Discover Scotland Issue 47

A capital city break

Taking a digital day trip

Exploring saintly Scotland

Mexico’s Scottish links

Pictures of Glasgow past

In praise of wee wummin

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November 2020

This month’s Discover Scotland multimedia magazine has been brought to you by: Sponsors

Glenturret Distillery Loch Lomond Seaplanes Turin Castle The Northern HighLights Pass

Thank you to all our donors, supporters, patrons and sponsors without whose help producing Discover Scotland and distributing it for free to a global audience would be much more difficult.

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Click here Photos by Vinny Keenan

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K eepin g t he f la g f ly ing

As Covid-19 continues to seriously impact Scotland’s vital tourism sector this magazine is doing its best to help those businesses hit hardest by a downfall in visitors.

Our monthly, multi-media digital magazine, with readers in more than 120 countries, has always been, and will continue to be, FREE to read and share.

As a publication that encourages people to come to Scotland, and celebrate Scottish culture, we believe it’s in everyone’s interest to ensure visitors continue to get the best possible experience.

Our readership has been going up as people stay safe at home and reschedule their plans. If they can’t come to Scotland we take Scotland to them.

It doesn’t cost anything to listen to our free podcasts or read Discover Scotland magazine but it is expensive for our small, independent team to produce.

If you can assist with a one-time donation or monthly subscription, big or small, it will go a long way to help us to support others, and to provide even more high quality images, great stories, videos and podcasts for lovers of all things Scottish.

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Donate here Photos by Vinny Keenan

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Index - Inside this issue

inside this issue 14 An

Edinburgh excursion

28 Virtual

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visits

Index - Inside this issue

72

40 Tripping

fantastic

the light

Chef in a Kilt with‌.

Gordon Howe

50 In

the footsteps of saints

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Index - Inside this issue

inside this issue 82 A

wee livener with...

Tom Morton

95 Quality

meat treat

100 Sketchy

109 Under

the sea to Skye p8

business

Index - Inside this issue

116 Celebrating

Scotland in Mexico

126 Musical

Discoveries and the story behind the song

144 Hunting 136 Nostalgic

pictures of Glasgow

antiques with...

Roo Irvine p9

Index - Inside this issue

inside this issue 159 Dream

homes

1 Cover

Photo

Photo by Damian Shields / VisitScotland Drumlanrig Castle

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Contacts: General Enquiries: info@discoverscotlandmagazine.com Discover Scotland is an independent magazine published by Discover Scotland Ltd. The monthly digital title provides an international audience of readers with comprehensive coverage of modern day Scotland, its people, achievements, culture, history and customs.

Every issue covers a variety of topics of interest to thousands of people every month, many of them visitors to Scotland or part of the great Scottish diaspora.

The digital edition incorporates audio, video and text in a single platform designed for use on Apple, Android and Windows devices. The magazine is free to subscribe to and download.

For more information on how to get a copy, subscribe or enquire about advertising please contact the relevant departments.

The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any claim made by advertisements in Discover Scotland magazine or on the Discover Scotland website. All information should be checked with the advertisers.

The content of the magazine does not necessarily represent the views of the publishers or imply any endorsement. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior agreement in writing from Discover Scotland Ltd.

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Travel - Capital idea for a city break Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Edinburgh Castle

Capital idea for a city break

E

dinburgh is renowned for its fascinating history and rich culture making it one of the top locations in the world for a short break holiday.

Numerous surveys over the years have identified the landscape, scenery and specific attractions such as the castle and annual arts festivals - as a magnet for visitors greater than any UK city outside of London.

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Scotland’s capital city is unique.

Under the beautiful historic veneer lies a vibrant, modern city where numerous restaurants, bars, and clubs sit comfortably between narrow lanes and footpaths lined with some of the world’s tallest 16th and 17th century buildings.

Dominated by the medieval battlements of Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Royal Mile, which stretches to the Queen’s

official residence of Holyrood Palace, almost all of the city’s major locations are within walking distance.

Shadows of the past linger around every corner of the old town, tantalising visitors with tales of larger than life characters, enlightened geniuses, sinister body-snatchers and worldshattering events.

The imposing crown-spired St

Travel - Capital idea for a city break Photo by Paul Kelbie / Discover Scotland The Writers’ Museum

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Travel - Capital idea for a city break Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland St Giles Cathedral

Gile’s Cathedral on the High Street dates back to the 12th century and encompasses much of Scotland’s medieval chivalric history and is a must-see attraction.

Below the volcanic castle rock, on the other side of Princess Street - the main shopping fare of the city leading to Jenners, Harvey Nichols and other prestigious stores, lies the neoclassical New Town.

Built between 1767 and 1890 it boasts beautiful Georgian townhouses, charming boulevards and lush open squares. It is a masterpiece of city planning, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a monument to the Age of Enlightenment and the location of Sonder Royal Garden Apartments.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland View of the Royal Mile from the top of St Giles Cathedra

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There are numerous hotels, apartments and bed & breakfasts throughout the city but in a world bedevilled by Coronavirus

Travel - Capital idea for a city break

the Sonder’s “tech-enabled hospitality� is a reassuring breath of fresh air.

Long before Covid-19 caused a worldwide pandemic Sonder, which has properties in 28 cities around the world, was at the forefront of redefining the travel experience.

Booking an apartment online could hardly be easier. The company has cleverly utilised the latest technology to provide simple smartphone apps, keyless entry and 24/7 text based concierge service and support.

There is even a contactless check-in service that avoids any need for risky human interaction, crowded lobbies or queues for the front desk.

Each apartment is guaranteed to be spotlessly clean on arrival and comes with a fully equipped kitchen, including a washer/dryer and dish washer, microwave and

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Travel - Capital idea for a city break cooker.

Ultra-fast Wifi, flat-screen

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cable tv, easily cleaned, and comfortable seating, luxurious king-sized beds and well-stocked

bathrooms give each apartment a truly home-from-home appeal.

Travel - Capital idea for a city break

In an uncertain world where travel plans can be interrupted at the last moment Sonder has a

fantastically flexible cancellation policy. Guests can change their bookings at any time and receive

credit for the full amount of any canceled nights that can be used for future reservations and is valid

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Travel - Capital idea for a city break for a year.

Situated opposite the Scottish

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National Portrait Gallery the majestic, grey stone building blends perfectly into the historic

surroundings. But, behind the facade there are a number of impressive, professionally

Travel - Capital idea for a city break Sonder Royal Garden Apartments

designed serviced apartments within easy walking distance of all of the city’s major attractions, numerous great restaurants and bars.

Another plus going for the apartments, which include a range of one or two bedroom units and studio flats, is the view - especially from the top floor suites. Looking over the rooftops of the New Town it is possible to see the Firth of Forth and even the tops of the iconic Queensferry Crossing and Forth Rail Bridge.

The view from Sonder Royal Garden Apartments

The Queen Street location makes the apartments an ideal base from which to explore the city and all its treasures, many of them free.

The Scottish National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the Scottish Gallery of Modern Art, the National Museum of Scotland and the highly recommended Writers Museum are all a short distance away.

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Travel - Capital idea for a city break

Less than 10 minutes walk from the apartments lies the Scott Monument on Princes Street.

One of the city’s most famous landmarks it was built in 1846 to honour the writer Sir Walter Scott

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Edinburgh Castle and the Balmoral Hotel clock tower from Calton Hill

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but also depicts a number of other famous Scottish authors.

the departure point for a highly recommended bus tour to explore the best parts of the city and

learn about Edinburgh’s story.

For those who prefer their history

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Travel - Capital idea for a city break

Close by is Waverley Station, the main transport hub for travellers arriving from across the UK, and

Travel - Capital idea for a city break Photo by Jxseph14 CC BY-SA 4.0 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh

a little darker the hair-raising Edinburgh Dungeon, Real Mary King’s Close, Mercat Tours and Greyfriar’s Kirkyard (famous for Greyfriar’s Bobby and Scotland’s most menacing poltergeist are almost guaranteed to give you shivers.

After a night on the town visitors can blow away the cobwebs with an energetic morning stroll up Arthur’s Seat, a dormant volcano which sits 251m above sea level with a breathtaking view of the city.

Photo © Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body The Scottish Parliament building

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Laid out below the vantage point lies Holyrood Palace and the award-winning building of the Scottish Parliament - a perfect blend of ancient and modern sitting side by side.

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17th April 2021 p26

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Travel - Zoom with a view Photo by VisitScotland Buachaille Etive Mor with Allt nan Gubhas in the foregroundm Glen Coe

Zoom with a view

by Scott Aitken

M

ore than 2,000 years after the Greek philosopher Plato described necessity as the mother of invention members of Scotland’s tourism industry are taking the idea to heart.

While domestic and international travel restrictions have prevented holidaymakers experiencing the beauty and history of the country in person virtual visits are becoming all the rage.

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Although there is no substitute for real life experience the next best thing to getting in a plane, train or automobile is to take a trip to a digital destination from the comfort of home.

Whether it’s exploring the Scottish Highlands and islands, following in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, visiting the Jacobite graves at Culloden or enjoying a spell of Harry Potter magic there’s a tour for almost every taste.

“Personal tours have, for the most part, been halted during the 2020 Covid19 but that hasn’t stopped people wanting to experience all that Scotland has to offer,” said Andrew Baxter of Glen2Glen, an independent freelance tour guide based in Kinlochleven, Argyll.

Since May of this year Andrew, a qualified Green Badge operator with the Scottish Tourist Guide Association, has been developing and hosting virtual experiences featuring various locations and themes around Scotland.

Travel - Zoom with a view Andrew Baxter and tour guest

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Travel - Zoom with a view Andrew’s tours are suitable for families of all ages.

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than anything,” said Andrew who didn’t want his story telling skills to get ‘rusty’.

Travel - Zoom with a view

“I started doing the digital tours at the beginning of lockdown for my own mental health more

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Travel - Zoom with a view

Video QR Code

“I quickly found there was quite a demand as I built up a loyal following, particularly from South Africa. I had a request from one family in where the father had read Kidnapped as a boy and had started reading it again during lockdown. He wanted to share the experience with friends and family so I put together a virtual tour based on Kidnapped and the Appin murder.”

Since then he has developed a range of tours, including a series of four to the Isle of Skye with each one based on a different theme such as the rivalry between the MacDonalds and the MacLouds or myths and legends of the island.

Andrew presenting a virtual tour

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“I specialise in story telling.

We’ve all been on those guided tours where a guy will run off all the dates and figures about this king, that queen or that duke.

Historical facts are important but I like to bring tours alive with some of our rich folk tales and story telling traditions of the Highlands. Legends of Kelpies and witches always go down very well.

Travel - Zoom with a view Andrew with a party of guests

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Travel - Zoom with a view

Andrew also likes to take people to some of the less visited places whether that’s during a tour of Speyside, the heart of whisky country, or a trip to the island

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Blackness Castle

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of Mull, which has just as much legend and history as Skye but not so well known.

Many of the virtual tours have

proved popular with various Scottish societies and groups around the world who have been unable to meet in person but like the idea of getting together

Outlander has created a lot of interest in Scotland. People want to see the locations mentioned in

the books and the locations, such as Blackness Castle, where the television series was filmed.

There is little doubt that interest

in virtual tours has increased as more people have become accustomed to using digital technology. Andrew now regularly attracts groups of 50 or more

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Travel - Zoom with a view

virtually to share a themed event.

Travel - Zoom with a view Stories of Scotland’s heroes feature a lot in Andrew’s tours

participants from countries as far a field as Canada, the USA, Hungary, Australia and Mauritius.

“People are getting used to using platforms like Zoom,” said Andrew who now does a free tour on the last Friday of each month.

“I’ve got one lady in her 90s who has become something of a regular. She emigrated from Glasgow as a young woman and she’s been joining in and going down memory lane to visit some of the places she went to as a child.”

Photo by Paul Tomkins / VisitScotland Culloden Battlefield

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Any fear that virtual tours will deter people from visiting in person because they’ve ‘seen’ the sights appears unfounded.

If anything, the opposite seems to be the case as, judging by the reaction of most participants, it whets the appetite to experience the ‘real thing’ once the pandemic has passed.

Travel - Zoom with a view Photo by Paul Tomkins / VisitScotland A yacht passes Duart Castle on the Isle Of Mull

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Photo by Guy Phillips

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Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun

Seeing the light at Hopetoun

Photos by Rankine Photography

by Scott Aitken Photos by Rankine Photography

O

ne of Scotland’s oldest and most prestigious stately homes can now be seen in a new light.

Hopetoun House near South Queensferry, which dates back more than 300 years, and part of its 6,500 acre estate has been transformed into a spectacular show of light and sound.

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Designed and produced by a team of specialists Scotland’s first lighting trail of the year, which is on until 15 November, promises visitors an ‘unforgettable sound, lighting and effects extravaganza’.

Starting and finishing at the House, the beautifully lit 2km woodland trail begins through the enchanting wrought iron gates to the north, leading visitors to unique and unseen areas of the grounds of Hopetoun.

The track winds through hidden

pathways among ancient woodlands, clearings and past the old summerhouse before leading visitors back via the Lime Avenue, but not before seeing the historic country mansion lit up in all its glory; all with some special, jaw dropping views along the way.

Along with the creative lighting, there are a number of sound and special effects, movement and installations, all of which enhance the nature and natural beauty that is the Wondrous Woods of

Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun

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Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun Hopetoun House.

“The Hopetoun trails offer us a spectacular environment, really like no other, with a fantastic amount of ground space which allows us to safely deliver this creative lighting journey, ensuring

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that we are adhering to the strictest of safety guidelines,” said Geoff Crow, Director of 21CC Group, which designed the trail.

“It has been an absolute joy to work with one of Scotland’s best known visitor attractions

to bring our vision to life and create something truly special for guests.”

Situated on the banks of the Firth of Forth Hopetoun House has been called ‘Scotland’s Finest Stately Home’, even though it is

Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun

really two houses in one.

and ceiling painting in the country.

awe inspiring today.

The oldest part of the building was created between 1699 and 1707 to a design by the celebrated architect Sir William Bruce and features some of the finest of carving, wainscotting

Some 14 years later, in 1721, another renowned architect, William Adam began enlarging the house. He added the magnificent faade, colonnades and grand state apartments which remain so

Set in 100 acres of rolling parkland and fine woodland the house remains an elegant example of 18th century aristocratic grandeur.

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Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun The house and estate is managed by a charitable trust, created in 1974 to preserve it for the benefit of the public in perpetuity, and puts on a number of highly

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Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun popular events throughout the year.

21CC Group have worked with the Hopetoun team for many

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Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun years, collaborating with them for the delivery of the highly successful Hopetoun Fireworks

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& Bonfire event, as well as the delivery of multiple large scale corporate events both within the

house and the grounds. “It is thrilling for me to see the grounds come to life after dark

Activities - Seeing the light at Hopetoun

with all the creative lighting and effects that are planned. This is the first time we have hosted

such an ambitious event at night and it’s hugely exciting to develop something so different

for Hopetoun,� said The Earl of Hopetoun, whose family have lived in the hose since it was built.

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by VisitScotland Ruins of St Andrews Cathedral

In search of Scotland’s Saints throughout the country over many centuries.

While there are many Saints associated with Scotland, six of the best known are still part of Scotland’s varied cultural heritage today.

St Andrew

by Tracey Macintosh

S

cotland’s long and rich history includes stories and legends surrounding the Saints venerated

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As Patron Saint of Scotland, St Andrew is perhaps the Saint most strongly associated with Scotland.

S Andrew, one of Jesus’ 12

Apostles and brother of St Peter, is thought to have been born in Galilee between AD5 and AD10 although details of his life are, unsurprisingly, scant and very difficult to substantiate.

He and his brother Peter were said to have been fishermen and Andrew was initially thought to have been a disciple of John the Baptist. He is often referred to as the ‘First Apostle’ and was said to be the first among the Apostles to follow Jesus and encourage others to do so.

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo: Google Art Project Martyrdom of Saint Andrew by Jusepe de Ribera

Following the death of Jesus, Andrew is said to have continued preaching Christianity along the Black Sea as far as Kiev and then on to Greece through the city that later became known as Constantinople and today we know as Istanbul.

St Andrew is thought to have been martyred in Patras, Greece

on 30 November AD60 and the enduring legend regarding his crucifixion is that he considered himself unworthy to be crucified on the same style of cross as Jesus had been crucified on, so requested to be crucified on the diagonal cross known as the crux decussata – the origin of the Scottish national flag also knows as the St Andrews Cross or the

Saltire.

So how did a fisherman from Northern Israel come to be so strongly associated with Scotland?

According to one legend, a monk in Patras (later known as St Regulus or St Rule) had a vision telling him to hide some of St

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Suicasmo CC BY-SA 4.0 St Andrews Castle

Photo by Jjhake CC BY-SA 3.0 St Andrews from St Rules Tower

Andrews relics then take them west by ship. He did this and was eventually shipwrecked on the coast of Fife at a small village known as Kilrymont.

St Andrew. The tower is still accessible today and is cared for

by Historic Environment Scotland along with the Castle and the Cathedral.

Today we know this village as St Andrews and it is the site of St Andrews Castle and St Andrews Cathedral which includes St Rule’s tower. Both sites are now mainly ruinous but have many interesting features and are open to visitors. St Rule’s in an impressive tower standing at 100 feet and built around the 11th Century as a beacon to pilgrims coming to worship the relics of

Another version claims Acca, Bishop of Hexham, brought St Andrews relics to Fife in the 8th Century following his visit to Rome.

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Photo by Jjhake CC BY-SA 3.0 St Rules Tower

The real tale of how some of St Andrew’s bones came to Scotland are now lost in the mists of time however today there are relics of St Andrew displayed at St Andrew’s altar in the Cathedral

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo © The Trustees of the British Museum CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Saint Andrew for Scotland

of St Mary in Edinburgh, as well as in St Andrew’s Cathedral in Patras.

St Andrews Day on 30 November is celebrated worldwide and St Andrew is also Patron Saint of Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and Tenerife.

Today St Andrews Day celebrations take many forms and in Scotland St Andrew’s Day is the first of three Scottish winter celebrations that include Hogmanay and Burns night,

Photo by Michael D Beckwith CC0 1.0 St Marys Cathedral Nave, Edinburgh

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Brian Forbes CC BY 2.0 St Serf’s Church, Dunning

bringing a little cheer to the long, northern, winter nights when Scottish food and culture are celebrated in veneration of a man remembered for spreading Christian values almost 2,000 years ago.

Saint Serf Despite giving his name to a number of churches and schools throughout Scotland, particularly central Scotland, Fife and Edinburgh, details of St Serf and

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his life are very scant.

Born around 500 AD, possibly to royal parents, St Serf travelled throughout Britain and Europe.

Some accounts claim he travelled to Rome and served as Pope there for seven years, before returning to Scotland.

He established a church in Dunning, Perthshire and legend claims he killed a dragon in Dunning with his pastoral staff, to protect the local residents.

The church in Dunning today known as St Serf’s is thought to have been built on the site of the original 6th century church, and Dupplin Cross, an intricately carved 3 metre high Pictish cross, was moved inside St Serf’s church in 2002 from a hillside three miles north east of Dunning.

The cross dates from around 800 AD and has inscriptions in both Gaelic and Latin as well as carvings including horsemen, warriors and hunters.

St Serf is thought to have died in

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by B4bees from Kinross, Scotland CC BY 2.0 The Dupplin Cross

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Palickap CC BY-SA 4.0 Culross Palace

Dunning around AD 583 and was buried in Culross. His feast day is celebrated on 1 July.

St Serf went on to establish a church and religious community in Culross, a small coastal village

Photo by Truthanado CC BY-SA 4.0 Culross Palace from top of its garden

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in Fife. Culross roughly translates from Gaelic as ‘Holy Point’ and the Church established here in the 6th century became famous as the birthplace of St Mungo.

Culross Abbey was built in the

13th century on the site of St Serf’s Pictish church and the village of Culross features in Outlander as the fictional village of Cranesmuir, while the gardens of Culross Palace feature as the herb garden of Claire, one of

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Kim Traynor CC BY-SA 3.0 Culross Abbey, Fife

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Renata PD Traprain Law

Outlander’s main characters.

Saint Teneu

Photo by Palickap CC BY-SA 4.0 Culross

A 6th century Celtic Princess who was pregnant out of wedlock, St Tenue (also known as Thenew, Thaney and later St Enoch), was thrown from Traprain Law, a hill in East Lothian. Her father, King Lleddun or King Lot (referring to King of Lothian) sentenced her to death, and when she surprisingly survived the fall, she was put in a coracle and set onto the River Forth.

Teneu also survived this journey and arrived at Culross where she was given shelter by Saint Serf and gave birth to her son, Saint Kentigern, who became known as St Mungo.

Photo by Kenneth Barker Street in Culross

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One legend tells that Teneu was raped by Owain mab Urien, a Welsh Prince, and another suggests she was having an affair

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Kim Traynor CC BY-SA 3.0 North Queensferry, Firth of Forth

with a married Welsh Prince and became pregnant. Both legends concur she survived her father’s death sentence and thrived along with her young son.

Although her story has been obscured over time, she is referred to as the ‘Mother of Glasgow’ and co-Patron Saint of the city along with her better known son. St Enoch’s Square in the centre of Glasgow is thought to have been built on the site of a medieval church dedicated to St Teneu and is also the site of her burial.

Her story has been rejuvenated by two wall murals that form part of the Glasgow city centre Mural trail. The first completed in 2018

by Australian street artist Sam Bates (also known as Smug) is a contemporary interpretation of Teneu with her infant son and can be found on George Street, not far from what was the site of Rottenrow, Glasgow’s former

Photo by Barnabas Csomor CC BY 2.0 Glasgow skyline at night

maternity hospital.

The second, commissioned by Thenue Housing Association, shows Teneu surrounded by a shoal of fish which legend tells helped guide her safely to the shores of Culross. Her robe also has a symbol for each of the 29 young women who died in the Templeton Carpet factory disaster of 1889, when high winds caused a partially constructed extension to collapse, crushing the weaving sheds where the women had

continued to work after the workmen had finished for the evening.

Scottish graffiti artist, Mark Worst, was keen to convey a sense of place to the mural on Abercromby Street, the city’s East End, not far from the iconic Templeton building which was extensively renovated in 2005.

A saint whose story sees her seemingly change gender and almost disappear in favour of

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Loz Pycock CC BY-SA 2.0 St Mungo above Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

mentor St Serf gave him which translates to ‘dear one’.

Known as the Founder of Glasgow, St Mungo was born in the Fife village of Culross in 518 AD and was brought up under St Serf’s care. At aged 25 he began his missionary work in Strathclyde where he established a Church on the site of Glasgow Cathedral, which is also his burial place. He is said to have named the site of the Church as ‘Glasgu’ which translates to dear green place, thus naming Glasgow.

Photo by VisitScotland Glasgow Cathedral

her famous son seems to be re-emerging in Scotland’s largest city and she is commemorated on 18 July, often the start of the Glasgow ‘Fair’ holiday.

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Saint Mungo St Teneu’s famous son, Kentigern, in Scotland is more often referred to as St Mungo, a name his

He lived and worked in the area for a number of years, leaving for Wales and Cumbria during a time of strong anti-Christian sentiment in Strathclyde. He was later invited to return to Glasgow and his influence can still be seen in Glasgow’s coat of arms which depicts the four miracles St Mungo is remembered for.

One of these miracles involves

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo © User-Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA-4.0 Glasgow Cathedral nave

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints

a robin that St Serf had tamed.

Legend tells that St Mungo brought the robin back to life after some of St Serf’s disciples killed it, planning to blame St Mungo for the bird’s death.

The robin has a strong association with St Mungo and The Glasgow City Mural trail features a modern interpretation of St Mungo with a robin on High Street by artist Smug.

Photo by PaulT (Gunther Tschuch) CC BY-SA 4.0 Island of Iona

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St Mungo gives name to a number of Churches and schools throughout Scotland and his feast day is 13 January.

St Columba was an Irish Abbot and missionary who was born in Donegal in 521 AD and along

with 12 companions, travelled to Scotland in 563 AD to spread the teachings of Christianity.

At this time much of western Scotland was a kingdom known

as Dal Riada and the Kings of Dal Riada claimed Irish descent.

Legend tells that Columba was given the island of Iona by a relative who was the King of Dal Riada at the time, Conall mac

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints

Saint Columba

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints

Comgaill.

Columba established a

Photo VisitScotland Iona Abbey and Ross of Mull

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monastery on Iona which went on to become instrumental in spreading Christianity among

the Picts and Scots. Columba himself established a reputation as a diplomat and was said to

regardless of whether or not they chose to convert to Christianity.

Iona became an important religious and political centre and Columba founded several

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints

be well regarded throughout Scotland, gaining respect from Pictish and Scottish leaders

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by VisitScotland Loch Ness

Churches in the Hebrides as well as educating missionaries at Iona.

One legendary tale tells of Columba banishing a large sea monster to River Ness following an attack on one of his disciples – perhaps an early forerunner of the Loch Ness Monster?

The world famous ‘Book of Kells’ (also sometimes knows as the

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‘Book of Columba’), a manuscript of the four gospels of the new testament, beautifully illustrated with intricate Celtic designs, was created by Columban monks in the 9th Century. The book is thought to have been partly created in Iona, then moved to Ireland and finished there to keep it safe from Viking raids.

St Columba died on Iona in

597 and was buried there. His monastery survived through to the 12th Century in spite of a number of viking raids. A Benedictine Abbey was founded on the site around 1200 AD and thrived until the reformation in the fifteenth century.

The Abbey was extensively restored in the early 1900s and the Iona Community, an

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Page from the Book of Cells

ecumenical Christian Community founded by George MacLeod, a minister of the Church of Scotland, was created to rebuild Iona Abbey. The site was

passed into the care of Historic Environment Scotland in 2000 and is open to visitors.

St Columba’s Feast Day is

9 June and in recognition of Columba’s association with the Book of Kells, this has also been designated as International Celtic Art Day.

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Dunfermline Abbey

St Margaret Born in exile in Hungary in the 11th Century, Margaret was an English Princess whose family were deposed following the Norman conquest.

Although Margaret’s brother Edgar the Atheling, was the closest blood relative when Edward the Confessor died with no heir, a number of powerful contenders for the throne meant that Edgar and Margaret along with their mother and sisters headed North to seek help from King Malcolm III of Scotland.

Margaret married Malcolm in 1070 and became Queen of Scotland. Remarkably for this era, their eight children all lived to adulthood with an impressive four Kings of Scotland (or at least three as Edmund of Scotland who ruled with his uncle, is often discounted) and one Queen Consort of England.

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Photo by Kitkatcrazy PD South Queensferry

As Queen, Margaret had a profound and far reaching impact on 11th Century Scotland. A devout Roman Catholic, she was instrumental in reforming the Celtic Church, helped establish the Benedictine Monastery at Dunfermline and instigated a ferry crossing across the River Forth to enable pilgrims to

visit St Andrews. The coastal towns the ferry ran between still bear the names, North and South Queensferry after Queen Margaret.

One legend tells that Malcolm became suspicious of his wife, who spent a lot of time away from Dunfermline Palace, walking

History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Mcwesty CC BY-SA 3.0 Dunfermline Palace

alone. Jealous and suspecting his wife was meeting a lover, Malcolm had Margaret followed and discovered she was walking along a wooded path by a stream to pray in a small cave she had found.

The story may not be strictly true, but there is evidence that Margaret did go to a cave to pray over 900 years ago. Today you can visit St Margaret’s cave in Dunfermline. With an unassuming entrance in Chalmers Street car park, the cave is accessed via a tunnel and some 80 plus steps, however with the piped in chants of Benedictine Monks, the cave has a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

Margaret was canonised in 1250 and her feast day is 16 November, the date of her death in 1093, just three days after her husband and oldest son were killed in the Battle of Alnwick.

Photo by VisitScotland Dunfermline Abbey

The oldest building in Edinburgh, initially built in the 12th century

although restored several times since then, St Margaret’s Chapel

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History - In search of Scotland’s Saints Photo by Mattias Hill CC BY-SA 3.0 St Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh

in Edinburgh Castle is open to visitors and can be hired for small weddings and services.

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The Chapel, a small Romanesque building, was built around 1130

by Margaret’s son King David I of Scotland and is currently in the

care of a partnership comprising the St Margaret’s Chapel Guild and Historic Environment Scotland.

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

Chef in a kilt

with….Gordon Howe

Photos by Gordon Howe

Foghar (Autumn) taste of Scotland

A

utumn in Scotland is an awe inspiring experience.

The dramatic change in nature’s colours across a wide and varied backdrop of spectacular scenery can be truly breathtaking.

In many ways it is a visual

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representation of the culinary calendar symbolic of the texture, colour, flavour and sustainability of the seasonal produce to be found across the country.

Known in Gaelic as ‘Foghar’ the autumn harvest provides the inspiration for this dish which

combines new and traditional ingredients.

I started off with some traditional skirlie, an ancient dish of oats, onion and beef fat that derives its name from the ‘skirl’ or sound of it cooking rather than the sound of bagpipes. I then combined

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

this poor man’s haggis, as skirlie is sometimes known, with some venison, lobster, langoustines, scallops and a dash of Scottish made artisan Matugga Spiced Rum to create a truly sumptuous autumnal dish.

Foghar (Autumn) taste of Scotland Fillet of venison with a Matugga Sauce accompanied by lobster tail and langoustines on a bed of skirlie sand alongside stem ginger and Matugga cake topped with a pan fried scallop and a crisp small leaf salad.

Serves 2 Prep Time 40 mins Total cooking time time 1hr

The Recipe Scottish Stem Ginger cake

Ingredients: 100g margarine 100g soft brown sugar 1 tablespoon treacle 150g plain flour 50g oatmeal 2 level tsp of chopped stem

ginger 1 level tsp all spice 3 tbsp Matugga Spiced Rum 1 level tsp baking soda 2 eggs 50ml milk 60ml orange juice

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

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/ Gas Mark 3 (reduce the temperature by 10C or equivalent if a fan assisted oven).

Mix the flour,spices and baking soda together in a bowl. Add the milk, orange juice in another container and lightly beat in the eggs.

Put the margarine, sugar, Matugga Spiced Rum and treacle in a saucepan on a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and stir in the dry ingredients and then add the eggs, milk and juice mixture.

Pour the mixture into a 2lb loaf tin lined with baking parchment, bake for around 40 minutes.

Transfer to a baking rack until cold. Set aside ready to plate dish. (Can be made a day in advance)

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Ingredients: 2 tbsp Matugga Spiced Rum 100ml Chicken Stock 2 tbsp Scottish heather honey Sea Salt and Pepper to, season to taste 30ml Double Cream 10g Scottish butter

Method: Put all ingredients in a heavy based pan, bring to a rapid boil.

Turn down to lowest setting and slowly reduce to thicken sauce.

(Should coat back of a spoon without running off)

Skirlie Ingredients: 15g of beef dripping 15g of butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped

50g pinhead oatmeal 30g medium oatmeal Sea salt crushed black pepper

Method: Place a heavy based frying-pan over a medium heat, soften the onions in the dripping. You do not brown them, just lightly coloured.

Add all the oatmeal, stir to thoroughly mix with the onions.

Add a large pinch of sea salt and a good grinding of black pepper then mix for a couple of minutes.

Turn heat to a low setting and cook for 20 minutes. Stirring until the oatmeal has softened, season to taste.

Venison Steaks Ingredients: 2 125/130g venison steaks, prime cuts

Sea salt and black pepper to season Tsp of Scottish Rapeseed oil (Olive oil is fine) Knob of butter

Method: Heat a large heavy-based frying pan until very hot, starting to smoke. Season and then sear the fillet on all sides until dark coloured on the outside (2/3 minutes). Now reduce the heat to low and gently fry, turning regularly, for 6/7 minutes (Medium) or until cooked to your doneness, add butter and spoon over before resting the venison (See cooking time footnote).

Cooking time note; Venison is naturally deep red colour, darker than beef, so do not solely rely on the cooked colour of the Venison to judge doneness. Venison will look quite rare when it is actually, medium cooked. When Venison is a pink “medium” color, it is

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

Matugga Sauce

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

actually Well Done!

Lobster Tail 1 fresh lobster tail Sea salt

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Method: Bring a heavy based pan of water to the boil, add some sea salt to taste. Add the lobster tail and cook for 4-5 minutes. The shell will be a deep orange colour and

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

meat very white. Remove shell from flesh to plate.

Langoustines 3 medium langoustines Sea salt

Method: Bring a heavy based pan of water to the boil, add some sea salt to salty taste. Add langoustines and cook for 3-4 mins. Remove and set aside, remove from shell from

flesh to plate.

Scallops 2 Scallops Sea Salt and Black pepper to season

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Food & Beverage - A taste of Scotland, Chef in a Kilt with….Gordon Howe Tsp Scottish Rapeseed oil (Other oils are fine)

Method: Heat a heavy based frying pan until it just starts to smoke, add a drizzle of oil to the pan season.

Scallops cook on flat side for 2-3 minute, turn and cook on the other side for 2 mins. There will be a nice golden seared colour.

Remove and place on top of Stem Ginger Cake

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To Serve (As Picture) Create a rectangular mound of Skirlie and place two langoustines on top. Add a small mound of baby leaf salad on the plate with two tablespoons of Matugga Sauce next to the salad. Slice venison once and place on top of the sauce. Spoon a line of sauce along the centre of the venison.

Place two ginger cake towers on the plate and place a scallop on top of each. Place the sliced

Lobster tail beside the salad.

Serve immediately and enjoy. *Skirlie is delicious as part of a main dish, an ingredient or a tasty side dish. Try adding some fresh herbs or PGI sausage meat and create a tasty stuffing for poultry this Christmas. A versatile historic Scottish dish, that simply aims to please.

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

Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton

I

In praise of moderation

once, many years ago, had a pleasant conversation with Jancis Robinson, eminent wine critic and connoisseur, about the problems faced by those who have to swallow (or spit) the stuff

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for a living. It would, she averred, make life a lot easier for her if wine was not alcoholic. She could taste AND swallow to her heart’s, liver’s and indeed frontal lobes’ content.

When we had that chat, this was a vain hope. There were a few awful de-alcoholised wines and some dreadful so-called beers such as Kaliber (folk in the UK will remember the Billy Connolly

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

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Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton adverts). However, we are in the midst of a huge upsurge in no and low-alcohol versions of popular alcoholic drinks: as I write, non-alcoholic Guinness stout has been launched. My own six-week quest to go sober for October (and half of September) has seen me enjoying - yes enjoying - a case of Brewdog’s three zero-alcohol

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beers (Lost lager, Punk AF IPA and Nanny State ale) not to mention other brews such as the best of the bunch, Harviestoun’s marvellously named Wheesht.

There are now many “non alcoholic spirits” available, mostly variations on gin, but with the occasional imitation whisky such

Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton as Celtic Soul. Imitative in their pricing, too, even though no duty is payable on sales. Pioneers in this field, Seedlip, have been bought over by booze monolith Diageo.

Whither proper full-fat snifters, then? Drinkable alcohol, ethanol, has many qualities, and its capacity for behaviour

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

modification is just one. What of its excellent abilities in the field of flavour communication and enhancement? How would we slurp knowingly without them?

As far as whisky is concerned, slurping and gulping is illadvised, wasteful and dangerous.

Especially when it comes to caskstrength delights where a careless swig could, in the words of the great Warren Zevon, rip your lungs out, Jim, or at least leave you hoarse and coarse of diction.

A slow savouring is the key to enjoyment and appreciation of single malt whisky. Of course it is.

And none of us, nary a one, will ever have slowly savoured themselves into a state of discombobulation, will we?

Ahem. Of course not. The truth is, getting carried away (and sometimes, subsequently, carried out) when faced with the multifarious wonders of a wellstocked gantry is all too easy.

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First you take a drink, as they say, then the drink takes a drink. And then?

And then the drink takes you, goes the old saw. And the issue lovers of single malt whisky face is this: Drink has taken our society, or far too much of it.

Drink, booze in its most tasteless, disgusting, cynically industrial form: alcopops, cheap, vicious vodka, over-strength beer and rotgut cider. Sugary sweet drugs to provide instant oblivion for next to nothing are now many.

In these troubled times, it’s no surprise than many turn to alcohol for comfort and simply to shorten the endless locked-down days.

My own drinking was becoming habitual rather than excessive on any single occasion, which was why I decided to go for the SoberOctober-and-Part-of-September approach. As November dawns, I will drink again, but more carefully, cautiously and perhaps

not so regularly. Though see the “Rule of Three” below.

As far as whisky is concerned, I actually like the taste rather than the effect. But the hefty alcohol content is an essential carrier for that taste and aroma in all their complexities. It’s the reason perfume is alcoholic.

So, as the booze behemoths rush to buy up and sell on alcoholfree drinks, I believe there is a marketing opportunity for them in connoisseurship and moderation.

It involves not a retreat by malt lovers from their enthusiasm and passion, but a new evangelism for what malt whisky represents: quality, taste, history, a sense of place, of beauty. And value.

And moderation. Because, joking aside, appreciating the pricey goodness of malt is a matter of restraint. Over-indulgence is the enemy of insight, after all. If you’re setting out on the good

Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton Photo by P. Brundel Look Sharp! at Dutch Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0 Dalwhinnie Single Highland Malt 15-years-old

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Food & Beverage - Skailg: A wee livener with... Tom Morton Photo by cisko66 CC BY 3.0 Dalwhinne Distillery

ship Inebriation, best enjoy a maximum of three great whiskies before throwing yourself on the mercies of a business-like blend or 14 tins of Superlager.

Or just follow the rule of three: No more than three very expensive, very wonderful drinks, three times a week. That’s units of alcohol.

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Three small whiskies. Oh, and a major riotous blow-out three times a year when all bets are off and the whisky flows like...well, like lemonade. Cheers! Trebles all round!

NOTE: I should point out that during my self-imposed sobriety, all whisky tastings

have been undertaken on the same basis as many industry professionals: Open, inhale. Sip with and without water, spit. No swallowing!

Whisky of the month: Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old

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

I have always had a soft spot for Dalwhinnie. This distillery, the second-highest in Scotland (after Braeval near Tomintoul) at 1164 feet above sea level, is beautiful in its whitewashed starkness, topped with two (disused) malting pagodas, and visible for miles around on its “plain of meeting” (literal translation of Dalwhinnie in

the original Gaelic, Dail Chuinidh).

The tiny village around the distillery, population just 80, is a place I’ve always aspired to live.

It has an inn, a railway station (the line between Inverness and Perth is one of the reasons the distillery exists), a spectacular loch, a shop and the mountains. It’s regularly

isolated by snow (I like that) and I’m fond too of proper winter cold: Dalwhinnie has the distinction of the lowest temperature ever recorded in the UK, minus 6 degrees Celsius. For centuries it was a kind of crossroads, a place where drovers of cattle would stop on their way south to the big market at Crieff. The military road

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

which is now the A9 was built and so was an east-west mountain pass, only used these days only by stalkers (of deer), hillwalkers and hikers.

The distillery was the first one I ever visited, and it remains a welcoming and extremely attractive place to begin a journey into the world of single malts, though most of its production goes for blending, notably in the Black and White bottlings.

There are a few different expressions, notably Winter’s Gold (no age range) which capitalises on the distillery’s location and is marketed as “suitable for freezing” like a vodka, and subsequent, if you insist, mixing. Dalwhinnie’s trademark mildness is therefore capitalised on.

But for me that is missing the point. Dalwhinnie’s most readily available bottling, the 15-year-

Photo by cisko66 CC BY 3.0 Dalwhinne Distillery

old, displays not mildness but subtlety, and it contains both that sense of austere, mountainous purity and a tinge of peat smoke from the malted barley and possibly the peatiness of the water used to make this wonderful dram. For me, it’s not to be drunk frozen or with ice

but as a delicate winter warmer, conjuring up the glories of Scotland’s mountains, the shivery isolation of winter isolation, with the comfort of good fellowship and the roaring, soky warmth of a peat fire. It is also, as one of Diageo’s Classic Malts, easy to find and incredible value.

Tasting Notes

Dalwhinnie 15-Year-Old 43% alcohol. Around £37, readily available.

NOSE: The glorious reek of a mountain distillery in a hard frost.

Sweetened citrus, crystallised oranges, apples and summer gorse flowers. A touch of smoke in the winter air, and a promise of warmth to come.

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MOUTH: Malt. The sweetness and bitterness of a really good lowsugar marmalade. The kind of biscuity dryness you get from a fine Calvados, with just a hint of winter spice, cloves and distant peat fires.

FINISH: Very long and impressive.

Delicate, not abrasive, with plenty of malt and that whiff of both citrus and tamped fire.

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

Photo Š Ralf Roletschek CC BY 3.0

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Food & Beverage - Beefing up business

Beefing up business

by Scott Aitken

B

eef from a rare breed of cattle, the ancestors of which probably graced the tables of Viking warriors, is one again back on the menu in Scotland.

The Lincoln Red is one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the British isles. Renowned for their deep cherry-red coat, wide muzzle, and sturdy build the

animals are famous for producing marbled, flavourful, succulent beef.

While once a common sight the popularity of imported continental breeds in the 1970s and 1980s meant the Red Lincoln suffered a decline in numbers to the extent it is now considered endangered.

However, the Balcaskie Estate in Fife introduced a small herd of the cattle last year and the

onsite butcher, Sophie Cumber, has worked closely with the farm to make beef from these beasts available to customers.

Developing and expanding the herd is made sustainable through meat sales and Sophie’s wholecarcass approach means there’s no waste.

Lincoln Red cattle are well equipped to thrive in the Scottish climate. They thrive on grass and

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Food & Beverage - Beefing up business Lincoln Red cattle at Balcaskie

will happily follow the stockmen around as they are moved to fresh grass every day in keeping with the mob-grazing technique now being implemented on the organic estate.

The beef is Pasture for Life assured, which guarantees that cattle have been fed only on varied pasture throughout their life, rather than processed feed.

There is evidence to show that these farming practices produce meat that is healthier, as well as reducing methane emissions from the cattle.

Consumers can now order boxes of varying cuts of meat for £125 and have it delivered directly from the Butchery at Bowhouse.

The boxes will be available periodically throughout the year as the pure breed Lincoln Red cattle go through the butchery and the meat is matured for six weeks in the onsite hanging

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Sophie Cumber

room.

Each box includes a rolled roasting joint; a rolled slow roasting joint; a bone in prime steak for sharing; a selection of boneless prime steaks; a selection of ‘Butchers Cut’ steaks; beef on the bone for slow cooking; stewing beef; mince; a selection of sausages and some bone marrow beef burgers.

The Butchery at Bowhouse shop, which was featured in issue 42, opened in April 2020. It also sells a range of carefully matured, organic beef, free-range pork, wild venison and organic lamb and mutton from the fields nearby on Balcaskie Estate. It is a centre for food and drink producers in the East Neuk of Fife, providing artisan makers with support and acting as the missing link between farm and plate.

Food & Beverage - Beefing up business

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www.house-of-art.uk p98

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Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin

Big love for wee wummin

by Scott Aitken

A

n award winning care worker who found himself redundant at the age of 50 has carved out a new career for himself as an illustrator - much to the delight of a growing international audience.

Patrick Strickland, a self taught artist with a keen eye for observing the joy in some of life’s most mundane moments, launched his business ‘Oor Patt’s’ just two years ago. And, despite

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the Covid-19 pandemic, he has been attracting fans from around the world with his unique style.

“I used to work for a charity but got made redundant a couple of years ago and needed to find something new to do. I came up with three options. I could make my own gin, create my own celebration cakes or start a business using my skills as an illustrator,” said Patrick.

“The costs involved in setting up the first two ideas were quite high

so I decided illustration was the way to go.”

Patrick, who has never had an art lesson in his life but has been drawing things for as long as he can remember, began with just nine illustrations which he started selling at a city centre craft fair.

“When I started I didn’t have a clue what would work or what would sell,” said Patrick, who admitted the last two years have been a steep learning curve.

Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin

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Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin

Video QR Code

“The very first illustration I created I showed to my neighbours, as part of a little bit of market research, and they all loved it.

But, when I took it to market, I sold only one. I very quickly learned to listen to the people who visit the markets and to adapt my products to what they wanted, not just create things I thought they might like.”

To begin with Patrick drew images of Scottish landmarks, Highland cows and other scenes that appealed to tourists, especially visiting Americans, Canadians and Australians but he soon realised local people wanted something with a but of humour.

“One day I doodled a wee

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Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin

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Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin

Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin

woman and wrote above it “A wee Glesga wummin” and it took off. I started creating other wee wummin images of scenes most Glaswegians could readily identify with. Everybody in Glasgow

knows of, or remembers, a ‘wee Glesga wummin’.

Very soon Patrick had Glaswegians buying his art for themselves and to send to friends

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Entrepreneurial Scots - Big love for wee wummin and relatives who had moved away.

One of his most popular images shows a couple walking away hand in hand. The woman is carrying her shopping bag and the man has a bunch of roses in his arm. Initially Patrick had drawn the picture, which he titled ‘I love us’, as a Valentine card for his wife Susan but other people saw it and asked for copies.

Patrick now has more than 200 items in his library of images and customers around the world who like the simplicity of his characters and subtle humour.

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“It’s been a real buzz. About six months after I launched the business I met a couple from Boston, Massachusetts holidaying in Scotland. They visited the market in Glasgow and bought a couple of prints,” said Patrick.

“About a year later a younger husband and wife showed up to buy some prints and they were also from Boston. It turned out they were the son and daughterin-law of the couple I had met the year before. They had come to Scotland on holiday and taken a detour to Glasgow just to come and buy stuff from me because

they thought my art work was cool. I though that was amazing!”

Despite the pandemic closing the vast majority of markets Patrick has continued to see interest in his work grow as shoppers go online to his website at www. oorpatts.com looking for unique gifts with a touch of personality or his buy his range of Christmas cards.

“I’ve tried to create something that blends a bit of nostalgia with a little Glasgow joy and it seems to work. I’m glad that people like it,” said Patrick.

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Environment - Hidden wonders revealed Photo by www.belowtheskyeline.com Geraint Ashton Jones and Gill Williams

Hidden wonders revealed

by Paul Watson

T

wo photographers with a passion for the waters around the Isle of Skye and the conservation of the natural environment have opened up a new world to a global audience.

The joint collaboration between Gill Williams and Geraint Ashton Jones has been established with the aim of creating images that highlight the wonderful life found in the water in and around the

Geraint and Gill at work

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Environment - Hidden wonders revealed

world famous island on the west coast of Scotland.

The underwater photography duo recently launched a series of stunning, limited-edition images in the name of sustainability and conservation on the Scottish photography print platform Solu.

‘Below the Skye Line’ captures stunning underwater images of the vibrant and ‘other-worldly’ creatures and habitats that

Photo by www.belowtheskyeline.com Arctic Red

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One of the key aims of the project is to grow an awareness of the beauty that is so often out of sight and to highlight how fragile the balance of sustainability is.

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Environment - Hidden wonders revealed

populate waters off the Isle of Skye and the Scottish Highlands.

The new limited edition collection represent a study of jellyfish, capturing both the grace and beauty of these wonderful creatures that are seen by many but understood by few.

Environment - Hidden wonders revealed Photo by www.belowtheskyeline.com Tangled Mane

Gill, an experienced diver of many years, uses her skills to capture

Photo by www.belowtheskyeline.com Synchronised Swimming

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the raw images which Geraint then balances using contrast,

shadow and highlights to create the final photograph.

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Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia

Viva México y Escocia

Pipes and drums at the St Andrew’s Ball

K

ilts are being readied, haggis prepared and pipes tuned in readiness for one of the biggest celebrations in the Scottish calendar - the annual celebration of Saint Andrew.

This year marks the 700th anniversary of the apostle’s adoption as Scotland’s heavenly advocate. Although Scots have been celebrating the feast day of St Andrew on November 30 for almost 1,000 years it was only

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after the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320 that he was declared the nation’s Patron Saint.

Renowned for his generosity, strength of character and affinity with the underdog his traits are often said to mirror those of the Scots who created their national flag, the Saltire, in his name.

As time passed and Scots began to venture across the world they took their trust in St Andrew with them and in 1729 the first

St Andrew’s Society in the world was started in Charleston, South Carolina by a group of wealthy Scottish merchants to help orphans and widows.

Now, almost 300 years later, there are numerous similar organisations across the world from Argentina to Zimbabwe where the day is seen as the first event of the “Scottish season” followed by Hogmanay and Burns Night.

Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia Tania Fuentes and Mariana Díaz

This year things are looking a little different as global restrictions to combat the Coronavirus pandemic have interrupted the usual course of events.

However, in the spirit of that apocryphal tale of Bruce and the spider, giving up is not an option.

“This year we have decided to have a virtual St Andrew’s Day rather than cancel,” said Tania Fuentes, Chieftain of the St Andrew’s Society of Mexico.

The society’s Scottish chef, an ex-pat native of Inverness, will be preparing haggis to be delivered to the homes of those taking part while the local pipe band has pre-recorded the music and a live-streaming event has been set up for an interactive night on November 28.

More than 5,000 miles from Scotland the St Andrew’s Society of Mexico was founded in 1893

Dancing at the St Andrew’s Ball

by a community of Scots working in the country’s railway, mining and oil industries.

The annual St Andrew’s Ball has been one of the post popular events in the society’s calendar for decades and the possibility of missing out on the celebrations completely this year was

unthinkable.

“We have a membership of up to 80 people with more than 1,500 followers on social media and others who come to our events,” said Tania, who has no Scottish heritage but fell in love with the country while studying at Glasgow University.

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Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia

“It was destiny for me,” said Tania. “I had always been interested in mythology and music but never really got into it until I started thinking about studying abroad. My first intention was to go to London but then I found the University of Glasgow.

Video QR Code - Video top

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Video QR Code - Video bottom

“I had never been to Scotland before so I went to have a look and instantly fell in love with the place so I studied my Masters

Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia Tania Fuentes, current Chieftain of the St Andrew’s Society of Mexico

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Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia Members of the St Andrew’s Society of Mexico

here in Mexico love it. They can’t get enough,” said Rafael Gutierrez, a three times former Chief of the Society and founder of The Saint Patrick’s Battalion Pipes & Drums ( https://bandadegaitas.mx/ ).

Mexico’s only pipe band was formed in 1997 and named in honour of the Scottish and Irish soldiers who joined the cause of Mexico during the American Intervention War of 1846-48.

St Patrick’s Battalion Pipes & Drums

Degree there. After I was done I did everything in my power to extend my stay for two years because I loved it so much. When I got back to Mexico I was so homesick that I started looking for other people who shared my love for Scotland and I when I found the society I was so happy.”

Like Tania, most of the society’s

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members have no direct blood ties with Scotland but have developed a fondness for the country and its culture.

“People in Mexico find Scottish culture a bit exotic. They like the whole thing about the Scottish dancing and the pipes. The pipe band has a monthly event, like a mini tattoo and the community

For reasons even he’s not quite sure Rafael has always been interested in Scottish culture, particularly the sound of the bagpipes. As a young man in the early 1980s he saw an advert for the St Andrew’s Society giving a demonstration of Scottish country dancing.

“I went along to that first dance

Back in Mexico he found a Scottish sponsor and set up the band with four pipers and two drummers. Now, with some 10 pipers and eight drummers, the band has built a renowned reputation. It has taken part in numerous international parades and competitions, including the World Pipe Band Championships, and played at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo. They were even recruited to play ‘Flower of Scotland’ at an international football match between Scotland and Mexico in the Aztec Stadium prior to the 2018 World Cup (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=AV60fRc8o0I).

Dancing at the St Patrick’s Day Ceilidh

St Patrick’s Day Ceilidh

Fun at a Mexico vs Scotland football match

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Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia

and was a little disappointed that they were playing recorded music. I wanted to hear the pipes,” said Rafael who found an ex-pat Scottish bagpiper to teach him the basics. He then enrolled at the pipe school in Glasgow and travelled to Scotland every summer for a few years to learn everything he could.

Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia Burns’ Night celebration

the society recently launched a monthly podcast called ‘Wee Chats’, hosted by Tania, to introduce more people to all things Scottish.

James and Corin Robertson with Andrés Castro

“Bagpipes are seen as exotic in Mexico and there is tremendous interest in almost everything about Scotland. We share some strong similarities, both cultural and historical.”

Chief among the aims of the society is the desire to promote, share and educate people about Scottish culture.

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In an attempt to attract more younger members the society has stepped up its hosting of ceilidhs, pub quiz nights, Scottish dance classes and whisky tastings.

There are even plans to establish an annual Highland Games.

In an attempt not to lose any momentum during the pandemic

“We want to attract more people but with the current restrictions it’s impossible to arrange events where we can all meet up. We decided to try and take advantage of the available technology and put on a regular podcast talking with experts back in Scotland about anything and everything, from whisky and music to history and culture. The idea is that the podcasts should be both educational and fun.

Anyone can tune into the podcasts at any time at https:// anchor.fm/weechats More details of the Saint Andrew’s Society of Mexico can be found at https://en.saintandrewsmexico. org

Global Scots - Viva México y Escocia Members of the St Andrew’s Society Committee

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Sounds of Scotland - Musical Discoveries... with Tom Morton

51st Highland Division unloading stores on opening day Sicily invasion

Story behind the song…

‘The 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily’

by Scott Aitken

I

t was meant to be the soft underbelly of Europe but the invasion of Italy by Allied troops in 1943 was a bloody affair in which soldiers of the 51st Highland Division played a major role.

Almost 23,000 UK, Canadian and US servicemen were killed, wounded or posted missing during the six-week campaign which was the first step in the planned invasion of Italy.

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Among the Scottish troops involved in the operation was a young military intelligence officer called Hamish Henderson, attached to the 51st Highland Division, who would go on to become one of Scotland’s greatest poets of the 20th century and champion of the Scottish folk music tradition.

Henderson was born in Blairgowrie, Perthshire although he spent much of his childhood in England after his single mother, who had brought him up to love folksongs and speak Gaelic, was

compelled to move south for work.

Listen here

Sounds of Scotland - Musical Discoveries... with Tom Morton

with Tom Morton

#world #folk #scottish

Music to accompany reading Discover Scotland, the world’s only free online magazine dealing with Scotland all things Scottish. www.discoverscotlandmagazine.com 1) Catriona MacDonald - Michael’s Mazurka 2) Dougie Maclean - Ready for the Storm 3) Yvonne Lyon - Someday 4) Dick Gaughan - 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily 5) Gallagher and Lyle - Never Give Up on Love 6) Starry Skies - I Want you To Know 7) Love and Money - Winter 8) Monica Queen - The Passion 9) Rab Noakes - Clear Day 10) Kenny Vass - Railway Girl 11) Gerry Rafferty - It’s Better This Way 12) Blazin’ Fiddles - Arran Ceilidh

with Tom Morton

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Sounds of Scotland - Musical Discoveries... with Tom Morton

Unfortunately, while he was still only a child, his mother died.

Orphaned at a young age he spent much of his formative years in an orphanage in London while he attended the prestigious Dulwhich College on a scholarship before reading Modern Languages at Cambridge University.

As part of his studies Henderson spent some time in Germany during the 1930s where he joined the resistance against the Nazi regime, running messages for a Quaker organisation and helping to save Jews from persecution.

Although against violence he realised the conflict of World War Two could not be halted without an Allied victory and threw himself into the war effort and joined the Pioneer Corp, an ancient regiment responsible for fulfilling much of the army’s logistics and light engineering tasks.

However, his keen intellect was quickly recognised and Henderson was commissioned into the Intelligence Corps where his skills and knowledge of six European languages, and understanding of German culture, were put to good use interrogating prisoners.

Throughout his army career he continued to write poetry, much of it reflecting the experiences of the men he served alongside, and collect the lyrics to songs popular among the troops. It was Henderson who compiled the words to “D-Day Dodgers”, written by Lance-Sergeant Harry Pynn, to the tune of “Lili Marlene”.

The satirical song was a selfmocking ditty, popular among British soldiers involved in the Italian campaign, created as an answer to the teasing of other units who accused them of having an easy time compared to the horrors of the Normandy

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Memorial to Hamish Henderson

Sounds of Scotland - Musical Discoveries... with Tom Morton Troops of the 51st Highland Division in Sicily

landings.

However, it was while serving in the Italian campaign that Henderson wrote what has become considered one of the most important folk songs of the 20th century - “The 51st (Highland) Division’s Farewell to Sicily”.

After a long and bloody campaign the Highland Division HQ celebrated victory in Sicily with a retreat parade of massed pipe bands in the small town of Linguaglossa.

Henderson, who was attached

51st Highland Division medics treating a wounded comrade

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Sounds of Scotland - Musical Discoveries... with Tom Morton

Photo by Markus Großmann (Ide) CC BY-SA 2.5 Dick Gaughan

to the division as an intelligence officer, heard the pipes and the joyous cheers of the Italian crowd shouting “Via la Scozia”.

As he pushed his way through the throng to watch the parade

Listen here

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the words of a song began to form in his head to a traditional tune known as “Farewell to the Creeks”.

After the war the song was published along with some of his other works and became a favourite on the folk music circuit.

In the latest episode of Musical Discoveries, presented by Tom Morton, ‘The 51st Highland Division’s Farewell to Sicily’ is performed by the great Dick Gaughan.

The show also features some

Photo NotAdele CC BY-SA 4.0 Gallagher and Lyle

fantastic tracks from Catriona MacDonald; Dougie Maclean; Yvonne Lyon, Gallagher and Lyle;

Starry Skies; Love and Money; Monica Queen; Rab Noakes; Kenny Vass; Gerry Rafferty and

Photo PKimage CC BY-SA 3.0 Rab Noakes

Yvonne Lyon

Blazin’ Fiddles.

Photo by Eddie Mallin CC BY-SA 2.0 Gerry Rafferty

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Sounds of Scotland - Musical Discoveries... with Tom Morton

Photo by Dlsnider CC0 1.0 Dougie MacLean

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Arts - Bookmarker

Bookmarker Evocative views of long gone Glasgow G lasgow has changed a lot since the 1950s when amateur photographer Eric Watt began taking snapshots of life on the streets of the city he loved so much.

Over the years Eric managed to take more than 3,500 photographs of the people of Scotland’s largest city which, several decades later, provide a unique glimpse into the past of a community at work, rest and play.

A new book “Coming Into View: Eric Watt’s Photographs of Glasgow” is an evocative collection of almost 100 images, revealing different aspects of the city he grew up in, through a period of great change.

The book, which introduces one of Scotland’s greatest, yet largely unknown, practitioners of Scottish street photography was launched on 31 October.

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Photo © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection Gorbals, 1963. Boys playing football in the partly demolished Laurieston landscape before redevelopment.

Eric Watt’s first job was Quality Controller of Schweppes in Possil Park, before turning to teaching.

A secondary schoolteacher by trade, he created much of this body of work during his spare time as a member of Queens Park

Camera Club in Glasgow.

Following his death in 2005, a large part of his archive was gifted to Glasgow Museums’ collection

by Eric’s brother Graham Watt.

Many of his images also went to

Arts - Bookmarker Photo © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection Coronation Tram, possibly about 1962

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Arts - Bookmarker Photo © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection Boys walk through the triangular footings of the newly-built Queen Elizabeth Square tower block in Hutchesontown on their way back from playing football 1960s or 70s

Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Industrial Heritage Society.

Some of the most well-known aspects of city life are depicted in Eric Watt’s photographs. The changing face of the city is documented with affection and curiosity, including new highrise housing, the M8 motorway and the growing South Asian population. This is complemented by striking images of kids at play and Glaswegians enjoying rare leisure time at the football, horse racing and big city events.

A mix of black and white and colour photos, Coming Into View: Eric Watt’s Photographs of Glasgow reveals the playful eye of a prolific photographer and his dramatic, loving and sensitive way of capturing Glasgow on film.

The book is divided into sections that illustrate themes such as Politics and Protest; Faith; Leisure; Working Life; Shopping;

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Photo © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection A footbridge over the Clydeside Expressway under construction as part of Glasgow’s new transport infrastructure in the 1970s.

River Clyde; and The Changing City.

“It all started when Eric was 13. He got a small camera for Christmas in 1947. I got nothing so exciting. And so he acquired an interest that absorbed him for the rest of his life,” said Graham Watt, Eric’s brother.

“He always left the house with

at least two cameras round his neck should he see something of interest, which he nearly always did. Then it was back to his bedroom which had a huge cabinet containing all his developing paraphernalia. He then spent the evenings mounting his slides and finally the family were entertained to a show among which are the historical pictures contained in this book.

Arts - Bookmarker

“This is just a small part of his legacy, he left some 30,000 slides on all sorts of subjects, the result of going out with a couple of cameras. We are very proud that somewhat late in the day he should be afforded this recognition and my thanks are due to Glasgow Museums for making this possible.”

“Coming Into View: Eric Watt’s Photographs of Glasgow” includes essays about Eric Watt’s life and career, written by Glasgow Museums’ Curator of Social History Isobel McDonald, and by Alison Brown, Curator of

European Decorative Art & Design 1800–present, who shares her personal memories of Eric.

Publication was only made possible thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Glasgow Museums, who gave a £5K grant towards the print cost.

Previously a selection of Eric Watt’s work comprised the 2002 exhibition at Scotland Street School Museum ‘Bairns and Backstreets’, which proved so popular some of the images were always on display within the museum, and the exhibition

was shown again in full in 2007.

While that exhibition focused on his images of children, the new display at Kelvingrove offers a comprehensive overview of Eric’s work, showing similar themes to those of the book.

“We are grateful to Eric’s family for their incredibly generous donation and to Friends of Glasgow Museums whose support made publication possible,” said Councillor David McDonald, Chair of Glasgow Life.

“Glasgow Museums continues to care for, process and archive

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Arts - Bookmarker Photo © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection Workmen demolishing the Grand Hotel at Charing Cross to make way for the M8 motorway in 1969.

this important bequest of more than 3,500 images. Collections held within Glasgow’s libraries and museums are some of the most reliable and engaging records of the city’s history, and this gift greatly enhances our archives. I am certain the book will increase people’s awareness of this invaluable collection going forward.

“The book beautifully illustrates real life in Glasgow. It is very relatable. There’s a real warmth to many of the images and a grittier side to others. I was captivated. Perhaps it’s too early to start talking about Christmas, but I think it could be a perfect stocking filler for anyone who grew up in Glasgow from the 1960s onwards.”

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Photo © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums Collection Two friends with bikes outside a tenement building, probably in the southside of Glasgow.

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Photo by Chris 73 / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Horse by René Jules Lalique

For the Love of Lalique…

L

alique is a much spoken name. Die-hard discerning collectors, proud of their expertise on this great man, and lovers of mainstream television, watching the antique

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shows with awe and hope, share a similar dream - to one day buy a piece of Lalique from the car boot sale for 50p.

Most categories within antiques

have their ‘big name’. Everybody wants to find a Ming vase, a Faberge flower, a Chippendale (fully clothed, of course!). Lalique is on the bucket-list for glass.

Sometimes, if too much hype

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

RenĂŠ Lalique PD-Art

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo by Ingrid Taylar CC BY-SA 4.0 Lalique Spirit of the Wind mascot

surrounds a name I lose interest even before I have discovered the magic and the beauty. It’s a terrible habit, but with Lalique the hype is justified.

When most of us think of Lalique we visualise glass. Frosted, sculpted, curvaceous, angelic, pre-Raphaelite figurines shrouded in quality, - the Rolls Royce of the glass world. Funnily enough, car mascots were a speciality of a Mr Rene Lalique.

However, he is far more multitalented than most people realise.

Glass was actually a second career for him. He cut his teeth on jewellery at the time when the number of precious stones in a piece was more important than the design.

Photo by Sheila Thomson CC BY 2.0 Lalique Thistle pendant

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It seems right that if Rene Lalique was to be born in any French region it was of course Champagne country. April 6, 1860 is when his story began

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo Yelkrokoyade CC BY-SA 3.0 Libellule MusĂŠe Gulbenkian

in the town of Ay. Although his family moved to Paris he regularly spent childhood holidays back in Ay which influenced his creations in later life.

In 1872, at the very tender age of 12, he began an apprenticeship with a Parisian goldsmith and for years his talent lay in jewellery.

Working for esteemed names such as Cartier and Boucheron in the 1880’s he achieved more in his youth than most dreamers would in their life.

Glass always featured in his work.

When he was producing jewellery in the romantic Art Nouveau style he attracted much praise through his revolutionary use of nonprecious materials. However, as Art Nouveau plateaued Lalique started producing decorative glass bottles for a range of perfumers, including the highprofile Francois Coty.

At the time perfume bottles were

Photo Yelkrokoyade CC BY-SA 4.0 Cockerel diadem in Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo Vassil CC0 1.0 Anémone, Berlin

relatively plain. Wealthy ladies would transfer perfume into more decorative bottles at home, which were expensive to buy. Lalique created ornate bottles that were also cheaper to mass-produce, hence the birth of the perfume bottle as we know it today beautiful and stylish.

If the infamous Dove on Nine Ricci’s L’Air du temps is familiar, it’s because Lalique designed it.

He fell in love with Glasswork to the point where he devoted his life to it. His work is celebrated not just for its beauty but also it’s eye-watering cost. Why is Lalique so expensive?

Photo by Chris 73 / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Dragonfly

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First and foremost it is expensive to make. Lalique used demicrystal, which was easier to mould than lead crystal, and the moulds themselves were costly - some even cost thousands of pounds.

Lalique also used the Cire Perdue

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo Chris 73 / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 Rooster

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo Dayton Art Institute ‘Damiers Vase’

(Lost Wax) method to cast one-off creations, a complex process that destroys the mould in the process which means that each item is the only one in existence. The detail on these pieces is of an extremely high quality.

Amazingly a beautiful example of Cire Perdue was bought at a car

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boot sale in Dumfries for just £1 a few years back. The glass ‘pot’ was purchased purely for the plant that sat in it as the buyers didn’t care for the pot it was in. The new owners eventually dumped the ‘plant pot’ in the attic after the plant died and were close to throwing it away when the Antiques Roadshow turned

up in Dumfries. The vase (Feuilles Fougeres) turned out to be a 1929 one-off piece made using the Cire Perdue method. It sold for an astonishing £32,450 in 2008.

Factors such as colours, finishes, subject matter and also the quality and crispness of the moulding are paramount as it is

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

Photo Lalique11 CC BY-SA 3.0

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine ‘Oiseau de Feu’ Dayton Art Institute (PD)

rare to produce flawless crystal sculptures. Age is also key.

Collectors want pieces from

Photo G.Garitan CC BY-SA 4.0 Vase

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the era of René Lalique himself.

You can buy a modern recasting as Lalique is still very much in

production but it’s worth only a fraction of the original pieces.

Photo Sailko CC BY 3.0

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine

‘Lezards et Bluets Vase’ (PD)

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History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Photo No Swan So Fine CC BY-SA 4.0 Lalique glass table with a glass bust of Beethoven

Demand is so high even for modern Lalique creations that in America it outweighs supply.

Some pieces have a two-year waiting list to buy them. In post-Lalique years, the training involved to train a craftsman to

the same level can take five to 10 years!

I hope when people think of Lalique they imagine more than a frosted glass bowl. He was a visionary, designing the

Photo RSSFSO CC BY-SA 4.0 A lighting fixture of RenĂŠ Lalique in the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

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chandeliers and glass lighting for the first class dining room on the iconic SS Normandie. He designed for the Cote d’Azur Pullman Express and even for Japanese royalty.

History - Antique hunting with... Roo Irvine Serpent Vase, Dayton Art Institute (PD)

A giddy, intoxicating combination of beauty, quality, effervescence, skill and rarity defines Lalique and

makes it one of the most soughtafter names in glass. Lalique was the epitome of French luxury and

his legend is very much alive today.

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Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

by Scott Aitken

O

ne of Scotland’s finest country homes, Netherfield House in South Lanarkshire, has gone on the market for offers over £1.7million.

The impressive B-listed building - comprising a total of five bedrooms, three bathrooms and five public rooms - dates back to 1776 and forms the centrepiece

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Netherfield House

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

of an extensive 70-acre property that includes over 11 acres of private woodland.

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The surrounding gardens and policies also include a magnificent landscaped loch, with

a boathouse and a curling pond boasting its own island, as well as an orchard.

includes two cottages (one requiring total refurbishment), as well as a kennel complex,

grooming shed and former stable complex, greenhouse and gardens, is situated within easy

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Just two-miles outside the picturesque market town of Strathaven the estate, which

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

commuting distance of Glasgow and Edinburgh.

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The residence is prominent for its wealth of architectural design features including marble

fireplaces, decorative details as well as the original carved stone staircase in addition to a

The front of the house has an

enclosed partially paved terrace that leads onto an ornate fountain and the large landscaped loch

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

passenger lift.

surrounded by lawns with an arched bridge and woodland space.

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Mark Jamieson, partner at Corum Property, described Netherfield House as one of the finest homes in Scotland.

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“Netherfield would provide the ideal home for those looking to move to a real country home in a small, picturesque area and yet

be well connected within the main two cities of Scotland,� he said.

Luxury rural lifestyle Further north and little younger, Easterton of Duntelchaig near

Inverness, is an impressive steading conversion with separate traditional cottage in a beautiful rural location.

Selling agents Galbraith claim the property, on the market for offers over ÂŁ1.1million, provides an ideal opportunity to create a rural

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Easterton of Duntelchaig

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

lifestyle by letting one or both of the properties as a holiday let or on a residential basis.

The larger property (The House

by The Loch) sleeps up to 19 and currently generates significant income as a holiday house for large parties.

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The current owners have modernised and extended the three-bedroom cottage, and re-oriented and rebuilt the nine-bedroom steading to create exceptionally high quality, beautifully appointed accommodation with a wealth of features including a superb

cinema for nine people, snooker room and games area, dining room with its own bar and table for 20.

Outside there are over five acres of grounds with an ornamental pond, lawns and a children’s playground.

“This is an opportunity for the purchaser to acquire a lovely rural cottage along with a

successful large holiday let which is absolutely ideal for family gatherings and parties, in a scenic area which is very popular with tourists,” said John Bound of Galbraith.

“Great attention to detail has ensured that the properties enjoy

privacy from each other, are not overlooked and cause each other the absolute minimum of disturbance.

“The properties lie just above the northern shores of Loch Duntelchaig and have stunning uninterrupted views across

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Both the cottage and the steading enjoy great privacy and stunning views to Loch Duntelchaig and the Monadhliaths. Inverness is only 15 minutes by car.

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

the loch and a landscape of ancient birch woodland to the Monadhliaths and the hills to the west, which is very rare to

Belhaven Terrace West

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find in such close proximity to Inverness. It is a perfect situation for the future owners and for their guests.�

City centre des-res However, if city life is more to your liking then a stunning three-

home.

Designed by esteemed Glasgow architect, James Thomson, the

beautifully converted magnificent Victorian townhouse on Belhaven Terrace West is one of the finest residential developments in

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

bedroom apartment located in one of Glasgow’s most distinguished and sought-after residences might just be the ideal

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Glasgow’s vibrant West End. The modern and stylish second floor apartment has been respectfully restored, maintaining

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its classical dormers, bay windows and slate roofs.

On sale for a fixed-price of ÂŁ595,000, the elegant apartment

is part of the wider Dalrymple Collection which features 15 contemporary two and three bedroom apartments in the building, all renovated to the

The interior of the apartment has been refurbished with high-end living in mind and enhanced by a sophisticated range of carefully selected fixtures and fittings.

Exterior features include a communal garden area with landscaping, secured bike storage units and private parking.

need and yet enjoy living in this peaceful and serene terrace, away from the crowded city centre,” said Chris Breckenridge, Partner at Corum Property.

“The property has been lovingly renovated to the highest standards, yet maintains

many of its original Victorian characteristics. The high-end features around the flat will meet all the needs of those looking for a perfect new home”

Good life opportunity Marefield of Craigs is an attractive

The property is surrounded by some of the city’s finest restaurants and only a stroll away from the Botanic Gardens, world class Kelvingrove Art Gallery and unique independent shops. All within close distance of the city centre and easy access to several means of public transport.

“This stunning three-bedroom apartment is a superb opportunity for those looking to live in the heart of Glasgow’s stylish West End. Residents will be only steps away from everything they

Marefield of Craigs

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

highest standards.

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

five-bedroom country house with land and equestrian facilities on the edge of the village of Madderty, midway between Auchterarder and Crieff.

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Commanding beautiful westerly views over the surrounding countryside to the mountains beyond it offers a chance to enjoy the country with plenty of space,

peace and the opportunity to potentially live the “Good Life�.

The land offers grazing whether for horses, sheep or cattle,

However, if the planting of an orchard, growing vegetables, keeping hens or becoming a bee keeper are more of an interest then Marefield of Craigs offers

plenty of space for these hobbies to be indulged and enjoyed. “Marefield of Craigs offers the perfect rural idyll for those looking

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

complimented by the highly practical and good sized agricultural shed with stabling, together with the 40m x 20m riding arena.

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

to put down roots in the beautiful Perthshire countryside. It would appeal to a number of different parties, from equestrian lovers to those wanting to develop their own smallholding,� said Emma Chalmers of Galbraith, handling

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the sale.

The house, which is on the market for offers over ÂŁ585,000, is finished to a very high standard and provides flexible accommodation over two floors

including a spacious dining kitchen and triple aspect sitting room with wood burning stove.

With up to five bedrooms, one can easily be utilised as a home office and the good-sized

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

practical shed would make for an ideal workshop.”

Stable home

The Stables

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Interest in rural properties has never been so high as many families reassess their needs in the wake of changing work practices.

One such idyllic retreat recently on the market is The Stables, an impressive detached house in South Ayrshire with wonderful views over Ayr Bay to Arran in the

The property has been finished to an exceptionally high standard

and combines the character of a traditional home with the premium fixtures and finishes of a luxury modern property.

The Stables is one of three traditional handcrafted houses at High Abbothill constructed in 2011. The use of a green oak frame with extensive exposed

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

West and to the north as far as Ben Lomond.

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

oak beams and rafters contribute to the charm and character of this most desirable home. The property is one of only three

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houses situated at the end of a private road in a delightful tranquil setting.

“The attention to detail devoted to the interior design at The Stables has resulted in a superb home with an exceptional kitchen and

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

attractive entertaining spaces.

The well-equipped home office, with its wood burning stove, offers the ideal space for those working from home,” said Fiona Fulton of Galbraith, handling the sale for offers over £500,000.

“Above all, the elevated position overlooking open countryside and the sea to Arran is wonderful and the purchaser will greatly benefit from the privacy, the views and the rural lifestyle on offer.”

Outside there are mature, well established gardens with a large patio, easily maintained lawns, landscaped areas and a lovely ‘secret garden’ again with views over the open countryside. To the south there is a vegetable garden with raised beds, lawn and several fruit trees.

The lovely beaches at Ayr and Troon are close to the property and South Ayrshire offers a landscape of rolling hills with

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

numerous good walking routes nearby.

Exclusive neighbourhood

2 Ballochmyle Way

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For those who prefer their neighbours a little closer there is always 2 Ballochmyle Way, an impressive detached house in

East Ayrshire.

Situated within a luxury gated development of eight premium

including the oak carpentry, Villeroy & Boch bathroom fittings, superior appliances, underfloor heating throughout and a built-in

sound system.

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

homes the 12-year-old property is presented in immaculate condition and all fixtures and fittings are of the highest quality

The house lies within a large corner plot with an easily

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

maintained lawn to the front and rear and bounded by a beech hedge.

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There is a spacious summer house in the rear garden which is fully insulated, with power and

double glazing. This would be ideal for use as a lovely home office, in addition to the spacious

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

study inside the house, or perhaps as a gym or games room for teenagers.

“This is a premium property offering substantial accommodation in a very desirable setting on the outskirts of Mauchline. Considerable thought has been devoted to the layout and specifications, resulting in a first-class home that meets the needs of contemporary families and also lends itself well to entertaining,” said Fiona Fulton of Galbraith.

Features of note include the bespoke oak staircase in the entrance hall and the double height ceiling in the dining room, creating a light-filled and impressive space. Upstairs there are five double bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms.

The property is for sale for offers over £585,000.

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Write retreat Every home has a story but few

Kenbank House

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can boast an author in its history, especially one regarded as one of the most influential Scottish

fiction writers of the 20th century.

Kenbank House at Dalry, Castle

over ÂŁ700,000.

The beautifully proportioned,

recently renovated, five bedroom country house with far reaching views has quite a few significant

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Douglas, once home to the novelist, critic, and dramatist Neil Gunn, is on the market for offers

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

historical connections. Other former residents of the property,

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which dates back to 1740, include a retired East India

Company officer, a renowned Professor of Classics and the

Edinburgh surgeon who served the Chinese government during

Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Chinese diplomat Sir Halliday Macartney, the Scots born,

the late Qing dynasty.

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

Although the house has been tastefully modernised the original character has been retained.

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The principal rooms all face south with astounding views over the surrounding farmland in one

Lochs of the Glenkens provide a sharp contrast to the Rhins of Kells which lie to the west.

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Living Scotland - Georgian splendour, modern living and a chance of the good life

of the most scenic parts of the South West of Scotland. The gentle rolling countryside and the

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