huge investment from a lot of major international companies such as Proctor & Gamble and Unilever. But, it has also created scope for a new breed of entrepreneurs in an industry that has plenty of room for niche and cleverly branded products. To that end entrepreneurs James Corner, his wife Julie Molloy, and their friends Andy and Lorraine Clark
have come up with the ultimate in personal grooming for Scotsmen to ensure nothing gets worn under the kilt.
They are the driving force behind nutdust, the very latest in male skin care for the most delicate regions of the male body. The specially created healthy alternative to talcum powder is designed to prevent chaffing when a man’s most private of parts is left unrestricted by underwear. About 10 years ago, after a few back-to-back weddings in Scotland, Julie’s Australian husband James, who was new to wearing a kilt, sought advice from his Scottish friend Andy about managing the warm and woolly situation causing him some concern under the kilt. Andy, an experienced campaigner, advised James to slap on some ‘nutdust’ and suggested a little
Sir Sean Connery
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talcum powder. Although widely used to absorb moisture, cut down on friction and prevent rashes there have been concerns raised between prolonged talcum powder use and some cancers. Despite no definite links being found the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has warned against applying talc-based body powder around the genitals of both men and women until more studies have been done. Unable to find a more masculine, healthy, natural alternative to talc the four entrepreneurs decided to develop their own. “We researched all the healthy alternatives to talc, their benefits and compared differences in texture,” said Julie. “We engaged an aromatherapist, beauty therapist, and doctor to assist with selecting essential oils suitable for such a sensitive area of the body and we also learned about all the properties that are useful for guys.” In keeping with their Scottish humour the team devised three initial products, all in a stylish bottle small enough to fit in a sporran, and came up with a ‘legend’ and name for each one - ‘Clansman’, ‘Laddie’, and ‘Wilding’. All three have their own distinctive scent and texture. “The ‘Wildling’ is made for guys who love to party. So whether it’s a stag weekend in Magaluf, a lad’s holiday to Ibiza or just an night out the ‘Wildling’ is a perfect choice for staying fresh,” said Julie. “Men seeking comfort will enjoy the ‘Clansman’. It’s ideal for athletes competing in big sporting events or for proud fans and supporters keen to stay cool during the big game. The ‘Laddie’ is for the romantic man. This one will be a hit with grooms and groomsmen, with gentlemen on date night and with those trying to impress on St. Valentine’s Day.” With a clear idea of what they wanted
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Photo by Stewart Cunningham
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the four friends began blending the different oils and recipes to find the right scents combined with the right health properties that also tied in with each legend. “We tried it our on family and friends to see what the response was. People loved it and that inspired us to keep going,” explained Julie. “We consulted with respected kilt industry leaders to gauge interest in stocking it as an accompanying gift at point of sale or hire, and proceeded to obtaining regulatory approval to trade as a male cosmetic.” After a lot of hard work, time and investment nutdust finally made its official debut at the Scottish Trade Fair in September and received an overwhelmingly positive reaction. “It’s been phenomenal,’ said Julie. “What started out as a bit of banter between friends has turned into an international business. “We were beyond stoked with the response at the trade fair. It was exactly what we were looking for. The positivity, enthusiasm, interest and importantly the plenty of orders that came from stores across the country has made all our efforts worthwhile and certainly validated what we felt we already knew,” said Julie. “Feedback from those who have been using the different nutdust blends love the silky texture, subtle scents and anti-chafing power. All our products are contemporary, cruelty-free and without the health issues associated with talcum powder.” Such has been the response that some of the stores that took initial orders are requesting to be resupplied and the company is in talks with the National Trust for Scotland with a view to stocking their retail outlets next year. However it’s just not down-under that needs care. The current trend for facial hair has created demand for new products specifically dedicated to the beardy followers of fashion.
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Bangin’ Beards is a Glasgow company set up less than two years ago to provide high quality, natural, handcrafted oils, balms and wash products tailored for skin and beards. “I got the idea to do something after a few of my friends who have beards started complaining about the various different problems they were having with itchy, dry or sensitive skin, rough hairs and such like,” said founder Thomas McNally, who sports a full bushy beard himself. “I came up with a specially formulated recipe that not only helped with their problems but also promoted a more healthy, soft growing and glowing beard.” Right from the start Thomas was
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determined to source only premium products that are natural, paraben free and have not been tested on animals. Each ingredient was carefully chosen for its unique properties before being blended together to give the best and finest results. “It took me about a year and half to
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get the basic ingredients right,” said Thomas who has devised a wide range of individually scented oils, balms and washes to cater for almost every taste. “The cosmetic industry is extremely strict so everything had to be just right.”
All of the company’s products are safety tested certified and all ingredients were carefully chosen to be naturally sourced. Bangin’ Beards is completely against testing on animals and all products have only been tested on bearded men.
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“I wanted to make a product for bearded men, of all types, that would
stand out from the crowd and leave their beard smelling great, but more importantly, looking and feeling Bangin!,” said Thomas. Throughout history beards have come and gone with changing fashions. “In ancient Egypt men used to weave
gold threads though their beards and the higher up in society they were the more colourful the beards,” said Thomas. “In Mesopotamia men would put beads and braids in their beards while in ancient Greece scholars would grow beards as a sign of wisdom and warriors would grow them as a sign of masculinity. It wasn’t really until the Romans came along that beards fell out of fashion for a while because they wanted their legionnaires to be different from the ‘barbarians’ they were fighting.” In Britain beards were a common sight right up to the First World War when the need to wear gas masks
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made sporting a beard potentially deadly. It wasn’t until after the Vietnam War that they became trendy again. But as the hippie movement fell out of fashion so did beards, until now. “One of the reasons they are popular now is the growth in the male grooming industry,” said Thomas. “A decade ago you would never have overheard two men in a pub talking about which skin care products or beard oil they used, but now you do. “It’s acceptable to have a beard just so long as it is kept trimmed and looked after. Beards are cool again, it’s a sign of the times.”
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Yo ho ho and a bottle of Orkney rum Photo by Fiona McArthur Colin van Schayak with his new rum
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A
notorious Scottish pirate hanged almost 300 years ago has been brought back to life - in spirit form at least.
John Gow was not a particularly successful buccaneer. His career lasted only a matter of months and his story would probably have faded into the shadows of history had it not been for two literary giants. The first was Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe. who wrote the first accounts of Gow’s trial and subsequent execution. The second was Sir Walter Scott who discovered the tale of Gow’s extraordinary life during a trip to Orkney in 1814. It inspired him to write his novel The Pirate, basing the character of the gallant Captain Cleveland on Gow.
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His story was later adapted by Gilbert and Sullivan who swapped Orkney for Cornwall and updated the tale to the 19th century for their comical operetta The Pirates of Penzance. Now Orkney’s first rum distillery has officially launched a new spirit with the infamous island pirate providing inspiration for the brand.
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J. Gow Rum has been created by VS Distillers Ltd and named after the Orcadian pirate who was executed in London for his crimes, in 1725.
Photo by Fiona McArthur
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VS Distillers is a new venture by Collin van Schayk of the family run Orkney Wine Company, based on the small island of Lamb Holm. Collin is a son of Orkney Wine Company founders, Emile and Marjolein van Schayk.
Daniel Defoe
Part of the Orkney Wine Company’s premises on Lamb Holm have been specially adapted and zoned off for rum production, with two 2,000-litre molasses fermentation and distillation stills installed. Production of J. Gow spiced rum began in April, with the first batches now bottled, labelled and ready to go on sale. The company is also importing barrels from Italy and France, with plans to lay down and mature spirit for future releases.
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“We were looking at how we could diversify the business and do something different that wasn’t gin, or whisky,” explained Collin. “We all like rum, so it was an obvious choice. It’s a first for Orkney and fits in well with the seafaring traditions of the islands, and our location on the shore of Lamb Holm. “You also can’t get away from pirates when it comes to rum, so we decided to embrace that element and connect
the brand with Orkney’s very own privateer, John Gow.” Little is known about Gow except that he was born in Wick, Caithness around 1698 to a merchant called William Gow and his wife Margaret Calder but raised in Stromness, Orkney. It was here he learned to sail and grew up to become a merchant seaman. His life may have been hard but it was largely uneventful until, in
November 1724, he was caught up in a mutiny while serving on the cargo ship Caroline, between Genoa, Italy and Santa Cruz. Fed up with conditions on board the crew, led by Gow, murdered the captain and took over the ship. The crew immediately renamed the vessel Revenge and set about a life of piracy. For several months Gow and his crew raided merchant vessels in the waters off Spain and Portugal before making the fateful decision to return to Orkney. He tried to sneak back to the islands by pretending to be a wealthy merchant called Captain Smith but was recognised. Rather than surrender Gow and his men began raiding the homes of wealthy Orkney families but were eventually captured after their ship ran aground. As a pirate Gow was transported to London where, after a sensational trial, he was hanged on 11 June 1725 at Execution Dock alongside his crew. Their bodies were then tarred and left to rot on the gibbet as a warning to others.
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Now, 292 years later Gow’s fame and notoriety as Orkney’s best known pirate looks set to be resurrected. However, getting the new rum to market hasn’t been exactly plain sailing. “We first applied for a licence in January of last year and, naturally, there were several hurdles to jump before production could begin,” said Colin. “Our track record in wine production and our understanding of the fermentation process certainly gave us a head start, but it was still a steep learning curve at times. Suffice to say, we’re delighted to now be bringing J. Gow to the market.” Made with a blend of spices from around the world, the rum also includes two locally grown ingredients that Collin is keeping a secret. “Our production process has unique elements and ingredients, which have added real depth to the rum’s flavour. We’re very pleased with the results and look forward to hearing what everyone thinks of it,” said Collin.
The new rum’s tasting notes describe it as “light golden in colour, with a smooth rounded sweetness. Subtle citrus and cinnamon notes with a slight hint of vanilla and a warming spice finish.”
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Last chance to mend broken heart of the old Maid of the Loch A
n ambitious project has been launched to revive the fortunes of the last paddle steamer to be built in Britain and return her to the waters of Scotland’s most romantic loch. TV and film star Bill Paterson has joined forces with Celtic Music legends Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain in a new short film about the paddle Steamship Maid of the Loch to promote a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see her sail again on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond. The film has been released as part of an international crowdfunding campaign to try and raise more than £125,000 to give the old lady of the lake a new lease of life. Organisers have just six weeks to raise the money so they can buy and install a special steam boiler that will power the engine and restore the “Heart” of Maid of the Loch. The stars of the film are encouraging people to watch and to share the film
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Bill, Aly and Phil
Maid in 1975
Maid 1967
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Bill Paterson
on social media using the hashtag #MaidtoSail, and the website www. maidoftheloch.org, to help get the word out. Celebrated actor Bill Paterson, whose many varied screen roles include playing Ned Gowan in Outlander and appearances in Shetland, Truly, Madly Deeply and The Killing Fields narrates the video. An entertaining raconteur Bill’s wonderful flair for story-telling helps to tell the tale of Maid of the Loch as he leads viewers on a tour of the ship. He is accompanied on the nostalgic trip back to the glory days of steam by celebrated musicians Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain, known as Phil & Aly to fans of their Scottish Traditional Music around the world. The duo play a specially composed song about the Maid while sitting on the deck with views of Loch Lomond behind them. The video also encompasses remarkable archive footage and photography of the Maid in her heyday, packed with passengers enjoying a day on Scotland’s most romantically renowned loch. “The Maid has a genuine, once-in-a-
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lifetime opportunity right now to sail again, thanks to a generous pledge from the Heritage Lottery Fund,” said Bill Paterson as to why he, Phil and Aly were inspired to make the film. “The many thousands of people who know and love the Maid will be aware of the long running, David and Goliath efforts to raise the funds to restore her. But few may realise that right now this is not a just a long-held dream, it is a very real possibility. “However, Heritage Lottery Fund’s commitment of £3.8 million funding, is only a pledge which will be awarded if Maid of the Loch’s charity, Loch Lomond Steamship Company, can raise £1 million. And that’s where this campaign comes in and why Phil, Aly and I made this film.” The Maid of the Loch is the very last paddle steamer to be built in
At Inversnaid 1981
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Engines being installed 1952
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Britain, and is the uk’s only remaining example of an ‘up and doon’ vessel – a ship that’s been built twice!
neglect, decay and vandalism until her purchase, in 1992, by Dumbarton District Council.
Assembled in Glasgow by A&J Inglis, the Maid was taken apart, transported to her new home in Balloch and reassembled before her launch in March 1953. Licensed to carry 1,000 passengers, she was the largest paddle steamer to sail Loch Lomond and played host to royal guests and celebrities as well as three million day-trippers during her 28 years on the water.
In 1996, the Loch Lomond Steamship Company (LLSC) launched an ambitious rescue mission. Since then our charity, staffed entirely by volunteers, has raised over £2m and invested this in the first stages of the Maid’s conservation.
The Maid’s popularity as a pleasure steamer was at its height in the 1950s and early 1960s. But as the lure of affordable foreign travel beckoned, so passenger numbers – and funding – dwindled. Finally, the Maid’s fate was sealed. Decommissioned in 1981, she was subjected to a sorry period of
“The Maid is known, quite wonderfully, as the ship that was built twice. She is the UK’s only remaining example of an ‘up and doon’ vessel. First built in Glasgow at A&J Inglis shipyards, the Maid was then taken apart, put on a train to her new home in Balloch and put back together again before her launch in March 1953,” said Phil Cunningham who was inspired by the story of the ship to write a song about it.
Maid 1977
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“She was the heart of Loch Lomond and carried millions of passengers over the years. Sadly, she was decommissioned in 1981, and has not sailed since. Since 1996 the volunteers of the charity the Loch Lomond Steamship Company have been lovingly maintaining the ship and working towards their ambitious mission to fully restore the ship to her former glory and get her sailing again.” John Beveridge, one of the founders of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, said the project was in a race against time and the seasons to raise the money and begin the essential repairs.
Artist impression of a refurbished Maid
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“We need to raise this £125,000 now, so we can get the order in for the special steam boiler by the end of January, and receive the boiler in time to do the work to install it over the summer of 2018,” said John, who first fell in love with the ship as a boy going sailing on Loch Lomond. “We are in a bit of a catch 22 situation just now, so the timing of this appeal is crucial to the success of our overall effort to raise the funds to fully refurbish the Maid. “Heritage Lottery Fund have generously pledged to donate £3.8 million to us if we can raise match funding of £1.7 million by June 2018.
We are getting close to raising this money, but some of the pledges that have been made depend on us definitely having the restoration work underway in 2018. However, we cannot use any of the money raised towards the match funding target, until it is met. So this crowdfunding campaign is vital to raise the money for the boiler, which in turn will mean we start work in time to receive donations pledged.” John who has spent more than 20 years volunteering his time and skills to look after the Maid and raise fund to see her sail again said the project was indebted to their celebrity patrons for their support.
“Maid of the Loch’s story is an inspiration, with highs and lows, and she is at a really critical moment in her journey right now – on the verge of a great new high,” said Aly Bain. “Such stories inspire musicians like us and we hope our film with Bill will inspire others to give at this crucial moment. We have just six weeks to raise the £125,000 necessary pay for this boiler which will bring steam back through the valves, through the pipes and the engine which will turn the paddles again! We hope this film will get the word out as far and wide as possible and help to make that happen.” www.crowdfunder.co.uk/maid-tosail
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Photo by Guy Phillips
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The gorgeous George and invigorating Inveraray
Photo by VisitScotland - Paul Tomkins Inveraray on Loch Fyne
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I
magine relaxing by an open peat fire, sipping a single-malt whisky after a sumptuous meal before retiring to a luxury bed in a 247-year-old hotel by the side of a spectacular Scottish loch. Tucked away amid the spectacular landscape of Argyll overlooking the waters of Loch Fyne and mountains of the Arrochar Alps The George Hotel, Inveraray is just over 40 miles from Glasgow, and less than 500 miles from London, but a world away from the stress and strains of city life.
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History seeps out from every nook and crevice of the building with its flagstoned floors and roaring open fires. The smell of peat smouldering on the hearth evokes a collective Celtic memory among anyone with the tiniest drop of Scottish blood, however much genetically diluted by
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time and geography. Visitors from as far a field as America or Australia are as equally drawn to the flames as locals are on a cold winter night.
town the hotel was originally two private houses until it was converted into one in the 1860s by the same family who own and run it today.
Built in 1776 as part of a project by the 3rd Duke of Argyll, head of Clan Campbell, to create a whole new
“I am the sixth generation of my family to run the hotel and number seven is waiting in the wings,� said
Kris Clark who took over after his father retired in 2009. Every generation has left its mark. Kris’s grandfather built the big dining room upstairs, when dinner dances were all the rage, and his great grandfather bought the building next
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door to extend the hotel. About 10 years ago, Kris’s father Donald, added accommodation for up to 40 staff and built a large conservatory at the back of the hotel so they could expand the food side of the business.
“When I was a kid things were very different,” said Kris, who grew up in the hotel. “In those days we didn’t have bar meals, it was basically bed, breakfast and dinner. The gong went at 7pm and the guests came down for a set
menu and that was extent of the food. “Times have changed and we’ve gone from being a smokey pub to a fully-fledged hotel with a great reputation for excellent food and good value.” Kris, his wife Marine and their three children all live on site ensuring The George remains the truly family-run business it has been for more than
Photo by VisitScotland
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150 years. A number of artefacts and heirlooms can be found dotted around the hotel helping to retain the link with the past and the family friendly atmosphere. Many of the rooms still have the apparatus used for guests to call room service when they could ring a bell and it would sound in the offices or kitchen downstairs. “They are still there and are a nice
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historic feature be we don’t use them anymore,” said Kris. “Most people just text or email us using the free wifi if they want something these days.”
Photo by VisitScotland Inveraray Castle
In recent years the family have invested heavily in providing a degree of luxury accommodation usually found in a five-star hotel. Each of the George’s 17 rooms have been beautifully decorated and many boast a super king-size bed, jacuzzi bath and even a real open log and coal fire to add an extra layer of romantic cosiness. Indeed, the George is so indulgently comfortable there is a dangerous temptation to stay indoors and miss out on the historic ambiance of Inveraray itself and spectacular scenery of the surrounding landscape. Enjoy an invigorating walk through the grounds of the nearby Inveraray Castle. This imposing mansion with
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its mixture of Baroque, Palladian and Gothic architecture would look perfectly at home in the pages of a fairy tale. The castle occupies extensive grounds containing a number of
clearly marked walks, including an energetic trail which rises over 800 feet to the tower of Dun Na Cuaiche and a spectacular view over the town and beyond. Alternatively, wander by the banks
of the longest sea loch in Scotland and through the historic streets of the town, a set piece of Scottish Georgian architecture, to explore the shops selling a variety of Highland souvenirs from whisky and tweed to candles and soap. At the opposite end of the main street from The George there’s Inveraray jail and courthouse. This
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19th century living museum with costumed guides tells the story of crime and punishment in a less enlightened era. A few hours sightseeing is guaranteed to build an appetite for dinner prepared by the hotel’s two resident French chefs. Over the years they have earned a well deserved reputation for creating
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delicious meals from a wide selection of largely local produce including West Highland beef and lamb, fresh seafood and local delicacies accompanied by an extensive wine list.
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After dinner relax in the bar, which has been voted the best in Scotland, where there is a wide choice of real ales, Scottish gins, a variety of cocktails and more than 100 malt whiskies from every region. So many
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drams it’s virtually possible to tour the country without leaving the hotel. “We get a lot of people coming here just to get away and relax,” said Kris. During the summer we get a lot of Europeans and Americans but in winter it tends to be mostly people from Scotland or other parts of the UK. “People come up from London and the south just to escape the crowds, enjoy a spot of walking and take in the scenery. It’s little more than four hours on the train from London to Glasgow, or an hour by plane, and then we can pick them up and have them in the hotel within an hour or so. “And, after a couple of days people are hooked on the place. A lot of our guests come back again and again. It’s amazing how many familiar faces we see year after year,” said Kris.
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Agyness Deyn in Sunset Song the movie
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Dawn of Sunset tourism S
ituated off the beaten track among lush fields of wheat, barley, potatoes and oil seed rape lies an area of Scotland all too often overlooked by visitors. The Howe o’ the Mearns, and the picturesque landscape with its historic communities that surrounds it, is a forgotten gem on the tourism map as visitors speed past on the A90 between Dundee and Aberdeen. However, some of that has changed with the international spotlight turned on the area with the 2015 release of the movie based on the classic Scottish novel Sunset Song. The epic 1932 rights-of-passage story by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, about life in a rural farming community, was hailed as the “Best Scottish Book of All Time” by a 2005 poll carried out for the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
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Photo by VisitScotland - Paul Tomkins Montrose
Directed by Terence Davies in 65mm splendour to give justice to the landscapes, the movie starring Agyness Deyn, Kevin Guthrie and Peter Mullan, was described by the Hollywood Reporter as “visually stunning and emotionally engrossing”, and by Screen Daily as a “tour de force of drama, composition and colour”. The movie has helped generate a lot of interest in the Mearns and in the author, whose real name was James Leslie Mitchell. Visitors can learn more about his life, work and times at the Grassic Gibbon centre situated
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near the farm in Arbuthnott where he grew up and the churchyard where his ashes were laid to rest. Tourists can still follow in the footsteps of the actors, and the author, with a visit to locations such as Fettercairn where some of the filming was done. The village, which has a population of just 250, can trace its origins back more than 1,000 years and has earned its place in the history books of Scotland numerous times over. James Leslie Mitchell
It is here that Lady Finella is believed
to have killed King Kenneth II in 995 and the Marquis of Montrose ravaged the community in 1645. It is also home to one of Scotland’s oldest malt whisky distilleries, which has been in operation since 1824, while in the centre of the village stands the Royal Arch. The structure was built by villages in 1864, at a cost of £250, to commemorate an overnight stay by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
Photo cc Rob Hickling
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There are numerous small hotels, bed and breakfasts and self-catering cottages to be found throughout the
Photo by VisitScotland - Paul Tomkins Montrose Harbour
area, including on one of Scotland’s finest private estates less than five miles from Fettercairn. Once a popular retreat for Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother, Gannochy Estate has opened its gates to holiday makers with several renovated properties available to rent. The estate, which dates back to the 12th century, provides a variety of outdoor activities among its peaceful woodland and riverside walks. Sue Bourne, manager of Cottages & Castles, which is letting the cottages, said: “The Gannochy properties offer holiday makers and those trendy staycationers the option to stay in the same property that has been graced over the years by Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth and many other high ranking members of 1930’s society who favoured Gannochy as their Scottish retreat.” The estate is now offering its
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Little Gannochy
Photo by VisitScotland - Paul Tomkins Lunan Bay
Photo by VisitScotland -Jakub Iwanicki Dunottar Castle
properties as luxury holiday lets with the aim of encouraging more people to explore the area and visit nearby villages such as Edzell. Edzell has been described as the ‘jewel in the crown of Angus’. rebuilt in the 1840s the long, wide main street is lined with neat 19th century buildings full of welcoming teashops and antique emporia. The village is also a great place to start or finish a picturesque riverside walk through spectacular scenery to Gannochy Bridge and the Rocks of Solitude, where salmon leap to reach their spawning ground.
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Among the properties on offer on the estate is Little Gannochy, a former factors office for the estate which has been converted to accommodate parties of up to six people for as littles £600 per week. For groups of up to eight guests there is always the youngest and smallest in the Gannochy ‘family’- a newly renovated cottage next to Little Gannochy. aptly called Littlest Gannochy. The cottage which can sleep another is available from £220 a week. The property has recently been given a stylish make-over to create
a welcoming retreat for couples seeking a quiet break in a romantic location, made even more relaxing by the soothing sound of the River North Esk meandering past. The estate is less than two hours from all of Scotland’s major airports but feels a million miles away from daily life’s hustle and bustle. Nestled at the foot of the Angus Glens with the rugged Angus coast line less than half an hours’ drive there is plenty to be explored. Within a 30 minute drive towards Aberdeen there is the romantically evocative ruins of Dunnottar Castle.
Perched on the cliffs overlooking Stonehaven the former fortress has played host to William Wallace and Mary Queen of Scots, among other historical giants, over the centuries. It was here that a small garrison held out against the might of Cromwell’s army for eight months and saved the Scottish Crown Jewels from destruction. A similar distance in the other direction leads to the Montrose Basin
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Nature Reserve, a two-mile-square lagoon of mud and a haven for wildfowl and wading birds. The historic town of Montrose itself has fabulous beaches, sea views, great golf courses, one of first purpose-built museums in Scotland and Britain’s first operational military airfield, established by the Royal Flying Corps in February 1913, which is now a visitor attraction.
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Photo cc Kevan Dickin RAF Montrose Museum
Photo by VisitScotland - Paul Tomkins House of Dun
The nearby House of Dun is a magnificent baroque-style 18th century Georgian mansion designed by renowned architect William Adam. House of Dun is every bit the perfect 18th-century laird’s home. It took 13 years to complete and little wonder as the finely detailed interior depicting classical tableaux and family emblems are breathtakingly beautiful. Throughout the area there are numerous activities and man-made attractions to suit all tastes even though the greatest reason for visiting is the landscape itself. Benholm Mill, a restored and fully working water-powered meal mill, is a popular visitor attraction in ancient woodland near Johnshaven. Situated just 13 miles south of Stonehaven in the heart of Sunset Song country it featured as Long Rob’s Mill in the television serialisation of the novel. Now the only surviving traditional
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water-powered meal mill in this part of Aberdeenshire it is a monument to the numerous mills which were once a common sight. For centuries Benholm and others vitally important to the rural communities as suppliers of oatmeal, bruised oats and hashed oats. Welcoming the impact the film on the region local councillor David Aitchison, Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Service Photo by VisitScotland - Paul Tomkins Benholm Mill
Committee, said the movie acted as a window on the beautiful natural heritage and showcased the area as a world-class tourist destination to a brand new audience. “From the Cairngorms to the Mearns, our dramatic mountains, sweeping farmland, and traditional granite villages are undoubtable showstoppers – I would encourage both locals and tourists to take a closer look at Aberdeenshire.,” he said.
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Edinburgh captured through a lens Photos by Douglas Corrance
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or more than half a century renowned photographer Douglas Corrance has created a unique and timeless pictorial record of Scotland and its people. Now, he has taken some of those images and produced a stunning new art-quality book showcasing life in the Scottish capital in all its glory. Drawing on a unique personal archive of photographs dating back more than 50 years Edinburgh: A Personal View in Photographs is Douglas’s response to a life spent in one of the world’s most fascinating cities. Capturing the quintessential quirks of Edinburgh, its eccentricities and its many interesting characters, this book captures the multi-faced community in spirit and in truth. Edinburgh is a city made for photographers. Shadows of its historic past sit comfortably with the vibrancy of its present in this colourful and through-provoking
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pictorial guide to one of the world’s most captivating capitals. A vast array of beautiful colour and black-and-white images ensures this is a book that cannot fail to appeal to both local residents and visitors of all ages. Accompanied by Douglas’s lively and entertaining captions the reader is given a unique insight into how the photographer approaches his subject and how passionately he feels about the city he chose to make his home. Originally from Falkirk Douglas first picked up a camera aged just 15. He went for a job as an apprentice graphic designer on the Highland News in Inverness only to find, on his first day, that the department he was to join had been closed down and he ended up working in the darkroom. It was turn of fate which changed his life. Within six months he had graduated to handling a camera and embarked upon an exciting life
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as newspaper photographer during which he recored some of the most pivotal moments in Scottish history over half a century. For the last 55 year Douglas has covered anything and everything. He has travelled the world, been mugged, bombed and shot at in war zones, photographed royalty and celebrities, recorded the mundane and captured the spectacular through the lens. His work has been exhibited internationally and been published in a variety of world-renowned publications. Many of his most striking images of Scotland, its
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landscape and its people, have been turned into posters, featured on calendars and appeared in over 20 photographic volumes and guide books. Edinburgh: A Personal View in Photographs has been laid out as if it is an imagined walk around the city, starting from the castle, travelling down the Royal Mile, through the Old Town and then the New Town, with journeys into Holyrood Park, the West End and the northern communities of the Firth of Forth coastline. There is also a section dedicated to Edinburgh’s international reputation as the ‘Festival City’.
Throughout the hundreds of remarkable images included in this landmark publication, Douglas has succeeded in catching the indefinable essence that makes the place so special and memorable. Anyone who has enjoyed a visit to the city will find this book a welcome reminder of Edinburgh’s undeniable charm. Those who have yet to see the capital first hand can enjoy the next best thing to actually being there. Edinburgh: A Personal View in Photographs costs £25, is published by Forth Books and is available now from all good booksellers.
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Vestige of the Vikings resurrected E
ver since the first Vikings ran ashore in the late 8th century their presence has continued to permeate Scottish history and culture. Now, some 1300 years later, the designs and craftwork they brought to these shores have been recreated by an entrepreneurial Viking enthusiast and exported to a worldwide audience.
Photos by Asgard Skane Hammer
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From his base in Dunoon amid the spectacular coastline of Argyll
archaeologist turned craftsman Jim Glazzard painstakingly recreates ancient artefacts for a modern market. Trading as Asgard, named after one of the nine worlds in Norse mythology, Jim specialises in creating Celtic, Viking, Norse and Anglo-Saxon Jewellery. His skills are much sought after and he has made numerous replica artefacts for museums, collectors, television shows and followers of a particular fashion.
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“There’s a lot of interest among younger people, history enthusiasts and film fans who have seen the Thor movies and want to know more about where the character comes from,” said Jim, who set up Asgard with his wife Cat in 2002 and now employs a staff of eight exporting a range of more than 100 hand-crafted products worldwide. “Movies and tv shows like Vikings act as an entry level for people who get wrapped up in the shows and then want to know more about the art and culture of the real Viking world. It makes them want to connect with history.” Jim graduated from the University of York with a degree in Archaeology
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in 1994 and started making reproduction artefacts in 1999. While working at the world-renowned Jorvik Viking centre in York he got to spend a long time looking at original finds and wanted copies for his reenactment hobby. However, with so many of these items difficult to obtain he was forced to learn how to make them for himself. Through a combination of trial and error he managed to make his first comb using traditional Viking methods. Soon fellow enthusiasts bombarded him with orders and his hobby very quickly turned into a full time business.
The company now has a range of Viking silver and bronze, and a steadily growing range of pewter to cater for a loyal and ever increasing custom base built up over the years. “There is a huge amount of interest in America in Viking stuff, partly as a result of the the show Vikings on the History Channel. That has done a tremendous amount to create interest,” said Jim, whose wife and business partner Cat is heading to Chicago this month as part of a trade mission with Scottish Development International to promote Scottish exports. “We sell an awful lot of our products through Amazon in America. The market there is growing all the time.” Germany and Scandinavia are also a big source of custom for Asgard. “In Germany there are quite a lot of heavy rock bands that draw inspiration for their music from Viking songs and legends so their fans
Bronze Jewellery
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want to wear a Thor hammer and are interested in Viking jewellery or our tee-shirt designs. “We also get a lot of interest and buyers from Australia as there are quite a lot of Viking re-enactors who tour around the country putting on displays.” Asgard is also an associate member of the Destination Viking Association which brings together museums and organisations from around Europe with the shared aim of interpreting and promoting Viking history. “We work very closely with a number of museums on reproducing ancient artefacts for them to go on display and to sell in their shops.,” said Jim who was a re-enactor before he was a craftsman and has been a ‘professional Viking’ for almost 20 years. “I just love the history, the archaeology and learning about the technology that was used more than
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1,000 years ago to create incredibly complex artefacts. I am fascinated with unravelling the techniques and materials that were used to create day to day objects, things that in the modern era we don’t really think about. Something as simple as making a comb was a skill. Today they are almost all plastic and made in their thousands in minutes by a machine. But, 1,000 years ago it was something that would take a skilled craftsmen at least eight hours to make.�
Raven bracelet
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Dragon bracelet
Wherever possible Jim sticks to original methods, especially when making something for a museum display that people can handle and explore. “Even when it comes to our own
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range of jewellery I’ll stick with original resources and methods as much as possible to make a master design and then use more modern technology to reproduce the design as often as possible.�
Using as much of the old handcrafted methods as possible is what makes Asgard jewellery unique and maintains a link with the past that can be traced back more than 1,000 years.
Hiddensee necklace
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Galloway Hoard of rare Viking treasure to stay in Scotland
Photos by National Museums Scotland Seona Reid, National Heritage Memorial Fund Trustee, and Bruce Minto, Chairman of National Museums Scotland
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A
unique cache of almost priceless Viking artefacts uncovered by an amateur treasure hunter which could shed new light on Scottish history has been saved for the nation. Known as the Galloway Hoard the collection of more than 100 gold and silver objects has been described as one of the most significant Viking discoveries ever made in Scotland. Metal detector enthusiast Derek McLennan from Ayrshire unearthed the treasure while searching a piece of land belonging to the Church of Scotland in August 2014. It is believed the items were probably buried for safekeeping about 1,000 years ago.
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Among the artefacts were a number of ornate armbands, an early Christian cross and other items. While the bulk of the find consisted of a rich Viking-age hoard of silver jewellery and ingots it also contained an outstanding range of exceptional
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precious metal and jewelled items, including a rare gold ingot, a gold bird-shaped pin and a decorated silver-gilt cup of Continental or Byzantine origin. The Galloway Hoard is unique in bringing together a remarkable variety of objects in one discovery, hinting at hitherto unknown connections between people across Europe and beyond. It is considered to be of international significance and will transform understanding of this period of Scottish history. Following the allocation of the Galloway Hoard in May 2017 to National Museums Scotland
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by the Queen’s Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer, National Museums had just six months in which to get the money necessary to keep the collection intact and in Scotland. A major wide-ranging campaign was launched to raise £1.98 million in order to acquire the Galloway Hoard on behalf of the nation. Following a generous funding contribution of £1 million from The National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), £150,000 from the Scottish Government and widespread public support, totalling over 1,500 private donations, it has been announced the future of the unique Hoard of Viking-age treasures is at last secure.
Museums Scotland.
national tour.
“In the last six months we have been overwhelmed by the response from the general public who have got behind our campaign to ‘Save the Hoard’. I am also grateful for the generosity of Art Fund, the Scottish Government, charitable trusts and individual donors,” said Dr Gordon Rintoul, Director of National
“Now we look forward to starting the work on conserving and researching the Hoard to unlock its secrets” It is anticipated the necessary conservation and research work will take around two years before the Hoard will go on view at the National Museum of Scotland prior to a
“The Galloway Hoard is one of the most important collections ever discovered in Scotland. It is important that the hoard is made available for the people of Scotland and our visitors from around the world to see,” said Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs.
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Forever friends
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A
hand-carved stone sculpture featuring the ship that carried some of the first Scottish settlers to Canada has been presented to the Canadian Government as a symbol of enduring friendship. The gift, created by Historic Environment Scotland, marks the 150th anniversary of Confederation and the creation of modern day Canada. It was presented by Economy Secretary Keith Brown at a Scottish Government reception in Ottawa to mark the enduring friendship and cultural links between Scotland and Canada. Crafted from a stone from the shores of Loch Broom, where the Hector set sail for Nova Scotia in 1773, the gold-leaf sculpture features an etching of the 18th century ship. The Gaelic text on the plaque translates into “Forever Friends�.
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Scots were among the earliest settlers in Canada. Scottish settlers began to arrive as early as the 1600s, but it was the large waves of immigration between 1760 and 1860 that saw thousands of enterprising Scots move to Canada to start new
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lives and make their marks in the New World. Almost five million Canadians claim full or partial Scottish heritage, that’s around 15 per cent of the country’s total population.
“The 150th anniversary is an incredibly special year for Canadians. It is an event that symbolises what it means to be Canadian today and celebrates the proud diversity of the country,” said Keith Brown, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for
Economy, Jobs and Fair Work. “Scotland’s links with Canada endure for 150 years and more. It is a relationship marked by family links, a shared culture and collaboration across education and trade.
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“This gift commemorates that historic friendship and celebrates the millions of people who share, and have shared, that special connection throughout the ages. “The fantastic design also showcases modern Scotland’s artistic talent and craftsmanship. There are discussions underway about the piece being acquired by the Canadian Museum of History.”
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When the Hector sailed from Loch Broom, Scotland to Nova Scotia in 1773 it carried with it 189 Scottish settlers. For most of them it had not been an easy decision to leave family and friends behind. Many had been forcibly removed from their ancestral lands during the brutal Highland Clearances. Destitute and homeless they looked across the Atlantic in hope of a brighter future. It was a hard journey which took
almost double the expected six weeks to make the crossing during which 18 people, mostly children died, from outbreaks of smallpox and dysentery. Those that survived the voyage and landed at Pictou in Nova Scotia were among the earliest immigrants to the country who played a major role in establishing settlements, setting up companies, building places of worship, and exploring the country.
Scots played a crucial role in the creation of the Canadian identity. Later, Scottish immigrants and their descendents became leading figures in politics, business and education. Several of the driving forces behind the confederation movement itself were Scottish born or descended – including Canada’s first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and other ‘Fathers of Confederation’
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George Brown and Alexander Tilloch Galt.
Highland Clashach stone from their Elgin quarry.
Although the 1867 Confederation in itself did not establish a fully independent Canadian nation, it began the process that ultimately led to Canada’s independence from Britain, and as such is regarded as the birth year of Canada.
A rock from the shores of Loch Broom was hand selected, then polished and inset as the central focal point with an etched image of the Hector. This ancient rock would have been lying on the shore of Loch Broom when Hector set sail for Nova Scotia in 1773.
Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland said: “We were delighted and honoured to be commissioned to produce this gift from Scotland to Canada. We are fortunate to have in-house specialists with the right blend of conservation craft skills capable of taking this project from design to completion. “The finished stone is both beautiful and truly unique – a tangible piece of Scotland, which references and celebrates our shared heritage and cultural links.” The design of the sculpture uses
The decorative stylised edge rope carving references both the Ship’s rigging and the strong physical and cultural bond that exists between Scotland and Canada. The Gaelic text on the plaque translates into “Forever Friends”. The timber base is made from a piece of recovered elm felled in the garden of The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh which had been been planted under the instruction of Queen Victoria’s Consort Prince Albert around 150 years ago.
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Return of the haggis
Photo by VisitScotland
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T
he “gratefu prayer” of thousands of Canadian Scots have been answered. For the first time in almost 50 years the great chieftain o the puddin’ race is once again welcome on its shores. Scotland is to start exporting haggis to Canada for the first time in 46 years, after leading haggis producers Macsween of Edinburgh developed a new recipe that meets Canadian regulations. The long-awaited move follows the lifting of the Canadian ban on red meat imports from Europe in 2015. “We are absolutely delighted to be the first Scottish haggis sold in Canada in 46 years,” said James Macsween, Managing Director of Macsween of Edinburgh “Finally, Canadians and the expat community within Canada will be able to enjoy the UK’s no.1 haggis brand, loved for its’ awardwinning taste and texture. This is
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Photo by Stewart Cunningham Haggis hors d’oeuvres
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a huge milestone for Macsween to be expanding internationally and leading the way in an increasingly competitive market.
Scottish companies have been working to produce a haggis recipe that meets Canadian regulations. The import ban on offal remains in place.
“My grandfather, Charlie, would be very proud to see how far we’ve come from his original butcher’s shop in Bruntsfield, which he opened back in 1953.”
Macsween is one of the country’s most famous haggis-makers and a leading culinary innovator as they also make a vegetarian version of Scotland’s national dish. Instead of traditional ingredients of non-meat eaters can enjoy their own haggis
Since the red meat ban was lifted,
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made from black kidney beans, lentils, vegetables, oatmeal, herbs and spices. “Haggis is known the world over for being a truly iconic symbol of Scotland. It’s great news that Macsween have been able to develop a haggis recipe for export to Canada,” said Keith Brown, Scotland’s Economy Secretary during visit to a food festival in
Photo by VisitScotland
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Toronto showcasing Scottish food and drink to a Canadian audience. “After waiting 46 years I’m sure there will be many Canadians and ex-pat Scots looking forward to having Scotland’s national dish at the centre of their table. “This development is an indication of the increasing interest in, and love of, Scottish food and drink produce in North America.”
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Canada’s decision to allow haggis back on the menu, even a customised one, has provided fresh reason for hope that one day the USA will lift its own ban. After all, that’s something the authorities have been hinting at since 2015 provided an alternative to lungs is used. Now one has been found, and approved by Canada, there’s hope millions of Scottish-Americans will soon be able to find the delicacy back on supermarket shelves.
A number of Scottish companies are already having particular success with expansion into Canada. Scottish seafood supplier, Associated Seafoods, which has just launched two Scottish Smoked salmon products with Canada’s largest retailer Loblaw, which has more than 1,700 locations across Canada. This specialist group of seafood companies, which comprises Moray
Photo by Stewart Cunningham
Seafoods, Lossie Seafoods and GlenIsla Shellfish, is renowned for providing premium Scottish smoked salmon, Scottish langoustine, and Scottish crab and scallops to some of the world’s top restaurants and hotels. There is also Highland-based company Cullisse, which has begun exporting the first Scottish rapeseed oil to North America; Stockans Oatcakes, which can now be found in Canadian Wal-Mart, Metro & Sobeys stores; and Edinburgh-based brewer, Innis & Gunn, whose largest export
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market continues to be Canada and are the most popular imported craft beer in the country.
with latest figures suggesting an increase of 37 per cent over the last year.
They are among an increasing number of Scots’ firms finding favour with high end retailers, luxury hotels, leading chefs and distributors as they respond to an ever increasing appetite for the country’s extensive larder of natural, high quality products.
‘It’s great to see the industry’s investment in market and product development delivering results. Canada is a priority market for Scotland and we are working with Scotland Food and Drink partners to ensure that companies are able to fully exploit the opportunities in retail and food service,” said Susan Beattie, Head of Food & Drink at Scottish Development International (SDI).
It’s been calculated that food and drink exports to Canada alone are now worth more than £94 million,
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Caledonia dreaming on a winter’s day
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T
housands of Californian Scots and their friends gathered to celebrate a heritage that has survived hundreds of years and thousands of miles. The 15th annual Seaside Highland Games in Ventura, California truly lived up to its reputation as “The
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Premier Scottish Festival on the Pacific Coast”. Traditionally held on the second full weekend of October this year’s event attracted huge crowds and representatives of more than 70 clans and societies “Scottish Clan Societies are the
backbone of any successful festival and it was never more accurate a measure than it was this year,” said a spokesperson for the organisers. “A total of four Clan Societies applied to hold their Annual General Meetings at Seaside this year and two of the four brought their Clan Chiefs to be Honored Guests of the
Games. And feted they were! “From the initial piping in of Donald MacLaren of MacLaren to the grand Single Malt Whisky Tasting on Friday night to the elegant Chief’s Ball
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on Saturday night, honoring these special AGM Clans and attended by 240 eager participants from all clans, a warm California welcome was extended and gratefully received.�
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The seventy or so clans and societies that set up a welcoming booth along the quarter mile Clan Row inside the show-ground were never without guests as everyone given a taste of some traditional hearty hospitality Seaside boasts every venue a Scottish gathering could contain and it was never more true than this year. A total of 150 Scottish Heavy Athletes, both men and women, competed for prizes and rewards throughout each of the festival’s two days. It was the same for the the dozen or so bagpipe and drum bands as they competed for bragging rights in between parades while dancers of every age and discipline, from Highland through to Scottish Country Dancing, put on a grand display for the enjoyment of guests. As is the case with most such gatherings it was a distinctly family affair. Children had their own Glen in which they could play, listen to stories or even try their hand at Scottish athletics, under the expert tuition of some of the same adult competitors battling it out in the Morgan Arena. While the children were kept occupied adults could learn more about Single Malt Scotch in seminars taught by experts and could also sample a wide spectrum of local beers and ales. Learning plays an important part in the Seaside Festival and so it was this year with a number of special seminars held for those interested in tracing their family-genealogy. A very special class was held by Viscount Dunrossil, Andrew W. R. Morrison, Chairman of the Society of Scottish Armigers, and was assisted by Donald D Campbell was hailed as a particular success. As with previous years the Seaside Highland Games lived up to its principal aim to entertain guests and honour a shared interest in Scottish heritage and history.
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Sex, secrets and murder I
t is a mystery which has puzzled police and amateur sleuths for more than a century. A murder most foul that one of the country’s most celebrated detectives described it as so brutal it might have been “committed by a maniac or a foreigner.” The unsolved case of Jean Milne, a woman of independent means who was stabbed repeatedly with a carving fork and bludgeoned to death with a poker, was one of the most infamous murder cases in Scotland at the turn of the 20th century.
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Even today the case, which remains open and active - even though the culprit would have to be more than 120-years-old at the very least, has all the hallmarks of a blockbuster movie or bonkbuster novel. The victim, Miss Milne, was a respectable church-going, 69-yearold spinster with a secret double life. She was known to have had dalliances with a number of possible lovers in a London Hotel and on frequent trips to the continent. A short time before her death she was described by friends as being “shrill and overcome with excitement” at the prospect of meeting the new man
in her life. The sprightly elderly lady was in the habit of talking to friends and her “hired help” alike about the numerous “nice” men she would meet while holidaying abroad or on trips to London. However, on Sunday 3rd November 1912 her bloody corpse was found in Elmgrove House, her 23 room mansion in Broughty Ferry, an affluent suburb of Dundee known at the time as the richest square mile in Europe. Numerous witnesses came forward to talk of the “eccentric” old lady’s fondness for talking about
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men and it was hinted that she may also have had a soft spot for young women.
home, in which she lived alone and seldom had visitors, as robbery had been discounted as a motive.
Gardener John Wood who worked the grounds of Elmgrove House told the police that Miss Milne “always spoke freely about how she enjoyed herself when holidaying in London, Paris and the continent. She often spoke about meeting very nice gentlemen. That was her particular theme, about getting acquainted with French and German gentlemen.”
She was discovered still wearing her exquisite diamonds rings and her purse had a considerable sum of money in it, there were no signs that anyone had riffled through her mansion looking for valuables.
Among the 43 potential witnesses police interviewed was Margret Sampson, who described herself as a ‘sometime friend of Miss Milne’s’. She told police that she and her sister had met Miss Milne in the months before her death and that she was just back from one of her frequent trips to a hotel in London. She said the spinster was talking excitedly about meeting the “nicest man she had ever met in her life, a cultured, scholarly man, neither English nor Scotch”. “She was tremendously excited, talking and giggling shrilly about the man, so much so that people were turning round and looking at her” said Margaret Sampson, a woman of ‘independent means’ from Dundee. “We were relieved when she left us, and remarked to each other ‘poor thing! Isn’t she insane?’” Margaret Sampson, who only spoke on the understanding that she and her sister Mary should never be named in public, also indicated Miss Milne had an interest in young women. “She spoke about a very nice young lady she had met in the Bonnington Hotel in London. A short time after she sent me a letter from the Grand Palace Hotel in London saying that she had arrived safely and the same young lady of whom she had spoke of was waiting at the station to greet her.” The police became interested in Miss Milne’s wild social life away from her
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Her body had been lying for between two to three weeks and had only been discovered because the local postman found the letter box crammed full and called the police. It was ascertained from witnesses who had last seen Miss Milne alive that the murder was committed on either the 15th or 16th of October 1912. The chief suspect swiftly emerged as a tall dark, gentleman who had been seen in and around Elmgrove House close to the dates of the murder. One occasion a neighbouring maid saw the man striding semi clothed and in front of the living room window in plain view. The case attracted considerable interest and celebrated Detective John Trench of Glasgow CID was called in to lead the inquiry. Trench had won plaudits for his role in the conviction of Oscar Slater, a diamond cutter convicted of the murder of an 82-year-old woman in Glasgow in 1908. On arrival Trench surveyed the body of the deceased and the scene of the crime and wrote in his police report “her murder was of a particularly brutal nature such as might have been committed by a maniac or a foreigner.” Incensed after finding that the carving fork had been driven into Miss Milne’s right breast four times before she was bludgeoned he ordered that the description of the handsome stranger be issued throughout the land. An eagle eyed prison guard in Maidstone Kent thought a man, in jail
for a running off without settling his hotel bill, fitted the bill. The witnesses from Dundee travelled to Kent with Trench to positively identify Canadian Charles Warner as the culprit. Despite Trench making the jarring observation that his main suspect, who had four gold teeth, had a “particularly repulsive face,” and Warner himself protesting that he had “never set foot in Scotland” he was taken north for trial. On the way up Trench had ample opportunity to assess the character of Warner who he did not believe was Canadian at all, later stating that the man in his care “had all the peculiarities of an accomplished American crook” His “foreign” traveling companion bemused the detective by talking at great length about “crime and criminals, murders and the American police system.” It struck Trench as “very peculiar that although he was arrested on a charge of murdering Jean Milne, he never at any time asked a question as to the nature of the crime.” Furthermore Trench’s report noted that as well as “severely criticising the witnesses… He (Warner) admitted that he was to blame a great deal for not having told his
whereabouts when requested to do so.” This last statement was to prove telling as when Warner arrived in Dundee he said he had remembered his movements around the time of the murder and called for a search to made of his impounded overcoat pocket in which a receipt should be found for an overcoat he had pawned in Antwerp. Sure enough a receipt was found dated the 16th October he appeared to have pawned it in the Hotel Rubens in Antwerp. John Semphill, Chief Constable of Broughty Ferry Police Force was immediately dispatched to Belgium to check out Warner’s claims and the authenticity of the ticket. Upon arrival he proceeded straight to the Hotel Rubens where a waiter, working on the day in question, recognised Warner’s photograph and could recall the proprietor making out the receipt.
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Further investigations in Belgium revealed that Warner had been in Antwerp and Brussels for some time and could not have been responsible for the killing of Miss Milne. Upon Semphill’s return Warner, the only suspect ever arrested for the killing, was free to go. The Chief Constable having checked out Warner’s movements found it remarkable that the suspect had eventually remembered so accurately “because on his showing and on that of the witness statements I took in Antwerp, Brussels and London he (Warner) was leading a most irregular life… drinking heavily and living by his wits flitting between Antwerp and London, London and Liverpool, Southampton and Liverpool, Liverpool and Seacombe, Seacombe and Antwerp, Antwerp and Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels, and Antwerp and back to London.” The Elmgrove murder mystery remains unsolved but it had a profound effect on Detective Trench.
His conscience was pricked about the flimsy conviction of Oscar Slater for the murder of an 82-year-old woman in similar circumstances four years previously on nothing more than two witness statements he had taken. A petition of clemency gathered 20,000 signatures and saved Slater from hanging but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Arthur Conan Doyle raised awareness of the injustice by publishing his book The Case of Oscar Slater. He argued that Slater, a German Jew, had been convicted because of prejudice against him. Slater was imprisoned for 18 years and was only released after it was discovered that the “eye witnesses” had been bribed. Trench perhaps absolving his own conscience gave evidence that he had never believed one of the accounts at the time. For his honesty he was charged with concealment of evidence and hounded out of the police force.
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Date 4 ur diary
Scotland
3 - 4 November Stirling Gin Festival 29 Spittal Street, Stirling, FK8 1DU The 4th annual Stirling Gin Festival bigger and better than ever with 50plus varieties to sample. http://www.stirlingspiritcompany.scot/StirlingGinFestival 8 - 19 November Colours of Cluny Forres, Morayshire, IV36 3BT Cluny Hill in Forres is set to be ablaze with colour this November with a spectacular sound and light show to highlight its natural beauty. http://www.coloursofcluny.com 10 - 12 November Galloway Antiques Fair at Scone Palace Scone, Perth, PH2 6BD Nationally known antiques and fine art dealers will be displaying items for sale including furniture, porcelain glass, silver, jewellery, mirrors, sculpture, oriental rugs and carpets and much more from early Georgian through to the 1930’s. https://scone-palace.co.uk/whats-on/galloway-antiquesfair-0 17 November 2017 Edinburgh’s Christmas Edinburgh, Scotland, UK Family fun with Edinburgh’s Christmas, a spectacular, sixweek season of festive entertainment in the heart of the city until to 7 January 2018. http://www.edinburghschristmas.com/about 17 - 19 November Chrysalis Festival 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED A platform for ambitious performance by young theatremakers showcasing emerging talent, sparking critical debate and challenging perceptions of youth theatre. http://www.ytas.org.uk/chrysalis/ 17 - 19 November Fiddle 54 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2LR A weekend of wonderful fiddle music, talks, concerts, masterclasses, workshops, recitals and ceilidhs to promote and sustain traditional fiddle music. http://scotsfiddlefestival.com 23 - 25 November Dundee Mountain Film Festival
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If you have a future event you would like included in our diary please email details to news@scotlandcorrespondent.com University of Dundee, Park Place, Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN The UK’s longest continuous running mountain film festival showcasing an international programme of speakers, as well as award winning films and exhibitions. http://www.dundeemountainfilm.org.uk 27 November - 3 December Book Week Scotland Edinburgh, EH1 1SR A love of reading inspires creativity, improves employment opportunities, mental health and wellbeing, and is one of the most effective ways to help children escape the poverty cycle. http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/about 30 November - 3 December illumination: Harbour Festival of Light Irvine, North Ayrshire, KA12 8QE The sky will light up with fireworks and Irvine’s sleepy, historic waterfront will shimmer into life this St Andrew’s Day as we celebrate the start of our four night art and light spectacular, illumination: Harbour Festival of Light. http://illuminationfestival.co.uk
Australia
5 November Central Coast Scottish Spectacular The Entertainment Grounds in Gosford, New South Wales The inaugural Central Coast Scottish Spectacular featuring the NSW Pipe Band Championships, and the Central Coast Scottish National Dancing Titles. Come along and join in the fun. Pipe Bands, Drum Majors, the Tossing of the Caber, Tug O’War, Scottish Stalls, Food, and much more. www.scottishspectacular.com
Canada
18 November The St.Andrew’s Charity Ball Toronto Toronto, Ontario A highlight of the annual calendar and a tremendous opportunity to experience Scottish hospitality and revel in Scotland’s rich history and traditions www.standrews-society.ca. 18 November St Andrew’s Ball Coast Plaza Hotel, 1763 Comox Street Vancouver, British Columbia Four course formal dinner and all night Scottish Country dancing, with music provided by the Vancouver Fiddle
Orchestra and entertainment by Shot of Scotch. www.bcpipers.org
New Zealand
11 November Hororata Highland Games Hororata, New Zealand The Hororata Highland Games attracts hundreds of competitors from throughout New Zealand and internationally to compete in Highland Dancing, Piping and Drumming, Tug O’ War, Highland Spin, Small Bore Shooting, Amateur Scottish heavy athletics and the Oceania Heavyweight Championship. www.hororatahighlandgames.org.nz 18 November Auckland Highland Games Remuera, Auckland , New Zealand A kaleidoscope of activities are on display – Highland and Country dancing, singing and music, the skirl of the pipes in the Pipe Band and Solo Piping competitions. The field events, including caber tossing, sheaf and haggis tossing, tug of war, a Strong Man Events Team, a Junior Highland Games concept, historical fighting, as well as games for the children to take part in. The Clan Avenue is full of keen historians and cultural specialists sharing their knowledge with their tents full of colourful displays and information. www.aucklandhighlandgames.wordpress.com
USA
3-5 November The Association of Scottish Games and Festivals Conference Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A clearinghouse of ideas, resources and information to assist members of The Association of Scottish Games and Festivals in the production of Highland Games throughout the United States www.asgf.org/conference 4 November 2017 St. Andrew’s Gala Denver Marriott Tech Center 4900 S. Syracuse St. Denver, CO 80237 The St. Andrew Society of Colorado exists to provide all persons with an interest in Scotland the opportunity to pursue their interest in Scottish culture, traditions, and history. www.coloradoscots.com 18 November Dunedin Celtic Music & Craft Beer Festival Dunedin’s Highlander Park Dunedin, Florida Presented by the Dunedin Scottish Arts Foundation this annual event is centred around Traditional and
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Contemporary Celtic music and both local and national craft beer. The 2017 festival will feature music by The Young Dubliners, Tartan Terrors, BROTHER, The Glengarry Bhoys, Off Kilter, and the City of Dunedin Pipe Band! www.dunedincelticmusicfestival.com
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