Scotland Correspondent Issue 35

Hidden treasures of the North-East Island dreams 300 years after Crusoe Celebrating Billy Connolly

Inside the bar for an art lover Encouraging Gaelic pride Saving the squirrels p1

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inside this issue 10 Islands

dreams

of

Celebrating the real Robinson Crusoe closer to home.

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22 Building

defences

Protecting history from climate change.

28 News

Brief

in

Catch up on stories from around Scotland.

36 Off

the beaten track

The hidden heritage of the North-East.

59 Reducing

guilt

46 Life

of laughter

New look at the making of Billy Connolly.

52 Enlightenment

2.0

Scots at the forefront of science and medicine.

carbon and

Growing love for staycation holidays.

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66 Hunting

antiques with Roo Irvine The church mouse worth a lot of money.

70 There’s

place like home

no

Check out these stunning properties for sale.

100 An

Actor’s life for me…

Scott Kyle on dressing up, eating out and going Dutch.

84 The wonder

of dinosaurs

77 Gintelligence

Tyrannosaurs exhibition exclusive to Edinburgh.

Fiona Holland’s review of Biggar gin.

of the natives

Red squirrels back in their Highland home.

90 Peace

and quiet at Whispering Pine

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108 Return

Refurbished hotel steepd in history and romance.

114 Glamour

The Gallery

at

Luxury bar with a passion for art.

137 Help

crisis

in a

Commemorating 80 years of the RVS.

152 Destination

Scotland

Where to go and stay in Scotland.

Anniversary Vaults 158

120 Preserving

Scotland’s lighthouses

Shedding new light on coastal protection.

140 Origins

Darwin

of

Work of great scientist’s mentor saved for the nation.

What’s worth celebrating and commemorating this November.

Date 4 Your Diary 162

What’s on in Scotland and abroad this month.

124 Stirred

shaken

and

Shock result at the porridge championships.

144 Proud

to speak Gaelic

Promoting pride in the Gaelic language.

Cover Photo

Cover photo by Paul Tomkins / VisitScotland Neidpath Castle

148 Scotland 130 The

view from above

Aerial technology reveals Arran’s ancient past.

the beautiful

The country’s best blooming towns.

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Fantasy islands Photo by VisitScotland Looking towards Luskentyre from Seilebost with the hills of north Harris beyond.

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n the 300th anniversary of the classic novel Robinson Crusoe - based on the true story of Scottish castaway Alexander Selkirk - a new survey has revealed Scotland’s favourite islands.

Selkirk, the son of a shoemaker, was born in Lower Largo, Fife in 1676 and enjoyed a swashbuckling life as a buccaneer after running away to sea aged 17.

Little more than 10 years later, after a disagreement with the captain of his ship, he was left stranded on an uninhabited island 420 miles off the coast of Chile with just an axe, knife, musket, bible, cooking pot and some clothes.

For more than four years Selkirk survived by living off the land until he was rescued in 1709. The story of his remarkable life as a castaway inspired numerous tales, not least the best selling book ‘The Life and Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe’ by Daniel Defoe, first published in 1719.

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Now, to celebrate the tricentenary of the book VisitScotland has carried out a poll to find out which of the country’s 790 plus islands people would most like to visit.

The top three islands as voted by more than 1200 respondents were the Isles of Skye, Arran and Harris, closely followed by the Orkney and Shetland Islands, as well as the Isle of Lewis.

Skye, the largest and most northern of the Inner Hebridean Islands, is

Photo by VisitScotland A view of the Quiraing on the Isle of Skye at sunrise

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home to some of the most iconic views in the country.

Famous around the world for its natural beauty the island is known for its majestic landscapes, picturesque fishing villages, medieval castles and a natural history that goes back to the dinosaurs and beyond.

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Often regarded as ‘Scotland in miniature’ the island of Arran, at 167 square miles, is the largest in the

Photo by VisitScotland The pools at Glen Rosa with a view of Goat Fell on the Isle of Arran

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Firth of Clyde.

A geologists’s paradise the island is

divided into highland and lowland areas with spectacular views and natural attractions.

Throughout Arran there are numerous activities to attract visitors from towering hills and forest walks to

manicured fairways and historic buildings.

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Situated at the North west corner of the Outer Hebrides the island of Harris is renowned for having some of the most spectacular beaches in

Britain.

The rugged coastline, dotted by numerous quiet inlets populated

Photo by VisitScotland The coastline at Yesnaby, Mainland, Orkney

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by small scenic villages, and the mountainous interior has some of the oldest rocks in the world - dating back more than three thousand

million years.

Orkney is more than one island about 70 to be more precise of which

only around 20 are populated, some of them for almost 9,000 years.

The main island, at 202 square miles,

is the sixth largest in Scotland. Its mostly flat, tree-less landscape ringed with red sandstone cliffs is famous for its spectacular scenery,

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abundance of wildlife and ancient history.

The rugged beauty of the land and friendliness of the people has made the Shetland islands one of the most

popular destinations for visitors to Scotland.

Photo by VisitScotland The rock pillars known as the Heads of Groken just off the Ness of Hillswick, Shetland

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Once part of Norway the islands became part of Scotland in the 15th century and even today the local

lifestyle reflects a unique Scottish and Norse heritage.

Lewis, adjacent to Harris, has its own unique personality separate from its co-joined neighbour. Flatter and more

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Photo by Sylvia Stanley CC BY-SA 3.0 Alexander_Selkirk_Statue.jpg (Photo by Sylvia Stanley CC BY-SA 3.0)

agriculturally fertile Lewis is home to a huge assortment of flora and fauna.

Steeped in history and culture, going back as far as 8,000 years, the island is dotted with ancient stone circles which stand alongside the trappings of a modern, vibrant community.

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Mounds of freshly cut peat can be seen through the island and in winter the nostalgic scent of peat fires drift in the wind.

“As a country we are blessed with a vast number of fantastic islands, each with their own unique offering.

The Shetland and Orkney Islands, Skye and the Outer Hebrides have all received coveted accolades this year, suggesting our islands are becoming an increasingly attractive proposition for visitors,” said Chris Taylor, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director.

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Resisting change Photo by HES Dr Ewan Hyslop, Head of Technical Research & Science at Historic Environment Scotland.

by Scott Aitken

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ncreased rainfall, soaring temperatures, rising sea levels and shifting coastlines are conspiring to threaten some of Scotland’s most valuable historic heritage.

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As a result of the future threat to the country’s past a new guide has been created to help Scotland’s historic sites adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The guide aims to raise awareness of the risks and hazards of climate

change and their physical impact on the historic environment throughout Scotland. This information will empower owners and stewards of historic sites, as well as local communities, to help develop and implement adaptation measures to enhance resilience to climate change.

Photo by HES Eilean Glas Lighthouse, Scalpay

Identifying seven elements of the historic environment – roofed buildings and infrastructure; gardens and designed landscapes; marine; coastal; surface remains; buried remains and collections and internal fabrics – the guide explores the different hazards that threaten these sites. To help users assess risk, the guide also outlines the features that make a historic site more or less resilient to these impacts – for example, whether a building is in a good state of maintenance or repair.

The guide is the first of its kind and has been produced collaboratively with partners from across the historic environment sector and beyond, including heritage trusts, tourist bodies, universities and religious organisations, as well as climate change specialists.

“The rate of change to Scotland’s climate is already having profound impacts across all aspects of society, and poses real concerns for the future,” said Hazel Johnson,

Photo by HES Links of Noltland, Westray, Orkney

Project Manager for Built Heritage and Climate Change at Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

“Scotland’s historic environment is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, from sites in exposed coastal locations at risk from erosion, to stonework suffering accelerated decay caused by increasing rainfall.

“But our historic places also offer a unique perspective on how humans have adapted to changes in their environment over hundreds and even thousands of years, and they have an important role to play in creating sustainable and resilient communities across the country.

“To achieve this, it’s essential we work together, and we’re pleased

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Photo by HES Stirling Castle

that this guide has been the product of real cross-sector collaboration, pooling and sharing experience and expertise from a range of organisations.�

Publication of the guide comes as arts, culture, heritage and climate

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leaders gathered in Edinburgh for the launch of new international Climate Heritage Network (CHN).

tackle one of the most significant and fastest-growing threats to global cultural heritage.

Conceived at the Global Climate Action Summit hosted by the State of California in 2018, the CHN will provide a platform for the sector to

Iconic historic places – from archaeological and prehistoric sites, such as Skara Brae in Orkney, to coastal cities like Venice, Italy and

Saint-Louis, Senegal – are extremely vulnerable, which also put cultural collections, such as archives, artworks and artefacts, at risk.

Intangible heritage, such as languages and oral traditions, also face a fight for survival as climate

change threatens to displace communities.

As well as highlighting the severity of the climate change threat to historic sites worldwide, the Climate Heritage Network will also seek to inspire individuals, organisations

and communities to take climate action. It will emphasise how cultural heritage offers immense and virtually untapped potential to drive climate action and support just and equitable transitions by communities towards low carbon, climate resilient futures.

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News from around Scotland

New Chief for old clan

Dr. Simon Peter Carruthers of Holmains

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fter a gap of 12 years, and a lot of research, Clan Carruthers has a new chief.

Dr. Simon Peter Carruthers of Holmains has been officially named as Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers by Dr Joseph J Morrow CBE, KStJ, QC, DL, Lord Lyon, King of Arms.

Dr Carruthers is the great-great-great grandson of the last recognised Chief, John Carruthers 12th of Holmains, who died 210 years ago in 1809. His own descendancy can be traced back to the first chiefs of Mouswald in 1320.

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The undifferenced Arms of Carruthers, registered to the chiefly line since 1672 by John 9th of Holmains and blazoned Gules, two chevrons engrailed between three fleur de lis Or, are now borne by the new chief and can be seen above.

They remain his visual and heraldic signature and are only used legally with his permission.

The Clan Carruthers Society International is the official representative of Clan Carruthers and derivatives of the name.

Although the clan has descendants all over the world the surname

is believed to have originated in the lowlands of Scotland around Dumfrieshshire.

During the 13th century the clan rose to prominence under the Bruces and the chief was made stewards of Annandale.

The Carruthers were considered something of an unruly clan by the Scottish and English authorities as the family and its supporters were active in carrying out border raids throughout the area in the 16th century.

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Treasures of the past

specialist Roman history museum in the borders town of Melrose is to be expanded and refurbished so that it can display more exhibits.

The investment in the Trimontium Museum – which is receiving a £394,902 grant – is expected to lead to a large increase in tourism to Melrose.

The Trimontium Trust has been awarded the grant from the South of Scotland Economic Partnership (SOSEP) to help towards a refurbishment project with a total cost of over £1.25 million.

The funding will be used to develop a learning programme which will enable visitors to contribute to archaeological research.

“This funding will allow the

Gaelic app S

Photo by Pasicles CC0 1.0 Trimontium glass and tiles at Melrose museum

Trimontium Trust to expand on the great work it is already doing to promote the rich Roman and Iron Age history of the Scottish Borders,” said Fergus Ewing , Rural Economy Secretary.

“The refurbishment of the museum will allow the Trust to display more

artefacts from the local area and improve the visitor experience.

“People choose to visit Scotland for our culture, heritage and scenery.

This SOSEP funding in the South of Scotland will help support and maximise the economic potential of that region.”

cottish Gaelic is to be included on a free online language learning service which has more than 300 million users.

The ancient native Highland language is to be introduced to Duolingo users around the world so they can learn while playing various games.

Scottish Gaelic is estimated to have less than 60,000 native speakers in Scotland but there has been growing interest in the language from people around the world fascinated by Scottish history and culture.

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International movie award

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ulti-award-winning, Scotland-based filmmaker, Steve Johnson’s, second feature film, ‘Convergence’, has continued to pick up awards, this time winning the ‘Best Feature Film’ at the prestigious Cardiff International Film Festival in Wales.

As reported in Scotland

Correspondent ‘Convergence’ is a psychological thriller about life, death and love, beat more than a 700 other movies to the top prize.

Shot in Scotland, the ‘no-budget film’ (which cost less than £3,500 to make) starred mainly unknown Scottish actors and actresses and garnered huge applause when it was announced winner at the festival’s

glitzy awards ceremony on Sunday night in Cardiff.

“For a small independent and selffunded feature film, made for no money, to win such a prestigious film festival as Cardiff, and against feature films across the globe is remarkable. This is a testament to to what grassroots filmmakers can achieve,” said Steve.

Future events

Beast Race

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rom obstacle courses to scenic trail runs, celebrations of crime writing to health and wellbeing, the latest round of EventScotland’s National Events funding is set to support an exciting array of events and festivals in 2020.

Five events from across Scotland, including three first-time applicants, have been awarded a share of £72,000 in funding from EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.

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Taking place between January and May, the new events include two obstacle courses - MacTuff (5 January) and Beast Race (30 & 31 May), both taking place in the Kingdom of Fife.

MacTuff, coined as the toughest obstacle race of its kind in Scotland, will take place at Knockhill Racing Circuit and will see participants battle 7, 15 or 30km of challenging terrain; through mud, water and obstacles, putting their strength and endurance

to the test.

Already established in Loch Ness and Banchory, the Beast Race series will hold its first-ever event at Loch Ore, which will feature a series of 15km, 6km and children’s races across the weekend. The event consists of mega obstacles; giant water slides; icy loch water; thick mud & swamp crossings and is open to all ages and can be tackled as a group or a solo effort.

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Photo by Richard Frew Photography Granite Noir, featuring Comedian Susan Calman and Author, Stuart McBride at the Music Hall.

Other events to receive funding include Run Stirling, a festival of running set against the backdrop of the world famous Castle in January.

From the mass participation 7km Castle Run to junior and senior cross-country competitions, runners of all ages and abilities have the chance to take part. The cross-country will also include the Home Countries and Celtic International Games, which will see representatives from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales battle it out for top honours.

Granite Noir, a crime writing festival, will present a programme of author conversations, family events, walks, concerts, theatre, late night noir and exhibitions across Aberdeen, transforming the city into a hub for crime writing lovers of all ages.

Drawing inspiration from the Granite City, Granite Noir explores the

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enduring appeal of stories with dark plots, complicated motives and characters keeping dark secrets.

Finally, Scapa Fest - a multi-day outdoor yoga and adventure event designed to help people harness the power of nature to transform their physical health, mental health and the health of their environment.

Scapa Fest, will take place in Ardkinglas Estate, Loch Fyne, and bring together global experts in mind-body health, outdoor education and environmental action to deliver nature-based immersive and interactive sessions to families and individuals.

Thrill of the ride

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cotland’s only Enduro World Series Qualifier event of 2019, the Fair City Enduro supported by Sixth Element - further cemented its reputation as the UK’s most spectacular Mountain

Photo by Ian Potter PK Perspective Fair City Enduro

Bike Enduro.

Hundreds of mountain bikers descended on Perth for the annual race which involved riders from all corners of the UK.

On the day local boy Ruaidhri Forrester, from Abernethy, stormed a packed field to take the overall win.

The fastest female on course was Jessie May Morgan, from Peebles.

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Photo by Guy Phillips

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Uncovering hidden gems of the North-East

Photo by VisitScotland Delgatie Castle, Turriff

by Scott Aitken

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isitors from around the world are being urged to explore and enjoy some of Scotland’s hidden cultural gems.

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A new £100,000 project aims to highlight often overlooked attractions as it encourages visitors to travel off the beaten track when they come to the North-East.

VisitScotland and the University of

Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute have teamed up for the initiative to collect and collate folklore which will then be used to create films, podcasts or other media, opening up the stories which have long been known in local communities to the wider world.

Photo by VisitAberdeenshire Braemar Castle

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Photo by VisitAberdeenshire Balmoral Castle

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The research by national tourism body has shown that ‘Culture and Heritage’ is one of the main draws for people visiting Scotland with 33 per cent of those interviewed for the

most recent survey citing it as the main reason for their stay, rising to 52 per cent among long-haul visitors and 51 per cent among European visitors.

The University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute is the only research centre specialising in the vibrant vernacular culture of the North-East and North of Scotland

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Photo by VisitAberdeenshire Cruden Bay Golf Course

and will spearhead the project with its outputs informing tourism campaigns tied to the Year of Scotland’s Coasts and Waters 2020 and the Year of Scotland’s Stories 2022.

The stories of the region will be collected through the creation of a number of oral history hubs across Aberdeenshire which will not only support this project but will train local volunteers to collect and compile their history so that it can be preserved for future generations.

Dr Fiona-Jane Brown will lead the project, which is funded by the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development through LEADER.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Craigievar Castle

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“The people of Aberdeenshire have a very distinctive character, illustrated in their speech, the Doric dialect, their hard work on land and at sea over many centuries, and in their folklore, the stories, songs, traditions and beliefs. The latter is often overlooked by historians and

Photo by VisitAberdeenshire Burn O’ Vat

inaccessible to visitors,” she said.

“This project will help illuminate some of the most fascinating oral history, folklore, and social heritage which can be found in Scotland.

“The Elphinstone Institute has a wealth of expertise in research in this field and working with communities to capture their oral and traditional histories and culture. I’m looking forward to working with communities to develop their stories, having already been involved in a similar project with heritage groups in Formartine back in 2006. We’ll be tapping into the treasure trove of local memory and hoping to uncover some real gems.

“Once complete, the research will be used to create marketing assets which may include the creation of film, e-books, interactive maps, podcasts, or other media which will bring the stories and the places from which they originate to life.”

Photo by Flag Media Pennan harbour

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The project, which has been in development since 2018, also hopes to capitalise on the potential for increased visitor numbers as a result of the North-East 250 touring route and Aberdeenshire Coastal Trail.  “Our job at the Institute is to listen to those who know North-East culture best and this great partnership does just that, as we work to promote and celebrate the region. This

Photo by VisitScotland Crathes Castle

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project will be a significant stepping stone towards our broader cultural partnerships and goals,� said Dr Thomas McKean, Director of the Elphinstone Institute.

Jo Robinson, VisitScotland Regional Director described the region as having a strong cultural identity and fascinating history which is important to celebrate and share that with visitors.

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Photo by VisitAberdeenshire Slains Castle

“By involving local communities in the project, we hope to receive some great local stories and folklore directly from the people who have had them passed on through the generations or, indeed, have

Photo by VisitScotland Crovie

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experienced them first-hand,” she said.

“VisitScotland works closely with communities and businesses to showcase the rich assets, hidden

gems and local stories of every region in Scotland, and this project will ensure that Aberdeenshire’s authentic stories are heard and celebrated as part of the Year of Scotland’s Coast and Waters.”

Photo by VisitScotland Portsoy harbour

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The power of laughter F

or more than six decades Billy Connolly has risen from shipyard worker to a ‘weel kent’ face around the world as Scotland’s leading funny man.

But behind the gallus humour the former welder from Anderston, Glasgow has led a colourful life, much of which has helped mould him into the man he has become.

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Now, a new in-depth documentary, ‘Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland’, presents an intimate, deeply personal and funny portrait of the legendary comedian who describes himself as a ‘hard working lazy man’.

In the world of laughter, there is no one quite like Billy Connolly. Put simply, through sheer talent and force of personality he changed the

face of British humour forever.

He’s been called the Beatles and Jesus of comedy by his peers and an immature manure mouth by the leader of the Scottish Zion Baptist Church. Say what you like about him, it is hard to deny his influence and international popularity.

Weaved around private interviews,

Sir Billy Connolly

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this special series finds Billy returning to Scotland to reveal the influences and motivations that turned him from being Billy Connolly, the welder, to Billy Connolly, the Big Yin! With contributions from Eddie Izzard, Micky Flanagan, Tracey Ullman, Ross Noble and more, Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland is the definitive

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portrait of one of Scotland’s greatest stand-up comics.

Now, aged 77, Sir Billy, who was knighted by Prince William in 2017 , has enjoyed a spectacular career as a stand-up, comedian, musician and folksinger, film and television actor, tv presenter and artist.

However the documentary reveals there is so much more to the the Big Yin than his public persona as a husband, father, grandfather, worldcitizen and son of Scotland.

Dazzler Media’s ‘Billy Connolly: Made in Scotland’ is released on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital on 18th November.

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Enlightenment 2.0 -

Discovery, Development and Innovation Advance in battle against liver disease

Photo by Paul McGuire Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s cell manufacturing facility at the Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Edinburgh

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iver disease patients could one day benefit from a new cell therapy that has just completed its first clinical trial.

Researchers who tested the potential treatment in patients with liver

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cirrhosis – where long term damage produces scarring – found the therapy had no significant adverse effects.

Now the team, based at the University of Edinburgh’s MRC

Centre for Regenerative Medicine, is to gauge the effectiveness of the treatment – which is based on white blood cells called macrophages, that are key to normal liver repair.

The next stage of the trial will

measure whether the therapy helps the liver to reduce scarring and stimulate regeneration. The results should be known within the next two years.

At present the only successful treatment for end-stage liver cirrhosis – which claims around 14,000 lives in the UK each year – is an organ transplant. The safety trial is a vital step forward in finding an alternative therapy.

During the trial scientists took cells

from the blood of nine patients with the disease and turned them into macrophages, in the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service’s (SNBTS) cell therapy facility. The new cells were then re-injected into the patient with the hope of repairing the damaged organ from within.

Causes of liver cirrhosis include infections such as hepatitis C, obesity, alcohol excess and some genetic and immune conditions.

Across the UK we are facing a liver

disease epidemic. The number of people affected has been rising at an alarming rate and liver disease is now the biggest killer of 35 to 49-year olds.

Dr Robin Buckle, Chief Science Officer, Medical Research Council, said: “The goal of regenerative medicine is to drive the body to self-repair. This has the potential to provide long-lasting treatments for major and often untreatable health problems, such as liver cirrhosis.”

Liquid sugar threat to health

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t’s not what we eat but what we drink that could be adding to the obesity crisis.

New research has found that consumption of sugary drinks, but not sugary food leads to weight gain in mice.

The study found that when mice were given a sugary drink it led to weight gain, however, mice who ate the same amount of sugar in a solid form did not gain weight.

Professor John Speakman, who leads groups at the University of Aberdeen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, conducted the study to determine whether the way sugar was consumed would affect the likelihood of weight gain.

Results showed that consumption of sugary water, but not equivalent levels of solid sugar, led to body fat gain, as well as impaired glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, markers of increased diabetes risk.

“Obesity, diabetes and other metabolic related disorders remain on the rise globally and it is widely agreed that the main cause of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure,” said Professor Speakman.

“There has been a lot of concern

Photo by University of Aberdeen Professor John Speakman

recently over the intake of sugary drinks, and if humans respond in the

same way as mice do, then these concerns may be entirely justified.”

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Saving energy and the planet

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ew hydrogen production method could support sustainable fuel creation  A new method of extracting hydrogen from water more efficiently could help underpin the capture of renewable energy in the form of sustainable fuel, claim scientists.

Researchers have discovered how pulsing electric current through a

Photo by W. L. Tarbert CC BY-SA 3.0 Wind turbines on Eigg

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layered catalyst has allowed them to almost double the amount of hydrogen produced per millivolt of electricity used during the process.

Electrolysis uses electric current to split the bonds between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms of water, releasing hydrogen and oxygen gas. If the electric current for the process of electrolysis is generated through renewable means

such as wind or solar power, the entire process releases no additional carbon into the atmosphere, making no contributions to climate change.

Hydrogen gas can then be used as a zero-emission fuel source in some forms of transport such as buses and cars or for heating homes.

“Currently the UK meets about a third of its energy production needs through renewable sources, and in Scotland that figure is about 80 per cent,” said Dr Alexey Ganin, of the University of Glasgow’s School of Chemistry, who directed the international research team.

“Experts predict that we’ll soon reach a point where we’ll be producing more renewable electricity than our consumption demands. However, as it currently stands the excess of generated energy must be used as it’s produced or else it goes to waste.

It’s vital that we develop a robust suite of methods to store the energy for later use.

“Batteries are one way to do that, but hydrogen is a very promising alternative. Our research provides an important new insight into producing hydrogen from electrolysis more effectively and more economically, and we’re keen to pursue this promising avenue of investigation.”

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Breakthrough in cancer fight

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maging tools help cancer team build clearer picture of tumours

Early diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients could be helped by new imaging technology that sheds light on how tumours form.

Researchers have developed a tool that can detect the key cells involved in the formation of metastatic – or secondary – tumours. This new type of chemical probe can also help scientists track how the tumours are progressing.

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The probe lights up small groups of previously unseen immune cells called metastasis-associated macrophages, which help cancer cells form metastatic tumours.

The team says this approach will aid understanding of how different types of immune cells influence tumour development, either negatively or positively.

Further development of the tool could help detection of tiny changes inside the body’s tissues, making it

easier to spot when metastases are developing, researchers say.

“This is an important advance in our abilities to study the role that immune cells play in tumours. We hope that this new technology will accelerate the design of better therapies to halt the development of metastasis,” said Dr Marc Vendrell, of the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Inflammation Research.

Catching a silent killer

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t is the ‘silent killer’ that claimed the life of Albert Einstein and affects 1 per cent of men over the age of 65, but researchers at the University of Dundee believe they may be able to reduce the number of fatalities caused by abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Aneurysms are the swelling and weakening of the arterial wall. Aortic aneurysms occur in the aorta, which delivers blood from the heart to

Albert Einstein

organs. Aneurysms are often called a silent killer, because patients can display no symptoms until the aneurysm bursts. Around 80 per cent of all patients with a ruptured aneurysm die from the condition.

A team from the University’s School of Medicine have devised a test that detects the presence of desmosine, an amino acid that diseased aortas release into the blood and urine.

They believe this can improve the

diagnosis and monitoring of aortic aneurysms while possibly aiding effort to develop new therapies to slow down their progression.

Ruptured aortic aneurysms cause 5,000 deaths in the UK each year, and are responsible for 1 in 75 deaths of men over 65. The incidence is growing as the population ages while smokers, diabetics and people with hypertension are among other at-risk groups.

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Clear conscience holidays

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ravel is one of the biggest environmental concerns when it comes to pollution, not least among some climate conscious holidaymakers who are increasingly keen to find an ideal vacation location with a lower carbon footprint.

A comprehensive study published last year found tourism’s global carbon footprint has increased four times more than previously estimated, accounting for about 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The same research found that the number of international holidaymakers is currently growing at a rate of three to five per cent per year.

One solution finding favour among those in the UK worried about the carbon footprint of global tourism is the staycation - a holiday at home within the British isles.

Cottages & Castles, Scotland’s most long-established holiday letting agency, has witnessed a significant rise in searches and enquiries for ‘eco-holidays’ and ‘environmentally friendly properties’, especially through their social media channels.

With terms like #ecofriendly, #environmentallyfriendly and #ecohouse reaching a combined 6.5million tags on Instagram, this comes as no surprise as the world becomes more aware and vocal about the need to be ‘green’.

Loch views at The Seashell, Ardnamurchan

The agency has compiled its top five lifestyle recommendations to help reduce your impact when holidaying in Scotland: 1. Travel by train, bus or even electric car – Scotland offers spectacular holiday destinations accessible by all three modes of transport for staycationers.

2. Consuming goods, food in particular contributes to climate change, so think about food miles, shop locally and source fresh artisan produce where possible from the likes of farmers’ markets and local delicatessens.

3. Consider travelling off-peak to limit over-tourism which causes pressure on local services, residents, infrastructure and environment.

4. Check out the eco credentials of any holiday house and measures installed by the owners to conserve energy, for example solar panels, highly insulated design, and low energy lighting.

5. Enjoy the great outdoors – spending time with loved ones in Scotland’s beautiful countryside and exploring some ancient castle ruins or spectacular white sandy beaches is the ultimate in downtime and allows for a digital detox, again helping to reduce your carbon footprint.

“Responsible travel is big news and a staycation is an ideal way to cut your carbon footprint associated with travel. We are delighted to be offering a fantastic portfolio of properties that help holiday makers reduce the

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impact their holiday is having on the planet,” said Jemima Kirkwood, social media manager for Cottages & Castles.

“All our properties meet the strict industry standards for energy efficiency, with many owners going

Knockderry Cove, near Helensburgh

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the extra mile to ensure their property is as eco-friendly as it can be, with the likes of installing solar panels and wood fuelled hot tubs.

“Also reducing your carbon footprint while on holiday is shopping locally for food and drink. Many properties

are located in rural villages and benefit from farmers’ markets on your doorstep and cafes and restaurants pride themselves in using as much locally sourced artisan produce as possible.

“Scotland is a fantastic place for

an environmentally-friendly holiday with many outstanding destinations where you can take in the country’s unspoiled scenery, so it is important that we do our bit now to preserve Scotland for future generations to enjoy.”

Cottages & Castles has been conscious in its efforts to build a portfolio segment of eco-friendly holiday homes throughout Scotland and most within walking distance of the local train station. Some of

the most popular properties in this category include.

Knockderry Lodge, Set on the beautiful Rosneath Peninsula, this impressive ‘eco-friendly’ holiday home has been architectdesigned to offer luxurious holiday accommodation in a truly stunning countryside setting, with far-reaching views over Loch Long and down The Firth of Clyde.

Each room benefits from

independently controlled underfloor heating provided by a ground source heat pump and the air heat recovery system keeps the air continually refreshed.

The soft and mellow tones of the solid oak fittings and furnishings, along with the subtle colour schemes, instantly brings a sense of freedom, escapism and pure relaxation, perfect for a muchneeded digital detox.

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Inspired by the natural curves of a seashell the breath-taking architect designed holiday cottage on the west coast of Scotland, known as The Seashell, is highly ‘eco-friendly’.

It is made of glass, timber and stone with a gentle sloping turf

The Seashell, Ardnamurchan

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roof allowing it to seamlessly blend into the stunning landscape of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, Argyll.

The bright and airy fully open plan living and sleeping space enjoys an abundance of natural light and far-reaching views from the floor to ceiling windows.

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Estuary View, Brora

Ardnamurchan, with its glorious sunsets and star-filled skies, is home to beautiful white sandy beaches and ancient woodland providing endless opportunities and enjoyment for those who love the great outdoors.

Estuary View is a traditional fisherman’s cottage in Brora, Sutherland. It offers very spacious and extremely comfortable accommodation perfect for families or groups.

Located within walking distance of Brora train station allowing visitors can leave the car behind and cut their carbon footprint.

The prime location of this holiday house allows for days out along the quiet sandy beach on your doorstep as well as exploring the breathtaking scenery of Loch Brora, Sandwood Bay and Cape Wrath.

Just a short walk into the local village allows holiday makers to sample an array of artisan produce for sale and further contributing towards a greener holiday.

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Estuary View, Brora

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Antique hunting with Roo Irvine Mouse in the house?

Photo Andy Scott CC BY-SA 4.0 Robert Thompson’s mouse

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cotland’s national bard, Robert Burns, is not the only historical figure to be enamoured by a “wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie”.

More than 100 years after the ploughman poet wrote ‘To a mouse’ a Yorkshire craftsman, Robert Thompson, adopted the creature as his signature and today items adorned by the little critter are highly sought after.

Robert “Mouseman” Thompson,

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whose work has been made popular again due to the charming little pieces that frequently pop up in daytime antiques programmes, was born in 1876, the son of a carpenter and wheelwright.

Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 1800’s his work has become synonymous with the craftsmanship revival of the 1920’s led by William Morris, John Ruskin and Thomas Carlyle.

Although initially an apprentice

engineer Thompson went back to work with his father around the turn of the 20th century making gates and wheels. A huge admirer of Medieval woodcarvings he wanted to produce work of similar status.

Thompson became an expert at using ancient tools and methods to create items of such superb quality he was commissioned to make many memorials to commemorate the First World War. One of those memorials was spotted by a cleric from Ampleforth College

Photo Tyssul CC BY-SA 4.0

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Mouseman ashray for sale at the Scottish Antiques Centre ( https///scottish-antiques.com/product/mouseman-ashtray/ )

who commissioned him to make the type of furniture for which he later became famous. It was around this time that Thompson began carving a mouse into his work.

“The origin of the mouse as my mark was almost in the way of being an accident. I and another carver were carving a huge cornice for a screen and he happened to say something about being as poor as a church mouse. I said I will carve a mouse here and did so, and then it struck me, what a lovely trademark,” Thompson is reported as having said.

Each mouse took some 45 minutes to carve and signifies ‘industry in quiet places’. Trademarked in the 1930’s it is a charming way of Thompson signing his work.

Today, in terms of market value, Thompson has international appeal and can be found in private homes, public buildings and an abundance of churches around the world.

In Scotland the Church of St

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Edward on Canna has a Thompson communion table while Crichton Church near Edinburgh has one of his fonts. St Ninian’s in Troon has a bishop’s chair, Fort Augustus Abbey has a screen and St John the Evangelist in Moffat has an altar - all sporting their own distinctive little carved mouse.

Thompson died in 1955 but his work continues by the family firm that bears his name, employing 18 skilled craftsmen - all of whom have their own distinctive way of carving a Thompson mouse on very stick of furniture.

An authentic Thompson antique can be highly sought after - members of the Royal family are known to be collectors. Recently, Sotheby’s in New York sold a 1923 handcrafted Thompson cupboard for $70,000.

However, prices can vary. Currently, a Mouseman Ashtray is up for grabs from Glen Campbell Antiques on the Scottish Antiques & Arts Centre website for £139.

When it comes to value age is key.

Most collectors want pieces from Thompson’s era, when he was likely to have had a hand in the production of it. This means pre-1955 pieces are most covetable.

The best clues are within the mouse itself. Early mice from the 1920s and 1930s were prone to the front paws breaking off. Later versions didn’t have the same attention to detail.

Construction is also a great clue.

Tabletops should have dowelling as opposed to tongue and groove, and even the position of the rush rail is imperative. This may be all rather technical but these elements matter, right down to the type of leather used which helps identify the date. Patina, the colour of oak that deepens over the years, makes all the difference.

If you are lucky enough to find a Mouseman in your possession my advice would be to get it valued by an expert… and then keep it!

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Photo by Galbraith Linneraineach

Dream homes

by Helen Lloyd

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ancy living in a castle, owning a sporting estate or how about a rural retreat with its very own island?

All of the above are currently on the market in Scotland for prices ranging from less than £300,000 to almost £3 million.

At the foot of Stac Pollaidh, one of the most iconic mountains in the Highlands, Linneraineach is a charming traditional cottage, sheltered and screened by mature native woodland and with 35 acres of grounds that extend to the shores of Loch Lurgainn in Wesater Ross.

Currently on the market for offers over £290,000 the property includes its own uninhabited, 10-acre island in the loch.

Reached by boat from Linneraineach

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or by stepping stones further along the shoreline, the island offers opportunity for fun and adventure - picnicking, camping and fishing and enjoying the experience of a unique 360-degree panorama of the exquisite mountain and loch landscape of the western Highlands.

“This is a very special property which would make a wonderful holiday home or permanent residence. The cottage is surrounded by spectacular scenery and having one’s own island, as well as fishing rights and a boat launch, is a joy. The combination of loch, mountain and woodland views make the setting quite magical,” said Phiddy Robertson from estate agents Galbraith.

“The cottage itself offers spacious accommodation including four bedrooms, a dining-kitchen and an attractive sitting room with open fire. There is also the potential to extend the cottage into the adjoining

stone barn, subject to planning permission.”

Linneraineach is on the Coigach peninsula in Wester Ross between the coastal villages of Ullapool and Achiltibuie and close to the route of the NorthCoast 500. The cottage is in a unique location with the magnificent Stac Pollaidh as a backdrop and surrounded by a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The Coigach Peninsula is one of the most beautiful parts of the western Highlands and forms part of Scotland’s first European Geopark, an area recognised globally for its outstanding geological features, cultural heritage and forward-thinking communities. The area has sandy beaches and is popular for kayaking, diving and sea fishing, while the spectacular mountain scenery is home to a wide variety of native wildlife and provides excellent hill walking and climbing.

View towards Cul Beg

Looking down towards Linneraineach, from Stac Pollaidh

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For something with more grandeur but maybe a little more manageable there is always an apartment in historic Dalnair Castle.

Located outside the village of Croftamie near Drymen, the 19th century Scottish baronial mansion

Photo by Corum Property Dalnair Castle

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offers an exclusive range of twoand three-bed apartments and the chance to live in a prestigious.

Only 6 units remain available through Corum Property – 5 two-bed apartments and a three-bed duplex – and prices range from £310k to

£575k, with entry in late 2019.

The castle forms the centrepiece of the prestigious Dalnair Estate and is set within acres of rural landscape just on the edge of world-renowned Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, with access to both

Glasgow and Stirling within 25 minutes.

The castle has been extensively refurbished to the highest standard through a £3.3 million investment programme.

Built in 1884 by Glasgow merchant, Thomas Brown, on the site of the former much smaller ‘Endrickbank House’, the castle boasts a striking tower and Tudor-arched doorway. It sits in established woodland within an attractive parkland setting with views over surrounding countryside

and the Endrick.

In addition to its unique setting and quality specification, residents can enjoy access to private grounds featuring a tennis court and extensive lawns and walks.

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Photos by Galbraith Auchavan Estate is nestled within the Angus Glens and the Cairngorm National Park

Alternatively, anybody looking for more space can buy a whole sporting estate of almost 2,300 acres for less than ÂŁ3 million.

Auchavan Estate is nestled within the Angus Glens and the Cairngorm National Park bounded by the River Isla.

It is a diverse Scottish estate providing traditional sporting and farming opportunities, forestry, conservation and leisure interests.

It comes with two farmhouses and three cottages, of which three are holiday let properties.

In addition to trout fishing on the River Isla Auchavan combines some exciting stalking with a five year average of 10 stags and 41 hinds, walked up grouse shooting together with the opportunity to develop a low ground shoot including duck flighting.

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The estate is currently on the market through Galbraith for offers over ÂŁ2,850,000.

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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…

Biggar ambitions Biggar Gin

Biggar, South Lanarkshire 43 per cent ABV £36 for 70cl on website

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t the foot of Tinto Hill in South Lanarkshire lies Biggar, and just outside this thriving market town is the Biggar Gin Company.

It’s a mere strip of a thing at just oneand-a-half-years-old, but already it has created quite a stir – within just six months, Biggar Gin had won the London Dry Gin category at The Gin Guide Awards 2018 and followed this up by being shortlisted in London Dry for the recent Scottish Gin Awards.

Owned by brothers Stuart and Euan McVicar, 44 and 47 respectively, this gin has its roots in 2016. While on holiday together, celebrating their mum’s 70th birthday, the two enjoyed a bit of a late night chat about gin – as one does.

“Myself and Euan were up late tasting a few different gins,” said Stuart. “We were discussing who was making what and how they were making it, types of stills,

Brothers Stuart and Euan McVicar

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compounding, maceration, trays, baskets, one shot, two shot, etc.

“This conversation lasted several hours, and a few gins were consumed. So, by the next morning, we had decided in our wisdom to try and make our own.

“We spent 10 months on the recipe.

We distilled each botanical we were interested in separately (a list of 32) then started blending them together to see the effect they had with each other and the reactions that took place.”

Having narrowed down their recipe

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to three variants, they then took this to Strathearn Distillery’s head of production Zak Shenfield, who helped them narrow it down to the final recipe, which includes rowan berries, rosehips and nettles which are all plentiful and sustainable in the Biggar area.

“The aim was to produce a gin that we would obviously want to drink ourselves,” continued Stuart, “But also something that made the customer want to go back for another – a moreish gin you could say.”

So is it? More-ish that is…

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Ginteresting B

ut why a greyhound in the branding?

In 1821 The Biggar Coursing Club was founded for ‘proprietors and resident gentlemen’ and they sent their greyhounds off racing across the fields of Biggar. By 1868 the club was in decline, so the remaining members changed it from a coursing club to a social club and their subscription fees were used to purchase fine wines and spirits.

To store it they rented the cellar of the Biggar Corn Exchange where there was room for sixty dozen bottles. An early 20th century magazine noted that ‘... if the taste

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snippets

for coursing has become extinct in the district, that for good wine has most certainly not.’

“We think that our greyhound looks calm, intelligent, dynamic and independent, said Stuart. “All traits we hope will be recognised in Biggar Gin.” Not content with one fine gin, the brothers are launching Biggar Strength, a 57 per cent ABV Navystrength version, which will introduce hawthorn berry to the mix as a new botanical; and, at the same time, they will also bring out Clyde Valley Plum Gin – an over 40 per cent ABV, unsweetened gin.

On the nose, this is a gin which has a leafy, fruity scent with a hint of bite – it is both fresh and sweet, though not overpoweringly so.

Pouring a little tasting tot, the first taste is of a complex range of flavours and sensations, starting off with the sweetness, graduating to a fruity back taste and just a teeny herbal hint, before finishing on the tongue with pepper zing – it almost feels like there’s a honey drag to it, too.

It feels well-rounded and balanced - though it still challenges, with the pepper, in particular, giving quite a kick.

All this, however, is softened and comfortingly massaged with the addition of tonic – Fever Tree Naturally Light – and a wedgelet of lime.

Now the cocktail has become supersmooth, forward on the juniper, but with the fruitiness continuing to

pop through. The peppery bite has calmed down and despite being overtly dry, it maintains a level of sweetness, which is both pleasing and adding to the sense of balance.

In answer to the question, then, yes, it is more-ish – and I’m not surprised that within a very short time it has

made a mark in awards.

It also has a fabulous bottle – it’s paradoxically bold and understated at the same time, and reminds me of a traditional apothecary’s bottle or an old-fashioned specimen flask found in a laboratory. The branding is monochrome and the oversized serif

lettering is a mash-up of a classic font with modern interpretation. The finishing touch, the little tag strip with batch number and bottle number, continues the rather scientific feel. I really love it.

They will be busy...

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Discover the diversity of dinosaurs

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he most comprehensive exhibition ever mounted on tyrannosaurs will make its only European appearance when it opens at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Tyrannosaurs will explore the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs, bringing the latest palaeontological discoveries to life and challenging preconceptions about these ferocious predators.

The exhibition, which opens on 23 January 2020, will feature rare fossil specimens, cast skeletons including one of ‘Scotty’, one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons in the world, and incredible models of feathered dinosaurs.

Scotty was discovered in Saskatchewan, Canada in 1991.

The specimen was named by the excavation crew from the Royal Saskatchewan Museum after they had made a toast with malt whisky while deliberating over what to call it.

The first partial T. rex skeleton was discovered in Wyoming in 1902, and the exhibition will feature real fossil

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bones from one of the earliest known specimens. The field continues to yield fascinating new discoveries into the 21st century.

While the most famous of the species is the mighty T. rex, tyrannosaurs came in all shapes and sizes and from many parts of the world. Their history extends over 100 million years and includes at least 25 different species. These species lived in different habitats, at different times and evolved to fill different ecological niches.

The exhibition allows visitors to investigate the tyrannosaur family in detail. Presenting specimens, casts, models and interactives, it explores the evolution of tyrannosaurs, revealing how natural selection, continental drift and climate change facilitated their transformation from carnivores little bigger than ourselves to the massive predators they had become.

Tyrannosaur research is one of the hottest areas in palaeontology several species have been described in just the past decade - and exciting new discoveries are regularly

re-drawing the family tree. The exhibition will include detail of two species discovered in China in the last decade, Dilong and Guanlong, which date to nearly 100 million years before T.rex.

“For any of us who are fascinated by dinosaurs, T. rex is surely the most recognisable, whether in popular culture or on the front of your first dinosaur book or poster as a kid. I think there is a real sense of wonder that such a seemingly fantastic animal actually walked the earth,” said Dr Nick Fraser, Keeper of Natural Science at National Museums Scotland.

“Tyrannosaurs will show visitors not only the mighty scale of T. rex, but also their fascinating family tree, including early Asian feathered tyrannosaurs which are some of the most exciting recent discoveries in dinosaur palaeontology.”

Director and CEO, Australian Museum, Kim McKay, AO, said that the public’s fascination with dinosaurs has never waned and the fossils in the exhibition are the building blocks of everything we

Photo by Mark Gambino

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know about these awe-inspiring creatures.

“The Tyrannosaurs exhibition will not only take visitors on a remarkable journey to our earth’s ancient past, but will also provide a real sense of scientific enquiry and discovery

Photo by Mark Gambino

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from the latest breakthroughs and research programs,� said Ms McKay. Visitors will be able to explore the diversity of tyrannosaur skulls and find out what variations in structure can tell us about different hunting and feeding strategies.

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Tyrannosaurs, which is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, uses cutting-edge technology, includes hands-on and multimedia experiences that will engage and excite children and adults alike. These will include digital screens featuring computer animated creatures and layered content, a large scale, multi-touch and multiplayer family tree gaming table and an interactive augmented reality experience where visitors can play with life-sized dinosaurs in the gallery.

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This will be the only European outing for the exhibition, created by the Australian Museum and toured internationally by Flying Fish. It has already been shown in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Before touring internationally, the exhibition was brought up to date with exciting recent tyrannosaur discoveries including the oldest feathery relatives of T. rex.

Despite their final demise during one of Earth’s biggest mass extinction events, tyrannosaurs live on both in popular imagination and even through their present-day bird cousins.

The exhibition runs until 4 May 2020.

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A hotel worth shouting about

Photos by Black Sheep Hotels

by Scott Aitken

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urrounded by history, mystery and spectacular scenery Whispering Pine Lodge at Spean Bridge in the Scottish Highlands combines a sense of the past with all the comforts of a modern hotel.

Originally built as a hunting lodge in the 1800s by the MacMartins of Letterfinlay it was first turned into a hotel in the mid 1900s but has just undergone an extensive

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refurbishment and rebirth as part of the Black Sheep Hotels group.

Initially known as Letterfinlay Lodge the hotel has long enjoyed something of an international reputation among guests from across the UK and mainland Europe, especially Germany, for its Highland hospitality and easy access to country sports such as hunting and fishing.

Overlooking the scenic Loch Lochy, which at around nine miles long and 70 m (230 ft) deep is the

third-deepest loch in Scotland, the refurbished and updated Whispering Pine Lodge makes and ideal place for guests to relax and unwind.

Over the years numerous celebrities have stayed at the hotel, including Hollywood actor Burt Lancaster while he was making the comedy film ‘Local Hero’, and jazz musician and Stéphane Grappelli.

The property has 25 en-suite bedrooms with unspoilt views of the spectacular landscape which is

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steeped in both history and folklore.

It was in this area in July 1544 the Battle of the Shirts was fought between the Macdonalds of Clanranald and their allies Clan Cameron against a joint force of

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Clan Fraser and Clan Grant over a dispute as to who should be the new chief of the Macdonalds.

Also, around the banks of the loch, there is rumoured to be a hidden cache of six caskets of Spanish

gold intended to help Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite cause but was instead buried for safe keeping after the disaster of Culloden.

There is also a chance of seeing Lizzie the monster of the loch. Nessie isn’t the only mysterious creature to

inhabit Scottish waters and sightings of Lizzie have been reported numerous times over the last 100 years or more.

Even without the rich tapestry of tales Whispering Pine Lodge feels

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guests feel like they are in a Highland home with an inviting gas fireplace, in some rooms, and antique pieces of furniture for a nostalgic ambience.

The Robert Burns and Mary Queen of Scots suites in particular create a luxury homage to two of Scotland’s greatest iconic figures.

The design of the Burns’ suite reflects the poet’s humble rustic lifestyle with warm beige and brown colours, a four-poster bed, oak flooring and vintage dark wood furniture. The pullout sofa allows for beautiful views through large windows.

like a special place. All the rooms have been lovingly restored to a very high standard and the interiors inspired by the surrounding area with

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accents of tartan, oak floors and panelling.

The rooms are intended to make

Equally the Mary Queen of Scots Suite is intended to give the impression of a bygone age with a touch of royal medieval grandeur.

Scottish blue drapery, antique furniture, a canopy four poster bed, carved wooden dining table and spacious seating area by a marble fireplace evokes the spirit of the past with all the comfort of the modern age.

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The Lochside Brasserie, which overlooks the water, is open to the public as well as residents and serves locally sourced fresh fish, seafood and classic regional cuisines. The Burns Bar, which pays tribute to Robert Burns, is fully stocked including a wide range of local Scottish whisky to choose from.

Onsite is the Sleeping Beauty Salon. The salon has two beauty treatment rooms alongside a nailbar and pedicure area. The Elemis therapists offer a wide range of treatments including the latest anti-ageing skin care from Elemis, reflexology and massages for men and women.

Situated close to the hotel are the Whispering Pine cabins. The immaculate three-bedroom cottages look out over Loch Lochy and offer direct access to the private pebble beach. The cottages include a fully fitted kitchen, a dining and living area with a gas fireplace and a private patio.

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There is a well-stocked a souvenir and gift shop, transport to and from hiking locations, complimentary Wi-Fi and the hotel is pet friendly.

The hotel offers some exclusive overnight packages including a romantic getaway offering, gorge walking and white-water rafting, to encourage visitors to explore the Highlands and learn more about the fascinating history.

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An actor’s life for me…by Scott Kyle Anything for an audience

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hat’s Halloween over for another year…unfortunately!

As a kid I used to love dressing up and going round the neighbours’, knocking on the doors of their flats and houses, dressed in a makeshift kilt and singing Andy Stewart songs ‘Donald Whaur’s Yer Troosers’ was my favourite.

the idea that Halloween started in Scotland. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain which celebrated the end of summer and start of winter and it evolved into being a symbol of the fine line between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Although it wasn’t all that long ago it seems things have changed a lot since I was a wee boy. Halloween is bigger than ever, and that’s largely due to the American influence on popular culture.

For centuries people would light bonfires to frighten away evil spirits and carve scary faces into neeps (turnips), which were turned into makeshift lanterns to ward off ghosts. We didn’t have pumpkins then, which are a lot easier to carve trust me!

I’ve always been fascinated by

Also, youngsters didn’t have shop

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bought costumes, most of the time we had to make our own from whatever we could find, and that was a big part of the fun. It’s only in my lifetime that ‘Trick or Treat’, in which children are given sweets just for dressing up, has become such a big thing. In Scotland we called it ‘guising’ and you had to earn your treat.

Usually a ‘guiser’ would have to sing a song, tell a joke or recite a poem before being given any reward. That’s probably why I enjoyed it so much - it was a great excuse to dress up, perform for an audience and get “paid” - even if it was only in sweets.

Favourite leading lady

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aren’s Birthday was on the 10th October so I tried to organise a Birthday weekend she would never forget.

First stop was a romantic dinner and night at the beautiful Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa, Falkirk. Set in 44 ares of lush grounds, which gives it a country retreat feel, this former Scottish manor house is surrounded by history but with all the comfort and convenience of a four star hotel.

It’s easy to get to and only a short drive from many of the top visitor attractions, including Stirling Castle, the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel.

When we arrived the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming or helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. Our room was spacious, cosy and tastefully decorated with everything needed for a comfortable stay.

The only dilemma we faced was what to choose from the menu in the award winning steakhouse restaurant

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- everything looked so good.

The next morning we went for a walk around the hotel and even batted a few balls across the tennis court before heading for the pool and spa facilities which were so good Karen didn’t want to leave.

However, after prising her away, we travelled through to Edinburgh, which is about 30 minutes away, where I had booked a table at the Merienda restaurant which is known for its tapas-style Mediterranean inspired small plates of the finest artisan Scottish produce.

For the first time ever in a restaurant I found it difficult to choose so I asked the waitress to decide for us - and she didn’t disappoint!

What followed was a banquet of dishes with a variety of flavours, colours and textures of seasonal Scottish ingredients. I was so impressed I asked for our compliments to be passed onto the chef.

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I was surprised, and delighted, when the chef/owner Campbell Mickel came out to introduce himself and, like so many people I meet, he had a fascinating story to tell.

After years working as head chef in some of the best restaurants in the country he suffered a stroke. In was a life changing moment and he decided that he wanted to do

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something different.

Unlike many restaurants where the kitchen staff are anonymous Campbell likes to meet his customers and share with them the effort that goes into making the delicious food they enjoy. It was a real treat talking with him and it topped off the experience tremendously.

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A star is born

few weeks ago I wrote about my meeting with little Ava Simkin when she was handing out flyers for her a show on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

I was so impressed I invited her and her family along to the Highlander Fling in Glasgow and last month she returned the favour.

After our delicious meal at Merienda, Karen and I made our way to the Jam House in Edinburgh where we were the special guests of Ava who was performing in the Spirit of Scotland show.

Ava was performing there for the very last time as she had just turned 10 and is now too old to perform the role she had been doing for the past few years.

As it was Ava’s last show she had a few surprises up her sleeve, firstly she squeezed in a few cameo performances in some of the older girls sets. But her biggest surprise was when she invited me up onto the stage to join in some of the dancing with the rest of the cast. It was a fun night and I’m sure the world will see a lot more of Ava in future.

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Going Dutch

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ince the success of the Fling and Hangover Tour in Glasgow, (check out the video folks!), I’ve been to Fling in France which raised more than €4,200 to help youngsters take part in future drama workshops.

level. By 1680 there were more than a thousand of Scots living in Rotterdam, which had established itself as the most important trading port for Scottish merchants.

I quite like the idea that all we are doing with the Flings is keeping up those historic links and making new friends for Scotland around the world.

These events and the workshops that accompany them are only possible thanks to the amazing people who come along and support them, so I’m really grateful to those of you who want to attend these events.

I’ve already started planning for Flings next year in New England, Florida and Ontario, and this month I’m off to Holland for a Dutch Fling.

In some ways it’s not really surpassing there’s so much interest in Scotland in Holland as the two countries have links going back hundreds of years. As long ago as the early 16th century Scots merchants were trading with their Dutch counterparts on a massive

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Going nuts for conservation

by Scott Aitken

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nce a common site across the whole of the UK the native red squirrel, which has roamed the British isles since the last ice age, is under increasing pressure from foreign invaders.

The North American grey squirrel, which was Introduced to England in the 18th century has now overtaken its smaller, red cousin as the most common variety in England and Wales.

However, Scotland remains the last

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hope for the reds as it is home to more than 75 per cent of the UK population and the beleaguered mammals are being given a helping hand.

Conservation charities Trees For Life and Woodland Trust Scotland are releasing around 20 red squirrels into the wild at the Trust’s Ledmore and Migdale woods near the Sutherland village of Spinningdale, overlooking the Dornoch Firth The squirrels, which have been collected from thriving populations in Inverness-shire and Moray, will be able to live free from the pressures of

having to compete with grey squirrels for food and habitat. Crucially, the lands in which the reds are being introduced are free of grey squirrels.

“We are reintroducing red squirrels to carefully chosen native woodlands where these iconic wild animals belong, but from which they have been lost. They will then be able to spread, safe from threats from grey squirrels,” said Becky Priestley, Trees for Life’s Red Squirrel Project Manager.

“Ledmore and Migdale Woods are a perfect habitat for red squirrels. It’s fantastic to be helping the species

Photo Š Mat Larkin

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return to this beautiful part of the Highlands, and to be kick-starting their reintroduction to northeast Scotland.”

Urgent action is needed to secure the long-term future of the increasingly rare red squirrel in the UK, where only an estimated 138,000 survive, including some 120,000 in Scotland. Numbers of the much-loved mammals have been decimated by reduction of their forest homes to isolated fragments, and by competition and lethal disease from non-native grey squirrels.

Because reds travel between trees and avoid crossing large open spaces, they can’t return to nowisolated woodlands on their own – so the species is missing from many suitable Highland woods.

New populations of red squirrels already established by Trees for Life – following the charity’s reintroduction of 140 animals across several Highland locations between 2016 and 2018 – have been successfully breeding and spreading into wider areas.

The Spinningdale releases this autumn will be Trees for Life’s northernmost release site to date.

Previous relocations of squirrels from their strongholds in Invernessshire and Moray were to forest fragments at Shieldaig, the Coulin Estate near Kinlochewe, Plockton, Inverewe, the Reraig peninsular, Attadale and Letterewe.

“The ancient woods at Ledmore and Migdale include a stunning pinewood and one of the most northerly oakwoods in Britain. It is perfect for red squirrels,” said Ross Watson, North Scotland Site Manager at Woodland Trust Scotland.

“Volunteers from the local community have come forward to help us ease the reds into their new home. They

Photo © Mat Larkin

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will be feeding and monitoring how the squirrels are getting on. It is great that the local community is going to be a part of this exciting project, and with 19 volunteers the squirrels will almost have one each!”

Sutherland is home to an expanding population of red squirrels, following a relocation of 36 animals to the Alladale, Amat and Croick estates by the Highland Foundation for Wildlife and others in 2013, but the species currently remains missing from much of the northern Highlands.

Next spring, Trees for Life plans to extend the reds’ range further west by releasing another 30 animals in the Morvern peninsular. The charity then aims to reintroduce reds to another two woodlands in the northwest Highlands by spring 2021, with at least one of these sites – which have yet to be confirmed – being further north in Sutherland or Caithness.

Increasing red squirrel numbers also benefits the expansion of native forests, because the squirrels collect and bury thousands of tree seeds each autumn, which often lie forgotten and take root.

Animal welfare is paramount during the reintroductions. The squirrels are transported in hay-lined nest boxes that are fixed to trees at the release sites, with grass-filled exit holes allowing the squirrels to leave when ready. Food is provided for several months as the squirrels get used to their new habitat. Annual monitoring involves observations of feeding signs, drey surveys and sightings records.

Only small numbers of red squirrels are removed from any site during the relocations, leaving donor populations unaffected. Health checks ensure that only healthy animals are introduced to new populations.

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Showcasing The Gallery

by Helen Lloyd

O new bar.

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ne of Scotland’s leading boutique hotels has added an extra tough of glamour with the opening of a chic

Following an extensive seven-figure redevelopment The Chester Hotel, Aberdeen has unveiled its latest attraction - The Gallery, a new luxury bar which houses one of the country’s largest private collections by the Scottish artist, John Byrne.

The Gallery is part of a major extension of the four silver star venue in Aberdeen’s west end, with the neighbouring property on Queen’s Road now also forming part of the hotel to create one of the biggest hotel event spaces in the city.

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“The hotel has established itself as one of the most popular venues in Aberdeen, with a very loyal and regular clientele. We are delighted to finally be able to reveal what has

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been taking shape next door and we think that customers old and new will be extremely impressed with the results,� said Graham Wood, owner of The Chester Hotel.

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“We wanted to give the bar its own distinct identity and with 11 John Byrne paintings on display – in addition to the many others throughout the hotel – we felt The Gallery was a fitting name for the new venue.”

The Gallery has three distinct zones – the existing bar with its booths and open floor space, a secluded area reminiscent of a traditional cocktail bar, and a glass covered garden room which has been created in a modern-day palm court style.

The bar team has also redesigned the drinks menu to incorporate new bespoke cocktails alongside old favourites. The Gallery serves is own bar food menu which is available daily from breakfast to late evening.

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“The Chester Hotel as a reputation for offering the highest standards of guest experience and we firmly believe The Gallery – in addition to the new bedrooms – will deliver a new level of contemporary luxury for Aberdeen,” added Mr Wood.

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Spotlight on maritime history

by Scott Aitken

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or centuries they have marked Scotland’s rocky shores, saved countless lives and fuelled the romantic imagination of millions.

Now, the lasting importance of the country’s lighthouses are to be recognised with a special project starting next year to examine their historic importance and preserve them for future generations.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced it will undertake a review of listed and unlisted lighthouses owned by the Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB).

As part of the year-long project HES will update existing building records for lighthouses and explore unlisted lighthouses to determine if they meet the criteria to become listed as historically important buildings deserving of protection.

Research will be undertaken using information and photographs from NLB’s collection held in the National Record of the Historic Environment.

The project will be a major project throughout Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020, an initiative intended to encourage visitors and local people to explore and enjoy the country’s extensive coastline, lochs, rivers and waterways.

According to HES, Scotland’s lead public body for the historic environment, buildings listed as having ‘special architectural or

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Photo © Crown copyright/ HES

Photo © Crown copyright/ HES

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historic interest’ form part of the nation’s rich heritage and help to tell the story of Scotland’s past.

Listing celebrates these buildings and ensures their special interest is considered in the planning process.

“By reviewing and updating the records of these fascinating buildings, we will be able to offer more information about what makes them special to help their future care and maintenance.”

“There are around 150 listed lighthouses throughout the country, and they are not only wonderful landmarks but also a testament to Scotland’s exceptional engineering achievements,” said Philip Robertson, Deputy Head of Designations at HES.

Lighthouses have been a part of the country’s coastal landscape for almost 400 years. The earliest Scottish lighthouse was built around 1635, the first being on the Isle of May.

“There are a range of lighthouses which have never been assessed for listing, including some dating from the 1970s and 1980s, so we’re really excited to look at these structures for the first time and explore their potential.

Photo by Ian Cowe Bell Rock

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However it wasn’t until 1782, following a series of severe storms, that the Northern Lighthouse Board was formed to address the lack of lighthouses around the Scottish coast.

An act of parliament in 1786 gave the Commissioners power to borrow money, buy land and charge

shipowners a levy to finance the building of lighthouses.

Initiatively only four were constructed, including Kinnaird Head, at Fraserburgh which is now part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.

“Scotland’s lighthouses are iconic features of our coasts and seas with rich associations with those who have designed them, who have lived and worked in them and those who have and continue to rely on them,” said Jane Ryder, Chair of HES Board.

“With the Year of Coasts and Waters encouraging people to explore Scotland’s coasts we hope that our project with NLB will highlight the importance that our nation’s unique lighthouses have as part of our community heritage as well as our wider maritime history.”

Many of of Scotland’s working lighthouses are now over 200 years old and continue to serve the same purpose as when they were built – to guide mariners safely through treacherous waters.

One of the most famous is the Bell Rock Lighthouse which was built in 1808-11 by Robert Stevenson, grandfather to the celebrated writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and its construction was an epic feat.

“It will be enormously helpful to determine the appropriate listed status for our lights built in the 1970s and 1980s. Architecturally, they might be very different structures to the Stevenson lighthouses but they are very much a part of our lighthouse heritage,” said Mike Bullock, Chief Executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board.

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Stirring performance at porridge championships

Photo by James Ross Winner of the Golden Spurtle – Lisa Williams

by Helen Lloyd

N

ext to haggis the dish most associated with Scotland is probably porridge but now England can claim to be the best at making it.

For the first time in its 26 year history competitors from England

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won the coveted titles of World Porridge Making Champion title and Speciality Porridge Champion at the international Golden Spurtle competition held every year in the Highland village of Carrbridge.

Lisa Williams, who runs a social enterprise and a community cafe for adults with learning disabilities

in Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, was crowned World Porridge Making Champion, and Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard took the speciality title.

The coveted title is awarded to the contestant deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using just three ingredients – oatmeal, water and salt.

Photo by James Ross Winner of the Speciality Prize - Nick Barnard

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“I am surprised and thrilled to win the World Porridge Making Championships,” said Lisa.

“I discovered the Golden Spurtle in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the competition. In 2016 I made it to the final six and have been chasing the dream ever since.

“I absolutely love the competition.

From the moment you step into the hall you are welcomed like family. It’s hard to describe but from the flags

Photo by James Ross Both winners together

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and the tartan, to the people from the village who organise everything, the ladies who serve the porridge, the volunteers who wash up our equipment, the porridge parade, the bagpipes – its just magical!

Lisa’s winning recipe was made with half Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and half Hamlyns pinhead oatmeal, along with Maldon Sea Salt.

“I didn’t use to use salt in my porridge, but I saw Nigel Slater using

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Photo by James Ross The 2019 winning speciality porridge

it years ago and have been doing the same ever since” she said.

Africa and Guernsey Cream from Hurdlebrook Farm in Somerset.

across the UK,” said Charlie Miller from the organising committee.

As well as the traditional porridge competition, there is also a speciality category for oatmeal combined with any other ingredients, leading to a wide variety of sweet and savoury entries.

The World Porridge Making Championships is organised by Carrbridge Community Council, and is sponsored by the Banffshirebased producer of Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats.

The judges – who tasted more than 60 porridges in the course of the day – were Colin Bussey, former head chef at Gleneagles, Lydie Bocquillon, classically taught French chef and owner of the Auld Alliance in Kingussie, and Neil Mugg, chef lecturer at Perth College UHI and former Head Pastry Chef at Glengeagles.

This year’s speciality winner was Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard, whose Maple Pecan Porridge included Rude Health oatmeal, pecans from Roux Farm in South

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“This year’s competition attracted competitors from 11 different countries including Sweden, Canada, Germany, France, Poland and from

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Ancient past uncovered by new technology

by Scott Aitken

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ore than 1,000 previously unknown archaeological sites have been discovered on the Isle of Arran by experts form Historic Environment Scotland using the latest innovate technology.

The ground-breaking project used a new type of airborne laser scanning, known as lidar, to document the land surface in 3D. The survey, the largest of its type so far in Scotland, detected the remains of ancient monuments on the island previously unknown to archaeologists.

Among the historically important sites discovered are a number of prehistoric settlements and medieval farmsteads, as well as a Neolithic cursus monument - an exceptionally rare find on the West coast of Scotland. “This survey has shown us that there are double the number of ancient monuments on Arran than we previously knew about,� said Dave Cowley, Rapid Archaeological Mapping Manager at HES.

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Photo by HES The little dimples on the image are shepherds huts, probably of medieval.

“This new 3D technology has allowed us to undertake a rapid archaeological survey, over weeks rather than months or years, and allowed us to discover sites that

might even have been impossible to find otherwise. We have been able to see how densely settled parts of Arran were, and the medieval and post-medieval shieling sites that were

Aerial photo of Arran

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discovered have told us how upland areas were used by shepherds. “This is an exciting time to be involved in the development of remote sensing and archaeological mapping. We are exploring the benefits of new technology and new datasets to record Scotland’s historic environment and inform our

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Photo by HES The ruinous footing of a small shepherds hut in Blenlister Glen looking down towards Holy Island

knowledge of the past. As a result, we are enriching the information through which we tell Scotland’s story.�

The island of Arran is just a first step as experts plan to use the technology, as it becomes more widely available, to explore tens of thousands more ancient sites across

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Photo by HES Remains of Barytes mines going back to around 1840

the rest of Scotland at a pace that was unimaginable a few years ago.

The lidar data is available from the Scottish Government Remote Sensing Portal.

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“It is great to see HES making such exciting use of the increasing amount of remote sensing data becoming available which will help to play a part in keeping Scotland at the

forefront in this field,� said Shona Nicol, Head of the Geographical Information Science and Analysis team.

Photo by HES Remains of a round house near Dougarie on the west coast.

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Crisis heroes

F

rom collecting salvage and distributing ration books during the Second World War to supporting the emergency services at the Lockerbie disaster volunteers of the Royal Voluntary Service have, for over 80 years, been there to offer comfort and compassion in crisis.

Service in the city, from its very beginnings, when the women of Glasgow Women’s Voluntary Services (WVS) supported the Home Front, to the vital role its volunteers play today.

Now, the fascinating story of the volunteers of Royal Voluntary Service in Glasgow is being told at a new exhibition at the city’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Through a collection of documents, photographs, objects and film from Royal Voluntary Service’s Heritage Collection, the exhibition recounts how the organisation was founded to help civilians in the event of Air Raids, but ended up doing so much more.

Running until 31 January 2020, ‘Compassion in Crisis’ chronicles eight decades of Royal Voluntary

WVS was set up in 1938, after the Home Secretary at the time asked, Stella, Lady Reading to form a

nationwide organisation to assist local authorities recruit women into the Air Raid Precautions movement and assist civilians during and after air raids. However, realising its vast potential and capabilities, the WVS’s role was soon expanded to include just about anything.

During the war over four and half thousand women in Glasgow got involved in hard, practical voluntary work across the city. One photograph from the summer of 1940 shows the women of the WVS at Glasgow Queens Street Station in their posts as station guides. Station guides had been established in all Glasgow train stations to provide servicemen

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with information on train times, the location of personnel and how to get to their postings.

The work of WVS didn’t stop when the war ended. After 1945, the WVS, or WRVS as it later became known, continued to provide essential assistance and compassion at major incidents. This includes the tragedy at Lockerbie and on display is a letter of thanks from the Chairman of the Board of Pan Am for the volunteer’s provision of food and comfort at the scene.

Today, known as Royal Voluntary

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Service both male and female volunteers help thousands of people each month in hospitals and in communities across Glasgow.

“Royal Voluntary Service’s volunteers have played a vital role in communities in Glasgow since 1938,” said Jennifer Hunt, Archivist, Royal Voluntary Service Heritage Collection, who hailed the exhibition as a great opportunity to bring to light the inspiring stories of Glaswegian compassion in times of crisis.

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Victorian scientist’s work saved for posterity

by Paul Watson

A

highly prized set of notebooks belonging to a scientist admired by Charles Darwin are to join the University of Edinburgh’s collections.

A campaign to save a collection of writings by the Scottish geologist Sir Charles Lyell raised close to £1 million to purchase the works from a private collector.

The money was raised from more than 1,000 donors along with a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), and a contribution from the University of Edinburgh, after a government export bar prevented the valuable artefacts from being lost to the UK. Lyell, who died in 1875, aged 77, mentored Darwin after the latter returned from his five-year voyage on the Beagle in 1836.

He influenced generations of scientists through his popular books and lectures and is credited with providing the framework that helped Darwin develop his evolutionary theories.

Although written in the Victorian era, the works also shed light on current concerns, including climate change and threats to biodiversity.

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Photo by Sotheby’s Lyell notebooks

Charles Darwin (PD)

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Photo by Sotheby’s Lyell’s handwritten notebooks

They also explore the meanings of so-called ‘deep time’– the concept of geological time first described by the Scottish geologist James Hutton in the 18th century.

The University is planning to make the collection of 294 notebooks available to the public for the first time through its exhibitions programme and digitisation.

High profile institutions and individuals have backed the campaign, including the Geological Society of London and three leading science broadcasters and writers – Nicholas Crane, Richard Fortey and Edinburgh graduate Hermione Cockburn.

“The acquisition of Sir Charles Lyell’s notebooks is one of the most significant additions to our archive collection for many years and we

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Photo by MET CC0 1.0 Sir Charles Lyell

are thrilled that they will be freely accessible to all,” said Jeremy Upton, the University of Edinburgh Library and Collections Director.

Sir Peter Luff, Chair of the NHMF, said he was delighted that Sir Charles Lyell’s contributions to the

world of science can, at last, be more widely known and explored.

In his autobiography published in 1887, Darwin wrote: “The science of geology is enormously indebted to Lyell – more so, as I believe, than to any other man who ever lived.”

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Mind your language G or lose it.

aelic speakers are being urged to fly the flag for the ancient language and encourage others to use it

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has unveiled a new Gaelic identifier – #cleachdi - so that speakers and learners can show their support for the campaign by wearing the symbols on lanyards, badges or stickers, or display a poster at their work or home.

“More and more people want to use and learn Gaelic and this initiative is a very positive and easy to use means to encourage more people to use more Gaelic in more situations,” said Shona MacLennan, Bòrd na Gàidhlig chief executive officer.

“We at Bòrd na Gàidhlig will be joining all those who speak the language in displaying our pride at letting others know we are Gaelic speakers. We think #cleachdi is the perfect way to do this. So let’s #useit and put #gaidhlig firmly on the map.”

The new #cleachdi campaign is similar to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s ‘Iaith Gwaith’ (Welsh at Work) scheme, which is used

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Photos by Jeff Holmes

in Wales to show that a service is available in Welsh. To show their solidarity with #cleachdi, the Welsh Language Commissioner Aled Roberts has today travelled to the

Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow to give his personal backing.

“Iaith Gwaith is well established in Wales, and is a valuable resource

MĂ ili MacLennan, 11, and brother Finlay MacLennan, 15, from Lentran, Inverness with the new Gaelic identifiers.

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for organisations, businesses and charities to show customers that a service is available in Welsh. In recent years, it has evolved and been used more widely in ways ranging from an engineering company creating a vinyl version on hard hats to health boards creating a magnetic version to be used on beds to show which patients wish to be treated in Welsh,” said Mr Roberts.

“It is going from strength to strength in Wales and I very much look forward to seeing the equivalent in Scotland. I am confident that #cleachdi will have the same positive benefit for Gaelic and Gaelic speakers.”

Also backing the campaign are Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s partners Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and VisitScotland.

“We wholeheartedly support this wonderful #cleachdi campaign and will be actively taking part in it where we can. Gaelic is the founding language of Scotland, its significance to our culture and identity cannot be underestimated,” said Riddell Graham, VisitScotland’s Director of Industry and Destination Development.

“It is vital that Scotland is able to provide a memorable and unique visitor experience to meet everchanging consumer demands and Gaelic has the potential to be a key ingredient in the Scottish tourism offer.

“Gaelic is woven into our musical heritage, and has crossed over to popular culture thanks to the hugely successful TV series Outlander. We believe it will continue to prove a valuable asset to Scotland’s identity and capture the imagination of the Scots at home and around the world.”

The move comes as the University of Glasgow has been awarded £455,000 to establish a new Gaelic language immersion year to provide an intensive language learning Gaelic Ambassador Dr Alasdair Whyte, research fellow at University of Glasgow and president of the Mull and Iona Association with Màili MacLennan and Finlay MacLennan.

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experience for students and adult learners.

The new language immersion year, funded by the Scottish Funding Council, will be piloted over three years from September 2020.

Based in the main University of Glasgow campus, the immersion course will involve eight months of intensive language tuition. This will be followed by a three-week residential experience in South Uist, one of the strongest Gaelic-speaking communities in Scotland, facilitated

by Ceòlas Uibhist.

Fiona Dunn, the University of Glasgow’s Gaelic Development Manager and Principal Investigator for the project, said: “The development of this immersion year is a direct response to how the student community has changed in recent years with more learners entering Gaelic programmes.”

The immersion year will be available to undergraduate students on Gaelic programmes at the University prior to entering honours level studies. It will offer the choice to study either a four-year or a five-year degree depending upon the language abilities of individual students.

In addition, the immersion year will be available as a standalone Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) qualification on either a full-time or a part-time basis over two years.

Morag Campbell, SFC Assistant Director, Gaelic Policy said: “Demand for highly skilled and fluent Gaelicspeaking graduates has never been higher, and the University of Glasgow is well placed to expand opportunities for Gaelic immersion in Scotland. Glasgow is home to the largest concentration of Gaelic speakers outwith the Western Isles and has a growing number of new Gaelic speakers, as a result of the success and demand for Gaelicmedium education.”

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Blooming beautiful

Photos by RHS Julie Howden Beautiful Perth volunteers

by Helen Lloyd

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reen fingered community gardeners have won three gold and two silver medals for Scotland in the Royal

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Horticultural Society’s (RHS) annual Britain in Bloom competition.

Top of the medal board was the fair city of Perth which won the competition to be crowned

Champion of Champions, while category wins for Haddington, St Andrews and Bridge of Earn make Scotland the most successful competitor in 2019.

Haddington

Grey streets have also been transformed with colourful councilinstalled mini parks known as ‘parklets’ and 700 hanging baskets sponsored by local businesses.

Six finalists represented the nation following success in the Beautiful Scotland competition or UK finals last year. A total of 68 groups from across the UK competed in 12 categories with each also vying for a gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze medal.

The ‘Fair City’ fought off four other contenders to win: Durham, Kingsbridge in Devon, Castlecaulfield in Northern Ireland and St Helier in Jersey.

Perth wowed the RHS judges with its urban green spaces, pollinatorfriendly planting and campaign to raise awareness of and collect plastic waste.

Other success stories included Bridge of Earn, which won a gold medal in the Large Village Category, while Haddington was awarded Gold for the Best Town.

Parks, gardens and biodiversity hotspots line the River Tay, and city-wide, many seasonal bedding displays have been swapped for plants including foxgloves, Salvia and flowering shrubs to provide year-round food for bees and other wildlife.

Jewel in the crown is the volunteermaintained heather collection in Riverside Park, featuring over 500 varieties and beloved by insects including the buff-tailed bumblebee.

St Andrews won gold in the Coastal Town Category while both Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy were awarded Silver medals.

Finalists were judged not only on their floral displays but environmental and community efforts.

St Andrews hanging baskets

“We’re delighted that winners from our national Beautiful Scotland

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Bridge of Earn

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competition last year were selected to represent Scotland in the RHS Britain in Bloom finals this year. It’s wonderful to see Perth and the other Scottish finalists achieving such success in their categories,” said Catherine Gee, Operations Director for Keep Scotland Beautiful.

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Destination Scotland P

lan your trip to the most beautiful country in the world with our directory of places to stay, eat, visit and enjoy.

Rokeby Manor

Invergarry, Highlands Situated on the edge of the Highland Village of Invergarry Rokeby Manor is the epitome of a late Georgian-early Victorian country house.

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This former country house, as featured in issue 32 of Scotland Correspondent, has been turned into a romantic retreat surrounded by landscaped gardens and natural woodland.

Royal Scots Club

Meldrum House

More personal than a hotel the Royal Scots Club offers a rare combination of all the charm of a country house with the added cosy atmosphere of a private members’ club in the heart of Scotland’s historic capital of Edinburgh.

More than 800 years of history are wrapped up in this unique boutique country house hotel nestled in the heart of Aberdeenshire’s tranquil countryside. Complete with its own golf course the 240-acre estate and 13th century baronial mansion is the epitome of luxury. As featured in issue 27 of Scotland Correspondent. Meldrum House provides a truly exceptional experience and is an ideal base from which to explore the rich and colourful north east corner of Scotland.

Edinburgh

Founded in 1919 as a living memorial to those who fell in The Great War the club is situated in one of Edinburgh’s finest Georgian streets and is open for bed and breakfast, meetings and events, functions and private dining.

Featured in issue 22 of Scotland Correspondent.

Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire

Chester Residence

Embo House

A luxurious bolthole in central Edinburgh with an expanse of space and all the perks of a grand hotel as featured in issue 21 of Scotland Correspondent.

Luxury exclusive self-catering accommodation in a Grad-A listed Georgian mansion overlooking the Dornoch Firth. As featured in issue 24 of Scotland Correspondent.

Embo House is steeped in history. This former ancestral castle of Clan Gordon with its 8-spacious bedrooms provides contemporary and luxurious accommodation for large family groups, golfers or even weddings.

Edinburgh

Behind the facades of gracious, listed Georgian townhouses in Edinburgh’s New Town these 5-star apartments are spacious and packed with luxury features, including a top of the range kitchen, a heavenly bathroom or two and sumptuously grand living rooms.

9 Rothesay Place (Main Reception), Edinburgh, EH3 7SL. Tel: +44 (0) 131 226 2075 enquiries@chester-residence.com www.chester-residence.com

Sutherland

Embo House, Dornoch, Sutherland. IV25 3PP Tel: 01738 451610 https://www.cottages-and-castles.co.uk

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Gleddoch Hotel

Carnoustie Golf Hotel

An independently owned hotel resort overlooking the Clyde Estuary with 75 bedrooms, an 18 hole championship golf course, an elegant banqueting room and a luxury Imperia Spa.

Carnoustie Golf Hotel offers an extensive collection of facilities, including 75 luxury en-suite bedrooms and 10 suites with amazing views over the Championship course, the sea and the local town of Carnoustie.

Featured in issue 16 of Scotland Correspondent.

Glasgow

One of the most prestigious, luxury hotels in the Glasgow area just 10 minutes from the airport featured in issue 13 of Scotland Correspondent.

Carnoustie

Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa & Island

Mercure Hotel inverness

Located on the west coast of Scotland on a private 300 acre island with gorgeous views overlooking Loch Linnhe and the dramatic Morvern mountains beyond.

Featured in issue 15 of Scotland Correspondent. This stylish Inverness hotel has been refurbished throughout, blending traditional Highland hospitality with supreme comfort in the finest waterside hotel Inverness has to offer.

Benderloch, Oban

Featured in issue 3 of Scotland Correspondent. The hotel offers a variety of accommodation with 16 bedrooms in the main house, five spa suites in the gardens with private hot tub, two garden cottages with two bedrooms each which are ideal for families and six hilltop reserves overlooking Loch Linnhe with private hot tub and balconies.

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Inverness

Portavadie Lodge on Loch Lomond Luss, Loch Lomond

The Lodge on Loch Lomond Hotel, on the beachfront at Luss near Glasgow, is the perfect place to relax overlooking Scotland’s favourite loch.

Loch Fyne, Argyll Sitting on the shores of Loch Fyne on Scotland’s west coast, Portavadie is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and unwind amid glorious scenery.

As featured in issue 5 of Scotland Correspondent. The 48-bedroom hotel, complete with a range of conference and banqueting facilities for up to 200 guests and leisure facilities, enjoys an intimate, warm and charming atmosphere. The award-winning Colquhoun’s Restaurant and Lounge are the perfect place to relax and unwind and watch the changing landscape of the loch.

As featured in issue 2 of Scotland Correspondent. The resort offers world-class marina facilities, a range of holiday accommodation, restaurants and bars, beauty and wellbeing treatments, shopping and event spaces.

The spa and leisure experience provides an exceptional way to enjoy the views over Loch Fyne at any time of year, making Portavadie the destination of choice for all occasions.

Trump Turnberry

Dundas Castle

Trump Turnberry is an iconic landmark on the spectacular Ayrshire coast providing warm Scottish hospitality.

Dundas Castle is a most spectacular venue for any event.

This authentic Scottish Castle has been transformed into a 5-star ‘Exclusive Use’ venue with 17 bedrooms.

As featured in issue 13 of Scotland Correspondent. Parts of the castle date back to 1416 and has belonged to the Stewart-Clark family since the late 1800s.

Turnberry, Ayrshire

As featured in issue 7 of Scotland Correspondent. It offers a range of exceptional venues ideal for meetings, events and weddings. Enjoy the fresh Scottish air while enjoying the wonderful scenery, exceptional dining options, indulgent spa treatments, outdoor activities and championship golf.

Edinburgh

Enjoy all the amenities of the finest hotels but with the exclusivity of staying in your own castle.

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George Hotel

Inveraray, Argyll Imagine relaxing by an open peat fire, sipping a singlemalt whisky after a sumptuous meal before retiring to a luxury bed in a 247-year-old hotel by the side of a spectacular Scottish loch.

As featured in issue 11 of Scotland Correspondent.

Each of the George’s 17 rooms have been beautifully decorated and many boast a super king-size bed, jacuzzi bath and even a real open log and coal fire to add an extra layer of romantic cosiness.

Glamis House Glamis, Angus

Built in 1798 Glamis House is a stunning, traditional home with an impressive history, as featured in issue 19 of Scotland Correspondent. The house is situated in the grounds of Glamis Castle. With room for up to 13 people to sleep the house is situated in a stunningly beautiful part of the country boasting superb beaches, great walking trails and renowned golf courses close by, including Carnoustie.

Glamis House, Forfar, Angus Tel: 01738 451610 https://www.cottages-and-castles.co.uk

The Station Hotel

Glen Nevis Hostel

Situated in the heart of Scotland’s world renowned whisky country the Station Hotel in Rothes, as featured in issue 30 of Scotland Correspondent, provides the perfect blend of of history, tradition and modern luxury.

Visitors on a budget looking to spend time in one of the most spectacular areas of the Scottish Highlands can do so Glen Nevis Youth Hostel in Fort William, Lochaber.

Speyside

With 14 bedrooms, including five luxury suites, the fourstar hotel is ideally placed to serve as a base for visitors interested in exploring the well-signposted nearby whisky, golf and castle trails of Speyside.

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Fort William

As featured in issue 20 of Scotland Correspondent this jewell in the crown of Hostelling Scotland has recently been refurbished to provide a mix of private en-suite rooms and shared accommodation with all the comforts and modern conveniences of a home from home.

The Chester Hotel Aberdeen

Trump International

Balmedie, Aberdeenshire MacLeod House & Lodge is a five-star luxury hotel located near Balmedie, Aberdeenshire at Trump International Championship Links Golf Course and award-winning five-star resort.

As featured in issue 20 of Scotland Correspondent.

This historic Scottish mansion and lodge, set amid mature woodland, provides sumptuous accommodation, exquisite dining and an intimate bar. Available for exclusive use, corporate events and weddings it has all the facilities and amenities to suit the modern, traveller.

Situated in the heart of Aberdeen’s historic west end The Chester Hotel, with its 50 luxurious bedrooms and suites, renowned restaurant and stylish lounge bar, is ideally placed for accessing some of the most exciting and challenging golf courses Scotland has to offer.

As featured in issue 19 of Scotland Correspondent. It provides a perfect base to explore the north-east with its abundance of castles, whisky distilleries and breathtaking scenery.

59-63 Queen’s Road Aberdeen, AB15 4YP. T: 01224 327777 Reservations@chester-hotel.com www.chester-hotel.com

Fingal

Edinburgh The former Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) tender, MV Fingal, is Scotland’s first floating hotel, complete with Presidential suit - as featured in issue 31 of Scotland Correspondent Now berthed permanently at the Prince of Wales Dock in the historic Port of Leith, it is a unique addition to Edinburgh’s booming hotel scene.

Developed by The Royal Yacht Britannia each of Fingal’s 23 luxury cabins are each named after Stevenson lighthouses, inspired by her rich maritime heritage.

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This month in history

S

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 November.

Births

1774 November 4 Poet and song writer Robert Allan was born in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire.

The son of a flax-dresser he wrote songs in the Scottish dialect, the most popular being the Covenanter’s Lament. Feeling unappreciated in his own country he sailed for a new life in New York but died on 1 June 1841 less than a week after he arrived in the US.

1785 November 18 Renowned painter of historical and religious works Sir David Wilkie was born near Pitlessie, Fife.

1489 November 29 Birth of Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII of England and future wife of King James IV of Scotland in the “Union of the Thistle and the Rose”.

Due to her bloodline King James VI of Scotland inherited the crown of England in 1603.

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was once considered the wealthiest man in the world born in Dunfermline.

1850 November 13 Novelist and poet Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and many more literary classics, was born Edinburgh.

1891 November 8 (Neil Gunn) cap Photo Stanley HoweCC BY-SA 2.0

1835 November 25 Andrew Carnegie, who went from steel magnate to philanthropist and

1891 November 8 Writer Neil Gunn, best known for his novels “Highland River” and “Silver Darlings” was born in Caithness.

1897 November 1 (Naomi Mitchison) cap PD

1897 November 1 Novelist and politician Naomi Mitchison was born in Edinburgh.

She wrote over 90 books, including “The Conquered”, “When the Bough Breaks” and “Cloud Cuckoo Land”.

1965 November 4 (Lena Zavaroni) cap CC0 1.0

1835 November 2 Death of the poet James Hogg, known as the Ettrick shepherd.

1965 November 4 Pop star Lena Zavaroni who rose to fame as a child star on the tv show Opportunity Knocks was born in Greenock.

Deaths 1093 November 13 King Malcolm III (Canmore), last of the Celtic kings was killed at the Battle of Alnwick. Succeeded by Donald III. 1897 November 25 Helen Duncan, the last woman in Britain to be jailed for witchcraft, was born in Callander.

1909 November 23 Nigel Tranter, the most prolific Scottish writer of all time, renowned for his factual and fictional books related to Scottish history was born in Glasgow.

1308 November 8 Scholar and philosopher John Duns Scotus died. His dry subtleties led to the word “Duns” or “dunce” meaning dull and incapable of learning.

1879 November 5 Death of Edinburgh-born mathematician and physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

1916 November 14 Writer Hector Munro, better known for his pseudonym “Saki”, died in action in France.

1910 November 14 Poet Norman MacCaig was born Edinburgh.

1942 November 24 (Billy Connolly) cap Photo Jemma Lambert CC BY 2.5

1942 November 24 Comedian and actor Billy Connolly was born in Glasgow.

1572 November 24 Legendary character of the reformation and fierce critic of May Queen of Scots John Knox died.

1836 November 26 Death of John McAdam, inventor of “tar macadam” road surface.

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1946 November 19 Actor Donald Meek (Mr Peacock in Stagecoach) died in Los Angeles aged 66 from leukemia. He appeared in over 100 movies and has a posthumous Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1824 November 15 Edinburgh’s Great Fire began and lasted until 17th November. It destroyed the High Street, Parliament Square and the Tron Kirk.

1873 November 15 (Greyfriar’s Bobby) cap Photo Sumit Surai CC BY-SA 4.0

1873 November 15 A statue to Greyfriar’s Bobby, who stayed by his master’s grave for 14 years, was unveiled outside the cemetery in Edinburgh.

1996 November 24 Death of the poet Sorley MacLean.

2002 November 3 Death of Lonnie Donegan, Scottish skiffle music star and probably Britain’s first pop superstar.

1877 November 5 Opening of the original Mitchell Library, Glasgow, now the largest public reference library in Europe.

Notable Events 12 November St Machar Day, patron saint of Aberdeen.

30 November St Andrew’s Day - patron saint of Scotland.

1681 November 29 Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, granted its charter by King Charles II.

1847 November 9 Sir James Young Simpson became the first doctor to deliver a baby with the aid of anaesthesia.

1695 November 1 The Bank of Scotland was founded by an Act of the Scottish Parliament.

1715 November 13 The Battle of Sherrifmuir was fought between a force of Jacobites led by John, 6th Earl of Mar, and a Hanoverian force led by John, 2nd Duke of Argyll.

1770 November 14 James Bruce discovered the source of the Blue Nile, Lake Tana in northwest Ethiopia.

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1891 November 16 Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show opened in the East End Exhibition Buildings, Duke Street, Glasgow.

1958 November 21 Construction began on the Forth Road Bridge.

1855 November 17 Explorer David Livingstone reached Victoria Falls in Africa.

1959 November 17 Prestwick and Renfrew airports in Scotland became the first in the UK to offer duty free goods for sale.

1869 November 12 Edinburgh University became the first in Britain to allow women to study medicine.

1975 November 3 Queen Elizabeth officially opened the first pipeline to bring the North Sea oil ashore.

1872 November 30 The world’s first international soccer match was played between Scotland and England. It ended in a 0-0 draw.

1996 November 30 Stone of Destiny, stolen from Scone

by King Edward I of England in 1296, returned to Scotland and installed in Edinburgh Castle.

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Date 4 ur diary

If you have a future event you would like included in our diary please email details to news@scotlandcorrespondent.com

Scotland

http://www.stirlingspiritcompany.scot/StirlingGinFestival. aspx

Until 4 November Sound Festival Aberdeen, Scotland, UK Sound aims to give composers the opportunity to experiment, develop and create new works, and to have these works performed and heard. We encourage audiences of all ages and backgrounds to experience all kinds of new music and cross-art form experimentation. https://sound-scotland.co.uk

1-3 November The Perthshire Amber Festival Various venues, Perthshire This is the return of our festival after a year’s break and promises once again to be full of wonderful musicians performing to the most appreciative audiences ever... gathered in Perthshire in the heart of Scotland from all over the world! www.perthshireamber.com

Until 3 November The Enchanted Forest

By Pitlochry, Scotland Set amid the stunning Autumn woodland of Forestry Commission Scotland’s Faskally Wood in Highland Perthshire, The Enchanted Forest is Scotland’s premier sound and light event delivering a feast for your senses.

Come experience the outdoors at night with spectacular imagery. https://www.enchantedforest.org.uk

5 November City of Inverness Civic Bonfire and Fireworks Display Burgh Park, Inverness This year’s show will feature a Giant Bonfire and a spectacular 20 minute musical fireworks display. Hot Food Stalls and Hornes Fun Fair will also be there on the night. http://www.invernessfestivals.com/winter08/events_ directory.php?target=november

Until 3 November Edinburgh Oktoberfest West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh Edinburgh Oktoberfest will be in a tent next to West Princes Street Gardens just in the middle of the city. The area is transformed into a traditional Oktoberfest with live music and great atmosphere. http://edinburgh-oktoberfest.co.uk Until 3 November Dundee Jazz Festival Various venues, Dundee Dundee Jazz Festival has been listed as one of Scotland’s best Autumn/Winter Festivals! http://www.jazzdundee.co.uk/programme.html Until 10 November Edinburgh Short Film Festival 2018 Edinburgh Devoted to screening short film from Edinburgh, Scotland and around the world http://www.edinburghshortfilmfestival.com 1-2 November Stirling Gin Festival Golden Lion Hotel, King Street, Stirling, FK8 1BD Returning for its 6th year the Stirling Gin Festival is central Scotland’s first and biggest gin festival! Each year it attracts gin fiends from all over Scotland and the rest of the UK, with most festivals welcoming some longdistance pilgrimages by the world’s most dedicated gin drinkers.

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6 November Broughton Through the Ages Lauriston Castle, EH4 6AD This lecture explores the history of the village of Broughton, Edinburgh over several centuries. Richard Love and Sandra Purves tell the story by means of a ‘walk’ through the Broughton area, focused on the spine of Broughton Street. https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/ broughton-through-ages 9 November Edinburgh Festival of Wine The Balmoral Hotel, 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ An unmissable day for the capital’s wine lovers. There will be over 300 brilliant wines on tasting – included in your ticket price – fantastic discounts if you choose to buy, and a superb programme of masterclass tastings with some of the world’s greatest wines. http://festival-of-wine.com/edinburgh-wine-festival/ 9 November Glasgow Whisky Festival Hampden Park, Glasgow, G42 9BA This event puts Glasgow on the whisky map with an emphasis on Glasgow’s closest distilleries and the independent bottlers that belong to this great city. But it’s not just about Glasgow, as we’ll be celebrating whisky from all of Scotland and the rest of the world. http://glasgowswhiskyfestival.com

9 November - 23 December Glasgow Christmas Markets Glasgow The Christmas markets return to George Square and St Enoch Square offering a wide selection of festive gifts and delicious street food. A warm and welcoming bar will add to the festive atmosphere, offering up a selection of beverages for all to enjoy. https://www.glasgowloveschristmas.com/whats-on/ Pages/Glasgow-Christmas-Markets.aspx 14 November The Lost Medieval Towers of Edinburgh Castle Lauriston Castle, EH4 6AD Edinburgh Castle is one of the most iconic of world monuments with almost 2 million visitors every year, and yet its medieval form has remained a mystery. This lecture will focus on how recent historical research and archaeological investigations have begun to reveal how different the Castle looked to Robert Bruce and the Stewart kings. https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/lostmedieval-towers-edinburgh-castle 15-17 November Scots Fiddle Festival The Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ The Scots Fiddle Festival, which is now in its 22nd year, has been described as “one of the most prestigious and nourishing events on the fiddle music calendar”. https://www.scotsfiddlefestival.com 15-24 November Oban Winter Festival Oban, Argyll There’s fun for all the family during this ten-day celebration of Oban’s unique culture and community with street parades, international and local performances.

Sample the finest Scottish fare, take to the floor at a ceilidh and don’t miss fire artists, crafts, pipers and parades and so much more. https://www.oban.org.uk/events/oban-winter-festival/ 16 November - 4 January Edinburgh’s Christmas Edinburgh Edinburgh’s Christmas is a spectacular, six-week season of festive entertainment in the heart of the city providing lots of fun for all the family. http://www.edinburghschristmas.com/#stq=&stp=1 17 November Santa Dash, Reindeer Run and Santa Cycle Strathclyde Country Park, Motherwell Santa and his reindeer are getting some help this year from St Andrew’s Hospice to help them with their training.

We are running our Santa Dash, Reindeer Run & Santa Cycle on Sunday 17th November around Strathclyde Country Park and we need lots of people to come along and give Santa and his reindeer a helping hand.

https://www.st-andrews-hospice.com/event/santa-dashreindeer-run-santa-cycle-17-november-2019/ 18-24 November Book Week Scotland Various venues During Book Week, people of all ages and walks of life will come together in libraries, schools, community venues and workplaces to share and enjoy books and reading. They will be joined in this celebration by Scotland’s authors, poets, playwrights, storytellers and illustrators to bring a packed programme of events and projects to life. http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/book-weekscotland/about 20 November Inverness Christmas Lights Switch On High Street, Inverness Hundreds of families will gathere outside of the Town House to enjoy the celebration to mark the switching on of the Highland Capital’s Christmas Lights. http://www.invernessfestivals.com/winter08/blog/static. php?page=static090824-123804 20 November Granton, the Home of Dukes, Earls and Lords Lauriston Castle, EH4 6AD An exploration of the history of Granton Castle, Royston House/Caroline Park and Granton House, the owners, and the impact of industrial change in the area. https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/ granton-home-dukes-earls-and-lords 23 November Traquair’s Free Christmas Opening Innerleithen, Peeblesshire EH44 6PW With the house decorated in a Victorian Christmas style and craft stalls throughout the house this is a weekend for all ages. Local choirs and the Silver band will perform in the courtyard and chapel. Santa’s luxurious grotto in the house. Puppet shows, Mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and home cooked lunches and teas in the Garden Cafe. https://www.traquair.co.uk 24 November - 1 December The Saltire Festival East Lothian The Saltire Festival is back for 2019 and we are delighted to be celebrating our 10th anniversary! There will be exciting events marking St. Andrew’s Day taking place across East Lothian from Sunday 24th November Sunday 1st December bringing together the very best of Scotland in the Home of the Flag. www.visiteastlothian.org/the-saltire 26 November The Making of a 21st century Edinburgh Castle – Fortress, Barracks, Monument and Commodity.

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Lauriston Castle, EH4 6AD The lecture traces the multiple fascinating episodes in history that made Edinburgh Castle the tourist attraction it is today. Walter Scott ‘discovered’ the Crown jewels of Scotland, and these together with stories of Mary Queen of Scots remain central to meanings for tourist and citizen. This lecture will however unlock many other stories. https://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/ making-21st-century-edinburgh-castle-–-fortressbarracks-monument-and-commodity 28-30 November Dundee Mountain Film Festival Bonar Hall. Park Place DD1 4HN The Dundee Mountain Film Festival is the UK’s longest continuous running mountain film festival. It showcases an international programme of speakers, as well as award winning films and exhibitions, mainly held in the Bonar Hall, Dundee. http://dmff.co.uk 30 November Cheese Fest Scottish Events Campus, Exhibition Way, Glasgow G3 8YW Celebrating all that’s great in the world of cheese. Expect the most incredible melted delights and delicious cheesebased cuisine presented for your culinary pleasure by the finest fromagers from across the land. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cheese-fest-uk-glasgow2019-tickets-56578576044 30 November Drambusters Whisky Festival Dumfries The 9th Drambusters Whisky Festival will be held on St Andrew’s Day - so what better way to celebrate Scotland’s National Saint’s Day than to toast it with the country’s national tipple! https://www.drambusters.com/whisky-festival

Australia

2-3 November Central Coast Scottish Spectacular The Entertainment Grounds, Gosford This year will feature both the NSW Pipe Band Championships and the NSW Highland Dancing Championships along with heavy event athletes competing in the Highland Games. We will again be hosting the Central Coast Solo Piping Contest, the Drum Major John McFarland Memorial Solo Drumming Contest and the Central Coast Scottish National Dancing Titles.

Come along and join in the fun. It is a great day out for the whole family. www.scottishspectacular.com

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3 November Clan MacLeod Society of Australia (South Australia) AGM Powell residence, Semaphore Park. www.cmssa.org.au/calendar-of-events.html 8-10 November Beechworth Celtic Festival Beechworth, VIC This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Beechworth Celtic Festival and as always we will be celebrating everything Celtic. www.beechworthcelticfestival.com.au 29 November Saint Andrew Society of Western Australia St Andrew’s Day Ball Grand River Ballroom, Pan Pacific Perth, 207 Adelaide Terrace The St Andrew’s Day Ball is one of the premier black-tie events on the Perth social calendar and if you enjoy a healthy dose of Scottish culture, it would have to be the most fun of them all! https://saintandrew.org.au/2019-st-andrews-day-ball/ 30 November Hunter Valley Highland Games Saltire Estate, 113 Wilderness Rd, Rothbury NSW 2320 Come experience the very first Hunter Valley Highland Games in beautiful Wine Country! After all, the original grapevines planted in the Hunter were planted by James Busby of Edinburgh. These games celebrate the deep connection between Australia and Scotland. www.huntervalleyhighlandgames.com.au

Canada

16 November Scotland Tonight presented by the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Blvd, Ottawa www.sospb.com 21 November The St. Andrew’s Luncheon Hotel Le Cantlie, 1110 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC Join the St Andrew’s Society of Montreal, listen to bagpipes, eat haggis and have a great meal. www.standrews.qc.ca 22 November The 2019 St. Andrew’s Ball The Marriott Château Champlain Hotel, 1 Place du Canada, Montreal QC Join Peter McAuslan and Ellen Bounsall, our Guests of Honour, for an evening of dining, dancing and pageantry celebrating one hundred and eighty-four years of Scottish heritage in Montreal. www.standrewsball.com

29 November St Andrew’s Society of Winnipeg 149th Annual Dinner Hotel Fort Garry, 222 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB This is the most prestigious event on the Society’s calendar that celebrates and raises funds for Scottish culture and heritage groups and activities in Manitoba! www.standrewssocietywinnipeg.com 30 November The St Andrew’s Society Toronto Charity Ball The Carlu, 444 Yonge Street, Toronto For the first time since 1929, the St.Andrew’s Charity Ball will have a new home. This year the Ball will take up its new residence at Toronto’s Carlu. www.standrewscharityball.ca 30 November Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada Feast of St. Andrew Cambridge Armoury, 1 Valour Place, Cambridge, Ontario The Officers of the Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada celebrate St. Andrew’s Day with a Feast. The Feast of Saint Andrew is a formal, black tie, 6 course Mess Dinner held on the last Saturday in November. The Feast features the traditions and customs of a Highland Regiment Officers’ Mess. It also includes the participation of the Regimental Pipes and Drums. www.rhfc.ca/feast-of-st-andrew.html

New Zealand

9 November The Hororata Highland Games Hororata Domain, 61 Hororata Rd, Hororata 7572 The Hororata Highland Games (HHG) was created in 2011 from the community’s desire to take charge of its own future following the Canterbury earthquakes. The event attracts over 300 competitors who compete in Highland Dancing, Piping and Drumming, Tug O’ War, Highland Spin (a fleece to garment challenge), Small Bore Shooting, Amateur Scottish heavy athletics (men’s and women’s) and the Oceania Heavyweight Championship (professional Scottish heavy athletics). Competitors come from throughout New Zealand and internationally to compete. www.hororatahighlandgames.org.nz 23 November The Auckland Highland Games & Gathering Ellerslie Event Center, 100 Ascot Ave, Ellerslie, Auckland The Auckland Highland Games and Gathering is a showcase of Scottish heritage in Auckland, New Zealand. www.ahg.org.nz

USA

1-3 November The Tucson Celtic Festival and Scottish Highland Games

Rillito Raceway Park, 4502 N. First Ave.Tucson, AZ Includes 19th Annual Scottish Master’s Athletics Heavy Events World Championship.

The Tucson Celtic Festival Association is dedicated to the preservation and celebration of the rich heritage of customs and traditions of all Celtic peoples within our greater Tucson community by promoting Celtic Cultural awareness and appreciation of diversity. www.tucsoncelticfestival.org 1-3 November Scots on the Rocks Moab Celtic Festival Old Spanish Trail Arena, Moab UT Celebrate the heritage and culture of Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales, just as it’s been done for centuries... with lots of great music, dancing, athletics and good fun, food, drink, and great friends. Enjoy musical performances all day long, massed bagpipe bands, unique Celtic merchants and eateries, Scottish clans, heritage and cultural booths, highland athletics and much more. www.scotsontherocksmoab.org 2 November Charleston Scottish Games Boone Hall Plantation, 1235 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, SC The 48th Annual Charleston Scottish Games and Highland Gathering will be held November 2nd at beautiful Boone Hall Plantation. One of America’s oldest working farms, Boone Hall Plantation provides tours and educational opportunities to provide glimpses of what plantation life was like in the 1700’s. The towering oaks and green fields make this a perfect setting for the Games. Boone Hall Plantation is conveniently located 8 miles from Downtown Charleston, making it easy for festival goers to visit Scotland for the day at the Charleston Scottish Games! www.charlestonscottishgames.com 8 November The Wallace Awards University Club, New York City The American-Scottish Foundation® introduced the Wallace Award® in 1970 to recognize the extraordinary diversity of contribution that Scots have made to the world - and, in particular, to recognize one or more living citizens or residents of the United States of Scottish descent for their individual contributions to the well being of this country. The Foundation has now expanded the Award’s reach to include either Scots or Americans who have made an important contribution to American/ Scottish relationships. www.americanscottishfoundation.org 9-10 November Celtic Music Festival and Highland Games Harrison County Fairgrounds, Gulfport, MS www.mshighlandsandislands.org

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15-16 November 7th Annual Mount Dora Scottish Highland Festival 530 North Donnelly Street, Mount Dora, Florida 32757 Enjoy Scottish music, Highland dancing, tartan parade, Pipes and Drums performances, Scottish Reenactment Camp, Kids activities, food & beverage vendors, merchandise vendors and society tents. https://ci.mount-dora.fl.us/991/Scottish-Highland-Festiva l?fbclid=IwAR05HByRut6Syi6Ln6YOSqGdpIcHV7eVDek GNFPbRazu9jiBv7oCN3pIhfo 16 November Swamp Fox Highland Games Columns Plantation, 5001 Rankin Plantation Rd, Florence, SC A celebration of Celtic culture and history to raise funds for Heaven’s Hope Home for medically fragile children. www.swampfoxgames.com 22 November Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York 263rd Annual Banquet The University Club, One West 54th St, New York, NY USA Founded in 1756, Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York is the oldest charitable organisation in New York State. This year’s special guest speaker is Billy Kay www.standrewsny.org 22 November St. Andrew’s Dinner Kingshighway Racquet Club, St. Louis, MO Join us for a special evening filled with good food and fellowship! www.stlstandrews.com 23 November Dunedin Celtic Music & Craft Beer Festival Highlander Park, Dunedin Community Center complex at the corner of Michigan Blvd. and Pinehurst Rd, Dunedin, FL An annual event centered around Traditional and Contemporary Celtic music and both local and national craft beer. The 2019 festival will feature music by Off Kilter, Seven Nations, City of Dunedin Pipe Band, Bad Haggis, and Leahy from Cape Breton! www.dunedincelticmusicfestival.com 30 November Celtic Festival at the Farm Jacob’s Reward Farm, 4308 Church Lane. Parker, TX 75002 Spend a beautiful fall day with us on a working farm, where Celts and Celts-at-heart will gather to enjoy live bagpipe music, Scottish and Irish dancing, fair food, gift vendors, kids’ games and crafts, historic costumes, silent auctions, Outlander fan meet-up, and more. Blow off Black Friday and shop with our artisans! www.facebook.com/metroplex.united

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30 November St. Andrew’s Society of Central Florida St. Andrew’s Dinner University Club of Winter Park, 841 N Park Ave, Winter Springs, FL Join us as we celebrate the patron saint of Scotland on November 30th, St. Andrew’s Day. This is one of our annual events which includes a dinner and an evening celebrating Scottish culture. There will be both traditional Scottish and catered food, toasts/address to the haggis and more. www.standrewscfl.com

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