Scotland Correspondent Issue 28

Inside The Bruce’s family home

Escape to the ‘forbidden’ isle

Celebrating our favourite spirits

Dressing up for Melrose 7s

Monster fun at Loch Ness

25 years of Scotland the Best p1

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inside this issue 10 Inside

Broomhall House

Exclusive access to the home of Scotland’s best connected family.

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28 Speyside

spirit

Celebrating 20 years of the Speyside whisky festival.

44 A

Rum experience

Getting away from it all on a beautiful island.

56 Etape

Ness

Loch

Fund raising challenge to help revive the heart of Knoydart.

70 Antique

hunting with Roo Irvine Easter eggs with a difference.

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78 Diaspora

detectives

New resource for family history buffs goes online.

102 Page

turner

Who’s going to the Boswell Book Festival?

112 When

only the best will do

90 Scrum

down for a party

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The story behind the country’s favourite Getting in the mood for guide book. the Melrose 7s.

120 Gin

and share it

Stirring up interest in home grown gins.

128 Gintelligence

182 Anniversary Fiona Holland tries out 158 News in the latest gins to hit the Brief Vaults shelves.

What’s been What’s worth happening in Scotland. celebrating and commemorating this April.

168 Colours of

Spring

Paying homage to our other national flower.

132 Run

Arran

Island challenge gives runners a taste of Scotland in miniature.

Date 4 Your Diary 188

What’s on in Scotland and abroad this month.

Cover Photo

Photo by Stewart Cunningham Lord Charles Bruce outside Broomhall House

148 Showcasing

the past

Recording the remains of Aberdeenshire’s forgotten people. p7

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Ancestral connections

Photos by Stewart Cunningham Broomhall House

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by Paul Kelbie

T

here can be few locations so closely entwined with Scottish and world history than Broomhall House.

Situated on the north bank of the Firth of Forth near Dunfermline this 300-year-old country mansion is a unique repository of antiques and artefacts directly connected to the descendants of Scotland’s greatest hero.

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Lord Charles Bruce

First and foremost the family home of Lord Andrew Bruce, the 11th Earl of Elgin, the house is now open by invitation only to select guests who are treated to a very personal tour through more than 800 years of unrivalled history.

“Visitors like the idea the house is still occupied by the same family who have been here for 13 generations and they appreciate the history being narrated by a member of the family.

It makes it more real and authentic,” said Lord Charles Bruce, heir to the Earldom of Elgin and Kincardine.

“I can go off piste and be a bit cheeky about my ancestors which maybe a National Trust guide couldn’t do. It brings the whole experience to life.”

Lord Charles’s friendly and entertaining conversation is filled with anecdotes about his ancestors and the roles many have played through time. His knowledge of history is matched only by his infectious enthusiasm at sharing it with visitors.

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Broomhall library

The Bruce family has lived in the area since the 14th century and acquired the land on which the 2,500 acre Broomhall estate now sits in the 1580s. The present house was built in 1702 and has been extensively renovated and upgraded over the last 40 years.

Walking into Broomhall House today is like being transported through time. In the library, high above the shelves filled with books containing some of the greatest ideas of the last three centuries, the walls are lined with portraits of family members who helped shape the world of today.

Pointing at a portrait of the 5th Earl of Elgin, a founding member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews, Lord Bruce tells the story of how his politically astute ancestor attended the coronation of George III in 1761.

Lord Bruce with a drawing of his ancestor the 8th Earl of Elgin

“It was really important that he did attend the coronation because he had been a Jacobite and it was a way to airbrush out that element of

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family history and embrace the new beginning,” said Lord Bruce.

“We know he attended because we have a document detailing a loan from Coutts Bank for something like £300, that’s about £30,000 today, to pay for everything he needed such as a coach, his outfit, staff and a place to stay in London.”

Close to the 5th Earl’s portrait is one of his mother, Janet, who was an arch Jacobite.

“She used to get her coachman to deliver secret messages around Scotland on behalf of the Jacobite cause. The Hanoverian troops wouldn’t arrest him because he had her coat of arms on the carriage doors so was considered above suspicion,” said Lord Bruce, who is Patron of the Association of Clans and Scottish Societies of Canada, among his other interests.

After the 1745 rebellion Lady Bruce was instrumental in helping

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dispossessed tenants from confiscated Jacobite estates find safe places to live. One family she rescued and gave shelter to were weavers from Angus called Carnegie.

The Carnegies stayed on the Broomhall estate until 1826 when, as a result of the economic crash of the weaving industry in the wake of the Napoleonic wars, the family got into debt.

An entry in the estate ledger of the time, which is on display in Broomhall library, refers to their accumulated rental arrears which had persisted for several years. Unable to pay anything towards the debt of £34.10s the family was given notice to quit.

They moved to Dunfermline where they lived until 1848 when William Carnegie emigrated to the US with his wife Margaret and two sons, Andrew and Tom. Andrew, who had been named after

his debt-ridden grandfather, rose from poverty to become a steel magnate and amassed a fortune of more than $309 billion in today’s terms, making him one of the richest men the world has ever known.

Also in the library are the personal possessions of James Bruce of Kinnaird, a cousin of the 5th Earl who decided that rather than embrace the Hanoverian establishment he would leave the country.

“He disappeared for 14 years during which time he travelled all over north Africa and travelled up the Nile to Ethiopia where he discovered the source of the Blue Nile in 1771,” said Lord Bruce.

“It’s extraordinary that two cousins in the same family decided to react to the same historical event in very different ways. One embraces the whole Hanoverian concept and the other disappears from Scotland. There is a sense he was an unreconstructed Jacobite who

Lord Bruce with the estate ledger recording the debt of the Carnegie family

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needed a bit of time to adjust. In the process he ended up with one of the most extraordinary travel stories ever written.�

Bruce’s handwritten journal of his travels, including his epic 1,500 mile return journey on foot through the Sudan and across the Namibian desert to Alexandria in Egypt, is laid out on a table next to his compass, folding musket and a tartan jacket he had made up on his return in 1784, following repeal of the Act of Proscription banning the wearing of Highland Dress.

In the 19th century the Bruce family became central to the political establishment. The 8th Earl, grandson of the 5th, was born in 1811 and went on to become a leading international statesman of the age.

In a diplomatic career spanning several decades he served as Governor of Jamaica, Governor General of the Province of Canada, Viceroy of India and negotiated trade deals with the USA, China and Japan.

Possessions of the 8th Earl of Elgin

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Lord Bruce with Queen Victoria’s unopened letters

One of his greatest accomplishments in north America was to sign Canada’s first free trade agreement with the U.S. in 1854.

Although it took eight years to negotiate Lord Bruce revealed the treaty was finally signed during a very hot summer in Washington when Congress was in recess.

“His secret weapon was to take vintage champagne, which his father had laid down in Paris for future generations, and he got the American senators absolutely sloshed. It was known as the treaty that was floated down on a river of champagne,” laughed Lord Bruce.

After Canada the 8th Earl was sent on a mission to bring an end to the opium wars in China and offer the Chinese the opportunity to join the new free trade order.

Curiously, laying on a table in the library are two unopened letters, the contents of which have remained

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The first, or at least one of the first, photographs ever taken in Japan

a mystery for more than 150 years. They were written by Queen Victoria and addressed personally to the Emperor of China. As the official representative of the British government the 8th Lord Elgin was tasked with delivering the documents.

“Unfortunately the letters were never delivered and remain unopened

to this day because no emperor was going to receive a diplomatic representative of a foreign head of state because they were too grand for that,” said Lord Bruce.

Relics of the 8th Earl’s overseas missions adorn various rooms of the house, including the writing case on which he penned his official despatches and what is believed to be one of the first photographs ever

Signing of the 1858 Treaty with Japan

taken in Japan. The grainy black and white image of the Japanese

delegation involved in signing the 1858 trade treaty with Britain sits

close to watercolour painting of the historic event.

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The dining room

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The dining room is dominated by an intricately decorated fireplace which was once part of the marital bed shared by James VI and his wife Anne of Denmark after they married in 1589 At least three children were born to the couple on that bed. Henry, Prince of Wales, who would have become Henry VIIII of England had he not died of typhoid aged 18.

Their daughter Princess Elizabeth, who eventually married Frederick V of the Palatinate to become

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monarch over the three kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland.

The walls of the dining room, where numerous heads of state and royalty have been entertained over the years, are adorned with more ancestral portraits including Edward Bruce, the last Scottish ambassador to England. He was the one who negotiated the succession of James VI to the English throne and ironically his image sits just a few feet from a display case containing the sword of King Robert I. 2nd Earl of Kincardine

Queen of Bohemia; and Charles I, who succeed his father to become

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“In one room we’ve got the sword of the man who wrested the country back from English occupation in 1314 and a portrait of his descendent

who managed to secure the English throne for a Scottish King in 1603 with the stroke of a pen,” said Lord Bruce.

Other Bruce ancestors with special places in history include William Speirs Bruce who led the Scottish Antarctic Expedition of 1902; John Geoffrey Bruce who set a mountaineering record in 1922 climbing Mount Everest to reach 27,300 feet without oxygen; Stanley Melbourne Bruce who was the eighth Prime Minister of Australia in 1923; and Alexander Bruce, Earl of Kincardine, whose longitude pendulum sea clock played an important role in the quest to help sailors determine longitude at sea.

Lord Bruce with the sword of Robert Bruce beneath the portrait of Edward Bruce in the dining room of Broomhall House

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Lord Bruce with an early version of the family tree

The 8th Earl’s Canadian coat in the library of Broomhall House

Broomhall House is a must-see experience for anyone with an interest in Scottish history, fine art and antiques. Although not open

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to the public bespoke tours can be arranged for selected groups and the house is available for corporate events and as a film location. Details

can be found on the website https://www.broomhallhouse.com

A native American pipe presented to the 8th Earl

Lord Bruce with the handwritten journal of James Bruce

The fireplace made from a King’s bed

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Living the dram

Speyside Distillery

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by Scott Aitken

T

housands of whisky fans from around the world will descend on the spiritual home of Scotland’s malt whisky production this month for a celebration of the ‘water of life’.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with more than 665 events for both connoisseurs and the curious.

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For six days those with a deeprooted passion for Scotland’s national drink, as well as many who have never tasted it before, will get access to a variety of exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, whisky nosing and tasting events with industry experts, food pairing as well as outdoor and heritage activities.

Make your own blend at Strathisla Distillery

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Set in one of the most scenic areas of the country Speyside, home to around half of all Scotland’s distilleries, has a long and fascinating history of whisky production. It was here that craft crofters used to make illegal spirits to be smuggled over the hills through secret glens to the coastal ports of Moray and beyond.

Inside Glenlivet

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It’s also where the first legal distillery was built and where the oldest working distillery in the Highlands can be found.

The Spirit of Speyside brings together the old and the new with the romance and the reality combined in a series of events designed to entertain and inform.

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Whisky tasting with Gordon & Macphail

Over the years the festival has become a truly international attraction. In 2015 around 51 per cent of ticket sales were to people within the UK. Of those 8 per cent were local to Speyside, some 25 per cent came from somewhere else in Scotland and 18 per cent were from the rest of the UK. Less than half (49 per cent) of tickets were sold to tourists from overseas.

However, as the global reputation has grown so have the numbers.

Last year saw a total attendance at the festival of 28,822, a rise of more than 2,500 on 2017’s total. Just 39 percent of visitors were from the UK while 61 per cent came from overseas, including Germany, the USA, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, France, United Arab Emirates, Australia/New Zealand and Switzerland. “It’s hard to believe the festival has been around for 20 years, but when the team launched the festival, they

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Site of the first legal distillery in Scotland

Strathisla has been producing whisky since 1786

The spirit flows at Strathisla

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knew they had created something very special that had the potential to attract a global audience,” said James Campbell, Chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

“The festival is fantastic for those

who are deeply passionate about whisky because of the unique opportunities that it presents to tour lesser-known distilleries and have a dram with the managers and master distillers that are so important to the industry, but what makes it different

to any other festival is the way that it brings people together.

“The atmosphere is second to none whether you’ve visited many times in the past or are coming for the first time. It’s a fantastic way to see

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the local area and really be a part of the local community – no other whisky festival offers the authentic experience that we do.”

Among the events on offer is ‘Off the Beaten Track’. After winning the Award for the Best New Event of 2018 it’s back offering a chance to discover some of the secrets of distilleries not usually open to the public, including Dalmunach, Tormore, Braeval and Allt a Bhainne distilleries.

Starting and finishing at Aberlour Distillery the tour includes a tutored testing and delicious buffet lunch prepared by Ghillie Başan at her house, a short trip by Land Rover from Braeval Distillery.

Ghillie is an expert in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine and creates delicious dishes to accompany whisky which reveal many new facets of both.

Although Whisky is a multi-million pound mainstream business today its colourful history is full of romantic tales of hide and seek between smugglers and customs men in the hills of Strathspey.

In the 18th and 19th century Glenlivet, aka The Hidden Glen, was the illicit whisky distilling capital of the world and a hotbed for smuggling. It is also home to the site of the first ever legal distillery, which is marked by small cairn less than a mile from the modern home of Glenlivet.

Lunch with Ghillie Başan

A fascinating event for history buffs is the Glenlivet Smugglers’ One Life Livet Tour - one of the most unusual outdoor adventures in Scotland Operated by Glenlivet Hill Trek visitors can enjoy a bracing drive 1,700ft up into the hills on eight wheel drive Argocats to enjoy spectacular views across to the Moray Coast, the Ladder Hills and the Cairngorms Mountain Range while learning about the historic underbelly of the whisky industry in Speyside.

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The ultimate off-road adventure

For those with a little more creative spirit the chance to make your own blended whisky at Strathisla distillery, home of the famous Chivas Regal, is a fun event.

Just 10 years younger than the United States of America this picturesque distillery has been producing whisky since 1786.

Strathisla has a number of tours available for visitors including a visit to the impressive Chivas Cellar to enjoy a dram or two drawn straight from the casks.

For real hands on experience the Chivas Blending Experience offers visitors a chance to make their own blend. Working with test tubes and measuring beakers it’s a bit like chemistry lessons for adults - and you get to keep a sample at the end.

Sandy Hyslop

Anyone preferring to taste an expert blend can spend a couple of hours with world renowned independent bottlers Gordon & Macphail.

‘Legends of Speyside’, an event held at the Gordon & MacPhail shop in Elgin provides an opportunity to try the products of some famous Speyside distilleries, including Strathisla, Mortlach, Glen Grant, Linkwood, and Glenlivet.

The company has been responsible for creating single malts for over 123

The science of blending

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Strathisla warehouse

years and specialises in matching oak casks to spirit.

Hosted by highly knowledgable experts these private tastings are a chance to find out why Speyside malts are so prized by blenders.

This year visitors can get an extra unique opportunity to get hands-on in the whisky-making process Speyside Distillery is offering just 10 people the chance join the team at the artisan distillery near Kingussie to get an in-depth understanding of its traditional hand-crafted distillation processes.

It will be the first time that the boutique distillery, which has been running since 1990, has allowed anyone other than its team of expert distillers to take a hands-on a role in production. “Speyside Distillery is not usually open to the public, but the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is one

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A touch of water

of the very few times during the year when we open our doors and share our secrets with the outside world,” said Patricia Dillon, Managing Director of the distillery.

“What we’ve come to understand from hosting Festival visitors over the years is that, regardless of whether the person is a whisky connoisseur or tasting whisky for the first time, they are all absolutely fascinated by how we make it.

“As an independent artisan producer with a small site in such a beautiful location, we thought we would go one step further than just showing visitors the process and instead invite them to cover part of a shift with our distillers, who have a wealth of knowledge to share.

“Very few – if any - people who visit a distillery will ever be able to say that they helped to produce the spirit that is then matured in warehouses and later released for whisky lovers the world over to buy. This is a truly unique experience.”

With such a limited number of tickets on offer, demand is expected to be high. However, there are other opportunities during the Festival for visitors to get closer to the production experience.

Sandy Hyslop, director of blending at Chivas Brothers, will be staging interactive and competitive sessions at Strathisla Distillery where participants can pit themselves against the elimination tests that any aspiring whisky blender must pass.

Dr Andrew Forrester, head of whisky science at Murray McDavid, is also hosting an art of blending session at Parkmore Distillery. Using cask samples from the firm’s Coleburn Distillery warehouse, apprentice blenders will have the chance to hone their skills and create their own personalised 30cl bottle of Scotch.

In one of the more unusual events, there will be an opportunity to go behind the scenes at Chivas Brothers’ Technical Centre, located

next to Glen Keith Distillery, where a constant watch is kept on production to ensure consistent quality.

During the tour, visitors will gain an understanding of the rigorous

testing of raw materials and how spirit produced in Chivas Brothers’ distilleries is then extensively evaluated in order to detect counterfeit products.

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A taste of Rum

Photo by Graham Lewis CC BY 2.0 Isle of Rum

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by Helen Lloyd

O

nce it was known as the forbidden isle where uninvited guests were kept away at the point of a gun.

Now the Inner Hebridean island of Rum couldn’t be friendlier or more welcoming.

The stunningly beautiful island measuring just eight miles from shore to shore is an often overlooked world-class destination for anyone looking for a restful break surrounded by an abundance of wildlife and history.

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Just a short ferry journey from either Arisaig or Mallaig the crime-free island with a permanent population of just 22 people is one of the four Small Isles situated on the west coast of Scotland. Rum is by far the

Photo by Graham Lewis CC BY 2.0 Sgùrr na Bà Glaise and Rois-Bheinn

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largest and is made up of a cluster of hauntingly beautiful volcanic peaks.

Scotland’s first settlers arrived here around 7500 BC when Mesolithic man built a community at the head

of Loch Scresort where they turned the highly sought flint-like bloodstone into arrow heads to trade throughout Western Scotland and further afield.

By the early 7th century Rum and the

other Small Isles marked the frontier of the Pictish kingdom and a frequent target for Viking marauders.

In later times the islands were a stronghold of the Lords of the Isles

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fought over by rival clans until the Jacobite wars of 1715 and 1745 sparked the beginning of the end for traditional life on the Small Isles.

In 1845 Rum was sold to the second Marquis of Salisbury who transformed it into a Highland estate by forcing many of inhabitants to leave for Canada and replacing them with sheep and red deer. On one day alone in the 19th century more than 400 people left Rum for the New World.

By 1870 the island had become the private playground of Lancastrian textile mill owner John Bullough who bought it for ÂŁ35,000. In order

Photo BestScottishCottages.co.uk Kinloch Castle

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to keep it as an exclusive retreat he ordered his gamekeepers to shoot at passing boats to deter visitors giving rise to the island’s “forbidden� reputation.

In addition to building Kinloch Castle, an Edwardian time capsule which remains a major attraction for visitors, the Bullough family tried to change the name of the island.

Rum is of pre-Celtic origin and means wide island or Isle of the Ridge, which is descriptively appropriate. However, the family thought it too close to the alcoholic beverage of the same name so

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Photo BestScottishCottages.co.uk Rum ponies

started spelling it as Rhum in an attempt to make the island sound more romantically Gaelic.

However, with the advent of the First World War, the family lost interest in the island and eventually sold it in 1957. It became a designated National Nature Reserve, managed

by Scottish Natural Heritage, and is today part of the Small Isles National Scenic Area. In addition to being a Special Protection Area for Birds, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation it is also the setting for 17 nationally important ancient monument sites.

The 26,000-acre island is home to one of the world’s largest colonies of breeding Manx shearwaters, a flourishing population of white-tailed sea eagles, an enormous herd of red deer along with plenty of otters, Rum ponies, wild goats and highland cows.

The seas around Rum provide a home for basking sharks, minke

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Photo by John Ferguson CC BY-SA 2.0 Mountain goat on the shore of Loch Scresort

Photo by Lisa Jarvis CC BY-SA 2.0 Highland Cow and Ard Mheall, Rum

Photo by Russel Wills CC BY-SA 2.0 Black house ruin overlooking beach

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Photos by BestScottishCottages.co.uk Bramble Bothy

whales, harbour porpoises, bottlenosed and common dolphins along with the occasional sunfish, orca or leatherback turtle.

The island is renowned as a paradise for walkers, climbers, wildlife watchers, cyclists, fishing enthusiasts, canoeists and kayakers.

Although accommodation on the island is limited - there is Ivy Cottage Guest House, a small two-bedroom B&B; some basic camping facilities with two cabins and a bunkhouse for backpackers - that can be an added attraction!

There can be few places where it’s possible to genuinely escape the rat race and feel as if you have an island to yourself while still enjoying all the necessary comforts and amenities.

For any couple looking for a romantic getaway, Bramble Bothy, tucked away at the head of Loch Scresort, is perfect for an off grid escape.

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This stylish shepherd’s hut, which can be booked through Best Scottish Cottages, sleeps two. It has all the comforts and facilities anybody could want for a relaxing retreat with the added bonus of fantastic views out across the bay to Skye and the mountains beyond.

Intended as a romantic hideaway couples are encouraged to relax in a comfy armchair in front of the wood

burning stove or enjoy sitting out under the star-filled night sky with the possibility of catching a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Over the years the word ‘rum’ has come to be associated with something strange or peculiar - the only thing odd about the Isle of Rum is that more people don’t know about it.

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Monster of a cycling event

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I

t has become one of the most formidable sporting events the Highlands has ever seen: thousands of cyclists kitted out in lycra of every shade, pedalling their way around one of Scotland’s most iconic landscapes.

In just a few short years, Etape Loch Ness has grown to become one of the country’s best-loved cycling events, giving riders of all abilities the chance to cycle 66 miles around a body of water that is known throughout the world.

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And the best part of the cycle sportive? It’s the unique opportunity for cyclists to take in the sights, sounds and scenery of the Scottish Highlands without any other traffic on the roads.

Around 5,600 cyclists will be taking part in Etape Loch Ness on April 28.

Starting and finishing in Inverness, the route follows the north side of the loch, taking in towns and villages and the iconic Urquhart Castle.

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Riders follow the A82 as far as Fort Augustus, and then switch to the roads on the south side where they will encounter a stretch that’s earned a reputation for being the toughest section of the course.

Cyclists will take on the challenging

yet exhilarating King of the Mountain stage – a gruelling 4.8-mile climb which rises to 380m in height.

However, participants dreading the thought of grinding their way up the Glendoe Summit were recently given

some news to lift their spirits when it was announced that The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery would sponsor the King of the Mountain stage.

The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery brand home manager Alastair Orr

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said the event – and the King of the Mountain stage – was a perfect fit for the distillery.

“The brand slogan for The Singleton is ‘unapologetically enjoyed’ and that’s exactly what I feel about that

hill! It is difficult, it is challenging, but it is also one of the most enjoyable sections in an absolutely fantastic event,” said Alastair, a veteran of all five previous Etape Loch ness events “Etape Loch Ness has grown into

a phenomenally popular event, and one which has become a bucket list event for cyclists of all abilities. It attracts thousands of people into the area every year, and as a five-star visitor attraction, that has to be good news for us and for other tourism-

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related businesses.�

It is the only section of the course to be timed, and each rider will be given a split time. The fastest man and

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woman to the summit are crowned King and Queen of the Mountain and are presented with distinctive jerseys.

But it’s not all about the elite athletes.

Hundreds of riders will be completing the 66 miles for charities and good causes, including official charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support.

It has been a partner of Etape Loch Ness since the event’s inception in 2014, and last year Team Macmillan riders smashed through the £1million fund-raising milestone with their

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combined efforts over five years.

“To hit that £1million mark was absolutely amazing and one that we could only ever dream of reaching when we were selected as the charity partner for Etape Loch Ness,” said Shirlie Geddes, the charity’s fundraising manager in the North of Scotland.

“But it became clear early on in our association that cyclists were not only incredibly passionate about the event, but about using their efforts to help good causes like Macmillan. To see so many of our distinctive green jerseys passing through the finish line gives Macmillan staff and volunteers an incredible feeling.”

Event director Malcolm Sutherland said it had always been the aim of Etape Loch Ness to showcase the Highlands as a world-class cycling destination Etape Loch Ness draws cyclists from all over the UK and beyond and hundreds of spectators line the route

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to cheer them on.

“The spectators who line the route have helped to make Etape Loch Ness one of the biggest and bestloved events of its kind in Scotland,” said Malcolm.

“We get such positive feedback from riders about the local community –

not only for the way in which they support cyclists during the ride, but the welcome they give to people over the whole of the event weekend.”

Places for this year’s Etape Loch Ness sold out within hours of going on sale but you can register interest in next year’s event at www.etapelochness.com

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Antique hunting with Roo Irvine

From Russia With Love A

s Easter approaches and thoughts turn to eggs of the chocolate variety there is one kind of egg almost any antique enthusiast would love to see delivered by the Easter Bunny - one made by Faberge.

For more than 130 years these objet d’art have captured the imagination of millions of people around the world due to their beauty, workmanship and history.

The first of 69 original Faberge Eggs, of which just 57 are known to have survived, was made in 1885. In antique terms they are not that old but it is not their age that makes them special, it is the drama and romance of the House of Romanov - the Russian dynasty that, after 300 years of rule, was brought to a violent end in the revolution of 1917.

The Tsars, in their haste to flee St Petersburg, left behind 50 Imperial Eggs made specially for them. Some are still missing and only 43 appear

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Photo by Chuck Redden CC BY 2.0 FabergĂŠ egg

Karl Gustavovich Faberge (PD)

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to have been found. The romantic notion that some are still out there is almost too good to be true.

a miniature crown - an impressive feat of craftsmanship considering the Eggs were only 3 to 5 inches in size.

The Imperial Faberge Eggs were painstakingly hand made by Peter Carl Faberge and his team over 31 years. First Commissioned by Emperor Alexander III as an Easter present for his wife each Egg was known to have an ornate surprise inside, ranging from a gold clock to

Alexander’s wife, Empress Maria received a new egg every year. Often the design was a complete surprise to them both, as Faberge was given free reign over the designs, each one becoming more opulent, and breathtaking over time.

Tsar Alexander III (PD)

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Photo by Chuck Redden CC BY 2.0 Napoleonic FabergĂŠ egg

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After Alexander III passed away, his son Nicholas II carried on the tradition. Nicholas, a great nephew of Queen Victoria who bestowed on him the title of Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Scots Greys, had an Egg made for his wife and mother every year.

Each of the eggs were adorned with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls, and gold. Beautiful examples such as the Peter, the Great Egg, created in 1903, for the Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna or the Imperial Napoleonic Egg, made in 1912 as a gift for the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna are perfect symbols of opulence and ostentatious wealth guaranteed to never fall out of fashion.

Due to the sheer rarity, undeniable visual beauty, and astounding quality Faberge Eggs will forever be in demand and prices can only keep rising. The nature of the Fine Art market dictates rare and valuable works don’t often come up for sale very often, and when they do it’s for astronomical prices. The most expensive example sold at Christies in 2007 for $18.5 million.

However, more modern Faberge Eggs are also highly collectable although they won’t command the same prices at auction. A series of 19 eggs were created in 2005 as a tribute to Scottish Celtic Legend Jimmy “Jinky” Johnstone. He won 19 major football medals in his career hence 19 eggs. Johnstone passed away a year later and in 2011, one of the rare eggs sold at McTears in Glasgow for £15,000.

In 2007, Faberge also created a series of 68 eggs to commemorate George Best’s role with Manchester United in 1968 that led to their European Cup success.

Faberge was celebrated for quality, regardless of the object. Harking back to the days of high-brow Scottish society, a Faberge enamel clock was gifted to Laura Fordyce Buchan and Francis Stewart Hay of Duns Castle, Berwickshire, in 1903.

The clock had been designed by

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Queen Victoria (PD)

Photo © Ad Meskens / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 Royal Scots Greys monument Edinburgh

Faberge master Michael Perchin at the turn of the 19th century.

The happy couple were given the beautiful timepiece by Lady Miller, daughter of the 4th Baron of Scardsale. The clock surpassed its estimate and sold for £156,000 in Bonham’s Russian sale in 2011.

But finding a real and original Faberge is the stuff of dreams for antique collectors. One lucky US scrap metal dealer bought a gold Faberge egg for $14,000 in 2015.

He had been hoping to make a $500

profit by melting down the gold but was told the precious metal was worth less than he paid for it. Luckily curiosity about his new purchase made him look more closely only to discover he had found the Third Imperial Egg which was made in 1887 and was worth approximately $33million (£20million).

In reality most of us will probably never see a Faberge egg let alone own one so I guess this Easter chocolate will just have to do!

Portrait of Nicholas II of Russia in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum

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Passage to the past

Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Scottish Heritage Monument, Kearny, N.J

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A

Prof. Marjory Harper

cross the world millions of people of Scottish descent will celebrate their heritage on April 6 - the anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath and the officially recognised Tartan day.

Some will be very aware of when, how and why their ancestors traveled across the Atlantic, or to the other side of the world, in search of a brighter future. For those a little less sure how they ended up as citizens of another country, especially America or Canada, fresh help may be at hand.

Professor Marjory Harper, a historian from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, has spent years researching the stories of the emigrants who set sail for a new life on the other side of the world.

As part of her work, she has spearheaded the creation of a free online tool, The Scottish Emigration Database, which contains the records of 21,000 people who set

Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Carnegie Mellon University, Loyal Scot sign

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Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Caledonia, N.Y. Historical Sign

sail from Scottish ports to cross the Atlantic.

Lochboisdale and the Metagama from Stornoway.

It lists details including the town or village of origin, address, occupation and destination for passengers who embarked at Glasgow and Greenock for non-European ports between 1 January and 30 April 1923, and at other Scottish ports between 1890 and 1960. It also gives information about specific vessels and the shipping lines to which they belonged.

“As many of the descendants of this Scottish diaspora mark their heritage in the Scottish Week celebrations, it is timely that we consider the factors which led their ancestors to seek a new life. The database is a great starting point for this.”

Many of those emigrants followed friends and family who had already made the trip. Throughout North America there is plenty of evidence of Scotland’s influence, from the enthusiasm shown for Highland Games and Scottish events to individual buildings and whole communities with Scottish names.

Professor Harper said she and her colleague, Dr Nick Evans, had focused initially on 1923 as that year saw a record number of 89,000 people emigrate from Scotland.

“There was a particular spike in departures in the month of April”, she said.

“While most emigrants came from the Central Belt, 595 passengers left the Hebrides in a single week on two ships, the Marloch from

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Professor Harper is visiting the United States to discuss the Scottish diaspora, using personal testimony as a lens through which to view the complex and often contradictory saga of Scottish emigration. After speaking at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque she will take part in three events in New York and

Chicago during Scottish Week.

In her public lectures she will quote extracts from more than 100 interviews with emigrant Scots that she has conducted in recent years.

One of those interviewees sailed on the Marloch in 1923 and appears on the Scottish Emigration Database.

“Scottish Week will be a trigger for many of those of Scottish descent to think about the reasons their forebears came to America and the journeys they took. The database – and the feedback we have had from it – provide insights into some of these issues. It is therefore a useful tool not only for those investigating their own family history but for anyone who is interested in understanding the wider context of the unprecedented Scottish exodus of the 1920s,” said Professor Harper.

“It shows us, for instance, how postwar unemployment in the central belt led to massive disillusionment and a high departure rate, not least

Photo by Haydn Blackey CC BY-SA 2.0 Memorial to Scottish immigrants, Sydney, Nova Scotia

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Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Aberdeen, Lackawanna County, Pa.

among shipyard workers who had been – or feared being – laid off.

Despondency among Hebrideans that long-standing problems of land hunger had not been resolved was intensified by lingering despair in the aftermath of the Iolaire disaster.”

“More positively, the introduction of the old age pension in 1908 meant younger people had fewer qualms about leaving elderly parents and seeking opportunities overseas.

Many in this group found their horizons had been opened up by war service, particularly those who had served alongside soldiers from the Commonwealth. The introduction of government subsidies in 1922 also helped, as did the persuasive tactics of recruitment agents.”

Personal connections, however, had always been the key ingredient in decision-making, and remained so after the war.

Mary Watson, who lived on the edge of the University of Aberdeen’s

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Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Caledonia, N.Y. village sign

Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Interstate 81 exit for Scotland,Pa.

Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Peebles Fire & Rescue Service

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Photo by Jllm06 CC BY-SA 4.0 Monument to Scottish Immigrants USA

campus at 40 College Bounds in Old Aberdeen is one of the 21,000 entries in the database whose experience demonstrates the importance of such

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links. Aged 24, Mary emigrated to the United States in April 1923, on the SS Cameronia from Greenock.

Professor Harper added: “Mary Watson’s details demonstrate the transatlantic travelling arrangements of a single female in the 1920s. She

sailed unaccompanied, which was quite common, but – unlike most domestic servants who emigrated before the war – she could afford to

take a passage in the second cabin.�

During the first four months of 1923, 876 other domestics also emigrated

from Scottish ports. Like Mary Watson, 304 women went to the United States, whereas 572 gave Canada as their destination. In terms

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Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Ayr Township, Pa.

of place of origin, Mary was one of 896 emigrants from the city of Aberdeen who went to the USA and Canada between 1 January and 30 April 1923.

“By linking evidence from the database with the records of the US Federal Labor Department held at Ellis Island, we can pinpoint Mary Watson’s arrival in the United States and glean some further details about her. For instance, she had never visited the country previously, and she was emigrating in order to join her sister, Minnie Watson, In Manhattan Avenue, New York,” said Professor Harper.

“Mary had paid her own passage, was able to read and write in English, was 5ft 4in tall, with brown hair, grey

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Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Glasgow Police Department, Kentucky

Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Pipers Cove, Argyle Restaurant, Kearney, N.J.

Photo by S. MacMillen (PD) Highland Cows near Hieland Township, Pa. Bothe the local residents and the cows are descendents from the Isle of Skye

eyes and a fair complexion, and she was in good health. She was a native of Aberdeen whose previous address was not her place of employment but the family home, where her mother,

Mrs Bella Watson, lived.�

Professor Harper will participate in a panel discussion on Scottish migration to America at the Carnegie

Hall, New York, on April 2. She will speak at the Chicago Scots ScottishAmerican History Forum on April 4 and at the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society on April 5.

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Time to tackle fancy dress Y challenge

by Paul Watson

ou don’t have to be bananas to enjoy the action at this year’s Melrose 7s, home of the fast-paced abbreviated game of rugby, but it might help.

Equally you might prefer to dress up as Elvis, Superman or even a flock of sheep if that’s what puts you in the mood for a celebration of one of the greatest games in the world.

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Fancy dress is a must for many self-respecting rugby fans across the globe when attending a game, and it’s been a familiar sight of the Melrose 7s for decades.

Now the competition on the pitch is being extended off it with the launch of the inaugural Rugby Fancy Dress World Championships.

Entrants from across the globe are being encouraged to submit their photos via social media to be judged for their creativity and originality. As well as a trophy for the best dressed individual rugby fan there will also be a category for team entries, where consideration will also be given to the overall team’s theme.

“Melrose is the home of rugby

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sevens so we’re making it the home of rugby fancy dress too,” said Douglas Hardie, President of Melrose Rugby Club.

“Each year hordes of rugby fans get in touch with their creative side and they bring a colourful and memorable atmosphere to the games they attend. What other game sees Elvis seated next to Santa in the stands flanked by a unicorn and a giraffe?

“There’s great spectacle on the pitch at The Aberdeen Standard

Investments Melrose Sevens every year, but it can be equalled by the off the pitch sights; rugby fans don’t take themselves too seriously. We’re encouraging everyone to wear fancy dress for this year’s tournament so we can show the world how to wear rugby regalia well!”

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The Aberdeen Standard Investments Melrose Sevens takes place on Saturday, April 13 and is a great day out for families and friends who enjoy fast and exhilarating sporting action from teams as far a field as Scotland, England, South Africa and the USA.

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The mists have time have clouded the exact details of why, how and when it was decided Melrose would host the first seven-a-side rugby tournament in April 1883 but there is no disputing the suggestion came from Ned Haig, an apprentice local butcher. It was his vision that created

one of the most athletic, exciting and demanding of team sports now played around the world.

Following the example of Melrose various Sevens tournaments began in other Scottish Border clubs before spreading to the rest of the UK and

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abroad. The introduction of the Hong Kong Sevens in 1976 further revolutionised the game, promoting it to an international audience, and inspiring teams from as far a field as Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri-Lanka, Thailand and Tonga. There are now world-class tournaments in Wellington, Dubai, Los Angeles, George in South Africa and Twickenham.

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Rugby Sevens is said to be one of the fastest growing team sports in the world. It is now both a Commonwealth Games and Olympic Sport - not bad for a small Scottish border town of just 2,500 people which sees its population more than quadruple for one day a year as a result.

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“This is something we have been doing in Melrose since 1883 so most people in the town are well aware the second Saturday in April will see a rather big sporting event taking place and they plan accordingly,” said Douglas Hardie, who has been involved with the tournament for more than 20 years.

occasions when there has been no accommodation available close by and visitors have ended up staying in Edinburgh, especially since the reopening of the Edinburgh-Borders rail link to Tweedbank, which is just over a mile from the club, which has made accessing the event even easier.

“Melrose Sevens might just be one day in the season but it is months of work. We are lucky to have a nucleus of people prepared to roll their sleeves up and get on with things.”

Now with the launch of the Fancy Dress competition there is even more of a family appeal for the event.

Aspiring Batmen, Darth Vaders, Scooby Doos, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Teletubbies looking to enter the Fancy Dress competition can share their outfit photos on the Melrose Sevens social media pages at www.facebook.com/melrose7s; on Twitter @melrose7s’ and Instagram @melrose7s using the hashtag #toprugbycostume.

And it is definitely worth it! It’s calculated the event is worth in excess of £2 million to the local economy through bed nights and spending alone - and that benefit spreads even further than Melrose.

As the tournament proves increasingly popular there have been

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Competition for the first World

Fancy Dress Championship ends on Saturday 13 April with the global winners being announced on Monday 15 April.

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Book a seat for Boswell

Alfie Boe will be appearing at the Boswell Book Festival

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T

he world’s only book festival dedicated to biographies and memoirs has announced an exciting line-up of writers from around the world.

The 9th Boswell Book Festival brings together a wide variety of authors to the renowned Dumfries House in Ayrshire for a weekend of discussion and debate.

The Festival, which runs from 10-12 May, opens with broadcaster Kirsty Wark followed by a unique chance to hear one of the best-loved vocalists of his generation Alfie Boe give a particularly intimate performance.

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Throughout the weekend audiences will hear from Doddi Weir, Neil Oliver, Susan Calman, Tom Devine, Dame Sue Black, Edinburgh born model and campaigner Eunice Olumide, Kate Williams and Ursula Buchan, talking about her grandfather John Buchan who wrote one of the best thrillers of the 20th century - ‘The 39 Steps’.

Faiza Hayani Bellili and Leila Hedjem, two of the contributors of ‘Together’ – the bestselling community cookbook produced by women affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy, will also be talking about the impact of the event on their family, friends and the community.

There will be appearances from, Clare Hunter, Bendor Grosvenor and Ben MacIntyre while editor David MacClay will be talking about ‘Dear Mr Murray’ and seven generations of the Scottish publishing house and its authors.

Professor Bashabi Fraser and journalist Alan Taylor will be without Ahmet Altan marking the publication of his memoir written in prison, in a conversation about imprisoned authors.

Rosemary Goring will be putting women back in the nation’s history with her book ‘Scotland Her Story’ and Tim Bouverie will be talking about his first book, ‘Appeasing Hitler’, in conversation with Lt Col Charles Cameron MC, a witness to the times, who fought at El Alamein with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.

Boswell Book Festival 10-12 May

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Again catching the mood of the times Allan Little, Jonathan Fenby and Adam Zamoyski will explore whether world affairs are again at a pivotal moment in history. Allan Little will also be giving the inaugural Boswell Lecture on why war exerts such a magnetic pull on the young.

From Alabama USA Eric Motley, the youngest appointee of the George W. Bush administration, who currently serves as Executive Vice President of the Aspen Institute will appear in conversation with James Naughtie.

And from the remote West coast of Canada, Joanna Streetly a naturalist guide will talk about life on the edge.

Music lovers will also enjoy the music of Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Saturday Night at the Pavilion will see a dramatic performance of comedy gold in ‘Dear Lupin’, the letters between a world-weary father to his feckless son.

“This programme, with its eclectic mix of subjects, inspired by our unique theme of biography and memoir, will allow any visitor to travel in their imagination from the worlds of Beijing to Washington, from Strictly Come Dancing to The Importance of Being Earnest and from Mary Queen of Scots to Napoleon,” said Caroline Knox, Director of the Boswell Book Festival.

The Boswell Book Festival started in 2011 and is named after the Ayrshire writer James Boswell, the inventor of modern biography.

Boswell was born in 1740. He was educated at Edinburgh University

followed by Glasgow University, where he attended the lectures of the great Enlightenment philosopher, Adam Smith.

From the start was drawn to the pleasure-loving side of life. His first visit to London at the age of 19 began a love affair with the city which never wavered. His charm, sensitivity and intelligence opened doors to the most brilliant men of the day, but the ultimate prize for Boswell was his friendship with the towering figure of Dr Samuel Johnson – compiler of the definitive dictionary of the English language and celebrated man of letters.

Boswell’s friendship led him to become Johnson’s biographer and the account of his life, published 222 years ago this May, has never been out of print. His ‘Life of Johnson’ established him as the inventor of modern biography and has upheld his reputation as one of the most innovative writers of the Enlightenment.

Boswell was also author of a pioneering travel book, ‘An Account of Corsica’ and his famous ‘Journal of a Tour’ to the Hebrides, which described an expedition made to the Western Isles with Dr Johnson.

Boswell also ushered in the confessional memoir, which is so popular today. Nothing was omitted —including his innumerable sexual encounters, his battle with depression, his difficult relationship with his father, his frustrated political ambition and his life as a lawyer in the Scottish courts.

Doddi Weir

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Time for a blether

Photo by Rob McDougall Val McDiarmid

B

estselling crime writer Val McDermid is on the hunt for real-life stories from the people of Scotland.

The Blether campaign, organised by the Scottish Book Trust of which she is a patron, is seeking submissions from ordinary folk of all backgrounds and experiences.

“Everybody loves a blether. It can change your life. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.

But either way, a blether is the source of all the best stories. So take this chance to share those

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amazing exchanges with us,” said Val McDermid.

Jane McCarry – Isa of Still Game and Scotland’s favourite gossip – has penned her own personal Blether story as part of the campaign.

Nikesh Shukla, editor of ‘The Good Immigrant’ and author of ‘The One Who Wrote Destiny’ has also contributed a story, alongside Leila Aboulela, winner of the Saltire Fiction Book of Year 2018 for ‘Elsewhere, Home’. Chris McQueer, of short story collections ‘Hings’ and ‘HWFG’, has provided his own Blether interpretation in Scots.

The submitted stories will be published in a weekly digital issue, available to read online via Scottish Book Trust’s website. A selection of the stories will also be published in a physical book for Book Week Scotland– a week long, national celebration of books and reading between 18 – 24 November.

Writers, of all ages and experiences, have until Wednesday 5 June to submit their work of up to 1,000 words, in the form of a story, poem, comic strip, play or letter in English, Gaelic or Scots.

Wild things

P

ublishers of ‘The Scottish Bothy Bible’ and ‘Wild Guide Scotland’ have been awarded a prestigious new award aimed at honouring small independent companies.

Wild Things Publishing is the first ever winner of the ‘Small Press Of The Year Award’, which has been launched to recognise companies with less than £1 million revenue.

The company was set up to encourage more people to explore the natural world and specialises in outdoor travel books.

Outlander award

O

utlander author Diana Gabaldon has been with a special honour in recognition of her contribution to tourism in Scotland.

The American writer received an “International Contribution to Scottish Tourism” award from VisitScotland at the Scottish Thistle Awards, the industry’s premier awards ceremony.

Photo by VisitScotland Diana Gabaldon

Gabaldon’s time-travel romance books have seen visitor numbers to attractions featured in the highly

popular spin-off television series soar by 67 per cent since 2013, from 887,000 to 1.5 million.

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Over 60 memoir competition A

ward winning author Robin Lloyd-Jones is running a free to enter competition for writers over the age of 60 to produce a short memoir.

Members/subscribers to the Autumn Voices Blog can win up to £200 for an original story of no more than

2,000 words.

Robin is the author of 15 published books, both fiction and non-fiction.

For several years he was a tutor in creative writing for the Lifelong Learning Programme at Glasgow University. He has adjudicated competitions for the Scottish

Association of Writers, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and for a variety of writers’ clubs and groups.

The deadline for submissions is 30 April 2019. Full details of the rules and how to enter can be found at http://autumnvoices.co.uk

Book Marker Autumn Voices: Scottish writers over 70 talk about creativity in later life Edited by Robin Lloyd-Jones Price: £12.99 Publisher: PlaySpace Publications

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nyone can be creative in later life and to prove it author Robin Lloyd-Jones has interviewed 21 wellknown writers over the age of 70 who are still active, writes Mary Irvine.

Autumn Voices is a celebration of age and experience as Robin explores the idea that retirement is not a ‘waiting for God’ period but a chance to engage life-long learning in

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a positive way.

“We do not grow old; we become old when we stop growing,” says Robin, quoting Emerson in the introduction to the book.

In no way does the book follow the modern trend of anti-ageing with its creams, medical and cosmetic help.

The physical ageing process may progress at differing speeds but the brain, in particular the creative part, can be retained.

As well as compiling the interviews and collating the results Robin also asked each author for a sample of their work written post 70.

The interviews are varied in the answers evoked but all are firm in positivity. They give an insight into the world and their written contributions demonstrate the drive of these writers.

Many of the authors are not Scottish by birth but by ‘self-adoption’.

Robin was drawn by the mountains,

Sally Evans speaks of her feeling of destiny, A. C. Clarke speaks of the reflection and creativity afforded by walking in the Scottish hills.

There is so much to enjoy in the book. Much to stimulate thought and contemplation of our own aims and objectives in our ‘autumn ‘years. In modern parlance this book is a ‘good read’ on so many levels, a book to return to, to dip into, a book to inspire.

From this project and being aware of the many ‘over-60s’ writing who were un/self-published a competition was held. All the entries were very good; the winning ones were par excellence. The winning entry and the runner up are also in the book.

The project was the brain child of Robin, himself 80 when he began and 83 when it was published.

As always with Robin there is the appreciation and acknowledgement of all who helped in any way however small the contribution.

The project was funded by Creative Scotland and all proceeds from the sale of the books are being donated to Age Scotland.

About the author: Robin Lloyd-Jones is a prolific and diverse award-winning author of historical fiction, children’s/young adult novels, short stories, travel books, outdoor adventure, nature (prose and poetry), biography and radio drama.

Twice nominated for a Booker prize he won the BBC Bookshelf First Novel Award in 1983. He is also a winner of the BBC Award for Best in New Radio Drama and an Honorary Fellowship of the Institute of Latin American Studies, Glasgow University - an honour which was presented to him following his book ‘Fallen Angels’ about the plight of street children in Bogota.

In 2013 he won the Saltire Society Research Book of the Year Award for ‘The Sunlit summit’, a biography of the Scottish climber W.H. Murray.

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Simply the best

Photo by Ross Fraser McLean V&A Dundee

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by Paul Kelbie

F

or years Scots in the know and canny visitors to the country have had a secret weapon in their search for good food, great experiences and fabulous places to stay - Scotland the Best.

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A new edition of the book that probably launched a million or more holidays has just been published to mark its 25th anniversary and it is bigger and better than ever.

Often regarded as the tourist’s bible this comprehensive, no fuss and easy to read guide has been a friend and companion to more than 250,000 people who have bought the book since it was first published in 1994.

Its author, Peter Irvine - entrepreneur, events impresario and proud native of Jedburgh, began recording his personal quest for quality because he

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couldn’t find a book he wanted with the kind of detail he was looking for.

It all started back in the early 1990s when he found himself in something of a professional interregnum and decided to take some time off.

“That’s when I realised that although Scotland was my back yard bit I didn’t know it all that well. I wanted to explore but there wasn’t really a guide book that suited me so I decided to construct one,” said Mr Irvine, who created and was Director of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay from 1992 to 2018.

Peter Irvine

Photo by Š Ad Meskens / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Loch Lomond at Balmaha

Photo by Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland Urquhart castle on Loch Ness

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Photo by Brian Gillman CC BY 3.0 The Cuillins from Applecross

As someone who has devised and directed many of Scotland’s major public events from the Glasgow’s European City of Culture in 1990 and the Opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 to the inauguration of the Queensferry Crossing in 2017, Mr Irvine has a pretty good idea of what visitors are looking for when they come to Scotland.

“I don’t like mediocre things. A lot of people just go to the nearest restaurant because they are hungry but I never do that. I always want to find a good place to eat, stay or visit.

When I visit somewhere the main questions I ask myself is whether it’s a place I would want to eat in or stay at, and whether I’d recommend it to my friends. If the answer is ‘yes’ then it goes in the book.”

The result is a 450 page tome featuring more than 2,000 entries including the best places to stay, the tastiest restaurants to suit every palate, the most attractive beauty

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spots and the most enjoyable walks, outdoor activities and historical places. Every entry has been personally tried, tested and approved by the author.

Among the numerous unmissable attractions featured in the book is Loch Lomond, near Glasgow; The Cuillin Mountains on Skye; Loch Ness, near Inverness, The V&A in Dundee; and the Falkirk Wheel and Kelpies at Falkirk.

Over the years Mr Irvine estimates he has travelled more than 130,000 miles, eaten countless meals, slept in numerous establishments and visited almost every corner of the country in his rigorous exploration of the ever changing hospitality industry.

“A lot has changed in the last 25 years. The hospitality industry has developed enormously but throughout it all Scotland has kept its integrity,” said Mr Irvine.

“Scotland has many advantages and

attributes to be proud of. We have a very rich culture. We invented the arts festival and now have loads of them. We invented the boutique hotel, the independent hostel and mainstream vegetarian restaurants.

We have a vibrant food sector using world renowned ingredients that come from Scotland. We have beautiful landscapes in spades. We have so much other countries don’t have and we are increasingly making the most of them.

“Almost everywhere in the world people have an image of Scotland and it may include kilts and history.

It’s an identity nobody else has and it encourages interest but when visitors come here they see we are also a very modern, forward looking, culturally savvy nation with so much to offer that is contemporary.” *The 25th Anniversary edition of Scotland the Best by Peter Irvine MBE is out now priced £15.99 and is published by Collins.

Photo by Kenny Lam/VisitScotland The Kelpies

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Photo by Guy Phillips

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Let the celebrations be gin

Getting ready for the Gin Festival at Gordon Castle

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by Scott Aitken

W

hisky may be the water of life but gin, according to Noel Coward, is the fuel for flaming youth.

Perhaps that’s one of the many reasons why the spirit is so popular now.

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The demand for interesting gins has never been so high. What was once regarded as mother’s ruin is now cool, collectable and very chic.

Scotland has been at the forefront of gin production for years. There are now at around 80 gin distilleries located throughout the country, with more planned, producing over 70 per cent of all the gin drunk in the UK.

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Celebrating the launch of the Aviemore Big Mix Festival, bringing together whisky, gin, beer, food and the arts with Christopher Harrington, general manager of Macdonald Aviemore Hotel; Samantha Faircliff, managing director of Cairngorm Brewery; Patricia Dillon, managing director of Speyside Distillery; and Susan Libeks of Speyside Distillery

Almost everywhere you go there are gin bars, gin spas, gin parties and festivals which are enthusiastically attended by an increasingly appreciative audience made up of both sexes and all ages over the legal drinking limit.

One new festival being launched this summer is ‘Spirit of Speyside: The Gin Experience’ which takes place

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Photo by Anne Burgess CC BY-SA 2.0 Lower Speyside from Allt Daley

from July 12 to 14 in the heart of Scotland’s most famous and prolific malt whisky-producing region.

Involving different venues across the region, with a flagship event at historic Gordon Castle Walled Garden in Fochabers, it aims to offer connoisseurs a unique opportunity to taste locally produced gin and meet the makers.

Although traditionally known as the

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malt whisky capital of the world, Speyside has seen a significant upsurge in gin production in recent years, with 13 new brands setting up in the local area.

Festival chairman James Campbell said the Speyside region had established itself as a driving force in Scottish gin production as a home to both household names and small craft distillers.

“It’s been impossible to ignore the huge growth in gin production in recent years and we are incredibly proud of the high-quality product being made here on Speyside,” he said.

“Our rich heritage and tradition in the art of distilling has fuelled the knowledge and skill of these producers, who are creating some of the best gin that Scotland has to offer.”

Avva, Caorunn, El-gin, Gordon Castle and Red Door, are among the brands that will be serving up drinks and cocktails, with music and masterclasses to be revealed at a later date.

Mixing it up in Aviemore Take a measure of gin, add in a splash of Scotch whisky, top up with craft beer, add some food and serve with a garnish of music, art

and crafts – it’s the perfect recipe for another brand new event, The Aviemore Big Mix Festival.

The three-day festival, which is being developed by Patricia Dillon and John McDonough of Speyside Distillery with the support of key partners, takes place from September 20 to 22 and will showcase the region’s finest food and drink producers, venues, arts and crafts.

“We have some of the very best award-winning food and drink producers in Scotland right on our doorstep, along with a thriving and skilled arts and crafts community.

Bringing them together for The Aviemore Big Mix Festival seemed a natural thing to do,” said Patricia, managing director of Speyside Distillery “The Cairngorms provide a stunning backdrop and in Aviemore we have

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an accessible, welcoming and friendly location which is geared up to accommodate both day trippers and visitors looking to make a weekend of it.”

During the Aviemore Big Mix Festival there will be a series of events taking place at various venues over the three days, with the main event staged in the centre of Aviemore on the village green.

Visitors will have the opportunity to sample food and drink and meet with the producers and crafters who are based in the area. A live music programme will also be staged over the course of the weekend.

“People are incredibly interested in food and drink, but more than that, they want to learn the story behind the brand and meet the people who are involved in the production,” said John, who in addition to being CEO of the distillery is a director of Cairngorm Business Partnership.

“This year’s event will be a ‘taster’ session for us all, and we aim to build Aviemore Big Mix Festival into something that could be a spectacular event for the region.”

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Curiosity satisfied Ever wondered about the process involved in making your favourite gin Edinburgh-based distillery, The Old Curiosity, is offering fans the opportunity to see the gin-making process for themselves, with the launch of its Gin Garden Tours.

Based at the Secret Herb Garden at the foot of the Pentland Hills, visitors can walk around what is believed to be the UK’s first and only pure working gin botanical garden.

Gin enthusiasts can experience the tranquillity of the garden; see, smell and touch the growing botanicals; visit the drying room; witness the still in action and, finally, enjoy a glass of the good stuff from the comfort of the cosy new Gin Lounge.

Curated by The Old Curiosity founder and herbologist, Hamish Martin, the new tours encapsulate his passion and knowledge.

Visitors are shown the full process, from hand-picking and drying the flowers to the entire distillation process.

The tour concludes with a tasting of the Secret Garden Range and learning about the curious and delicious gins and their fascinating colour-changing qualities.

“This is an entirely unique offering.

Nowhere else in the world has a gin garden and distillery on site, as we do here. We’re incredibly proud to say that we grow and pick our own botanicals before drying and distilling them to perfection, to obtain that distinctive natural flavour and unbelievable colour change. It’s incredible to see nature in action,” said Hamish.

“Everything we do here is done with love, and we’re excited to welcome gin lovers (or those ready to be converted!) to see the magic of nature and witness how we use it to create these special gins. We hope people are blown away by what they see, smell, taste and learn on these tours.”

With over 1,000 juniper bushes, 500 herbs and floral varieties such as scented lemon verbena, geraniums, irises and roses, the Gin Garden is a special tribute to Mother Nature and a feast for the senses.

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Gintelligence

- with Fiona Holland F iona Holland is a journalist and long-time gin lover, collecting and sampling unusual and uncommon gins for more than

20 years. Recently, her job amassing the juniper-laced spirit has become significantly easier with the explosion of craft distilleries in Scotland. It’s

difficult to keep up with them all, but you can be assured she’ll try her best…

Young, fresh, minted 400 years in the making Badvo Gin

Pitlochry, Perthshire 45 per cent ABV £39.95 for 70cl

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n a glen north east of Pitlochry in Perthshire, something very interesting is happening - again.

A young gin business has been set up by a young owner at a very old farm. The gin is Badvo – the distiller is 23-year-old Helen Stewart.

And both are spirited and fresh, built on years of distilling heritage.

For Helen, a distillery in a barn on her family’s farm appears to have been almost inevitable.

At the age of 18, Helen began working at a whisky distillery and caught the bug. She was interested in all elements of the process from start to finish – and it fuelled her ambition.

I say inevitable, as Helen’s farm

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Helen Stewart

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has been in her family since 1599 and, in among 400 years of records, she discovered a history of spirit production on the property, including a distilling manual dating back to the mid 1700s.

Perhaps most extraordinarily, she discovered her forebears were producing a white spirit based on wild Scottish juniper. She says the bio-diversity on the farm is amazing, and clearly it always was.

“My family are massive hoarders,” said Helen – I’d say that’s turned out to be quite a stroke of luck.

So, what’s it like, this Badvo Gin? Good, very good indeed actually.

The distillery began production in July last year, so it’s just a young thing. The sample I tried was distilled and bottled on the same day as it was sent to me – what we’d call in my trade, hot off the press.

On the nose, this is a gin full of fruity high notes, with, I found, a particular nod to both brambles and raspberries. It was a bit like tramping around in the garden picking ripe berries, together with the smell of earth and plants.

Badvo Distillery

to a back note.

What Badvo was, however, throughout all parts of the testing was fresh – beautifully so.

While I appreciate drinking neat gin is not for everyone, I’d thoroughly encourage anyone who wants to try Badvo to give it a go – even if you only do it once.

At 45 per cent ABV, you could be mistaken for thinking that this gin may be a bit of bully, but it isn’t. It is smooth, complex, friendly and rather more-ish.

I was expecting more fruitiness, but what I actually got was a sweet, honey flavour with a hint of almonds followed by earthy tones. Quite surprising – while the fruit hadn’t entirely disappeared, it had definitely taken a back seat. It has punch but certainly isn’t brash.

The botanicals, including the Scottish juniper, are all hand-foraged on the

And there was a further turn once it was mixed – I used Fevertree Naturally Light tonic and a sliver of lime. Do not be tempted to overdilute this gin – it is almost better drunk as a short drink than a long one and the flavours became quite herby, with the sweetness receding

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T

farm and include nettles, rowan berries, apples, honeysuckle, meadowsweet and wild mint.

In terms of branding, the bottle itself is quite straightforward, a pretty simple rectangular shape; nothing to dislike and nothing to write home about. But the Badvo logo and labelling are elegant and elevate it. A simple oval with a white heron on a dark background. Its lack of clutter is sophisticated and gives it good visibility.

Ginteresting snippet

he heron branding comes from a tale Helen heard. It was said that a heron will only fish in the purest water and Helen’s heron is a visitor to

the spring which feeds the Badvo distillery. And the distillery’s name – it’s the name of part of the farm which has been in Helen’s family for generations.

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Return to Arran

Photos by Leo Francis / Rat Race Adventure Sports

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by Scott Aitken

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ne of Scotland’s most exciting and toughest offroad running challenges is set to return to the island of Arran this month.

Following the highly successful debut of the Ultra Tour of Arran last year, Rat Race Adventure Sports is returning to the west coast on 13 and 14 April for a two day, fully supported and way-marked, off-road adventure run, packing a hefty 100km ultra distance route around the island described as Scotland in miniature.

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The varied and distinct 50km trail running routes reach an overall vertical height of 10,679 feet and encompass everything from dense enchanting forests and coastal beaches to iconic castles, deep glens and dramatic mountains over two days.

“We are very pleased to be returning to Arran in 2019,” said Jim Mee, MD of Rat Race Adventure Sports.

“The island has so much to offer our Rat Racers and their supporters over and above the huge variety of running terrain from north to south. It has its own whisky distillery, brewery, craft gin, artisan cheese, aromatics, quality local food and drink together with that incredibly special island hospitality.

“What seemed to appeal most to our 2018 participants was setting sail to a stunning and dramatic location where they felt a million miles away, yet they were less than an hour from the mainland; a true adventure weekend.”

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The UTA is suited to a range of athletes from elite fell runners to amateur sporting enthusiasts with a good base level of fitness. It is an

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achievable step up from a marathon into ultra-running territory, for both solos and pairs, who have prepared well and put in the training miles.

David Hellard was the first to cross the finish line in 2018 after two days of tough off road running in a time of 10:27:21. David’s girlfriend, Claire

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Briggs, was the first female to finish in a time 12:00:51. The average time for the 100km distance from 239 runners that took part over the weekend was 15:15:00. “I love Scotland and I love a challenge. It was my first time on Arran and the island is glorious. The

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landscape is beautiful with such a great diversity of terrain. During the race we reached many places that other people would not ordinarily see. I will be back to do it again. I enjoyed it so much,� said Allie Bailey, a female ambassador for Rat Race Adventure Sports who took part in the UTA in 2018.

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When signing up runners will have the option to take on the challenge of day one only (45km) or the full twoday 100km Ultra distance.

Day one, between four and eight hours of running, is characterised

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by quiet paths, forest trails, some boardwalk sections, some tarmac sections through villages and a lot of forest dirt roads.

Day two, between six and 12 hours of running, is virtually all off-road

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with some serious mountain sections - there might even be snow on the hilltops - where the going is decidedly rough underfoot.

To ensure runners, their families and friends have the best weekend

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possible Rat Race will operate from a central basecamp located in Brodick, less than a mile from the island’s ferry terminal.

Rat Race Adventure Sports claims to provide the largest selection of mass

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participation multi-sport challenges in the UK with at least half of their annual events staged in Scotland.

The Scottish registered company has an exemplary track record in promoting Scotland as a world-class destination for adventure events and multi-sport endurance challenges which make the most of the country’s stunning scenery, iconic locations, rugged, varied and ever-changing terrain.

Entries for this year’s Ultra Tour Arran close at midnight on 07 April.

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Unearthing the history of the north east

Chalcolithic beaker from Milltimber

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by Scott Aitken

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n array of ancient artefacts and archaeological evidence of life in north east Scotland dating back at least 150 centuries have been documented in a new book. ‘Highway Through History’ provides a summary of the items and structures found during archaeological excavations on the new Aberdeen bypass.

It reveals previously unknown information on land use and settlement in the north east over the past 15,000 years, including Roman bread ovens, prehistoric roundhouses and a cremation complex.

Since the archaeological excavations were completed, specialists have been analysing the artefacts and samples recovered from the various sites.

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Artist impression of furnace at Goval

Artist impression of mesolithic life

Reconstruction of Gairnhill through the Bronze Age

Reconstruction of the Nether Beanshill Cremation Complex and Roundhouse

Bruce Mann, Archaeologist for Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council said the book provides details on a variety of fascinating discoveries from the archaeological works carried out while the bypass was under construction.

by the Roman army at a time of invasion led by the Roman General Agricola. However, no evidence of an associated camp was found, which is unusual for these types of features.

We can only speculate as to why the ovens were in this location.

“A very unexpected discovery was the presence of Roman activity at Milltimber, likely dating from around 83/84 AD,” he said.

“Going back to the very earliest finds, there was also evidence of stone tool production dating between about 13,000 and 10,000 BC at Milltimber, a near unprecedented body of evidence which pushes back our understanding of human activity

“Ninety bread ovens were uncovered, which were probably constructed

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in north east Scotland by several thousand years.”

The discoveries made during the works were not confined to the environs of the River Dee. A structure dating between 7,000 BC to 6,700 BC was also found at Standingstones, in the hills to the west of Dyce. This tent-like shelter was likely only used for a few nights by a small group of people while they collected nuts, berries and tubers or hunted animals in the immediate area.

Roman pottery

Excavation of Neolithic pot at Blackdog

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“Bronze Age activity was identified from Nether Beanshill in the form of a roundhouse and contemporary cremation complex dating from around 1,600 to 1,250 BC. The burial comprised of an urn in which the cremated remains of an individual in their 20s had been placed,” said Mr Mann.

“This urn was placed in a pit which was then marked by a horseshoeshaped arrangement of timber posts.

Two other similar burials were also uncovered.”

Excavation of neolithic remains at Blackdog

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Experts claim the discoveries provide valuable information about the local inhabitants’ relationship with the environment and a new insight into the history of the north east of Scotland.

“The archaeology finds are fascinating and highlight just how rich this entire area is in history,” said Councillor Ross Grant, spokesman for Aberdeen City Council transport and regeneration.

“It is interesting to find out how our

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Pottery through the ages

forebearers lived and the Roman bread ovens found at Milltimber paint a picture of everyday life of the incoming army while they were invading.”

Other excavations include a small hub of Iron Age activity at Goval dating from around the first to second centuries AD where a roundhouse of around 10 metres in diameter was found which would have provided space to live comfortably.

A furnace found nearby showed evidence of iron smelting, the process of extracting iron from ore. The ore which was most likely extracted from nearby peat bogs, would have been heated in the furnace causing the iron to separate and pool in the bottom of the furnace.

“The sites identified along the route are truly remarkable but would have remained undiscovered had the new bypass not been built,” said Michael

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Arrowheads from Milltimber (left), and Wester Hatton (right)

Matheson, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity.

“This new book, which provides valuable details on the archaeological finds, will be essential reading for everyone who has an interest in the

North-East’s history.”

Copies of the book can be read on line for free on Aberdeen Council’s website [https://www.aberdeencity. gov.uk/sites/default/files/2019-02/ apub-publdigifile_0.pdf]

Excavation work at Milltimber uncovers Roman ovens

Neolithic carinated bowl from Milltimber

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Scotland needs you

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he number of babies born in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1855.

According to the National Records of Scotland (NRS) there were only 12,580 babies born between October and December 2018 - a 1.8 per cent fall on the same period the previous year.

At the same the number of deaths has increased over the last five years by 0.6 per cent. Projections for the next 25 years suggest any growth in the Scottish population is likely to be from migration rather than births.

Growing appetite for Scottish food and drink

S billion.

cotland’s overseas food and drink exports increased by £293 million last year to reach a record high of £6.3

Official figures from Revenue and Customs showed that whisky exports increased to £338 million, a rise of 7.8 per cent, with a total value of around £4.7 billion and food exports increased by £885 million, up 125 per cent since 2007.

“The strength of Scotland’s brand, the quality of our products and our investment in overseas staff has driven this export success,” said James Withers, Chief Executive of Scotland Food and Drink.

“Our future strategy must rest on building our trade with Europe even further. That will strengthen the

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Photo by Stewart Cunningham

platform from which we can then continue the remarkable export

growth momentum across North America, Asia and the Middle East.”

Celebrity honours

Photo by Georges Biard CC BY-SA 3.0 George and Amal Clooney

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olyrood actor George Clooney and his wife Amal have been honoured with a special award for their charity work.

The celebrity couple were celebrated for their international humanitarian work through the Clooney Foundation for Justice at a special event in Edinburgh organised by the People’s Postcode Lottery.

Beam us up Scotty

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cotland builds more spacecraft than anywhere in the world outside of California and is perfectly placed to win the European space race, according to Scottish politicians.

During a debate in the Edinburgh parliament MSPs were encouraged

Photo by Richard Elliot/VisitScotland Possible area for spaceport near Tongue

to get behind Scotland’s rapidly expanding space industry which is predicted to be worth more than £4billion by the end of the next decade.

The Government already has plans to create at least one spaceport to enable the launch of satellites into space from Scotland within the next

few years.

There are already more than 130 space industry companies operating in Scotland with many of them headquartered in Glasgow where more satellites are made than in any other European city.

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Water shame A

survey of one of Scotland’s most iconic 20th century buildings, designed by the world famous architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, has revealed the extent of water damage to the property.

Hill House in Helensburgh, Argyll was

Photo by AlasdairW CC BY-SA 3.0 Hill House Box under construction

built in the early 1900s for Glasgow businessman William Blackie and although architecturally stunning wind and rain have taken a toll on the building.

Experts using thermographic imaging have pinpointed huge areas of damp which has seeped into the structure

over the last 115 years.

The building, which is cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, now has a metal mesh box built around it as a temporary protective measure while efforts are made for a long term solution.

Light move

Photo by Simon Johnston CC BY-SA 2.0 Beamer Rock

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n historic 170-year-old lighthouse dismantled during construction of the new iconic Queensferry Crossing of the Firth of Forth is to be

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rebuilt at another location.

Rosyth dockyard and the inner Forth.

The distinctive red and white Beamer Rock lighthouse was first built around 1846 to guard the entrance to

Now, there are plans to relocate it to St David’s Harbour, in Dalgety Bay,as part of a bistro.

New face of animal welfare

S

cots scientists have a new way of recognising mood swings in pigs by using facial recognition technology.

Experts from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) believe they will be able to improve animal welfare by studying the facial expressions of pigs to find out if the animal is happy or distressed.

Previous research has shown pigs are very expressive animals and that they use their expressions to communicate with each other.

It’s hoped technology will help farmers care for their animals better and reduce production costs by identifying and treating problems early.

Photo by Sylvia Duckworth CC BY-SA 2.0 Piglets at Ardmore

Discover Dundee

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he new £80million V&A Dundee has been credited with a 40 per cent increase in visitors to the city’s other tourist attractions.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland V&A at Discovery Point

Since it opened last September the number of people visiting other sites in the City of Discoveries has rocketed.

per cent rise in the number of visitors compared to 2017 and there was a 31.2 per cent increase in people visiting The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum.

Nearby Discovery Point saw a 40.5

Research carried out by experts from

Glasgow Caledonian University’s Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism showed that the V&A was responsible for attracting visitors that would probably not have thought about going to Dundee previously.

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Preserving the past

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ne of Scotland’s most iconic hills has been bought by a conservation charity.

The Woodland Trust Scotland has purchased the 1,752ft Ben Shieldaig in Torridon for more than £1.6million.

The 9,884 acres included in the sale includes a large tract of ancient pinewood forest dating back to the last ice age which makes up a large proportion of the area’s most important natural environments.

The north-west Highland habitat is home to golden eagles, pine martens, otters, red squirrels and a host of other flora and fauna,

including some of the world’s rarest lichens and Britain’s smallest dragonfly.

The charity is now looking to raise more than £3million to fun ongoing management of the site.

Organisers of the event at the Glasgow school of Art want to hear from any women who had the first scans while pregnant back in the 1960s.

Although now a routine part of pregnancy health checks the idea was revolutionary around 50 years ago.

world to offer the scans to expectant mums, a fact that the new exhibition, called ‘Ultrasonic Glasgow’ aims to celebrate.

Celebrating another ‘first’ A

new exhibition is to celebrate the development of ultrasound scans for pregnant women first devised in Glasgow.

Glasgow was the first city in the

It is hoped researchers will be able to trace and interview some of the pioneering woman to record their memories and experiences for history.

Periodic history A

134-year-old periodic table chart discovered at the University of St Andrews has been officially recognised

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as the oldest in the world by the Guinness World Records.

The chart of elements, dating

from 1885, was discovered in the University’s School of Chemistry by Dr Alan Aitken during a clear out.

Natural assets

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cotland may account for less than nine per cent of the UK population but it has more than 34 per cent of the value of the UK’s total natural assets.

A new report by the Office of National Statistics calculated the value or profit derived by wind, water, oil, gas and other natural resources found Scotland’s share was estimated to be at least £273 billion - more than a third of the UK total.

Although gas and oil production has reduced dramatically over the last 20 years renewable energy has grown rapidly and now accounts for over half of the country’s energy production.

Tiny moment in aviation

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cotland’s National Museum of Flight is to celebrate the centenary of the recordbreaking achievements by the famous airship R34.

The giant 643ft long rigid airship, nicknamed Tiny by her crew of 26, was the first aircraft to successfully complete a return flight across the Atlantic and the first east-west crossing.

Built at the Beardmore factory at Inchinnan, Glasgow the airship was stationed at East Fortune airfield

Photo by Stewart Cunningham

near Edinburgh, now home to the museum.

On 2 July 1919 R34 set out to travel 6,000 miles to Mineola, Long Island, New York and arrived 108 hours later on 6 July, complete with a stowaway - a kitten called Wopsie which had been adopted by the crew as a mascot.

It’s hoped the new museum display will renew interest in an epic feat of aviation history that has been largely forgotten.

Photo PD Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division R-34 at Mineola

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Scottish Attractions

Photo VisitScotland Edinburgh Castle

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or the seventh year running Scotland outperformed the rest of the UK in the increased number of visitors to its major attractions.

the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) Scottish venues saw a 19.07 per cent increase in visitors compared to a UK average of just 8.68 per cent.

According to the latest figures from

Top of the list outside London was

the National Museum of Scotland which recorded a total of 2,227,773 visitors, closely followed by Edinburgh Castle with 2,111,578 to become Scotland’s most visited paid attraction.

Surf’s up Photo by Andre Silva Catching a wave

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t may not be Hawaii or Bondi beach but surfers from across the world are expected to descend on a little Scottish town this month for the country’s National Surfing Championships.

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The international competition, which takes place from 19 - 22 April in Thurso, has been growing in prominence for almost 50 years, ever since the first one was held in 1973.

Up to 1,000 spectators and around 55 Scottish competitors are expected to watch the event a great spectacle of the best Scottish surfers on the some of the best waves in Europe.

Home for the summer

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wo resident Ospreys, which first set up home at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Perthshire five years ago, have returned for another breeding season.

Ospreys were extinct in Britain for much of the 20th century but began to recover in the 1960s. There are now 200 pairs of breeding ospreys in the UK. The two Perthshire birds, named LF15 and LM12, have already made their first attempts at breeding.

Anyone can watch events in the

nest and the hatching of new offspring live via the Trust’s webcam

[https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=SdDoJcPOX8U]

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Technicolour flower power

Photo by Kenny Lam/VisitScotland Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

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by Helen Lloyd

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t has been called Scotland’s second national flower but, unlike the thistle, the Rhododendron is an invasive non-native plant which has firmly taken root in Scotland.

Left unchecked this alien species can take over huge tracts of wild land to the detriment of other plants but in controlled surroundings of cultivated ornamental gardens they are a sight to behold.

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From one end of Scotland to the other swathes of bright yellows, purples, pinks and reds brighten up the dullest of days in the ornamental gardens of stately homes and country cottages.

Thanks, largely to our 18th and

Photo by Kenny Lam/VisitScotland Culzean Castle and gardens

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19th century ancestors, you don’t have to travel to Himalaya, Japan or China to see these plants in full bloom. Rhodendrons love Scotland, especially the west coast where the acidic soil, generous rainfall and cool temperatures provide an ideal habitat.

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Every year around this time the plants show their appreciation with a riot of colour and this year the annual Scottish Rhododendron Festival looks set to be one of the best. Many of these wonderful plants are already in full bloom because of the recent warmer temperatures.

Scotland’s Rhododendron Festival takes place from 1 April to 31 May and comprises more than 50 events across the country as gardens,

Photo by Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland Botanic Garden, Port Logan

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estates and woodlands open to showcase their displays.

Returning for its fifth year, the annual festival is organised by national garden tourism group Discover Scottish Gardens and supported by VisitScotland. It aims to encourage local audiences and tourists to enjoy the wonders of gardens during the rhododendron flowering period and highlight the diversity of collections that can be found in Scotland.

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Rhododendrons are a large family of around 1,000 species from small mountain shrubs to magnificent tree-like specimens. This year, many

Photo by Kenny Lam/VisitScotland Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

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species have been flowering earlier than usual due to higher-thanaverage temperatures in most parts of the country.

In February, the Met Office reported an average temperature of 6°C in the UK, which is 2.4°C above the 19812010 long-term average. A southerly

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incursion from north Africa brought record-breaking temperatures and dry sunny weather throughout most parts of the country in the latter half of the month.

Photo by Kenny Lam/VisitScotland Abbotsford, the Home of Sir Walter Scott

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“The warmer temperatures we have been experiencing provide optimum conditions for these exotic shrubs, originally from the east, to thrive,” said David Knott, Curator at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh,

a world centre for rhododendron studies.

“The unusual weather and early flowering also highlight the impact of climate change on plants and

flowering behaviour - a situation we will continue to monitor at the Botanics.”

Four new venues will participate in this year’s festival including

Abbotsford Hose, the former home of celebrated writer Sir Walter Scott’ , Cawdor Castle, Cowden Japanese Garden and National Trust for Scotland’s Culzean Castle. Each one will be hosting activities and Rhodo

walks for all the family.

The festival was originally founded by the Glorious Gardens of Argyll and Bute and some of the most stunning rhododendron displays can be seen

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in the west of Scotland at gardens including Achamore, Glenarn and Benmore Botanic Garden on the Cowal Peninsula where you can see the plants in full colour surrounded by towering, ancient redwoods and

Photo by Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland Inverewe Gardens, north of Poolewe

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dramatic views over the Holy Loch towards the tips of neighbouring mountain peaks.

Elsewhere, Inverewe Gardens, near the pretty Highland village of

Poolewe, offers an oasis of peace and tranquillity among a colourful landscape of containing everything from Australian tree ferns to Chinese rhodos and even a grove of Wollemi pines.

Also in the north of he country Gordon Castle and Attadale Gardens in provide equally beautiful displays.

Further towards the central belt Branklyn Gardens offers an explosion of colour from its exceptional

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Photo by Paul Tomkins/VisitScotland Branklyn Garden

setting on the side of Kinnoull Hill, overlooking Perth. This spring, keep an eye out for alpine flowers, dog’s tooth violets and the blue buttercup as you take an invigorating amble around the lush gardens.

Also near Perth is Glendoick Gardens where the rhododendrons are legendary. The garden was founded by the green-fingered Cox family, who built a specialist plant nursery here in the 1950s, which has raised over 50 new hybrid rhododendrons and azaleas.

In the south of the country Dawyck Gardens is another delightful place for flower fanatics. The ancient species of rhododendrons that grow at in this part of the Scottish Borders, are thought to be over 100 years old. Some highlights to behold include the picture-perfect Dutch Bridge, the blissful colours of spring along the Beech Walk and the vibrant Azalea Terrace.

Also in the south Logan Botanic

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Photo by Kenny Lam/VisitScotland The Swiss Bridge at Dawyck Botanic Garden

Garden is home to a wide variety of exotic, unusual and beautiful plants due, in no small part, to the area’s mild climate that sweeps in on the Gulf Stream which encourages all kinds of plants to blossom brightly in this little pocket of south west Scotland.

than 300 years. Their displays of rhododendrons and azaleas are not to be missed this season.

There is also Castle Kennedy Gardens in Dumfries and Galloway.

Within the grounds of the ruined castle a beautiful walled garden, with two lochs and an abundance of resident wildlife, is a sanctuary for an impressive collection of trees and plants dating back more

Experts at the iconic garden have been studying the cultivation and conservation of the plants in their natural habitats for many years and now have some 260 exotic species on show which thrive inside the glasshouses.

But for anybody visiting Scotland’s capital this Spring the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh is the place to see rhododendrons.

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This month in history

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cotland has much to celebrate and commemorate from the births and deaths of worthy persons to notable events in history. Here’s a brief guide to some of the events and dates worth remembering this April.

Births

1804 April 18 - Birth in Aberdeen of Robert Davidson who invented the world’s first large scale electric vehicle.

1710 April 15 - Scottish physician and chemist William Cullen was born in Lanarkshire. He’s famous for holding Britain’s first independent university lectureship in chemistry at Glasgow University. He taught many of the leading medical practitioners of the 18th century and invented the basis for modern refrigeration.

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1728 April 16 - Prof Joseph Black, the first person to discover magnesium, latent heat, specific heat and carbon dioxide was born in Bordeaux, France into an Aberdeenshire family involved in the wine industry.

1742 April 28 - Powerful politician Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, was born in Edinburgh. A colourful character his influence, both private and public, helped shape the British empire of the 18th century both for good and bad.

1809 April 20 -James David Forbes, physicist who devised first form of seismograph, was born in Edinburgh.

1839 April 4 - James Blyth was born Marykirk, Kincardineshire. A pioneer of electricity generation he built the world’s first-known wind turbine to generate electricity to power a home.

1898 April 28 - Celebrated Scottish poet William Souter was born in Perth. He wrote in both English and scots and has been credited with being one of the country’s finest poets.

1826 April 26 Pioneer photographer and chemist Robert Adamson was born in St Andrews, Fife. Along with David Octavius Hill he was responsible the birth of early portrait photography.

1817 April 9 - Alexander “Greek Thomson” born in Balfron, Stirlingshire. He is credited with being one of the western world’s most greatest architects whose influence can be seen in buildings from Glasgow to New York.

1825 April 24 - Novelist R M Ballantyne, who wrote 90 books, the best known of which was “The Coral Island,” was born in Edinburgh. He was greatly influenced by his travels as a young man throughout Canada working for the Hudson’s Bay Company. He also inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Treasure Island.

1905 April 19 - Overlooked Scottish aviation pioneer Jim Mollison MBE was born in Glasgow. He held records for flying from Australia to England (1931) in 8 days 19 hours & flying from England to South Africa (1932) in 4 days 17 hours. He was also the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic east-west from Ireland to Canada (1932).

1924 April 15 - Actor and comedian Rikki Fulton was born in Glasgow.

Best known for his “Scotch and Wry” shows which included the Rev I M Jolly character.

1830 April 5 - Composer Alexander Muir was born in Lesmahagow, Scotland and went on to compose one of the best known national songs of Canada ‘Maple Leaf Forever’.

1838 April 21 - Environmental conservationist and visionary John Muir was born in Dunbar, He is renowned around the world as the “father of national parks” having been the founder of Yosemite National Park.

Deaths

1617 April 4 - Mathematician, physicist and astronomer John Napier of Merchiston, aka Marvellous Merchsiton, who invented of logarithms died in Edinburgh.

1747 April 9 - Jacobite Simon Fraser, the 11th Lord Lovat became the last person beheaded in Britain for treason after he was captured in the wake of Culloden and transported to London.

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1988 April 29 - Aberdeen born actor Andrew Cruickshank, best known for playing Dr Cameron in the BBC television series Dr Finlay’s Casebook, died aged 80 in London.

1996 April 13 Orcadian writer George Mackay Brown, regarded as one of Scotland’s best poets of the 20th century, died in Stromness.

1508 April 4 - Scotland’s oldest surviving book, featuring the poem ‘The Complaint of the Black Knight

by John Lydgate, was printed in Edinburgh by Walter Chepman and Androw Myllar.

2001 April 13 - Performer, director and theatre impresario James Allan Short, better known as the comedian Jimmy Logan died aged 73 in Clydebank, Glasgow.

1794 April 27 - Explorer James Bruce of Kinnaird who discovered the source of the Blue Nile died.

1825 April 19 - Celebrated poet George Gordon Byron, aka Lord Byron died at Missolinghi, Greece.

2005 April 22 - Leith born sculptor and artist Eduardo Paolozzi, widely regarded as one of the pioneers of 1960s pop art, died. The son of Italian immigrants to Scotland he was knighted for his services to the arts in 1989.

Notable events 1139 April 9 - Second Treaty of Durham in which King David I was recognised as King of an independent Scotland by England’s King Stephen.

1296 April 27 - Edward I invaded Scotland and defeated a Scottish army at the Battle of Dunbar leading the way for Edward to steal the Stone of Destiny.

1839 April 11 - Novelist, entrepreneur and political commentator John Galt, who was the first superintendent of the Canada Company formed to populate Southern Ontario in the early 19th century died in Greenock, Scotland.

1869 April 22 - The death of Rev Patrick Bell, inventor of mechanical reaper which helped revolutionise farming in the 19th century.

1968 April 7 - Celebrated two times World Motor Racing Champion Jim Clark from Duns in the Scottish Borders lost his life in a tragic accident during a race in Germany.

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1558 April 24 - Mary Queen of Scots married 14-year-old French Dauphin Francis Valois at Notre Dame in Paris.

1650 April 27 - Battle of Carbisdale was fought near the village of Culrain.

It’s significant as the last battle of James Graham, the 1st Marquis of Montrose one of Scotland’s finest ever military commanders.

cc Kim Traynor

1320 April 6 - The Declaration of Arbroath was drafted. It is the most famous document in Scottish history.

It is a corner stone of Scotland’s nationhood and is known to have influenced the American Declaration of Independence.

1703 April 21 - Edinburgh Fire Brigade, one of the first in Scotland, formed, was formed with volunteers.

However, it wasn’t well organised and in 1824 the city established the world’s first professional fire fighting service, the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment, led by James Braidwood. Braidwood, who went on to become the first director of the London Fire Brigade nine years later established fire fighting techniques that are still used today

the world over. In 2008 a statue was unveiled to Braidwood in Parliament Square, Edinburgh which not only commemorates the ‘father of the British fire service’ but also honours the courage and sacrifice of firefighters all over the world.

Stephencdickson CC BY-SA 4.0

1736 April 14 - John Porteous, Captain of Edinburgh’s City Guard was lynched by a mob angry over his part in the death of innocent civilians killed by his trying to quell a disturbance during a public public hanging.

1882 April 19 - Battle of the Braes in which crofters in Skye fought 50 policemen sent up from Glasgow to force their eviction during a dispute over land rights.

1941 April 7 - Two Norwegians who had been forced to act as German spies rowed ashore at Crovie, Banffshire. They were quickly arrested and turned into double agents to supply the enemy with false information.

1928 April 12 - Madeleine Smith who was tried in 1857 and found not proven of the murder of her lover in one of the most notorious criminal cases in Scottish history died peacefully at her home in New York where she had been living under the name of Lena Wardle Sheehy.

1940 April 30 - Some 25 sailors were killed when the Free French Destroyer “Maillr Breze” exploded and sunk in the Firth of Clyde, just off Greenock.

VisitScotland

1953 April 16 - The Royal yacht “Britannia” was launched at John Brown’s shipyard, Clydebank, Glasgow.

VisitScotland

1746 April 16 - Charles Edward Stewart and his Jacobite army was defeated at the Battle of Culloden.

1874 April 18 - The remains of explorer and missionary David Livingstone were interred in Westminster Abbey.

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Date 4 ur diary

Scotland

Until 20 April Puppet Animation Festival Various venues, Scotland Puppet Animation Festival is the UK’s oldest performing arts event for children, with a diverse programme of events for children between the ages of 0-12 https://puppetanimationfestival.org 5-10 April Edinburgh International Harp Festival Edinburgh A wonderful selection of concerts, courses and workshops in the stunning surroundings of Merchiston Castle School. https://www.harpfestival.co.uk 6-12 April Edinburgh International Science Festival Edinburgh Edinburgh’s annual Science Festival: the world’s first public celebration of science and technology and still one of Europe’s largest. https://www.sciencefestival.co.uk 7-13 April St Andrews Golf Week St Andrews, Fife Can you imagine playing over the world famous links where names such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Old Tom Morris claimed some of their most memorable wins! Well here is your opportunity. https://www.standrewsgolfweek.com 13 April Scottish Grand National Ayr, Ayrshire.

Be part of the action at the Scottish Grand National at Ayr. https://www.scottishgrandnationalfestival.co.uk 13 April Melrose Sevens Melrose, Borders One of Scotland’s biggest rugby events and a great party for both rugby enthusiasts and fun seekers. https://www.melrose7s.com 19-22 April Easter Bunny Weekend - Keith and Dufftown Railway Dufftown, Banffshire. AB55 4BA Join us for the Easter weekend with fun for all the kids.

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If you have a future event you would like included in our diary please email details to news@scotlandcorrespondent.com Come and see the Easter bunny in their warren and see what you can find, every child wins an easter egg. http://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/easter-bunnyweekend/ 21-26 April Walkislay Islay, Isle of Islay A week-long walking festival across the Isles of Islay, Jura and Colonsay. Walks vary from easy to strenuous and take in the beautiful island scenery, from beaches and lochs, to mountains and moorland. Wildlife abounds in all corners with a chance to see eagles, otters, deer, goat and much more. http://www.walkislay.co.uk 26-27 April Paisley Food & Drink Festival Paisley, Renfrewshire The Festival is one of the largest outdoor food and drink events in Scotland and this year, Paisley is teaming up with PLATFORM to showcase the best of the country’s street food scene. https://paisley.is/featured_event/paisley-food-and-drinkfestival/ 27-28 April Run Balmoral Balmoral, Deeside RunBalmoral has been in existence for 22 years. It is a family event with races for all ages and abilities packed in over one incredible weekend on the magnificent Balmoral Estate in Royal Deeside. https://runbalmoral.com 28 April Etape Loch Ness Inverness A cycle sportive taking place around iconic Loch Ness offering the chance to cycle 66 miles (106 km) on traffic free roads. https://www.etapelochness.com 28 April Stirling Scottish Marathon Stirling Whether you’re taking on the marathon or the half marathon distance, this event combines a stunning, scenic course with the convenience of a city centre start and finish. The challenging closed road route takes in the local countryside, imposing castles and historic towns. https://www.greatrun.org/great-stirling-run

Australia

6 April Brigadoon-The Bundanoon Highland Gathering Bundanoon, NSW For one day only Bundanoon is Brigadoon. Australia’s “premier’ Scottish Gathering with pipe bands, Highland Games, Clan village and plenty of dancing. www. brigadoon.org.au 13 April BBC Highland Gathering 2019 Brisbane Boys’ College, Kensington Terrace, Toowong 4066, QLD The BBC Highland Gathering is a brilliant day with Pipe Bands, Drum Majors, Medieval Reenactment, Highland Dancing, Heaps of stalls, heaps of food options.....Just a real fun day, with quality music. https://www.facebook.com/events/434130976998429/ 19-20 April Maclean Highland Gathering Maclean, NSW A celebration of Scottish heritage and culture. http://www.macleanhighlandgathering.com.au

USA

4-7 April 9th Annual Tartan Day South Celebration Cayce, South Carolina 29033 The 9th Annual Tartan Day South Celebration is a four day event honoring Celtic heritage in our area. The festival is an array of different events at many different venues featuring unique sports, incredible music, great foods and interactive as well as interesting exhibitions. www.tartandaysouth.com 6 April Dunedin Highland Games & Festival Dunedin Community Center, Dunedin, FL USA! The Dunedin Highland Games & Festival features competitions in bagpipes, drumming, Highland dancing, Heavy athletics. www.dunedinhighlandgames.com 6 April New York Tartan Day Parade New York Come join the march up Sixth Avenue in New York City, to the swirl of kilts, the skirl of bagpipes and the cheers of tens of thousands of spectators. Join pipe bands from across the globe, dancers, clans, dogs, politicians, Scottish cultural organisations in a joyous New York celebration of Scottish pride. www.nyctartanweek.org

6-7 April San Antonio Highland Games & Celtic Music Festival Helotes Festival Grounds, 12210 Leslie Road Helotes, TX 78023 This event is held annually in Helotes, TX to promote Scottish heritage. In particular we feature Scottish heavy athletics, Celtic music, Scottish and Irish dancing, Clans, Living History demonstrations, and much, much more. www.sahga.org 6 April Ardenwood Tartan Day Scottish Faire 34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, California Regardless of where your family’s history started, it’s important to celebrate cultural heritage. The East Bay Scottish Association is dedicated to celebrating the full, rich culture of Scotland through interactive events such as the Tartan Day Scottish Faire. http://www.eastbayscots.org 6-7 April 24th Annual Kern County Scottish Games and Gathering Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 South P St, Bakersfield, CA Make plans to come out and enjoy a day full of fun for everyone at the Kern County Scottish Games and Gathering at the Kern County Fairgrounds. There is something for every member of your family! Visit the Tea Room, enjoy the Scotch Tasting, listen to traditional Celtic Music and Celtic Rock Bands, find out about your clan https://www.kernscot.org/highland-games.html 6 April House of Scotland Pipe Band Tartan Day 669 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101 Come join us for a wonderful community celebration at House of Scotland Tartan Day! There will be music, dancing, children’s activities, shopping, bagpipers, bagpipe competitions, pipe bands, highland dancers, country dancers, stage entertainment, traditional foods including haggis, meat pies, bangers, bread pudding, death by chocolate, shortbread, and so much more! https://www.facebook.com/events/2174183739567178/ 12-14 April Loch Norman Highland Games Historic Rural Hill, 4431 Neck Rd, Huntersville, NC The Loch Norman Highland Games at Rural Hill is a family friendly event presented by Historic Rural Hill.

Come and experience all the fun with Highland Dancing, Bagpipe Bands, Highland Athletics, a Giant Kid’s Zone, Scottish Merchants, Haggis, Celtic Rock and Traditional Performers, Historic Reenactments, Scottish Country Dancing, Sunday Church Service, Hearth Cooking, NC Beer and Wine, Whiskey Tastings, Kilted Running Events, Scottish Clan Societies, Shoot Long Bows and Blowguns, Throw a Battle Axe and so much more! www.ruralhillscottishfestivals.net

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25-28 April Virginia International Tattoo Norfolk, VA The legendary Tattoos of Edinburgh and Basel are now

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rivalled by the largest Tattoo in the U.S. - our own Virginia International Tattoo. www.vafest.org/tattoo

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