Scotland Correspondent Issue 43

On the trail of sand, sea & spies

Tasting tea, whisky, gin & rum

Day to celebrate global golf

Castles and battles explored

Glasgow’s forgotten gems

Singing the praises of rogues p1

July 2020

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K eepin g t he f la g f lying

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Index - Inside this issue

inside this issue 14 A

day to celebrate golf pioneer

54 Exploring

Glasgow’s forgotten gems

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28 Coast

fit to boast via the NE250 part four

Index - Inside this issue 94 Hunting

68 Romantic

ruins of a formidable fortress 76 The

antiques with...

Roo Irvine

plan for 102 A wee Prestonpans livener with...

Tom Morton

86 Digging

for peace at Waterloo

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Index - Inside this issue

inside this issue 131 Cup

cheer island style

of

110

Chef in a Kilt with….

Gordon Howe the best…food from Fife

122 Festival

of rum raisin’ interest

116 Simply

140

Gintelligence with...

Fiona Holland p8

round with…

148 Musical Correspondent Michael and the story behind the song Buchan

Index - Inside this issue

154 A

165 Return

to rich mountain

172 Ayrshire

artist’s new Nashville EP

179 An

actor’s life for me with...

Scott Kyle p9

Index - Inside this issue

inside this issue

202 Country

184

Literary shortlist for awards 188 Strange Tales from Thin Places

cottages for sale

232 Our

guide on where to stay

Hot to trot properties 210

Preventing brain drain

226 195 Capital

idea of Edinburgh entrepreneur p10

1 Cover

Photo

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Bow Fiddle Rock, Portknockie

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The monthly digital title provides an international audience of readers with comprehensive coverage of modern day Scotland, its people, achievements, culture, history and customs.

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Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

Old Tom Morris

International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

by Paul Kelbie

N

ext year, 16 June 2021, is a very important date in Scotland’s sporting and heritage calendar - it is the 200th anniversary of the birth of golfing legend Old Tom Morris.

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The St Andrews Links Trust have announced plans, yet to be formalised, to make a “grand commemoration” for the bicentenary, but let’s hope it’s not just a one-off affair.

Golf is an international sport and Old Tom is a global icon whose

influence on the game played by over 60 million people should not be underestimated.

At Scotland Correspondent we believe 16 June every year should be officially declared ‘Old Tom Morris Day’ and his legacy as an innovator, club maker, course

Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

Old Tom Morris in 1905

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Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

designer and champion player celebrated around the world.

Scotland is renowned for its

Photo by VisitScotland Opening hole at Machrihanish

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celebrations of St Andrew’s Day (November 30), Hogmanay (December 31) and Burns’ Night (January 25). These events

provide a major boost to the national economy, especially in the sectors of tourism, food and drink, and entertainment.

An official Old Tom Morris Day could do much the same in the summer months.

Around 60 million people are estimated to play golf - that’s about six times the number of those who observe Burns’ Night

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Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

They promote Scotland as a destination and Scottish culture by encouraging the diaspora and friends to celebrate our heritage.

Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

each year. It’s estimated some 9.5million people around the globe commemorate the birth of our national poet Robert Burns

every January, generating over £200m to Scotland’s economy of which some £20 million is spent on food and drink.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland The Swilcan Bridge at The Old Course in St. Andrews

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St Andrew’s Day is another almost uniquely Scottish event celebrated at home and abroad as hundreds of societies, clans

The potential for creating

something similar for Old Tom should not be ignored. As of the end of 2018 there were 38,864 golf courses in 209

countries, with a further 500 plus projects under construction or in advanced planning. All of them, whether they realise it or not,

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Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

and clubs hold annual dinners and dances.

Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon Old Tom with James Ogilvy Fairlie, founder of The Open, and friends

have benefitted from the legacy of Old Tom. According to Michael Buchan, a former golf professional and director of Buchan & Byers Golf Tours, the creation of an annual summer event celebrating Old Tom could eventually sit alongside Burns Night and St Andrew’s Day as a distinctly

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international Scottish event.

“Although many golfers are aware of Old Tom Morris much more could be done to celebrate the contribution this son of Scotland made to the sport,” said Michael, a frequent contributor to Scotland Correspondent magazine.

“Next year, 2021, marks the 200th

anniversary of Old Tom’s birth. It will be the perfect occasion for the world-wide golfing community to celebrate his legacy.”

Thomas Mitchell Morris was born the son of a weaver in St Andrews, Fife, the home of golf, and by 14 was apprenticed to Allan Robertson, the world’s first professional golfer.

Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

At the height of his career, between 1843 and 1859, Robertson was regarded as the best player in the world and he regularly chose Morris as his partner in challenge matches.

on which the first ever Open Championship was played. It was Morris who struck the very first shot in the event that has gone on to become the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament in the world.

In 1851 Morris moved to Prestwick where he designed, laid out and maintained the course

In 1865 the Royal and Ancient asked him to return to St Andrews as greenskeeper. He widened the

fairways, enlarged the greens, managed the hazards and built new greens using techniques he had perfected at Prestwick.

As a player Morris was formidable. He won the Open Championship in 1862, 1864 and 1867 and still holds the record as the oldest winner of the competition at the age of 46.

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Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

A record set by Morris in 1862, for the largest margin of victory in a major championship - 13 strokes, remained unbroken for 138 years until Tiger Woods won the US Open in 2000 by 15 strokes.

A record set by Morris in 1862, for the largest margin of victory in a major championship - 13 strokes, Carnoustie

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In addition to developing green keeping techniques still used today, and pioneering the strategic use of hazards, Morris designed almost 70 golf courses, some of them are considered among the best in the world and

the majority of them are in Scotland.

remained unbroken for 138 years until Tiger Woods won the US Open in 2000 by 15 strokes.

In addition to developing green keeping techniques still used today, and pioneering the strategic use of hazards, Morris

Although he died more than a century ago, aged 86 in 1908, his name remains synonymous with the game. Enthusiasts

The creation of an Old Tom Morris Day in June could give the golfing community and Scottish tourism a summer occasion to promote the sport along with the best of Scottish produce and attractions.

Now is the time for golf courses, clubs, tourism organisations and Scottish food & drink producers to get together and create an event for golf clubs around the world to join with us in celebrating Old Tom and

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Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon

from around the world come to Scotland every year to play the courses he designed and pay homage to the man universally regarded as the founding father of golf.

Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon Old Tom

Scotland as the home of golf.

Such an annual celebration could help attract more visitors to

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Scotland and increase sales of Scottish related products as the country tries to rebuild tourism and the economy in the wake of

the Coronavirus lockdown.

Let’s make 16 June ‘Old Tom Morris Day’ every year!

Campaign - International drive to celebrate a Scottish icon Photo by Millerdl CC BY-SA 4.0 Plaque commemorating Old Tom Morris, St Andrews, Fife

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Photo by Guy Phillips

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Photo by VisitScotland / Discover Fraserburgh / Damian Shields Pennan

Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

T

he fourth part of the North East 250 driving route from Fochabers to Fraserburgh is only around 50 miles long. Motorists who stick to the main A98 can complete the distance in around an hour - but it means missing out on a lot.

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It is worth taking time to wander off the beaten path and explore some of the picturesque villages that line the coastal route, starting with a left turn just out of Fochabers on to the A990 towards the tiny community of Portgordon.

Established in 1797 by Alexander, the 4th Duke of Gordon, for fishing initially it became a thriving port for grain, salt, coal and lumber in the mid 1800s. By the dawn of the 20th century it was an important centre for boat building, launching a new steam drifter at a rate of one a month at

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan Alexander 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, by Alexis-Simon Belle (PD Art)

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Photo by Colin Smith CC BY-SA 2.0 The Mannie, Findochty

its peak.

The village was one of the last communities in the North East to get electricity. Street lighting was introduced in the 1920s but there was no gas supply so paraffin was used, resulting in the nickname Paraffin City, until power finally reached the village in 1937.

A more recent claim to fame is that during World War II German spies, Karl Drucke and Vera Erikson were captured at the railway station and detained by police. Erikson was recruited by MI5 and turned double agent but Drucke and another agent, Werner Walti, refused to say anything and were executed.

From Portgordon the A990 road follows the coast to Buckie. This ancient fishing and ship building community was first mentioned in official papers as far back as 1362.

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Buckie is a popular destination for visitors due to its stunning coastline and beaches, abundance of wildlife - including otters, ospreys and dolphins which can be regularly be seen from the shore, and two nearby golf courses.

It is also home to the Inchgower Distillery, built in 1871 and operated by Diageo,which makes a single malt and Bell’s, the UK’s most popular blended whisky.

Just outside the village, situated between Portlessie and Findochty lies Strathlene Golf Course.

Established in 1877 it is one of the oldest in Scotland. The cliff top links is renowned for its undulating fairways, gullies and elevated greens.

Findochty (pronounced fin-eckty) is the next community on the map. It can be traced back to before 1440 when the lands were granted to John Dufe

before passing to the Ogilvies of Findlater, and then the Ord family.

Now mainly a marina for pleasure craft its long history as a fishing port is immortalised in a unique piece of art. Correna Cowie created the statue in 1959 of a seated fisherman, known simply as The Mannie, to watch over the harbour.

On the outskirts of the village are the ruins of Findochty Castle, a 16th century tower house built by the Gordons.

After Findochty the road goes through the historic village of Portnockie, a major herring port in the 19th century.

Although officially founded in 1677 people were living in the area long before that. There is evidence of an ancient fort, dating from around 1000BC, called Green Castle which is believed

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan Photo by Anne Burgess CC BY-SA 2.0 Findochty Castle

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

to have been inhabited until 1000AD.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Bow Fiddle Rock

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Just outside the village lies one of the most photographed natural

wonders in Scotland - Bow Fiddle Rock. Resembling the tip

structure were caused by the impact of two ancient continents

colliding hundreds of millions of years ago.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

of a bow the distinctive sloped sides of this 50ft high quartzite

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

After leaving Portnockie the road rejoins the A98 to Cullen, another picturesque seaside village with

plenty of history and a culinary claim to fame.

Photo by VisitScotland / North East 250 / Damian Shields Cullen, Aberdeenshire

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The first mention of Cullen can be traced back to 962 when King Indulf was killed by invading

one Norwegian and one Danish - are buried in the area and are celebrated by three isolated rocks

that lie within the bay known as the Three Kings.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Danes or Norwegians at the Battle of the Bauds. Legend has it that three kings - one Scottish,

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Photo by Anne Burgess CC BY-SA 2.0 Cullen Auld Kirk

Photo by VisitScotland / North East 250 / Damian Shields Cullen, Aberdeenshire

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan Photo by VisitScotland / North East 250 / Damian Shields Findlater Castle

However, Cullen’s royal connections don’t end there. It’s believed the organs of Elizabeth de Burgh, wife of Robert the Bruce, were buried in the old kirk yard following her death in October 1327.

The Queen had been visiting Cullen Castle, which was then a royal residence, when she fell from her horse and died.

Although her body was taken to Dunfermline Abbey for burial local villagers feared her remains would not survive the journey so her internal organs were removed.

In recognition of this act of kindness The Bruce decreed

that the local church should receive the generous sum of £5 Scottish pounds every year for all eternity so that she could be remembered. The money is still paid today.

Other famous visitors to Cullen over the years include Sr Samuel Johnson, James Boswell and Robert Burns, who stayed there in 1787 during a tour of the Highlands.

In addition to an Old Tom Morris designed golf course the most imposing feature of Cullen are the railway viaducts. Considered one of the great achievements of Victorian engineering, they were

built in 1886 by the Great North of Scotland Railway.

Although no longer used for trains the viaducts provide some of the best views of the town and surrounding landscape of lush hills, sandy beaches and rocky outcrops.

However, the village is probably best known as the home of a favourite Scottish delicacy Cullen Skink, a thick creamy soup made with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions.

Just outside Cullen lie the remains of Findlater Castle, which sits upon a 50ft-high cliff on

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

the road to Portsoy. This former seat of the Earls of Findlater and

Seafield dates back to at least 1246. Much of the remains that

Photo by VisitScotland / North East 250 / Damian Shields The remains of Findlater Castle

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can be seen today date from the 14th century when the castle was

Next stop is the beautiful port of Portsoy which dates from the

17th century. The original harbour is the oldest on the Moray

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

extensively rebuilt.

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Firth and was both a haven for fishermen and merchants.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Portsoy Harbour

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The town is renowned for its Portsoy Marble, or rather polished red and green serpentine, which

was exported for use in mansions and castles around the world, including the Palace of Versailles.

also used as the principal location for the 2016 remake of the movie Whisky Galore, based on the

best selling novel by Compton Mackenzie.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Since 1993 Portsoy has been home to the annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival. It was

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Between Portsoy and Whitehills lies Boyndie, home to the former

RAF Banff overlooking the white sands of Inverboyndie beach and

Photo by VisitScotland / North East 250 / Damian Shields Boyndie Bay, Banff

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beautiful views of the Moray Firth.

A memorial alongside the A98 is

Next stop is Banff, a thriving community since at least the 12th

century when a castle was built there to repel Viking invaders.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

dedicated to the 80 airmen killed while flying from here in WWII.

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan Photo by VisitScotland / North East 250 / Damian Shields Banff bay

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Today, the town remains one of

the best-preserved in the country with many historic buildings, including a pre-Reformation market cross, Tolbooth, 17th and 18th century townhouses, a museum donated by Andrew Carnegie and one of the finest classical mansions in Scotland, Duff House.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Royal Burgh status was conferred

by King Robert II in 1372 and by the 15th century it was one of three principal towns exporting salmon to the continent of Europe, alongside Aberdeen and Montrose.

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Designed by William Adam in 1730 for the 1st Earl of Fife. Duff House is now part of the National Galleries of Scotland and hosts regular public exhibitions. The surrounding lands are notable for an old ice house, a mausoleum

Photo by Paul Tomkins / VisitScotland Gardenstown

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and a secluded single-arch bridge spanning the River Deveron known as the Bridge of Alvah.

There is also a James Braid designed golf course, Duff House Royal, in the grounds of the

former estate and, in case anyone is wondering, the Canadian town of Banff and the National Park in Alberta were named after this Scottish town.

Just across the river lies Macduff,

Originally known as Doune the settlement was bought by the 1st Earl of Fife in 1733 and the name changed by his son, the 2nd Earl, in 1760 in honour of King Duff, the 10th century King of Alba.

Today the town is a centre for boat building and repairs but is best known among tourists for its aquarium exhibiting a variety of species found in the North Sea. The B9031 out of Macduff provides an opportunity to explore the picturesque villages of Gardenstown, Crovie and

Pennan.

Ever since the Neolithic or Bronze Age people have lived around the area of Gardenstown.

Evidence of their presence can still be found at nearby Longman Hill and Cairn Lee. the two oldest prehistoric features in the area.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

the last place in the UK where deep-water wooden fishing boats were built.

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Just outside Gardenstown there’s the remains of St John the Evangelist, a church built in 1513 to celebrate victory over invading Danes in 1004 at the Battle of the Bloody Pits.

A short walk from Gardenstown along the coastal path lies Crovie.

Photo by Paul Kelbie Crovie

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Built on a narrow strip of land between the cliffs and the sea it was founded in the wake of the Jacobite rebellions by families forced off the land to make way for sheep. It is probably the most perfectly preserved 18th century village of its size in Europe.

Crovie has seen its share of dramatic storms, shipwrecks and even espionage. Two German spies rowed ashore here in 1941 and immediately defected to the allies to become double agents for MI5 codenamed Mutt and Jeff.

The last of the three villages

is Pennan, famous for being a location for the Bill Forsyth film, ‘Local Hero’. It is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty where little has changed for many years.

Back on the road to Fraserburgh the route goes through New Aberdour, a favourite beach location for locals, to the tiny village of Rosehearty.

Originally founded as a settlement by shipwrecked Danes in the 14th century the area became a stronghold of the Fraser family who built nearby Pitsligo Castle in 1424.

Now a ruin it was once home to Alexander Forbes, the 4th Lord Forbes of Pitsligo who was known as the Jacobite Laird.

Forbes spent much of his life as an outlaw, having taken part in both failed Jacobite risings of 1715 and 1745. After Culloden

Photo by Sagaciousphil CC BY-SA 3.0 Pitsligo Castle

the 68-year-old Laird was forced to disguise himself as a beggar and live in a cave near his former castle which had been seized by the British government.

Pitsligo is one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, which refers to the rocky headland which dominates this stretch of the coastline.

Another is the nearby Pittulie

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Photo by VisitScotland / Discover Fraserburgh / Damian Shields Pennan

Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Photo by Sagaciousphil CC BY-SA 3.0 Pittulie Castle

Castle, a 16th century tower house and former stronghold of the Fraser family.

Fraserburgh is the last stop on this leg of the journey. Now the biggest shellfish port in Scotland its name literally means the town

of Fraser, the clan that built so many tower houses in the area, including Fraserburgh Castle which is now Kinnaird Head Lighthouse.

The town has a lot to see, including The Museum of Scottish

Photo by VisitScotland / Discover Fraserburgh / Damian Shields Fraserburgh Lighthouse Museum

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Lighthouses, Fraserburgh Heritage Centre, an award winning beach and Fraserburgh Golf Club - the fifth oldest course in Scotland and the seventh oldest in the world.

The town is also home to the

Photo by Harrydelavigne PD Cairness - the great Hemycicle is some 270 ft long and encloses two pavilions and courtyards at the back

internationally important Cairness House, built in the Neoclassical style by renowned 18th century architect James Playfair.

Fraserburgh is famous as the birthplace of a number of notable historical characters, including Thomas Blake Glover. He was the

first non-Japanese person to be awarded the prestigious ‘Order of the Rising Sun’. Nicknamed the Scottish Samurai he helped modernise Japan and his legacy is still revered throughout his adopted country, It is also the home of Charles

Jarvis, the first man to win the Victoria Cross in World War I, and two notable anti-slave campaigners - Charles Rawden Maclean and James Ramsay.

Ramsay is credited with being instrumental in the abolition of the British slave trade in 1807.

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Travel - Hooray for Moray and the beauty of Buchan

Photo by Harrydelavigne CC BY-SA 3.0 Cairness House

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

Photo by Finlay McWalter CC BY-SA 3.0 Pollok Park bridge

Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

by Tracey Macintosh

G

lasgow is a vibrant, multi-cultural city with an impressive range of museums and art galleries. Each has a story to tell of how this small rural settlement on the River Clyde grew to become an industrial powerhouse for the world as well as Europe’s

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City of Culture in 1990, City of Architecture and Design in 1999 and the site of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

As Scotland’s largest metropolis, with a population of just under 1.7 million inhabitants, Glasgow offers a great choice of restaurants, bars, shopping and must-see tourist spots. However,

some of its less well-known gems are worth exploring but often overlooked.

Despite it’s industrial heritage and reputation Glasgow ranks as one of the top 10 cities in the UK for urban green spaces, many of which have some intriguing history.

Botanic Gardens Originally established in 1817, at the Western end of Sauchiehall Street, the gardens flourished and were moved to the current site, just off Great Western Road between 1839 and 1842 in order to accommodate the rapidly expanding collections.

The centre piece of the gardens is Kibble Palace, a jewel in the crown of the city. This impressive collection of glass houses, with a large domed centre piece measuring 150 feet in diameter,

Photo by Stara Blazkova PD Glasgow Botanic Gardens

nurtures a collection of tree ferns, rare orchids and an eclectic mix of plants from Africa, the Americas, the Far East, New Zealand and Australia.

collectors of the 19th century who brought back many of the unusual specimens still thriving today.

Parts of Kibble Palace are akin to a tropical jungle and the juxtaposition of environments provides a natural feast for the senses.

A recent addition to the gardens is a tearoom in the former curator’s house, close to Kibble Palace, which provides visitors with welcome refreshment following their wanderings around the lavish grounds.

Situated just off one of the busiest roads in the city the Botanic Gardens provide a pleasant surprise for visitors who stray through the gates into a living homage to explorers and

In addition to the more exotic plant collections on view inside the glass house there is a great mix of meandering tree lined walks with views to the River Kelvin outside.

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Kibble Palace, Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

Pollok Country Park On the south side of the city

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Pollok House, Pollok Country Park

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another of Glasgow’s beautiful green spaces is Pollok Country Park.

Once a sprawling country estate it now offers wonderful walks through a mix of woodland and

acquired by shipping magnate Sir William Burrell over many years and donated to the city.

The museum design acknowledges its rural setting with huge windows looking on to

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

formal gardens. It is also home to the Burrell Collection, an eclectic multitude of valuable artefacts

Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

Photo by Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) CC BY-SA 4.0 One of the halls of the Burrell Collection

Photo by Johnbod CC BY-SA 4.0 Burrell Collection

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parts of the estate and cleverly accommodates architectural aspects of the collection within its own walls and doorways.

Paintings, stained glass, sculptures, tapestry and various other objects of art spanning five centuries are all beautifully displayed within a modern but sensitive setting.

The park is also the location for Pollok House, the former ancestral home of the Stirling Maxwell family who owned the lands for over 700 years. Gifted to the city in 1966 it is now houses an impressive art collection, featuring paintings by the likes of El Greco, Goya, Rubens and Blake as well as a range of antiques.

Built in 1752 Pollok House became the family’s main residence, although there were no less than three castles built within what is now known as

Pollok Country Park. The most recent was built around 1500 and destroyed in a fire in 1882. The Old Stable Courtyard was built on the site of this castle.

Open to visitors and now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, Pollock House is a great example of Georgian architecture and showcases the grandeur of genteel country living in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Glasgow Necropolis On the more macabre side, Glasgow’s Victorian cemetery established in 1832 houses some incredible tombs, some of which were designed by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Situated to the east of Glasgow Cathedral, and with over 50,000 burials, the Necropolis is on a raised area overlooking the city.

Predating the Necroplis, the first statue of John Knox, erected in Scotland in 1825, can be found surveying the cemetery from its uppermost point. Although Knox is buried in Edinburgh, close to St Giles Cathedral, his grave was paved over and now lies beneath a parking area.

An interdenominational burial site from its conception the Necropolis is thought to have been inspired by Pere LaChaise in Paris with its landscaped, decorative parkland. The views to Glasgow Cathedral and over the city are pretty impressive.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Charles Tennant are among the well known figures now at rest in Glasgow’s city of the dead but one of the most poignant memorials is that to still born children. It is located just inside the gates and before the Bridge of Sighs.

Guided walking tours are

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

Photo MSeses CC BY-SA 4.0 Glasgow Necropolis

Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

available. Despite the sombre setting, the landscape led design and the variety and grandeur of some of the intricate Celtic

Glasgow Necropolis

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

crosses and beautifully detailed statues watching over the cemetery makes for an incredibly interesting visit.

Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Ashton Lane, Glasgow

Ashton Lane Ashton Lane in Glasgow’s fashionable West End is a pretty cobbled street just off Byres Road. Home to some lively bars and restaurants the lane has a real continental feel with fairy lights and lots of outdoor seating in the summer.

The lane even has its own movie palace. The Grosvenor Cinema first opened in 1921 and has gone through a number of refurbishments over the years.

Equipped with two screens, each with a seating capacity of 100, the venue has a reputation for offering a range of events. Along with the adjacent Grosvenor Café, serving a variety of food and drinks, the cinema provides more than just a great movie experience.

Pre or post a trip to the movie

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theatre Ashton Lane offers a great extension to a day or night out with plenty of character and a great choice of different flavours and styles of food and drinks.

And, it’s all just short walk from Byres Road subway station.

Britannia Panopticon Glasgow has a number of theatres offering an impressive range of homegrown and touring productions but what’s less well known is that the city is home to the world’s oldest surviving music hall, the Britannia Panopticon.

Located above an amusement centre in the city centre’s Trongate the Britannia first opened in 1857. Untouched and neglected for years it has been given a new lease of life providing a glimpse of the Victorian Music Hall era.

Glasgow’s answer to ‘The

Greatest Showman’, A E Pickard, changed the theatre’s name to the Panoptican, affectionately known by native Glaswegians as the Pots and Pans, in 1906. It’s thought he was inspired after seeing PT Barnum’s travelling show and he added a carnival, freak show, zoo and wax works to the building, each located on a different floor.

By 1896 moving pictures had been added to the programme and at the height of its success the Panoptican entertained up to 1500 people a day over a number of shows.

Throughout its 80 years of entertaining audiences in Glasgow many big names of the Music Hall stage appeared at the Panopticon, including Harry Lauder, Cary Grant and Stan Laurel who debuted there in 1906.

Beneath the salacious joviality of the Music Hall there was a darker

Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems Photo by Stinglehammer CC BY-SA 4.0 Britannia Music Hall, Glasgow

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems Photo by Stinglehammer CC BY-SA 4.0 Britannia Music Hall, Glasgow

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Travel - Six of the best of Glasgow’s hidden gems Photo by Peter Dibdin / VisitScotland A guided tour of the Clydeside Distillery

undertone. Criminal gangs were known to frequent the Panopticon and the crowds of working men were a draw for the city’s prostitutes.

By 1938 tastes had changed and the Panopticon closed its doors and its colourful, often bawdy performances were over.

Following its closure the music hall was bought by a tailor and became a shop and warehouse.

During the Second World War part of the building was used as a chicken farm to provide eggs.

Fortunately the balcony and upper auditorium were left intact.

In the 1990s a charitable body, the Friends of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust, was formed to restore the theatre and today it once again offers a range of performances including traditional music hall shows,

comedy and classic cinema.

Clydeside Distillery A relatively new addition to the city Clydeside Distillery is the first single malt distillery to be built in Glasgow for over a century.

It is situated on the banks of the river from which it takes its name and is within easy walking distance of the Scottish Exhibition Centre, the Hydro performance venue and the Riverside Museum.

The Distillery opened to visitors in 2017 and offers tours and an excellent shop stocking an extensive range of whiskies – a real treasure trove for the enthusiast.

Housed within the old Pumphouse building on Queen’s Dock the new distillery pays homage to Glasgow’s industrial

past and the city’s role at the centre of world trade during the 19th and 20th centuries. The history of Queen’s Dock forms part of the tour and gives a real sense of the bustling port in years gone by while the tasting room offers excellent views over the River Clyde.

The Morrison family, well known in the whisky industry with Morrison Bowmore Distillers and Auchentoshan Whisky within their portfolio, oversaw an extensive refurbishment to create Clydeside Distillery.

It take at least three years of maturing in oak barrels before a spirit can be legally called whisky and as the first casks were filled in 2017 it won’t be long before visitors can buy a bottle or two, putting Glasgow once again firmly on the whisky map.

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History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe Photo by Gunther Tschuch CC BY-SA 4.0 Kilchurn Castle

Formidable fortress on Loch Awe E the numerous branches of Clan Campbell.

killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

Situated at the head of Loch Awe this 600-year-old former Clan Cambell stronghold is one of the most photographed landmarks in Scotland.

Initially the five-storey tower house, with a grand hall, private chambers, cellar and dungeon prison, was built on the rocky island outcrop of ‘Elankylquhurne’ ,or island of Kilchurn, and acted as a power base as the clan extended its influence and territory.

Over the next couple of hundred years the castle underwent a series of renovations, enlargements and changes of fortunes.

The foundations of the fortress were laid in the mid 1400s by Sir Colin Campbell, 1st Lord of Glenorchy, whose family went on to become the most powerful of

Following Colin’s death his son, Sir Duncan Campbell, built up the castle and would probably have gone on to do more improvements had he not been

ven as a ruin Kilchurn castle strikes an aweinspiring pose overlooking the third largest freshwater loch in Scotland and the surrounding countryside of Argyll.

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In the 1690s Sir John Campbell, the 5th Baronet, championed an attempt to pacify the Highlands and turned part of the castle into a military garrison for government troops with the addition of a barracks block big enough to hold 200 soldiers.

History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe Photo by Tom Parnell CC BY-SA 2.0 Kilchurn Castle

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History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe

Much of the military quarters are still standing and it is regarded as the oldest surviving barracks of

Photo by Andrew Mckie CC BY-SA 4.0 Reflections on Loch Awe

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its kind on the British mainland.

An inscription dedicated to the

Earl of Breadalbane and his wife, Countess Mary Campbell dated 1693 can still be seen over the

However, in 1714 following the

death of Queen Anne, Campbell switched allegiance to the Jacobite cause and joined the

Earl of Mar’s rising of 1715.

Unfortunately the rebellion failed

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History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe

front door to the castle.

History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe Photo by Boaworm CC BY-SA 3.0

and when Campbell retuned home he found Kinchurn had been handed over to a

Photo by Remi Mathis CC BY-SA 3.0

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government supporting relative, Alexander Campbell of Fonab, who had fought against the

Jacobites.

Following the Campbells’

History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe Kilchurn Castle engraving by William Miller

elevation to becoming the Earls of Breadalbane the family moved to Taymouth Castle in 1740 and

Kilchurn’s importance diminished.

During the 1745 Jacobite rising

Photo by Tom Parnell CC BY-SA 2.0

the castle was again used as a military garrison by Hannovarien troops taking part in the

Photo by Tom Parnell CC BY-SA 2.0

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History - Formidable fortress on Loch Awe Photo by Tom Parnell CC BY-SA 2.0

‘pacification’ of the Highlands.

The family tried unsuccessfully to sell the castle to the government and in 1760 it was badly damaged by a lightening strike

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and finally abandoned. By 1770 it was in ruins.

Today, the castle is managed by Historic Environment Scotland and is open to the public in

summer. The castle can be reached by boat from Lochawe pier or on foot from the A85 near Dalmally.

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History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration

Photo by Tony Marsh

Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration

by Scott Aitken

A

series of activities to mark the 275th anniversary of the battle of Prestonpans and the 300th anniversary of the birth of Bonnie Prince Charlie are set to take place in East Lothian this autumn.

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The planned programme of events has been adjusted to ensure it will meet social distancing guidelines and will be amended as public health rules change. Other aspects of the anniversary year will also now take place in 2021.

The Battle of Prestonpans on 21 September 1745 was the first

major battle of the last Jacobite Rising.

An army loyal to King James Francis Edward Stuart and led by his son Charles Edward Stuart, alias Bonnie Prince Charlie, achieved a dramatic victory over the Redcoat army loyal to the Hanoverian king, George II, which was led by Sir John Cope.

History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration

Photo by Tony Marsh

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History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration Photo by Tony Marsh

The battle took place in fields between Prestonpans, Tranent, Cockenzie and Port Seton in East Lothian. The victory was a huge morale boost for the Jacobites, and despite their ultimate defeat the following year the battle left an important cultural legacy.

Events planned to mark the

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275th jubilee this year include an Anniversary Weekend from 19 to 21 September 2020, which will include music, poetry, commemoration and remembrance, combined with a diverse and imaginative series of activities engaging with the community and clan groups.

The weekend’s activities will include “Beneath the Thorntree” on 19 September involving an evening of music and storytelling which will be filmed around the battlefield and streamed online as a “watch-party” event.

Based on writings of the time this performance will also bring to life

History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration

some of the stories about how local life was interrupted by this unexpected battle.

On Sunday 20 September a Clans & Regiments Exhibition at Prestonpans Town Hall will reveal details of those who fought at the battle in 1745.

One of the highlights of the exhibition will be a paper replica of the battle with 5,000 handmade figures representing every soldier who took part.

The exhibition will be open that morning with a special preview and commemoration for members of the clans which took part in the

battle.

On the same day a Family Activity Day will be held at Prestonpans Town Hall to allow visitors a chance to chat to soldiers from the rival armies, meet the two commanders, and help refight the battle on the war-game table.

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History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration Photo by Tony Marsh

As well as craft activities, there will also be scheduled music and presentations to keep all the family entertained.

The following day, 21 September, will see a live-streamed Battlefield Commemoration to remember those who fell in battle on both sides. There will be a display of replica banners, readings, and a wreath-laying.

During the day family friendly guided tours of the battlefield will help visitors understand how the battle played out over the landscape.

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Photo by Tony Marsh

History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration In addition to the weekend’s activities there will also be a three-month exhibition running at Haddington’s John Gray Centre from October 2020 until January 2021. It will explore the way the story of the battle has been told in art and literature over the past 275 years.

From now until 20 December children between the ages of 10 and 17 are invited to take part in a project, ‘Victory, Hope & Ambition’ to mark the anniversary of the battle, as revealed in Scotland Correspondent issue 41.

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History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration Due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 outbreak other aspects of the anniversary year will now take place in 2021.

These will include a tour of The Prestonpans 1745 Tapestry, created 10 years ago, that will start with three-month exhibition at the Garioch Centre near the 1745 battlefield of Inverurie in Spring 2021. This will be accompanied by a series of talks and events.

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Photo by Tony Marsh

History - Plan of action for Jacobite commemoration Eighteen months of activity will then climax with a major re-enactment of the Battle of Prestonpans in September 2021.

This large-scale living history event will bring the heritage to life for the widest possible live audience.

The event will provide the opportunity for visitors to come face to face with re-enactors in full character and period dress, and even try hands-on period activities.

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History - Peace from War

Peace from War

Photo by © Chris van Houts

V

eterans recovering from the mental and physical impacts of their military service are following in the footsteps of comrades who died some 200 years ago.

A new report by the charity Waterloo Uncovered has revealed how archaeological work on the battlefield of Waterloo is helping veterans and serving military personnel come to terms with their own experiences.

Published to mark the fifth

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anniversary of the charity, and coinciding with the 205th anniversary of the battle on June 18, 1815, the report highlighted the results of a nine-month pilot project. The Veterans and Military Personnel Support Programme was run in conjunction with the excavation on the Belgian battlefield, where Napoleon’s domination of Europe was finally ended.

Some 50 British and Dutch veterans and serving personnel took part in the dig last

July, alongside a team of archaeologists led by Professor Tony Pollard, Director of the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology at the University of Glasgow.

The excavations examined key areas of the battlefield, including Hougoumont Farm - the scene of a famous episode where soldiers of the Scots and Coldstream Guards regiments foiled a French attack by forcing closed the gates. The dig found evidence of the destruction wrought on the buildings, as well as personal

History - Peace from War Photo by © Chris van Houts

Photo by © Chris van Houts

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History - Peace from War Photo by © Chris van Houts

items such as uniform buttons from the defenders.

The team also examined the

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Mont-Saint-Jean Farm, the location of Wellington’s Field Hospital during the battle. So far the dig has given up grim

evidence of the struggle to save lives, in the form of amputated limbs from the wounded bearing the marks of the surgeon’s saw.

History - Peace from War

In addition the research managed to uncover the ruins of the lost Chateau of Frichermont, located in woods on the Allied left wing.

Incredibly, the sheer numbers of musket and cannon balls from the fierce fighting show just how close the French came to winning

the battle. In all, more than 800 finds were made. “There’s an extra dimension to

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History - Peace from War Photo by © Chris van Houts

working with veterans. Some of our team in Waterloo Uncovered have had first-hand experience of close-quarter fighting. You can

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be kneeling next to them in a trench on the dig and they’ll notice something you haven’t.

That’s a uniquely valuable

perspective for an archaeologist to have,” said Professor Pollard.

The archaeological work went

History - Peace from War

hand-in-hand with a nine-month programme of recovery and rehabilitation for Veterans and Serving Military Personnel.

Participants in the Programme came from a variety of service backgrounds, from Chelsea Pensioners to serving soldiers.

They were set personal goals to overcome challenges such as significant physical, or mental, injury and the struggle to adapt

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History - Peace from War Photo by © Chris van Houts

to civilian life.

These goals included: improving mobility and physical wellbeing; reducing social isolation; building confidence through achieving tasks; learning new skills; managing anxiety and improving mental wellbeing.

Findings from the evaluation process, intended to produce hard, measurable evidence of the impact of the programme, have revealed that 81 per cent of these goals were met “in full, or mostly” while 13 per cent of goals were met “in part”.

In addition, a respected method for measuring mental wellbeing, developed by the Universities of Warwick and Edinburgh was applied.

This revealed an average improvement of 28.8 per cent in the assessed mental wellbeing of participants by the end of the dig,

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Photo by © Chris van Houts

and a sustained improvement of 20 per cent at the end of the ninemonth programme.

The study also assembled a body of qualitative evidence of impact. One participant described the effect of the programme on herself: “Waterloo Uncovered has given me a handrail to life – it has helped keep me focused while dealing with day-to-day stress.”

Support for the work of the charity has also come from Dame Clare Marx, Chair of the General Medical Council, who visited the dig in July 2019:

“Waterloo Uncovered is using a really practical, physical environment to help people with their lives, with their belonging, with their control of what they do,” she said.

Mark Evans, former Captain in the Coldstream Guards and now CEO of Waterloo Uncovered said: “Archaeology isn’t a panacea for all ills, but it can be massively positive for individuals. Our wellbeing and support team is made up of professionals with vast experience. This report shows the evidence of the benefits people can achieve, both in the short term and over a longer period.”

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Photo by Jebulon CC0 1.0 Mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite in Herculaneum, Italy

I

Lost Treasures

t’s the stuff of novels, Hollywood movies and daydreams. Who hasn’t fantasised about discovering a lost treasure hidden in a cave, buried on a desert island or lying forgotten in a suburban attic?

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The world is full of undiscovered artefacts and valuable antiques.

How these treasures became ‘lost’ in the first place is often due to misfortune, conflict or catastrophe.

Ever since mankind learned

to make objects that were practical, valuable or desirable there has been a market for both legitimately traded and stolen items.

Looting is almost as old as civilisation itself. By the time

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Nazi loot stored at Schlosskirche Ellingen WWII

US General Eisenhower, General Bradley and General Patton inspect looted art WWII

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in 332BC grave robbers had already emptied most of the Pharaohs’ tombs and sold the

Photo by McLillo CC BY-SA 3.0 Roman ruins of Pompei

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treasures within to ‘collectors’.

In the 16th century rich European noblemen began to see travel

as an educational experience.

That lead to the popularity of the Grand Tours of the 17th and 18th centuries when the

helped fuel an international trade in antiquities.

And, when you consider most

conquering armies throughout history have regarded the looting of art works as legitimate spoils of war it’s no surprise that items

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

desire to acquire souvenirs and curiosities, especially following the rediscovery of the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum,

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo PD The Amber Room, destroyed in WWII

from one country can, and frequently do, show up in another thousands of miles from home.

During the colonial expansions of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries demand for antiques soared and plunder for personal and institutional reasons became commonplace. The British Empire was certainly no stranger to such practices, especially in Asia, Africa and India, and neither were the French during the Napoleonic years.

In the 20th century some of the world’s greatest treasures were looted, first by the Nazis and then by both the Soviet and Allied armies, resulting in items being

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scattered around the globe.

Many art works, including pieces

by Van Gogh, Raphael and Klimt, were among priceless treasures plundered during WWII. Some have been tragically destroyed or were hidden and their whereabouts remain undiscovered.

Perhaps one of the strangest artefacts to disappear in WWII was an entire room. Nicknamed ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ the Amber Room was given by Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm I to Russia’s Peter the Great as a gift to cement an alliance against Sweden in 1716.

Installed in the Catherine Palace, near St Petersburg, the walls were constructed from 1000lbs of amber backed with gold leaf and embellished with mirrors and ornate carvings.

When the Nazis attacked Russia in 1941 the room was painstakingly dismantled by the invaders and shipped back to Germany where it disappeared.

There are fears it may have been destroyed during the conflict but some people still believe it’s hidden in an underground bunker somewhere.

There are also smaller items which remain elusive, such as eight Imperial Easter Eggs

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Gatchina Palace FabergĂŠ egg

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

created by Faberge for the Russian Tsar in the late 1800’s. Of the 50 eggs commissioned only 42 are accounted for. Anybody who comes across just one of these is in for a huge surprise as they’ve been valued at around £24million each.

It is not impossible that one or more of the eggs are lying forgotten in an attic or basement somewhere. If a £43million, 300yr old Qianlong vase can turn up in a semi-detached house in the London suburb of Pinner, as happened in 2010, maybe a Faberge egg could be under your floorboards.

Sometimes the most wonderful discoveries are those we find accidentally. In July 2019, a medieval Viking chess-piece bought for £5 sold for £735,000.

It was one of a number of pieces discovered in 1831 in the sand dunes of the Isle of Lewis.

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Photo by Christian Bickel CC BY-SA 2.0 DE Lewis chessmen from the Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Known as the Lewis Chessmen 82 pieces are kept in the British Museum and 11 pieces are held by the National Museum of Scotland. However, five pieces needed to complete the four chess sets found in the dunes remained missing.

The piece, made from walrus ivory, sold in 2019 at auction had

been kept in a drawer on the Isle of Lewis for 55 years by a family who had no knowledge of its history or value.

While any of these treasures would guarantee the finder a life-changing recompense the greatest reward would surely be in bringing such splendour back into the world.

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Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

Photo by Elrond CC BY-SA 4.0 Arran

Over the cheese to Arran

E

very time I come to the mainland of Scotland from my home in Shetland, I end up gazing over the sea to Arran from Troon, where I was brought up, and Ayr, where my father still lives. I leave one island behind only to stare longingly at another.

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Arran has always been a magical place for me. In the 1960s and early 1970s it was, for mainland west of Scotland folk, an accessible (an hour by ferry from Ardrossan) but wonderfully separate hotbed of music, bohemian larks and artistic endeavours. It still, for

many Glasgow folk, represents a place of escape, and its casual description as ‘the Highlands in miniature’ is appropriate. It has a proper mountain, Goat Fell, a Munro (over 3000 feet), lush, fertile coastal areas and beaches, forests full of mystery, deer and more. The Highland

Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

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Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

Photo by Sebastian.b. CC BY 2.0 Isle of Arran Distillery

Boundary Fault runs right through it, separating it officially into Highland Lowland areas, and it is both visually and geologically spectacular.

Tourism on Arran has, of course been decimated by Covid-19.

I haven’t visited for a long time and am unlikely to do so this year. However I have, even in my Shetland outpost, been able to enjoy some of the glories of an island which produces some wonderful food and drink. Beer, cheese and of course, whisky.

The basic Arran cheddar cheese, available online from the Arran Cheese Shop, is one of the tastiest you can buy if you like your everyday corpse of milk a little on the tangy side. However, there is a variety of flavoured cheeses available from the island and for once, these - or at least, most of them - are both subtle and convincing. None of your lumps of carelessly squidged-in

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fruit here. I especially recommend the smokey garlic and Arran Mustard cheeses, which come, like all the cheeses, in waxcovered roundels. I bought a couple of the gift packs which arrived promptly in Shetland, were a bargain and came with local biscuits and chutneys.

There is a whisky flavoured Arran cheese, but that is not something I’m prepared to sink my teeth into. Because one of the great and underrated pleasures of life is to combine simple, unflavoured cheese with a glass of whisky, and it’s even better if you can ensure that both products come from the same terroir. Port and Stilton? Try a dram instead.

Whisky IN a cheese is someone else’s idea of flavouring, and you miss out on the alcoholic content, as well as the sheer pleasure of combining liquid and solid on your own terms and in the quantities you choose.

So bringing together the creamy, full-flavoured mature Arran Cheddar with two of the Lochranza Distillery’s single malts is what I’ve done this month.

Arran has two distilleries, these days - the one at Lochranza is 25 years old this summer Lochranza; From there you can hop on the half-hour ferry to Kintyre, and thence to Campbeltown, once Scotland’s whisky capital. Back on Arran there is now Lagg, which only opened to the public last year. Both are owned by Isle of Arran Distillers, and the aim with Lagg is to produce a much peatier spirit than the more mellow Lochranza distillate. Its product will not be available to the public for some time yet, but one advantage of getting old for me is that I can remember visiting the Lochranza site just after it opened, and indeed tasting some of the young products of that distillery when, frankly, they were just that: young and not

Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

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Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

Photo by VisitArran

particularly convincing.

Time works wonders though, and there is a core range of whiskies

Photo by Sebastian.b. CC BY 2.0 Isle of Arran Distillery

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available under the Arran label which go right back to those first distillates, now comfortably aged up to 25 years. I like the 18 year

old but the basic 10-year old is absolutely fine. Especially with cheese.

Arran 10 year old single malt 46% alcohol by volume. Around £34 a bottle.

COLOUR: Attractively amber. Looks like liquid pouring honey, which is appropriate.

NOSE: Very assured, sweet and malty, with the coastal edge you might

expect and the ashy, dank aroma of good barrels in a decent warehouse.

MOUTH: Sweet and then dry. Controlled and non-aggressive, apples and a wee bit of bitterness. Malt extract and honey but with a touch of grit

and salted caramel. Doesn’t need water.

FINISH: Friendly and unabrasive, a hot day on Brodick beach after a drive over the hill to tour the distillery. Cheerful.

NOTES: With cheese (plain Arran cheddar) served on Wooleys of Arran Original oatcakes it provides an excellent combination, adding a real complexity to the textures of creamy cheese and crunchy oatcake.

Arran 18-year old single malt 46% alcohol by volume. Around £80 a bottle.

COLOUR: Dark. Classic, tobacco-juice shade of a well-aged whisky

NOSE: The 10 year old all grown up and full of beeswaxed leather and oak, as befitting its maturity and,

cake.

well, price.

MOUTH: Enough sherry and wood to impress, but the core sweetness and maltiness is still very evident.

Rounded, fragrant and long lasting depth of flavour.Lots of dark chocolate and wedding

FINISH: Rumbles away into the distance like the last wave of the day, with thunder approaching over Goat Fell. But...is it worth paying double the price of the 10-year old?

NOTES: With cheese - for some reason, it gives a much more mouth-filling effect than the 10-year old. Tangier and somehow less enjoyable. The psychology of price awareness? Cheapskate syndrome?

OVERALL: That 10-year-old is more adaptable than its elder sibling when it comes to dairy products, though the 18 year old comes with gravitas and a kind of treacley hauteur. I’d go for the younger dram, though, and not just because I’m a skinflint. It’s a beautiful summary of the island, illustrates the distillate more than the effect of ageing, and at that price, it’s bargain. Say cheese!

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Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

Tasting Notes

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Food & Beverage - A taste of Scotland, Chef in a Kilt with‌.Gordon Howe

Chef in a kilt

with‌.Gordon Howe

Photo by Gordon Howe Ingredients for Roald Dahl soup

Making a meal of memories - Roald Dahl soup

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s a youngster growing up in a poor household in Glasgow I found escapism in the pages of

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my favourite book - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by the late Roald Dahl.

It tells the tale of a child from a poor background who wins a golden ticket, concealed in a chocolate bar. It is a life changing

magnificent translation of this story into the Scots language, Chairlie and the Chocolate Works,

by Matthew Fitt which was published in 2016 to celebrate 100 years of Roald Dahl.

Dundee born Fitt is a children’s author, poet, translator and an acknowledged expert in the Scots language. His version brought back wonderful memories of my first ever experimental cooking and of savouring the flavours, textures and colours of Scottish produce mixed with world spices.

It also gave me an idea!

moment as he is taken on a tour of Willy Wonka’s magical factory full of creative confectionary. For me it was a taste of things to come - my first foray into modern gastronomy creating food for the future.

Recently I discovered a

Lentils, or Dahl as it’s known in India, is a very popular food in Indian cuisine and an ingredient enjoyed by many Scottish households. So, with a little artistic and culinary licence, I decided to create a modern version of this delicious eastern dish with a tartan twist and name it in honour of my favourite childhood author. The result was

my Roald Dahl soup.

The say ‘food is memories’ and my aim was to come up with something different - a recipe that combines deliciously individual Scottish produce to create a memorable sensory experience.

To start off I chose two of Scotland’s world leading brands, a 15-year-old Dalwhinnie whisky from Diageo and Charles Macleod’s multi award winning Stornoway Black Pudding.

The smooth, full bodied whisky has a light fruity palate with just a

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Food & Beverage - A taste of Scotland, Chef in a Kilt with….Gordon Howe

Photo by Gordon Howe

Photo by Gordon Howe

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Food & Beverage - A taste of Scotland, Chef in a Kilt with‌.Gordon Howe

hint of heather, making it a perfect match for the deep flavoured and deliciously moist black pudding.

The combination of both these products along with the best Scottish vegetables and herbs creates a mouthwatering delight.

This hearty lentil soup, infused with Dalwhinnie Whisky 15 and thyme topped with Stornaway black pudding crumb, is deal for almost any occasion.

The Recipe 1 tablespoon Scottish Rapeseed oil 1 large carrot, finely chopped 2 large ribs of celery, finely chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional to taste 1 large cup red lentils 4 large mugs chicken stock 1 whole bay leaf 2 tablespoons lemon juice from 1/2 large lemon 2 table spoons of Dalwhinnie 15 Whisky 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 2 slices of Stornaway black pudding

Directions: In a medium saucepan, heat the rapeseed oil over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped carrot, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine then cover and let the vegetables sweat until the onions are soft

and translucent - about 5 or 6 minutes.

Add the lentils, chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring the saucepan up to a boil then turn the heat down to a slow simmer before adding the whisky. Cover and allow the soup to simmer until the lentils begin to fall apart - about 20 to 24 minutes. Continue to cook on low heat until your desired texture Meanwhile, gently grill the black pudding but be careful not to dry it out. When it’s ready transfer the pudding to a bowl and gently fork it to a fine crumb Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, thyme and add salt to taste and leave to rest for about 5 or 6 minutes.

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Food & Beverage - A taste of Scotland, Chef in a Kilt with‌.Gordon Howe

Photo by Gordon Howe

Food & Beverage - A taste of Scotland, Chef in a Kilt with‌.Gordon Howe

Photo by Gordon Howe

To Serve: Ladle into 4 bowls and sprinkle with a liberal amount of black pudding crumb and serve with small oatcakes on the side. As an alternative to oat cakes try Tattie (Potato) Scones hot off the griddle with lashings of butter and some freshly chopped coriander.

In the unlikely event there are any leftovers the soup can be refrigerated for 4 or 5 days and is suitable for freezing. *Vegetarians and vegans can enjoy this if they substitute Stowaway black pudding for Simon Howie vegetarian/vegan black pudding and replace the chicken with vegetable stock.

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Photo by Gordon Howe

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Food & Beverage - Fine food from Fife

Fine food from Fife

Photos by Bowhouse

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Fife marketplace with a reputation for providing some of the best produce in the country is in the running to win a top accolade in the prestigious Great British Food Awards.

Bowhouse in St Monans, Anstruther has been nominated as a finalist for Best Food Market, the only Scottish outlet of its kind to be included in the category.

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The Great British Food Awards were launched in 2014 to celebrate the country’s finest artisanal produce, as well as the hard-working people behind the scenes. This year, the awards have been expanded with judges including Raymond Blanc OBE, Masterchef’s Monica Galetti, Olly Smith, Eric Lanlard and Miguel Barclay.

As a region, Fife has an unusually

high number of nominations with Ardross Farm Shop, Balgove Larder and The Buffalo Farm all up for the Best Farm Shop in Scotland category. Winners of the UK wide competition will be announced in October.

“I’m delighted to see Bowhouse named as a finalist in the Food Market category among some of the most established markets in the world. I’m equally pleased

Food & Beverage - Fine food from Fife

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Food & Beverage - Fine food from Fife to see the number of other local businesses included in line-up.

It’s clear that this area of Fife is

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excelling at local food and that this culinary landscape is starting to be recognised more widely.

Food from Fife is cleary doing a great job,� said Toby Anstruther, founder of Bowhouse.

Food & Beverage - Fine food from Fife

Since it first opened its doors in 2017 on Balcaskie Estate, Bowhouse has drawn more than

100,000 people to its popular Market Weekend events.

Taking place once a month over two days, the Bowhouse Market includes a changing line up of

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Food & Beverage - Fine food from Fife Scotland’s best food and drink producers, a dedicated street food area, live music and plenty of hands-on food and drink activities and workshops.

However, Bowhouse is more than a market - it has developed a reputation as a place for making.

The hub of local food and drink producers and traders based at Bowhouse includes a miller transforming grains grown in the fields nearby into wholemeal flours; a butcher working with farmers on the estate; organic vegetable farmers; a shellfish producer; and an organic brewery.

In the wake of the Coronavirus crisis the usual weekend markets have been put on hold but Bowhouse has launched an online food market which continues the connection between local producers and their customers.

The Bowhouse Link brings together selected producers and

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allows shoppers to order the food and drink for either contactless pick up or local delivery.

New producers will continue to be added and Bowhouse Link will be expanded even after the current lockdown has come to an end with the aim of making local produce more available to the

public.

The online market opens every Monday morning at 10am and is open for orders until Wednesday afternoon at 1pm. On Thursdays and Fridays the orders are produced and packed ready for delivery across the East Neuk of Fife and collection on Saturday.

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Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed

Collin Van Schayk of VS Distillers filling a barrel

A rum do that’s not to be missed

by Scott Aitken

S

cotland already makes the best whisky in the world, most of the UK’s gin and now the spirit of enterprise has been expanded even further with the emergence of a booming rum sector.

The country’s first Rum Festival gets underway later this month with two days of tastings, talks and unique brand experiences through a series of live-streamed sessions with Scotland’s leading rum distillers and blenders.

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The online event will be staged on Friday 24 July for trade delegates and on Saturday 25 July for public ticket holders to see and enjoy the latest in a rapidly evolving movement.

Festival tasting packs will be sent to ticket holders and will feature an expertly curated selection of rums to help connoisseurs and curious newbies alike to explore the best of Scottish.

This year’s festival features a number of Scottish producers

presenting their rums, including VS Distillers, Brewdog Distilling Co., Matugga Distillers, Wester Spirit Co., Ninefold Distillery, Glasgow Distillery Co., Rumburra Scotland, Spirit of Glasgow and Deeside Distillery.

“This is a great opportunity for the burgeoning Scottish rum sector, and I am delighted to play a part in the inaugural Scottish Rum Festival,” said Dr Kit Caruthers, owner and head distiller at Ninefold Distillery.

“There is a growing band of

Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed Dr Kit Carruthers, owner and head distiller at Ninefold Distillery

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Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed Photo by Stewart Attwood Paul Rutasikwa, owner and head distiller at Matugga Distillers

producers who make rum authentically and honestly here in Scotland, and we’re looking forward to giving everyone a great rum experience.”

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Scotland has a deep rum heritage, dating back to transatlantic trading from the 17th century when Glasgow became a major hub for rum production.

“Scotland’s drinks industry has a global reputation for quality, innovation and craftsmanship.

We’re now entering an exciting time for the country’s growing

Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed

rum scene, to be explored by consumers and producers alike,” said James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food and Drink.

“The Scottish Rum Festival will showcase the new wave of distillers and blenders that are putting Scotland firmly on the global rum map.”

Organised by Jacine Rutasikwa, co-founder of Livingston-based Matugga Rum, the inaugural festival had been due to take place at the Merchants’ Hall in

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Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed BrewDog Distilling Co. - Five Hundred Cuts Botanical Rum

Edinburgh but plans had to be rearranged and a virtual alternative created due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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“We’re going to create an online experience people can jump on between 12.30pm and 9.30pm.

They can be at home with

their tasting pack and join in at anytime to experience some talks, demonstrations and rum chat,” said Jacine.

Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed

“Scottish rum is still quite in its infancy but at the same time it’s a really dynamic arena with lots of producers getting into the mix so

it’s also very exciting.

“For the first time we have originated a Scottish rum

showcase which we will hopefully be able to build upon next year when we can return to a physical event.”

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Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed Scottish Rum Festival tasting set

It’s estimated that currently there are around 15 or 20 rum brands in Scotland but the sector is growing. Just like the number of gin brands has exploded in Scotland over the last few years there are signs that rum could be next.

“We are very much about artisan craft. We make rum from scratch in Scotland, which is quite an undertaking, and we want people to know more about how we are

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making it and the different rum styles we are producing,” added Jacine.

Tickets for the online event cost £34.95 and are available from ScotRumFest.com.

A pack containing 10 rum samples and a Glencairn festival tasting glass will be sent to ticket holders (UK addresses only) and a donation of £5 from the sale of each ticket will be given

to the Scottish Licensed Trade Benevolent Society.

“It’s wonderful to see Scotland’s rum industry come together.

Donations from the festival will help us to provide social, financial or emotional support to trade professionals affected by the coronavirus pandemic, for which we are very grateful,” said Chris Gardner, Chief Executive of the society.

Food & Beverage - A rum do that’s not to be missed

VS Distillers - J. Gow Rum

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Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea Machair tea leaves from Tiree Tea

Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea T here are few things in life more satisfying, refreshing and infused with legendary problem solving qualities than tea.

No other beverage is credited with such power to bring people together, treat shock, calm situations, restore balance and evoke emotions.

The Scots have been drinking tea for more than 400 years, ever since Mary of Modena, the second wife of King James the VII, poured the first cup at

Edinburgh’s Holyrood Palace in 1680.

The Italian-born royal had acquired a taste for the beverage while living in the Netherlands and since then Scots have enjoyed an enduring love affair with the drink that is only surpassed by water in its global consumption.

Two of the most famous names associated with making tea so popular were Scots. James Taylor, who is widely regarded as the father of Ceylon tea, was born in Kincardineshire and Sir Thomas

Lipton, who gave his name to a global brand, started life as a Glasgow grocer.

Indeed, even the blend commonly referred to as English Breakfast is believed to have been devised by an Edinburgh Tea Master to the delight of Queen Victoria who introduced it to London society.

“I do love a good cup of tea. I was brought up in a house where pots and pots of tea were drunk.

It is a very island kind of thing,” said Rhoda Meek, founder of Tiree Tea, a blend of the best

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Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea

quality leaves infused with a range of special ingredients intended to evoke the tranquil

Photo by Alexey Komarov CC BY-SA 4.0 Isle of Tiree

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charm of Scotland’s sunshine isle.

Tiree is a small windswept island

west of Oban where the sound of waves lapping on white sandy beaches combined with a myriad

Just 10 miles long and five

miles wide it is flanked by the relatively warm Gulf Stream and is renowned for its warm and balmy

summer evenings, free from the dreaded Scottish midges.

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Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea

of bird calls fills the air.

Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea

Photo by Milady G CC BY-SA 3.0 A beach on Tiree

Inhabited since at least the Iron Age the population peaked in the 1830s when there were some 4,500 people living on the island.

However, by the second half of the 19th century many chose, or were forced, to leave for a better life in the New World. Between 1848 and 1852 a large number of islanders set sail for Canada.

Today there are less than 700 permanent residents.

In addition to crofting the island’s other main economic drivers have been fishing and tourism - an industry devastated this year by travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 crisis.

However, the island now has a new champion as packets of the specially created Tiree Tea are finding their way across the UK and as far as the USA.

Skerryvore lighthouse

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“Anyone who can’t get to Scotland can now have a cup of island magic sent directly to them

Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea

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Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea

so they can sit back, savour the taste of the Hebrides and let their imagination wander,” said Rhoda, the fifth generation to work the land since her great-greatgrandfather built the family croft in 1891.

Launched in November last year the company already has four special brands inspired by the spirit of Tiree for consumers to choose from.

The Crofter breakfast tea, featuring the image of the family’s 73-year-old little grey Ferguson

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tractor on the packet, is a perfect blend of black teas which stir the senses with a pleasantly nostalgic hint of baler-twine and marauding livestock.

Similarly, Tilley tea is named after the community wind turbine and benefits from an infusion of mint and nettles. Both of these plants can be found all over the island.

It’s a refreshing brew suggestive of the fresh breezes that blow across the treeless landscape.

“There’s wild mint and nettles everywhere I go. Mint spreads

Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea

like wildfire and nettles have long since been used as a food source on the island. They might be a bit prickly but they are full of goodness,” said Rhoda.

Equally unique is the specially created sweet flavoured Machair tea which pays homage to the island’s abundance of flora.

Blended with green rooibos, lemon verbena, nettle, lemon thyme, mallow flowers, red cornflowers and sunflower petals it is reminiscent of the carpet of colourful wild blooms

which inhabit the rich, fertile soil bordering the shoreline.

The fourth blend on the Tiree Tea menu, Gneiss Earl Grey, was inspired by the Skerrvvore lighthouse. Designed by the uncle of Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Kidnapped and Treasure Island, it sits on a reef 11 miles off shore casting its protective beam of light across the ocean.

“When I started the business I thought it would appeal to people who come to the island or locals who have family elsewhere that

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Food & Beverage - Tiree is everyone’s cup of tea would appreciate the connection with home,” said Rhoda.

“But I’ve been surprised by the response. A lot of people have been buying packets and sending them as unique gifts all over the world. I’ve heard of quite a few

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being sent to the USA.” Being island-based the environment, and especially plastic pollution, is something Rhoda is acutely aware of.

“We’re doing our very best to

make sure that we respect the planet. Our tea bags are 100 per cent biodegradable and plastic free,” said Rhoda.

“Even the mail bags we use are biodegradable and are designed to be re-used.”

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Food & Beverage - Gintelligence with... Fiona Holland

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…

Photos by AVVA Gin A selection of botanicals used in AVVA Gin

Fruity, floral heaven from Moray

AVVA Gin

Elgin Original 43 per cent ABV Navy strength 57.2 per cent ABV Original £35 for 70cl Navy strength £40 for 70cl

O

n the fringes of the historic cathedral city of Elgin, not far from the River Lossie, is Moray Distillery Ltd, the home of AVVA Gin. The brainchild of owner and

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distiller Jill Brown, AVVA Gin first burst onto the market in 2016 and is among a small number of Scottish gins which produces its own base spirit, later combining it with a selection of local and traditional botanicals.

Food & Beverage - Gintelligence with... Fiona Holland AVVA’s original and navy strength gins

Formerly an agricultural officer with the Scottish Government, Jill gave up the day job in 2015 to establish the distillery – as well as being close to distilling royalty in Speyside, her small operation was the first in the UK to launch with a Scottish hand-made still.

Named Jessie-Jean after Jill’s grandmothers and fondly known as J-J, the 250 litre still was custom created by Speyside Copper Works and is at the heart of this thoroughly original spirit.

The name AVVA continues this matriarchal influence within Jill’s

brand, meaning grandmother or elder woman in the Indian language of Dravidian.

So what’s it like?

An elegant apothecary style bottle, which has now become quite a well-kent shape within the gin market, is topped with a wooden stopper.

The satisfying pop of removing the cork suddenly gives way to a real whoosh of fruity florals overlaying an unmistakeable juniper-led base with a background hint of spice.

It is summery, fresh and inviting on the nose and you get the first hints of some of the local botanicals which help to make up this well-round offering.

Unlike some gins, where the nose promises great things and the first drop on the tongue does not deliver the same flavours, AVVA Original offers up strong fruitiness, particularly citrus – feels like a burst of satsumas – the gentle caress of local rowan and clover, finished off with a spicy background.

It is unmistakeably a classic

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Food & Beverage - Gintelligence with... Fiona Holland

London dry gin and fills the mouth with its complex and wellrounded flavours.

I used a one to one mix of Fever Tree Naturally Light and no garnish. The distillery

AVVA founder and distiller Jill Brown

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recommends a classic sliver of lime, but, quite honestly, with the already punchy citrus holding its own, I just didn’t feel it was necessary. It went down a treat.

neat gin and it’s oh so easy to reach for the tonic, but I actually loved this one just poured generously over ice and sipped with no additions.

Many people are wary of drinking

On to the 57.2 per cent ABV

Made with the same botanicals,

it is surprisingly mellow on the nose, still promising the same orangey zing, but with the spice less evident and the florals more of an after-note – there is also, however, a tiny hint of vanilla.

Diving in to the neat spirit and the fruity flavours pop on your tongue along with the woody juniper leaving a lovely oily coating in your mouth. Unlike the Original, it does have quite a punch at the back of one’s mouth

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Food & Beverage - Gintelligence with... Fiona Holland

Navy strength (Jill likes 2s, hence the rather odd percentage) and there’s always a soupcon of trepidation as one approaches this hefty level of alcohol.

Food & Beverage - Gintelligence with... Fiona Holland

and I have to say it slightly made my nose tingle and eyes prickle.

But a drop of tonic, on this occasion, makes all the difference.

Again, I didn’t muddle this cocktail with any garnish and went with the same dilution proportions as the original. And what a surprise – the slightly fierce tiger became a rather sweet pussycat, with the florals, for the first time, becoming the prominent edge, followed by the fruit. It definitely has more of a honeyed heart to it than the Original and the heavy juniper fits in happily around it.

Paradoxically, it is surprisingly light in a rather robust way – soft and gentle with lovely tones of summer fruits like plum and strawberry.

In both gins, the authenticity of production and distillation comes to the fore and the rewards are two complex, inviting and wellrounded concoctions. If I were forced to pick one over the other, it would be a neat shot of the original with plenty of ice, but I’d certainly be more than happy to follow it up with its stronger sister.

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Food & Beverage - Gintelligence with... Fiona Holland

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Broadcast - Musical Correspondent... with Tom Morton

Photo by Roger CC BY-SA 2.0 Johnny Armstrong as painted by Henry Hetherington Emmerson in 1886. Now in the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle

Story behind the song‌.

Ballad of Johnnie Armstrong and Let Ramensky Go

S

ome 490 years ago this month the most famous of the Border Reivers, Johnnie Armstrong, and around 50 of his men were executed after being tricked into a meeting with King James V. A member of the powerful Armstrong family Johnnie of Gilnockie castle terrorised the English-Scottish border lands of the early 16th century as he plundered his way across the country with a gang of up to 160 armed men.

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Feared by the English but treated as something of a hero by his own people Armstrong, the youngest son of the Laird of Mangerton, operated a highly successful protection racket collecting payments from landowners and other victims as far south as the River Tyne.

However the Reivers were seen as a thorn in the side of both the Scottish and English authorities as they operated with impunity for many years, playing each side off against the other, and were an obstruction to any

diplomatic moves between the two countries.

In 1530, in an effort to assert the rule of law, Kings James V was determined to put an end to Armstrong’s activities. He sent a letter requesting a meeting for talks and promised safe passage to Johnnie and his men.

In the hopes of getting a pardon from the king for his past activities Johnnie ordered his men to dress up in their finest clothes, as befitting a visit to the Royal Court, and set off from Langholm

Broadcast - Musical Correspondent... with Tom Morton

with Tom Morton

#world #folk #scottish

Music to accompany reading Scotland Correspondent, the world’s only free online magazine dealing with Scotland all things Scottish. scotlandcorrespondent.com 1) Mull Historical Society - Somewhere in Scotland 2) Lori Watson - Johnnie Armstrong 3) Hazey Janes - Girl in the Night 4) Michael Marra - All will Be Well 5) Iona Fyfe - Take Me Out Drinking 6) Claire Hastings - Let Ramensky Go 7) Admiral Fallow - Guest of the Government 8) Dorec-a-Belle - Antonia 9) Malinky - Pad the road with Me 10) Aberfeldy - Love is an Arrow 11) Idlewild -Live in a Hiding Place

with Tom Morton

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Broadcast - Musical Correspondent... with Tom Morton

Reivers raid on Gilnockie Tower

Castle with an entourage that included members of the Elliot, Little and Irvine families.

However, almost as soon as they arrived King James sprung a trap and Johnnie and his men were immediately arrested and hanged as rebels without a trial at Caerlanrig chapel. A memorial to Armstrong and his men can still be seen in the chapel graveyard.

The murder of Johnnie and his men caused a lot of anger in the Borders, especially due the treacherous way the King had lured the men to their deaths, which is still remembered today.

The Ballad of Johnnie Armstrong can be heard in this month’s Musical Correspondent podcast beautifully performed by Lori Watson.

Another song with a great story behind it which features in this month’s show is Claire Hastings’

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rendition of Let Ramensky Go. It’s mystery why nobody has yet made a television series about Johnny Ramensky. The Glasgow safe breaker who parachuted behind enemy lines and is credited with stealing vital military documents from top ranking Nazis which helped save the lives of thousands of Allied soldiers Although the line between fact and fiction surrounding the exploits of this career criminal have been blurred over the years there’s no doubt Ramensky was a colourful character.

The son of Lithuanian immigrants he was born in Lanarkshire in 1905 but spent his childhood in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. In and out of trouble from the age of 11 he soon learned his trade as a safecracker and, combined with amazing physical strength and acrobatic ability, made his living as a burglar.

From the age of 18 Ramensky was in and out of prison, serving jail terms at Barlinnie and Peterhead. In total he spent about 40 of his 66 years behind bars.

However, during the Second World War, he was offered a pardon to put his expert knowledge of explosives and safe breaking to good use. He was released from prison for special commando training and dropped behind enemy lines to steal documents, including codes books, maps and orders, from the safes of high-ranking Nazi officers, including, it is alleged, Rommel and Goebbels.

When the Allies invaded Italy he was tasked with breaking into safes in newly captured areas and on one day alone was credited with opening 14 of them.

After the war Ramensky returned to crime and inevitably prison, when he wasn’t escaping.

Broadcast - Musical Correspondent... with Tom Morton Photo by DeFacto CC BY-SA 4.0 Memorial at Spean Bridge to the Commandos of which Johnny Ramensky was one

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Broadcast - Musical Correspondent... with Tom Morton Photo by Sagaciousphil CC BY-SA 3.0 Peterhead Prison

Listen here Over the years the naturally gifted acrobat and trained commando escaped from Peterhead prison, Scotland’s most secure jail, no less than five times.

Throughout his escapes Ramensky would often visit friends and would always

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surrender without a struggle when caught, earning him the nickname of Gentle Johnny.

When he died in 1972, aged 66, in Perth prison his obituary simply described him as: “Johnny Ramensky, safe blower extraordinary, hero of World War II commando exploits behind enemy lines, ace jail breaker and

almost legendary figure of the Scottish crime world.”

His remarkable story is recounted in this month’s Musical Correspondent show alongside performances from Mull Historical Society, Hazey Janes, Michael Marra, Iona Fyfe, Admiral Fallow, Doric-A-Belle, Malinky, Aberfeldy and Idlewild.

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Activities - A round with…Michael Buchan

A round with... Michael Buchan

The 1st hole at Royal Aberdeen

A jewell in the crown of Links Golf

A

t the northern edge of the city of Aberdeen, just across the River Don, sits the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. Located at the start of a majestic run of pure links land stretching as far north as the River Ythan estuary and along the Sands of Forvie to the tiny fishing village of Collieston. Just around the cliff edges lies Cruden Bay.

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This epic coastline is home to several pure and classic links courses such as Murcar Golf Club, Trump International Golf Links and, the lesser known but very enjoyable, Newburgh on Ythan Golf Club.

Royal Aberdeen was founded in 1780 and is believed to be the sixth oldest golf club in the world.

It began life as the ‘Society of Golfers at Aberdeen’ and evolved to become the Aberdeen Golf Club in 1815.

This impressive Links course is closely associated with the origins of golf. The earliest reference to a golf hole in Scotland was made in the local Aberdeen records dating right back to 1625. The location

of the hole is believed to have been on the Queens Links area of Aberdeen.

In 1676 play was expanded over the Kings Links area to the north, which today is home to three Aberdeen Golf Clubs – The Caledonian Golf Club, The Bon-Accord Gold Club and The Northern Golf Club.

In 1888 Aberdeen Golf Club moved to its present location at Balgownie Links on the northern side of the River Don estuary.

Some 15 years later, in 1903, when the club gained the patronage of King Edward VII it changed its name to the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.

The course, originally designed

by revered architects Archie Simpson and Robert Simpson, was later re-bunkered and lengthened to its current layout by James Braid in the very early 20th century.

Since its expansion the club has hosted many top level golf tournaments, both amateur and professional, including the European Tour Scottish Open in

The 12th green at Royal Aberdeen

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Activities - A round with‌Michael Buchan

www. bandbgt.com

Activities - A round with‌Michael Buchan

2014, The Men’s Senior Open Championship in 2005 and The Walker Cup Matches in 2011.

Photo by VisitAberdeenshire The 1st hole at Royal Aberdeen

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The course is something of two halves. The front nine along the shore of the North Sea navigates

some natural dune formations and has been hailed as one of the finest in links golf anywhere in the

The inland nine is flatter but

equally challenging with undulating fairways and tricky bunkers.

The course has an excellent balance of holes including some strong par 4’s, precarious par 3’s

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Activities - A round with…Michael Buchan

world.

Activities - A round with‌Michael Buchan

and two excellent par 5’s. The superb 147-yard signature eighth hole is protected by no less than nine bunkers.

Photo by VisitAberdeenshire

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Exposed to the vagaries of the prevailing sea breezes that whip long the coast and around the tight rolling fairways and

protected greens makes for an enjoyable challenge for any golfer looking to test themselves on the Balgownie Links. Indeed, such

2005 Senior Open Championship.

“There are few courses in these islands with a better, more testing, more picturesque outward nine

than Balgownie,” said Sam McKinlay, the eminent Scottish golf writer on his experiences at Royal Aberdeen.

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Activities - A round with…Michael Buchan

is the stimulation provided by the combination of design and nature that the course was highly praised by participants in the

Activities - A round with…Michael Buchan View of the clubhouse and pro shop

In addition to Balgownie Royal Aberdeen can boast The Silverburn. At 4,021 yards long this par of 64 course is traditionally used by the Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club, who have their own clubhouse situated just across from the main Royal Aberdeen Clubhouse.

It is also used as a practice range when Royal Aberdeen hosts top level tournaments - and there have been many over the years, including the Scottish Amateur, which Aberdeen has hosted seven times; the Jacques Leglise Trophy; the 2005 Senior British Open Championship; the 2011 Walker Cup and the Scottish Open on the European Tour.

The 18th green during the Walker Cup 2011

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Royal Aberdeen stands comfortably alongside the greats of Scottish Links. It is definitely a bucket list course for the golf purist and a ‘must play’ destination for visitors to the North East of Scotland.

Activities - A round with‌Michael Buchan

Photo by VisitAberdeenshire

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Activities - A round with…Michael Buchan 18th green with clubhouse and pro-shop in background

*Michael Buchan is one of the founding directors of Buchan & Byers Golf Tours Ltd

Factbox:

• Location: Balgownie Links, Aberdeen • Year Established: 1780 with a change of name in 1888 • Length: 6,861 yards • Par: 71 • Signature Hole: 8th • Course Record: 64 • Best played: Summer / Autumn The 15th green

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Activities - A round with‌Michael Buchan

The 17th green

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Things are looking up at Nevis Range N evis Range, Scotland’s leading mountain biking, outdoor activities and snow sports centre, is planning to reopen this month in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions being eased.

Staff at the resort have been working flat out to put new safety steps in place, including thermal screening, increased cleaning procedures and social distancing measures.

“We have been working closely with the Scottish Government

since the start of the lockdown.

We are extremely pleased to be able to announce that Scottish Tourism Businesses will be able to reopen on 15 July,” said Chris O’Brien, Chief Executive at Nevis Range who stressed that the re-opening plans are subject to change should there be any flare ups with the virus.

Although the centre will be open for business the two metre social distancing rules will remain in place. Eating in restaurants will only be possible to limited numbers of people and use of

the Mountain Gondola will be restricted to single passengers or groups of two or more that have travelled to Nevis Range together.

Everyone will be required to wear face coverings.”

Initially the plan is open the centre five days a week only, from Wednesday to Sunday with exceptions around bank holidays, throughout the rest of the summer.

“Over the next few weeks, we will start to advertise Nevis Range products and bookings

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Activities - Things are looking up at Nevis Range

Photos by Nevis Range

Activities - Things are looking up at Nevis Range in conjunction with all of the new measures that the business will be taking to ensure our compliance with current guidelines,� said Mr O’Brien.

Traditionally Nevis Range’s usually attracts around 75 per

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cent of its annual visitors between May and September. However, in 2020 the overwhelming majority of this market has been unavailable due to the nature of the coronavirus restrictions.

The Covid-19 Lockdown also

came at the worst time for Scottish snow sports enthusiasts who would have had some of the best spring conditions in years at Nevis Range. With a good amount of snow falling in March the centre had more than enough coverage to offer snow sports

Activities - Things are looking up at Nevis Range

activities well into May. Chris O’Brien said that, notwithstanding the problems caused by Covid-19, Nevis Range aimed to keep delivering quality outdoor activities and events for customers all year round.

“Despite all of the challenges and tough decisions we are having to make as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is still a mood of cautious optimism among the team,” he said.

been cancelled due to funding pressures, we are continuing with our Blue Bike Track, a new blue graded, uplift accessible, trail and hope to have that open in May 2021.”

“While many of our projects have

“The Trail Building team have

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Activities - Things are looking up at Nevis Range

been able to get back to work on this exciting new project which will be a massively attractive new addition to the resort’s extensive network of mountain bike trails.

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The cross-country trail will allow less confident riders to head higher up Aonach Mor and enjoy views as far as the Isle of Skye.�

The Nevis Range Mountain Experience lies seven miles north of Fort William, and south of Spean Bridge. It was opened in 1989 to develop a skiing and

One of its biggest attractions,

the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola, is unique in Britain. It whisks some 200,000 visitors each year up the mountain to enjoy the spectacular views while

engaging in scenic walks, biking, snow sports or just enjoying a meal or drink in the Snowgoose restaurant.

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Activities - Things are looking up at Nevis Range

tourism facility on the mountain of Aonach Mor in the shadow of Ben Nevis.

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Arts - Dream inspiration Photo by Rxch Porter Sean C Kennedy

Dream inspiration

by Scott Aitken

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Scots singer-songwriter who swapped Ayrshire for Tennessee has just released his latest recording to critical acclaim.

Sean C Kennedy’s new EP consists of eight songs exploring the artist’s personal experiences of understanding life, seeing the beauty in everything and the power in vulnerability.

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It is the Irvine-born performer’s first body of work since moving from the west of Scotland in 2018 to Nashville, the musical capital of the USA.

touch base with a more electronic pop feel, but never lose sight of the importance of lyrics and message.

The uplifting and positive song, ‘Let Life Love You’ was written by Sean as a way of exploring new styles away from the country-folk he presented on his debut album ‘77’ back in 2015.

“Even though I might have thought to be writing about other people at the time, in the end it turns out all of the songs are about myself too,” said Sean who has called it his most personal work so far.

Most of the songs on the new EP

The title track of the EP, ‘Let Life

Arts - Dream inspiration Photo by Sara Miller

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Arts - Dream inspiration

Love You’, was inspired by a dream his sister had in which their grandma came to her. On

Photo by Sara Miller

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the track itself there are actual soundbites of their grandma reading to their niece.

“Success to me isn’t measured in money or awards, but in how people perceive your music. I’m

Irvine, Ayrshire.

Although brought up surrounded

by music he initially tried for a career as a soccer player until a knee injury put an end to his

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Arts - Dream inspiration

just putting it out there to connect with people,� said Sean, who was born into a musical family in

Arts - Dream inspiration Photo by Rxch Porter

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Arts - Dream inspiration

sporting dreams.

It was while recovering from his injury that Sean discovered a talent for songwriting and singing, drawing inspiration and influence from the likes of Prince, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayer, Amos Lee and others.

Like many young musicians Sean learned the ropes playing in a local band before finding success working with established artists and producers, including Fred Mollin, Andy Taylor of Duran Duran and Nik Kershaw.

Sean’s debut album ‘77’ led to him winning the Scottish Alternative Music Award in 2015.

Over the next three years he worked around Europe and the USA before eventually relocating to Nashville, Tennessee in 2018.

Since then he’s made his Bluebird debut, played shows at many of Nashville’s famous venues and started working with established writers and producers in the area.

His EP ‘Let Life Love You’, is his first release since moving to Nashville. Six of the songs on the EP have already racked up two million plays.

Photos by Rxch Porter

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Arts - An actor’s life for me... by Scott Kyle

An actor’s life for me with... Scott Kyle

On the set of Kajaki

Roles and responsibilities

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s an actor I am fortunate to get to play many different parts. Some are fun and frivolous while others require a degree of responsibility that goes far beyond merely putting in an entertaining performance.

Outlander was obviously

extremely enjoyable. As Ross the blacksmith I got to play alongside some fantastic actors, such as Stephen Walters, Sam Heughan and Catrionna Balfe. It was an amazing time in my life. I learned a lot working with such a terrifically talented cast and crew and had a wonderful experience.

As with any role I had a duty to play my character to the best of my ability but as he was purely fictional there was a lot of latitude I could bring to the part.

I spent a lot of time preparing by reading up on history and drawing on personal experiences to get into the right mindset, especially the scenes around

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Arts - An actor’s life for me... by Scott Kyle the Battle of Prestonpans, But, it didn’t ultimately matter because Ross wasn’t real. Creating a character from a page or your own imagination is far easier than playing a living person.

One of the most daunting tasks I’ve ever faced was getting cast in Kajaki / Kilo Two Bravo and playing the part of soldier Stu Pearson.

Although he would deny it Stu is, without a doubt, a real live hero. He’s got the Queen’s Gallantry Medal to prove it. What he did and endured as a soldier in Afghanistan is the stuff of nightmares.

Having to portray him on the big screen, without falling in to the trap of doing a bad impersonation or creating a caricature, was a nerve-wracking task, especially when he was ultimately looking over my shoulder. I must have done okay though as we became

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Sharing a pint with Stu Pearson

great friends and still meet up for a drink occasionally.

and suffering - a masterclass in selflessness.

Getting to know Stu, talking with him and some of the men he served alongside, was an education. These were ordinary guys in an extraordinary situation who looked after one another in the face of great personal danger

Stu lost his leg in combat yet he continues to do his best to help others. Drawing on his own experiences he has often appeared as an ambassador for the army’s medical rehabilitation services and regularly does

One of the reasons, I think, Stu and I get along so well is that we both share an optimism for life and we look for lessons from our personal experiences that we can share with others.

As mentioned in a previous column I’ve been fortunate to have spent some time during the Covid-19 lockdown working for a charity that helps people to live independently in their own homes. It’s been a great experience and has got my wife Karen and I thinking.

My new niece

We realise we are very fortunate to have a nice house, garden and the time to devote to helping others when we can.

I know that when I was a younger I was really grateful for help when it was needed. As a result I’ve always tried to give something back by paying it forward, it’s a philosophy for life that has served me very well.

When I sponsored a youth football team it was because somebody did it for me when I was a wee boy playing for a team.

I could never have been able to afford to buy a football shirt myself back then.

It’s the same with a lot of the acting workshops I do for youngsters. I do them because somebody took time to do it for me. I firmly believe that if I can return the favour, even after all these years, then I should.

Finally, some more exciting news!

I got another new role in June when I became an uncle for the seventh time.

My younger brother Steven and his partner Hayley had a 7lbs 15oz baby girl on 8 June. I’m glad to say Gabriella and her mum are doing really well.

Karen and I have not been able to go and see her just yet because of the lockdown restrictions but we will as soon as we can. We are both really looking forward to getting that first cuddle.

Photo by Gerry McCann Everyone needs a leg up now and again

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Arts - An actor’s life for me... by Scott Kyle

events to raise money for charities. He uses his experience to coach others on enduring physical hardship and the importance of perseverance, determination and resilience to overcome adversity.

17th April 2021

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Arts - Bookmarker

Bookmarker Personal journeys shortlisted for oldest book prize

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dazzling array of books showcasing themes such as crossing borders, identity and personal transformation has been shortlisted for Britain’s longestrunning literary prizes.

Contenders for this year’s James Tait Black Prizes feature journeys across perilous national boundaries, into interior lives, and through families’ dramatic histories.

The prizes are for the best work of fiction and biography during the previous 12 months. They are the only major British book awards judged by literature scholars and students.

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Nominees for the £10,000 fiction prize include a story told from the perspective of a middle-aged Ohio woman and a novel about a group of migrants travelling from Africa to Europe.

The other nominated titles are a collection of short stories exploring the journey of seven characters’ lives in different parts of the world, and the imagined story of a Nigerian school girl kidnapped by Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group.

The four novels shortlisted for the fiction prize are: Ducks by Lucy Ellmann (Galley Beggar Press); Travellers by Helon Habila (Hamish Hamilton, an imprint of Penguin); Sudden Traveller by

Sarah Hall (Faber & Faber); Girl by Edna O’Brien (Faber & Faber).

The shortlist for the £10,000 biography prize includes a poet’seye view of war in El Salvador, and a debut collection of essays about the body, grief and motherhood.

Also in the running is a study of a group of young black women in early 20th century America and a memoir by a poet whose mother was a survivor of the Holocaust.

The four biographies shortlisted for the prize are: What You Have Heard is True by Carolyn Forché (Allen Lane); Constellations: Reflections from Life by Sinéad Gleeson (Picador); Wayward

Arts - Bookmarker

Photo by Don J. Usner Carolyn Forche

Sinead Gleeson

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Arts - Bookmarker Saidiya Hartman

Photo by Marzena Pogorzaly George Szirtes

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The winners of both prizes will be announced in August at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which will take place online this year. The event celebrating the eight titles will be part of the festival’s virtual programme.

“At our trying hour of staying home, these four dazzling works of fiction supply nourishing forms of travel – around the world, across perilous borders, and into the thoughts of compelling characters whose personal and political emergencies demand our attention,” said Dr Benjamin Bateman, a judge for the fiction category.

Biography judge, Dr Simon Cooke said: “Whether crossing distances to bear witness or writing the life of one’s own body, recovering lives through the archive or in one’s own family, each of these luminous books is a work of amazing artistic daring, imagination, and integrity. With challenges of isolation, distance and proximity such keynotes, these perfectly pitched voices draw us into the lives of others and ourselves with exhilarating urgency and patience.”

The James Tait Black Prizes have been presented by the University of Edinburgh every year since 1919. In 1918 Janet Tait Black née Coats, part of the renowned thread making family J & P Coats, made provision in her will for the creation of two book prizes, to be awarded annually in memory of her husband, James Tait Black.

they are judged. Each year two academic judges rely on the help of postgraduate student readers to critically assess the entries.

Each year around two dozen students divide the 400-plus entries between them, and employ their literary training to pass on their recommendations to the judges, who select the two shortlists and the eventual winners.

In 2013, the awards were extended to include a new category for drama. Since 2017 the University has also been running a MOOC in partnership with Edinburgh International Book Festival. The free online course – called ‘How to Read a Novel’ – draws on the James Tait Black fiction shortlist, and has attracted more than 30,000 participants from across the globe.

The James Tait Black Prizes are distinctive in the way that

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Arts - Bookmarker

Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Social Upheaval by Saidiya Hartman (Serpent’s Tail); and The Photographer at Sixteen: The Death and Life of a Fighter by George Szirtes (MacLehose Press).

Supernatural - Strange Tales from Scotland’s Thin Places with... Thomas MacCalman Morton

Strange tales from Scotland’s thin places with...Thomas MacCalman Morton

Ronas Voe

Samuel Pepys’s Shetland war crime S outh House in Heylor, Ronas Voe is one of the oldest houses in Shetland still habitable, and it is named on the 1641 Henricius Hondius map of the islands.

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In the week before the compulsory lockdown, I self isolated there in what is now, for the most part, a holiday cottage, as I was betraying some worrying symptoms, and it was important

to not infect my wife, who is a working doctor. Fortunately they came to nothing, but it was a chance to reacquaint myself with a house and a location which is very special. And very much one

https://anchor.fm/tom-morton4/episodes/Strange-Tales-from-thin-Places-The-Brogans-ee7lbu

Listen here of those strange and thin places, with many tales intertwining with its history.

Ronas Voe is the longest and steepest-sided sea loch, or voe, in Shetland, and the nearest thing to a Fjord the islands possess. It is over shadowed by the highest peak in Shetland, Ronas Hill, the ‘Ro’ referring to its red granite.

The voe itself was of course an important anchorage, both for the herring fleets and indeed for whalers bringing their catches to the busy stations at the end of the Voe. It is a place where you can feel the history, I always think, where once it was possible to walk right across the voe to Abram’s Ward from the beach called the Blade and never get your feet wet, such was the clustering of fishing boats.

The old shop, now roofless, was a thriving centre of trade and there was even a trackway. Until recently bits of the old bogies were being used to hold down boats by the shore.

But it’s also a place of tragedy,

battle and possibly mass murder.

And one of the most one-sided and ignominious victories the Royal Navy ever fought.

The Wapen Van Rotterdam, captained by Jacob Martins Cloet, was an 1100-ton Dutch East Indiaman armed with 60 or 70 cannon and with a company of soldiers aboard. In December 1673 she set sail from the Frisian Islands, bound for the Dutch East Indies.

There was a war on. The Third Anglo-Dutch war meant the Royal Navy had a stranglehold on the Wapen Van Rotterdam’s obvious route through the English Channel, so she headed nortaboot. Bad weather took its toll, she was dismasted, lost her rudder and, with southerly winds prevailing and using who knows what variety of jury rig, she was steered into the shelter of Ronas Voe for repairs.

And couldn’t get out again. A lack of usable wood and the continuing southerlies meant she was stuck through the winter, trading gin and tobacco with the Heylor folk, who were more than likely very familiar with Dutch

seafarers and fishermen. They probably quite enjoyed the fresh Genever and other goods the just-out-of-port East Indiaman had aboard. It’s possible that the ordinary people of Northmavine had little notion they were technically at war with the stranded sailors, thanks to the Union of the Crowns under James VI of Scotland and I of England in 1603.

Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington

But someone did, probably a local minister or laird. The Admiralty in London was tipped off, and in February 1674 a flotilla of four ships was sent north to capture the Dutch vessel.

HMS Cambridge, captained by Arthur Herbert (later the Earl of

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Supernatural - Strange Tales from Scotland’s Thin Places with... Thomas MacCalman Morton

Photo by Ronnie Robertson CC BY-SA 2.0

Supernatural - Strange Tales from Scotland’s Thin Places with... Thomas MacCalman Morton

Samuel Pepys

Torrington); HMS Newcastle, captained by a man with very unlikely name, John Wetwang (later Sir John Wetwang); HMS Crown,captained by Richard Carter; and Dove, captained

by Abraham Hyatt. Dove was wrecked on the way north.

We have the legendary diarist

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Samuel Pepys, Chief Secretary to the Admiralty for the detail of what followed, and some of the nefarious, greedy skulduggery, deliberate ignorance or confusion which led to massive bloodshed.

Pepys was keen that everything be done swiftly, and for a very good reason. A peace treaty had been signed between Holland and

Great Britain. Unless the Navy moved fast, they would have no excuse to take that Ronas Voe prize. Pepys stated the orders were “at the desire of the Royal Highness (Charles II)”, pointing out on 21 February that the Treaty of Westminster concluding the war was expected to be published within eight days, and

any subsequent hostilities were to last no longer than 12 days. The Treaty of Westminster had in fact been signed two days prior to this letter being sent, and was ratified in England the day previously.

The three RN ships remaining - Cambridge, Newcastle and Crown, finally engaged with the Wapen Van Rotterdam on 14 March. One day after Pepys’s original 20 day deadline and 23 days after the signing of the Treaty of Westminster. The war was over. But not the shooting.

There are no details of the battle, though it must have been incredibly one sided. The three Royal Navy vessels had a rudderless, dismasted ship to deal with in a very confined area, and a Dutch crew and soldiers almost certainly unsuspecting and unready for conflict. Nevertheless, Captain Cloet decided to fight it out. And he may even have fired the first shot. It was hopeless.

Photo by Roy Mullay CC BY 4.0 Bar shot relic of the Battle of Ronas Voe

The tragedy is that of the 400 men aboard the Wapen Van Rotterdam, only 100, the captain among them, were transferred to the Crown as prisoners.

Some may have been taken aboard other British ships, but it is horrifyingly possible that the ‘Hollander’s Grave’ at Heylor marks the burial place of 300 Dutch soldiers and sailors. It is also possible that some had deserted and that even to this day, their bloodlines run through Shetlanders.

As for the Wapen Van Rotterdam, she was towed to Harwich and then the Thames, the crew were sent home and the ship’s contents auctioned (full details were kept and if you search online, you can find that 21 puncheons of vinegar went for £84, equivalent to £12,190 today). That she was fit to be towed makes one wonder how much damage was done to her during the battle, and if so many Dutchmen were killed, how that happened without sinking the East Indiaman. At any rate, the Royal Navy captains were well

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Supernatural - Strange Tales from Scotland’s Thin Places with... Thomas MacCalman Morton

Action during the war with Holland depicted by The Burning of the ‘Royal James’ at the Battle of Solebay 1672. PD-Art

Supernatural - Strange Tales from Scotland’s Thin Places with... Thomas MacCalman Morton

Photo by Ronnie Robertson CC BY-SA 2.0 Ronas Voe

rewarded in prize money, and the Wapen Van Rotterdam herself became HMS Arms of Rotterdam, ending up as an unarmed hulk.

The only mention made of the uncertain legality of the battle came from Samuel Pepys, who told Captain Herbert that the House of Lords had commented: “Long may the civility which you mention of the Dutch to his Majesty’s ships continue.” No more fighting, lads. Or if there is, make sure the war is still on.

The site of the “Hollanders Grave” is marked today with a small stone and plaque, a piece along the shore from the crab factory towards the Blade. It’s possibly the site of a war crime. When you walk down there in the simmer

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Photo by John Dally CC BY-SA 2.0 The Chaa-ans and Hollanders Grave, Shetland

dim, the endless light of the Shetland summer, it has a very poignant atmosphere.

But when the sea fog rolls in like a living creature, the wind drops and the air assumes an odd deadness, a lack of echo, you can imagine shapes moving there, dozens, hundreds of them.

And amid the murmur of sea on shingle, sheep bleating and seabirds ticking and squawking, you may think you hear conversations.

Dutch is a difficult language, though, if you’re not a native speaker…

Supernatural - Strange Tales from Scotland’s Thin Places with... Thomas MacCalman Morton

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Silver service for property owners

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new boutique service for busy families, second home owners and property buyers has launched in Edinburgh to cater for the growing number of people investing in Scotland.

RJB aims to offer a variety of concierge services to owners and investors across the capital, and further afield, to make life easier and provide help with buying, selling, renovating and maintaining their property.

“Building on over 15 years’ experience in the sector, I’ve devised a spectrum of services that I know our clients actually need; ones that we are able to deliver to the highest standard.

Our purpose is to bring our experience, knowledge and unrivalled network of suppliers to property projects across Edinburgh,” said Rhea Balfour, founder of RJB Property Consultants and Surveyors.

and concierge services in Edinburgh.”

“There’s a huge gap in the market for private property management

Increasing interest in high-end properties especially saw the

In recent times Scotland in general and Edinburgh in particular has become a big attraction for cash-rich second home owners and property investors.

Last year the Scottish capital saw house prices rise by 5.4 per cent, the highest of any city in the UK.

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Living Scotland - Silver service for property owners

Rhea Balfour

Living Scotland - Silver service for property owners

number of homes over £1million sold in Scotland rise by 21 per cent between 2018 and 2019 compared to 5 per cent in the rest of the UK.

“Scotland is definitely good investment. It’s such a big pull for people. Everybody who comes here falls in love with the place and wants to return again and

Rhea Balfour, founder of RJB Property Consultants and Surveyors

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In addition to Edinburgh many

buyers are seeking out bargains in Glasgow, St Andrews and various areas of the Highlands.

Historic homes, traditional estates and modernised luxury

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Living Scotland - Silver service for property owners

again. There is so much to offer here it’s a good place for people to invest in,� said Rhea.

Living Scotland - Silver service for property owners Photo by Andrew Colin CC BY 2.0 Edinburgh

conversions are all in growing demand.

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“We’ve had quite a lot of queries from people in London, Singapore, Dubai and elsewhere

looking to invest and buy property in Scotland,” said Rhea, who is a fully qualified surveyor and

Living Scotland - Silver service for property owners

RICS Registered Valuer with expertise in all areas of residential valuation work, commercial/

SIPP valuations, EPCs and land/ crofting valuations.

“The other group of people we’ve had a lot of interest from is parents of children at school

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Living Scotland - Silver service for property owners or university in Edinburgh. They want to buy a second property so they have somewhere to stay when they come to visit and it is a good investment. And because they are not here all the time they

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need somebody who can look after the property and make sure it is ready for them when they want to use it. “We pride ourselves in delivering

a personal, trustworthy and effortless service and we want to bring a refreshed perspective to the industry in Edinburgh,� said Rhea.

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Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change Photos by Galbraith Brylach Steading dates from 1873

Chance for a lifestyle change

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traditional stone-built steading nestled in the stunning Speyside Valley presents a fantastic lifestyle opportunity as it goes on sale through Galbraith.

Dating from 1873 Brylach Steading was originally a closed courtyard built for use as the carriage house and stables for the nearby Glen of Rothes House, originally a family estate and shooting lodge until the Second World War and now a private family home.

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Located within an easily accessible yet rural setting just a few miles south of Elgin, Brylach includes about 1.9acres of private wooded grounds with stunning views overlooking the Glen of Rothes.

The building is category B listed and was converted relatively recently into four separate dwellings, the principle house, Brylach and three separate cottages, The Hayloft, Coachmans and The Bothy.

Brylach is occupied by the present owners while The Hayloft and The Bothy have both been successful AirBnb lets over the past year. Coachmans has been occupied on a longer term let.

“This steading conversion has been well thought out to offer four individual properties of good proportions. The principle house has three / four bedrooms and the cottages offer between one and two bedrooms, with the quirky clock tower retained within the Coachmans’ accommodation,”

Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change

Brylach workroom stained glass window

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Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change

said Rod Christie, partner at Galbraith in Elgin handling the sale.

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“Located in Speyside, the home of Scotch Whisky, in Moray, the county is famed for its rich and

varied scenery with spectacular long sandy beaches, links golf courses and wide skies on the

“The properties are in good condition and would lend themselves brilliantly for use

either as short-term holiday or longer-term residential lets. This presents a profitable business

Brylach Steading was originally a closed courtyard built for use as the carriage house and stables for the nearby Glen of Rothes House

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Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change

low ground and heather clad hills in the uplands to the south.

Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change opportunity which would exploit the wide range of outdoor pursuits this beautiful region has

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to offer.  “With many reassessing their

current lifestyle as a result of the pandemic, a property of this nature and presenting a viable

Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change

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Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change business opportunity should appeal to a number of parties

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who are striving for a great rural work-life balance.�

Brylach Steading, Rothes, is for sale at offers over ÂŁ570,000.

Living Scotland - Chance for a lifestyle change

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Photos by Galbraith Langlee Park

Saddle up for a new life in the country

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anglee Park, a small farm just outside Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders, offers the chance to enjoy an impressive family home in a beautiful country location.

is ideal - surrounded by attractive countryside and only two miles from one of the historic towns of the Scottish Borders,” said Alex Inglis of Galbraith, who is handling the sale.

The property comes with substantial outbuildings, parkland, grazing and woodland extending in all to about 83.65 acres.

“In addition to the lovely garden with its ornamental pond, terrace and over 80 varieties of rhododendrons, there is an orchard, extensive areas of woodland, wildflower meadow, orchid meadow and pony paddocks. This property offers all the elements for a wonderful rural lifestyle.”

“This is a rare opportunity to buy a beautiful property which forms a wonderful livestock farm or equestrian property. Its situation

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Langlee Park was substantially modernised and extended in the 1980s and now forms a comfortable home with many attractive features and good space for entertaining.

The internal accommodation includes: sitting room, conservatory with lovely views over the garden, dining room, kitchen, painting room, office/ playroom and five bedrooms. The master bedroom has an en suite shower room. The rear wing could be converted to form a self-

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

contained annexe with its own entrance if desired.

The land extends to about 81.2 acres principally comprising pastures and woodland with about 61.8 acres of grazing and

parkland and about 19.4 acres of woodland. The land is classified as Grade 3.1 by the James Hutton Institute.

There is an area of Christmas trees harvested every year. The land also includes an orchard,

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Langlee Park was formerly part of the Langlee Estate and enjoys a scenic location which has good privacy while being very accessible to both Jedburgh and

the A68, half a mile away.

Jedburgh hosts the annual Jethart Callants Festival where the elected Jethart Callant leads ride-outs on horseback around the town’s historic marches during the months of June and July culminating in a festival day.

Both Newcastle and Edinburgh

airports are within comfortable reach of the property. Tweedbank station, which provides a regular service to Edinburgh, is 20 minutes’ drive away. Berwick upon Tweed (35 miles distant) is on the main East Coast Railway line.

Langlee Park is for sale for a guide price of £750,000.

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

poly tunnels, hen run, wild flower meadows and an attractive wildlife pond. A new wood of 6.5 acres was planted in 2019 including a wide range of tree species.

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

For equestrian lovers there are a number of suitable properties

Lowood

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currently on the market across Scotland.

Also in the Scottish Borders, near Jedburgh Lowood Swinside

This detached family home is situated in a beautiful rural

location at the foot of the Cheviots and enjoys spacious

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

is on the market for offers over ÂŁ375,000.

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Lowood view

garden grounds that extend approximately to half an acre,

Lowood living room

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mainly laid to grass but also include a pond.

An adjoining paddock which extends to approximately 1.58

acres is available by separate negotiation.

For around the same price Whinyeon at Earlston, by

Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, is on the market for ÂŁ375,000.

Whinyeon paddock

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Lowood kitchen

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

The single storey three / fourbedroom house has been converted from two cottages

Whinyeon at Earlston, by Kilmarnock

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to form this a delightful family home set among rolling wooded countryside just a short drive from

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Kilmarnock.

The sale also includes a

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Whinyeon kitchen

grazing paddock, which can be entered from the garden or driveway to the south, and a tack room.

Willies Mill sitting room

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For a little more, around ÂŁ395,000, Willies Mill is up for sale in Tarbolton, South Ayrshire.

This historic Mill House is situated in an attractive rural location by the Water of Fail.

The house sits on its own in about 4.1 acres of grounds divided into landscaped gardens and six paddocks, ideal for

grazing horses or other livestock.

There is a stable yard with three loose boxes, large tack room, workshop, hay barn, field shelter

and a wood store.

Further north Mains of Boddam at Insch, Aberdeenshire, is on the

Mains of Boddam

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Willies Mill, Tarbolton, South Ayrshire

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

market for offers over ÂŁ395,000.

This detached immaculate farmhouse in a scenic countryside

Mains of Boddam at Insch, Aberdeenshire

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location includes up to 13 acres of paddocks, a 20 x 60 floodlit

The traditional farmhouse has been refurbished and extended

over recent years to create an exceptional family home. The

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Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

arena with mirrors and equestrian stables.Â

Living Scotland - Saddle up for a new life in the country

Mains of Boddam sitting room

accommodation is both spacious and versatile including both a

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lounge and separate sunroom and a superb dining kitchen

which is the hub of the home.

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Research & Innovation - Pioneering images shed light on ageing brains

Photo by Zhen Qui and Seth Grant University of Edinburgh Adult mouse brain section showing synapse diversity

Pioneering images shed light on ageing brains S triking images of some five billion brain cell connections have been created by scientists, mapping a lifetime’s changes across the brain in minute detail.

The colourful pictures of the whole mouse brain at different ages are the first of their kind and a pivotal step forward in

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understanding behaviour, claim Scots scientists.

Such findings could shed light on learning disability and dementia and help to reveal how memories are affected by age.

The images are of synapses – vital connections that carry electrical and chemical messages

between brain cells. Synapses store memories and synapse damage is linked to more than 130 brain diseases.

Researchers based at the University of Edinburgh colourcoded the different types of molecules to highlight the range of synapses in mouse brains from birth to old age.

Photo by Zhen Qui and Seth Grant University of Edinburgh Adult mouse brain section showing synapse diversity (white background)

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Research & Innovation - Pioneering images shed light on ageing brains

Photo by Zhen Qui and Seth Grant University of Edinburgh 2 week old mouse brain section showing synapse diversity

Research & Innovation - Pioneering images shed light on ageing brains Professor Seth Grant Credit University of Edinburgh

They discovered that the number and molecular makeup of synapses shifts with age in different parts of the brain. This happens at three main phases – childhood, middle and elderly age.

show less synapses and less complexity.

Synapse type shifts with age in patterns unique to areas of the brain, blossoming into a diverse array in midlife.

The study, funded by Wellcome and the European Research Council, could shed light on why we are more likely to develop brain conditions at certain ages, helping to explain why schizophrenia often starts in adolescence, or why dementia affects older adults.

Images from middle-aged brains burst with colour, illustrating a wide variety of synapses. Both very young and very old brain

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Researchers say these changes give insights into why genes cause synapse damage at set ages and in set brain areas.

“The brain is the most complex thing we know of and understanding it at this level of detail is a momentous step forward,” said Professor Seth Grant of the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh who lead the research.

“We believe that these findings will be instrumental to helping understand why the brain is susceptible to disease at different times of life and how the brain changes as we age.”

Photo by Seth Grant University of Edinburgh Adult mouse brain section showing increased synapse number and diversity

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Research & Innovation - Pioneering images shed light on ageing brains

Photo by Prof Seth Grant University of Edinburgh Mouse brain section showing synapse diversity at 2 weeks of age

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Destination - Scotland

Destination P Scotland

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.

Destination - Scotland

Royal Scots Club Edinburgh

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.

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.

Meldrum House

Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire 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.

Chester Residence Edinburgh

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.

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

Embo House Sutherland

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.

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

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Destination - Scotland 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.

Isle of Eriska Hotel, Spa & Island Benderloch, Oban

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 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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Carnoustie

Mercure Hotel inverness Inverness

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.

Luss, Loch Lomond

Destination - Scotland

Lodge on Loch Lomond

Portavadie

Loch Fyne, Argyll

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

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 awardwinning 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

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

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.

Dundas Castle Edinburgh

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.

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

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Destination - Scotland George Hotel

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

As featured in issue 11 of Scotland Correspondent.

Each of the George’s 17 rooms have been beautifully decorated and many boast a super kingsize 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 four-star hotel is ideally placed to serve as a base for visitors interested in exploring the wellsignposted 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.

Destination - Scotland

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 breath-taking 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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