The clan courier

CLAN COURIER

A royal relic returns to its roots and a Skye restaurant achieves top foodie status

[FILM] THE EDINBURGH WOMAN WHO FOUND A KING

It’s a story that seems straight out of a Hollywood script and so it’s surprising that it’s taken 10 years to come to screen, but fi nally Edinburgh-based writer-turned-historic-sleuth Philippa Langley MBE is getting the spotlight she deserves.

The Lost King, which premièred at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, tells the story of how Langley felt compelled to right the wrongs that had been directed at King Richard III, whose reputation was damaged by Tudor propaganda, and set about fi nding the remains of the king.

In 1999 Langley founded The Boar and Saltire, the Scottish branch of the Richard III Society, and from here her research into the whereabouts of the king’s remains bore fruit, eventually leading to her discovery of Richard III under a car park in Leicester in 2012.

The fi lm is out in the UK now with a US date yet to be announced at the time of press. pathe.co.uk/at-home/the-lost-king

[MUSEUMS] ST MUNGO REOPENS

One of Glasgow’s most cherished museums has reopened after an extended period of closure, despite concerns it would close permanently.

Thanks to a petition by Interfaith Glasgow, St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, named after Glasgow’s patron saint, which stands in the medieval heart of Glasgow, has not only reopened but has extended its opening hours.

St Mungo is the only public museum in the UK dedicated to religious life and art and among its treasured pieces is a bronze sculpture of the Hindu God, Shiva, and a beautiful piece of stained-glass depicting Moses, Elijah, David, and Enoch. It also boasts Britain’s fi rst Zen garden. glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/ st-mungo-museum-of-religious-life-and-art

[HERITAGE] THE STONE COMES HOME

Stolen by the English during the reign of King Edward I and fi nally returned to the Scots in 1996, the Stone of Destiny is being brought back to its rightful home of Perth in 2024 after a period of 700 years.

Originally kept in Scone Abbey within the grounds of Scone Palace, just outside Perth, since 1996 the Stone of Destiny, on which Scottish kings were crowned for centuries, has been on display in Edinburgh Castle. Meanwhile, Scone Palace has had to make do with a replica outside the chapel on Moot Hill (pictured), where coronations once took place.

Construction is now well underway on the £26.5m restoration of Perth City Hall Museum where the Stone will be available to view from 2024 before visitors can see its historic home at Scone Palace.

Before that, the Stone will be briefl y returned to Westminster Abbey in London when it will be used in the coronation of King Charles III.

Look out for our special feature on the Stone of Destiny, Scone Palace, and the Perth City Hall Museum in the next issue of Scotland. www.culturepk.org.uk/museums-galleries/ city-hall-project; scone-palace.co.uk

[RESTAURANTS] THE SKYE’S NO LIMIT

Edinbane Lodge, the reputable restaurant with rooms on the Isle of Skye, has been awarded Four AA Rosettes – the only restaurant on Skye to receive the accolade and one of just six restaurants to be awarded Four AA Rosettes across Scotland.

Run by chef patron Calum Montgomery, whose family bought the run-down hunting lodge in 2017 and set about restoring it, Edinbane has built up an excellent reputation for its food offering and rooms over the past few years. Calum sources produce from a community of family and friends, who, like him, are committed to making the most of the island’s crofts, seas, and artisan production.

Upon receiving the award, Calum said: “It means so much to bring this award to my native island home for the first time – and of course, to even be mentioned in the same category as some of the UK’s most renowned restaurants is such an honour.” edinbanelodge.com

[TRANSPORT] TICKET TO RIDE

Getting around Scotland without a car has just got a little easier thanks to a new timetable of affordable daily coach routes connecting Scottish cities.

FlixBus will now provide daily connections to and from Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, and Aberdeen through its partnership with Scotland’s largest independent bus company, McGill’s.

Tickets, which cost as little as £5.99 for a 3.5-hour journey, can be booked through the FlixBus app or the company’s website. flixbus.co.uk

[TOURISM] NEVER MISS NESSIE

New webcams located along the shores of Loch Ness mean that Nessie hunters can now keep an eye out for Nessie 365 days of the year, wherever they are.

Cameras are now located at five locations around the famous loch, including the Craigdarroch Hotel in Foyers and Drovers Lodge near Drumnadrochit.

Michael Golding, CEO at Visit Inverness Loch Ness, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide live footage of the beautiful Loch Ness every day of the year. For people all over the world to watch Loch Ness through the changing seasons and get a glimpse of the beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife is very special. Of course, the webcams will also give Nessie fans another way of spotting our elusive and most popular resident!”

Tourism providers are also hoping the webcams will inspire people to visit the area for other reasons, too.

Chris Taylor, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director, said: “By having the opportunity to see Loch Ness from so many different viewpoints, more potential visitors will be inspired to travel to this beautiful part of the Highlands.” visitinvernesslochness.com/live-stream

EDITOR’S DIARY

[HOTELS] INVERLOCHY EXPANDS

Each issue, our editor gives a glimpse into the events and places that she is hoping to visit. This issue, as Burns Night approaches, she’s thinking of all things Rabbie Burns…

FIVE OF THE BEST… PLACES TO CELEBRATE ROBERT BURNS

1The Globe Inn and Dumfries Dumfries is a must for any Burns fan – it’s where the national bard spent his later years and where his mausoleum can be visited. Burns was known to like a drink and The Globe Inn, just off Dumfries’ high street, was his favourite watering hole. Now run by the owners of nearby Annandale Distillery, the fully refurbished pub offers sevencourse tasting menus around the very table that Burns once sat down to dine at. If you’d like to extend your visit, stay the night at the town’s Cairndale Hotel & Leisure Club, which offers cosy rooms, plus a serene spa. distillerytours.scot/ venues/the-globe-bar; cairndalehotel.co.uk 4 The Falls of Bruar, Perthshire When Burns visited the Falls of Bruar, near Pitlochry, in 1787 he was enamoured by the natural beauty of the scene but felt it could be enhanced with the planting of some trees. He wrote a poem to the Duke of Atholl to that effect: The Humble Petition of Bruar Water, and though it took some time for the Duke to acquiesce, after Burns’ death, he eventually planted trees around the falls and laid out bridges and pathways in his memory. houseofbruar.com/the-falls-of-bruar

2Ellisland Museum & Farm Built in 1788 by Robert Burns for his young wife Jean Armour and their family, at this “modest mansion” Robert Burns wrote prolifically, including two of his most famous works: Auld Lang Syne and Tam O’ Shanter. Burns called the property “the poet’s choice” of the three farms offered to him by his landlord Patrick Miller. You can step inside his study, which has a view of the River Nith, or follow in his footsteps with a walk along some of the farm’s woodland paths. ellislandfarm.co.uk

3Robert Burns Birthplace

Museum, Alloway

For insight into Burns’ earlier life, you can’t miss Alloway, the Ayrshire village where he was born. This dual attraction, encompasses the humble cottage where he spent his early years, and an excellent museum a short walk away along Poet’s Path, which houses over 5,000 Burns artefacts. It’s the best way to get a sense of who the writer was and what drove him. Afterwards, visit the places that inspired Tam O’ Shanter – the Alloway Auld Kirk (where you can see his father’s headstone), and the Brig o’ Doon. nts.org.uk/visit/places/robertburns-birthplace-museum 5 Burns in Edinburgh Burns lived in the capital, off the Royal Mile, for a while, and frequented the city’s many howffs. The huge neo-Greco-style Burns Monument, at the foot of Calton Hill, looks out over Arthur’s seat, and pays homage to his time here. It originally contained a marble statue of Burns, which is now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Other Burns items can be found in The Writer’s Museum. nationalgalleries.org/visit/scottish-nationalportrait-gallery; edinburghmuseums.org.uk/ venue/writers-museum Inverlochy Castle, a stunning Highlands country house hotel, has announced ambitious renovation plans, which will see it add an extra eight bedrooms, bringing its full capacity to 35 bedrooms.

The five-star 19th-century castle in the foothills of Ben Nevis, which stands within a 500-acre estate, is renovating its listed stables and walled garden.

Norbert Lieder, managing director of Inverlochy Castle Management International, said: “The Scottish Highlands’ exceptional beauty and landscapes means there is extremely high demand for five-star accommodation within the region. The expansion designs pay homage to this historic landscape.”

The new rooms will be ready from April 2023 and the expansion follows the 2022 launch of the hotel’s new interactive dining experience, Seasgair by Michel Roux Jr.

From the Gaelic for ‘snug, comfortable, and warm’, Seasgair sees dishes using ‘hyperlocal’ ingredients served at the table as they would have been during 19th-century cook Mary Shaw’s time. inverlochycastlehotel.com