Discover Scotland Issue 53 by Discover Scotland

Researching family trees

New golf course tees off

Reel stars of Scotland

Best places for home working

Honouring a medical hero Issue 53

New start for historic attractions p1

A GRE W

We’re open f

Book yourself o Scotland’s Olde skill that go i stun

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EAT WHISKY IS ALWAYS WORTH WAITING FOR

for visitors from 26th April so your long wait is over.

on one of our hosted tours and discover the fascinating history of est Working Distillery and get a avour of the process, craft, and into creating The Glenturret single malt. Then relax in our nning new café and explore our fantastic new gift shop. BY HAND & HEART SINCE 1763

+44 (0)1764 656565 E: enquiries@theglenturret.com THEGLENTURRET.COM

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May 2021

This month’s Discover Scotland multimedia magazine has been brought to you by: Sponsors Loch Lomond Seaplanes Turin Castle Glenturret Distillery Peter Barton Janice Kennedy Tom Walker Stephen Barron

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. If you would like more information on how to help us fly the flag for Scotland and all things Scottish

Click Here Photos by Vinny Keenan

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Keep the flag flying 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. Donate here or visit our Patreon page to find out how to help us #payitforward

Donate Here Photos by Vinny Keenan

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Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Edinburgh Castle seen from The Vennel leading to The Grassmarket in Edinburgh’s Old Town

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Family History

Travel

Getting back to your Scottish roots

Six movie location that stole the show

Experience

People

Warm welcome back to Glenturret

The Scots doctor who pioneered military medicine

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Golf

Travel

New Jack Nicklaus designed golf course gets underway

Delving into Scotland’s only lake

History

Living

Doors open again at top historic attractions

Top spots for working from home

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History

Business

Blackness Castle - the ship that never sailed

Revolutionising cancer detection

Living Stylish properties for sale

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Contributors

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Musical Discoveries Tom Morton presents the latest show with a distinctly band vibe

Skailg: A wee livener with… Hunting antiques with… Roo Irvine on the joy of ugly Tom Morton explores the Japanese love for whisky jugs

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Supernatural Scotland Graeme Johncock on the magical spirit of Selkies

An actor’s life for me with…

Chef in a kilt… Gordon Howe’s delicious pork dish

Scott Kyle on the restoration of an iconic Aberdeen theatre

Cover image Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Highland cows at the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere

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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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Family History

ultivating interest in family trees

lmost everywhere you go in the world - and beyond if you count astronaut Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon - a Scot has been there first. One of our greatest exports has been our people so it’s therefore no surprise that millions claim to have Scottish ancestors. Many of those descendants are now looking to reconnect with their forebears. Some want to come back physically for a visit to their ancestral heartlands, while others are happy to connect spiritually and explore their history from afar. Others want a legal Coat of Arms.

Photo by NASA Scottish-American astronaut Neil Armstrong, whose family came from the Dumfries & Galloway town of Langholm, walking on the Moon.

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For many the first step in the journey back in time often begins with researching the family tree. “More than ever people seem keen to discover their Scottish ancestors,” said Dr Bruce Durie, one of Scotland’s leading and internationally renowned genealogists. He believes successive lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021 meant people had time to think about their own mortality and wonder where they came from. “It’s no longer simply a question of ‘who was my immigrant ancestor’ and ‘am I descended from anybody famous?’ There seems to be a real need to reach out to an ancestral heartland,” he said. Photo by Haydn Blackey CC BY-SA 2.0 Memorial to Scottish immigrants, Sydney, Nova Scotia

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A much sought after speaker, especially in the USA, Bruce is an expert. He is an occasional lecturer on Genealogy, Heraldry and Documents for the University of Edinburgh, and founder of the celebrated Genealogical, Heraldic and Palaeographic Studies Programme at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. An accomplished author, with more than 35 books to his name, he is also an experienced broadcaster, probably best known for his BBC radio shows “Digging Up Your Roots” and “A House with A Past”. Prior to limitations on international travel he would routinely get invited to give talks, lectures and seminars where he would try and dispel some of the myths that have sprung up over the years.

Dr Bruce Durie

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

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“I never use the word ‘diaspora’. It smacks of enforced expulsion, like the Jewish people of Eastern Europe in the late 1800s,” said Bruce. “In truth, a relatively small number of Scots were transported as criminals, sent into forced servitude, cleared off the land straight onto boats and the like.

The vast majority went away of their own accord – including to other parts of Scotland and to England. “Reading their stated reasons for going tells of a Scotland where rents and the cost of living were just unsupportable, so they looked for a chance elsewhere.”

Reivers raid on Gilnockie Tower

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Some communities, like the residents of St Kilda, moved voluntarily to find a new life elsewhere.

He also points out that it wasn’t generally the destitute and the helpless who left in search of a better life, as most of those couldn’t afford to. “It was people with the capital to travel and a skill to sell, like farmers, artisans, craftsmen, doctors, lawyers, teachers and ministers of religion,” said Bruce.

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“I generally refer to places as having ‘a strong Scottish presence’ rather than use the word diaspora. I try to disabuse people of the narrative of victimhood they have often been handed down.”

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Fortunately for those looking to research their family history Scotland has some of the best and most readily available historic archives in the world. “It’s a lot easier in Scotland than it is in England and Wales or Ireland,” he said. “Scotland has just about the best maintained, most accessible and longest reaching archives on the planet. More of our records are readily available on the internet, and there are excellent catalogues for things not yet online. “However, a lot of people get misled into thinking these records are available on big, commercial websites, and they’re not. It often takes some guidance to get people to realise what’s what and what’s where and how to get to it.” As Shennachie to the Chief of Durie Bruce is the official Genealogist, Heraldist, Archivist and Historian for the Durie family worldwide. He has spent years tracing the history of his own family name, and that of others. As a result he knows from experience the answers people get aren’t always what they expect to find or want to hear.

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Photo by VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins General Register House - The National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh

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“Almost everybody likes to thinks their ancestors came from the Highlands and they belong to some clan or other,” said Bruce. “That’s true for about a third of them. The majority come from Lowland families, and some from the Borders clans and families. As I often say, you’ll never see an authentic picture of Robert Burns wearing a kilt!” As for descending from somebody famous? The advent of DNA research – genetic genealogy – has taught us that just about everybody in Scotland is descended in some way from just about everybody alive in the country around the time of Robert Bruce, in the 1300s. It’s a different thing to ask about descent in the male line, as not everybody of the same surname is necessarily related, and people often changed surnames according to where they lived, local politics and such like. Fortunately, documentary evidence in Scotland can take researchers back as far as the mid1500s as regards to many parish records, inheritance records, wills and testaments. In some cases they can go back much further back, especially when it comes to charters and royal or parliamentary records relating to the landed, the notable and the fortunate.

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Photo by Stewart Cunningham Lord Charles Bruce, a direct descendent of King Robert The Bruce, in front of a very old and early interpretation of his family tree at the ancestral home of Broomhall House.

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Photo by VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins Inside the Matheson Dome at Scotland s People Centre in General Register House, Edinburgh

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“It’s a rich seam to mine,” said Bruce, who also holds the privileged position of a Right of Audience at the Court of the Lord Lyon. He has the authority to prepare, present and oversee petitions for legally granted coats of arms in Scotland, and other matters pertaining to heraldry. “Heraldry is the new Rock and Roll,” said Bruce. “It’s quite something to have legally granted Arms in your own name. It costs about the same as a second-hand car or a family holiday, and it’s inheritable down the generations, forever. But you have to do it properly. It is not enough to find one of those ‘Your Family Crest’ offers online; they will almost always be the Arms of someone else, and to wave them around in Scotland like they’re yours is illegal!” For anyone embarking on a journey to find their roots Bruce has some simple advice. “First, ignore all online Family Trees and the like,” said Bruce, who will be contributing articles on Scottish Genealogy in forthcoming issues of Discover Scotland multimedia magazine. “They are often copied from elsewhere with no checking and may be full of mistakes and wishful thinking. Avoid anything you can’t see an actual document to support. Do it properly, from the original records.” “And second, talk to all your oldest living relatives, but don’t necessarily believe a single word they tell you!

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Photo by Guy Phillips

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Travel

ilver screen scene stealers

by Tracey Macintosh

or a small northern European country Scotland has probably had more than its fair share of momentous moments on the silver screen. Although the changeable weather is far from ideal for film production the quality of light, range of landscapes and sheer natural

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beauty makes Scotland a really popular cinematic destination. The diversity of movies shot in Scotland is quite astounding. Home grown productions, Hollywood hits and Bollywood blockbusters have all found a starring role for Scotland the

backdrop. Whether it’s the Harry Potter series, with iconic shots of the Glennfinnan viaduct, or the offbeat humour of Monty Python, shouting insults from the battlements of Doune Castle, Scotland is a magnet for film makers.

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As a result of the country’s supporting role in so many movies, and more often than not stealing the show, many people have been inspired to visit in search of the locations used in their favourite blockbusters.

Here’s a few of some of the best known, each showing a unique aspect of Scotland that proved perfect for the big screen.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Jacobite steam train passing over the Glenfinnan Viaduct at the head of Loch Shiel, as featured in the Harry Potter movies.

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Chariots of Fire Released in 1981, the movie tells the story of athletes Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams at the 1924 Olympic Games and went on to win four Academy Awards along with a host of other accolades. Most memorably the film includes a scene of the athletes running barefoot on the West Sands beach at St Andrews. Accompanied by Vangelis’ awardwinning theme music it is an alltime great screen moment.

St Andrews beach

Scotland has some truly stunning coastlines and St Andrews’ beach provides a breath-taking backdrop to this scene, even though it was standing in for Broadstairs in Kent.

Eric Liddell

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The scene has truly stood the test of time and was recreated as part of the Olympic torch relay for the London Olympics in 2012 and again for the Commonwealth torch relay for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.

Today there are often runners on the West Sands, as well as other sporting enthusiasts, many of them inspired by this exhilarating scene.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland It’s not just runners attracted to the West sands at St Andrews as these land yachting enthusiasts demonstrate.

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Highlander In 1986 Highlander, telling the story of immortal warriors living secretly among the general population, hit the big screen. Shot between Scotland, London and New York the Scottish scenes show off one of the country’s

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most photogenic and instantly recognisable castles, Eilean Donan. This 13th century fortress sits on a small tidal island in the western Highlands where three sea lochs meet – Loch Alsh, Loch Duich and Loch Long.

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The surrounding rugged landscape completes the perfect Highland tableau and is the scene of the main character’s birthplace in 16th century Scotland.

The scenes set in Scotland show bustling clan life, with the characters clothed in plaids and furs, although it is the castle and the majestic landscape which are the true scene stealers.

Photo © Guillaume Piolle / CC BY 3.0 Eilean Donan castle as featured in Highlander and numerous other movies

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Braveheart Almost a decade after Highlander was made another Scottish hero was depicted on the silver screen - inspired by a real person.

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Braveheart is loosely based on the exploits of William Wallace and his role in the 13th century Wars of Independence.

The movie won five Academy Awards and spread the story of Wallace around the globe. Photo Postdlf CC Wallace Monument, Stirling

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Although mostly filmed in Ireland, reportedly due to better tax breaks and the use of the Irish army as extras, the scenes shot in Scotland were mostly in Glen Nevis, near Fort William. They include the scenes where young Wallace lived as a child then returned and fell in love with Murron, one of the lead female characters, played by Scottish actress Catherine McCormack.

Braveheart has been credited with stimulating interest in the story of Wallace and bringing millions of tourists to its shores. The city of Stirling, the site of Wallace’s great victory in 1297 at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, saw an almost immediate hike in visitors following the movie’s release in 1995. The National Wallace Monument alone saw visitor numbers increase from 80,000 to almost 200,000 a year.

Photo by Axis12002 PD The William Wallace statue, Aberdeen

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The Da Vinci Code Based on Dan Brown’s best-selling novel, and with award winning actor Tom Hanks bringing the lead character to life, the Da Vinci code was released in 2006 as the first movie in a series featuring Harvard professor and symbologist Robert Langden.

Mysterious secrets are a strong theme throughout the film and Rosslyn Chapel, with its speculative links to the Knights Templar and Freemasonry along with intricate and curious carvings,

Various twists in the plot eventually lead the main character to Rosslyn Chapel, just south of Edinburgh, where he makes an astounding discovery.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian

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perfectly fits the plot. The movie brought Scotland to the eyes of an audience keen to delve into medieval mysticism and unravel historic puzzles. Built in the 15th century Rosslyn Chapel is privately owned and has seen a huge rise in visitor numbers since the release of the Da Vinci Code.

Photo by Thomas Duesing CC BY 2.0 Inside Rosslyn Chapel

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Skyfall The Bond films are the longest running film franchise of all time, starting in 1962, and show no sign of winding up any time soon.

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Based on novels by Ian Fleming details of Bond’s character are revealed over several of the films and include the fact he is

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supposed to have had a Scottish father, Andrew Bond, and was brought up in the Highlands. Skyfall, the 23rd film in the series was released in 2012 and features the hero returning to his former

family estate where he faces his latest nemesis. The trip from London to the Scottish Highlands in Bond’s signature Aston Martin DB5 features one of the country’s most dramatically scenic routes, the A82.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland The old military road at the at Rest and Be Thankful, Argyll next to the A82

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Running from Glasgow to Inverness the road cuts through some stunning landscapes towards Glencoe and Glen Etive. The backdrop of lochs, rivers,

waterfalls and heather covered moorlands, with surrounding forest and mountains, ticks all the boxes for dramatic affect.

Photo by VisitScotland Buachaille Etive Mor with Allt nan Gubhas in the foreground, Glen Coe

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Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland River Etive in Glen Etive

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Sunshine on Leith The 2013 screen adaption of Sunshine on Leith, based on the stage musical featuring hit songs of The Proclaimers, is an exuberant celebration of life.

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The movie’s final scene is a joyful flashmob in Princes Street Gardens, under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, and is set to the Proclaimers’ popular I’m

Gonna Be (500 miles) hit. The film beautifully shows off some of Edinburgh’s stunning old town architecture that gives the city its name as the ‘Athens of the North’.

Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland Edinburgh Castle

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Scotland has found fame as the perfect supporting character in many movies but, no matter how big the screen or quality of the

image, nothing beats seeing the real thing in person and enjoying first hand its natural splendour.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Restaurants, bars and offices reflected in the Water of Leith on Leith Shore

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Experience

elcome return for whisky lovers by Paul Watson

cotland’s oldest working distillery, The Glenturret, is once again inviting visitors to see for themselves how one of the country’s most iconic whisky brands is created.

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The distillery has a new gift shop and cafe to improve the unique experience of tourists to the visitors’ centre located at the end of a hidden glen two miles from the historic and picturesque Perthshire town of Crieff.

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A warm welcome awaits at Glenturret

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Photo by Stewart Cunningham

The area, once known as ‘The Hosh’ meaning foot, lies adjacent to the banks of the River Turret and has been a centre of whisky making for centuries. In days long gone, before whisky making was made a legal activity, outlaws and smugglers operated countless illicit stills and prowled the surrounding hills forever watchful for approaching excise men or soldiers. It was in this beautiful and magical area of the country that notable characters such as the outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor carried out his nefarious activities of cattle rustling and extortion without fear of being arrested.

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Glenturret is full of charm and history

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Photo by Stewart Cunningham The spirit safe at Glenturret

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Crieff was also where the Young Pretender, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and his Jacobite army rested and made their plans during the retreat to Inverness and their eventual bloody demise at the Battle of Culloden in 1745. It is with a similar sense of history that Glenturret whisky continues to be hand-crafted in small exclusive batches using traditional methods handed down to successive generations since at least 1763. Water is drawn directly from Loch Turret, which is fed by rain drops filtered through layers of ancient granite rocks from Ben Chonzie, giving it a unique softness ideal for making a top quality whisky with an exquisite taste.

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Tradition and craftsmanship are paramount at Glenturret. The mill used to prepare the grain is more than 120 years old and the old mash tun is still operated by hand rather than a computer. The wash backs are made from Douglas fir and the copper stills are filled by hand from the stirrup pump. Fermentation takes three days instead of 24 hours to ensure the end product has the characteristic light, floral, smooth character the brand is known for. Once distilled the spirit is left to mature for years

in quality casks before being bottled and shipped to customers around the world. As travel restrictions begin to ease around Scotland the distillery is once again welcoming guests back to take part in guided tours, for up to six people at a time, so they can witness first hand the making of the whisky by artisans expert in the provenance, prowess and passion for which Glenturret is known.

Photo by Stewart Cunningham

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“It has felt like ages since we have been able to welcome visitors through our distillery doors,” said Sheenagh McIntyre, Tourism Manager at The Glenturret. “The Tourism team at The Glenturret are excited to be able to host tours and tastings again and to pass on the wealth of their knowledge and passion for our traditionally hand-crafted single malt. We have missed the lovely interactions that we have with our visitors and cannot wait to get back to doing what we do best - warm and genuine welcomes, first class service and memorable experiences delivered in a safe and friendly environment”.

Photo by Stewart Cunningham

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Photo by Stewart Cunningham

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People

oldiers’ saviour

by Paul Watson

he life and achievements of a Scottish doctor who helped save the lives of countless soldiers and whose legacy continues to this day has been celebrated in the city he called home.

Sir James McGrigor - physician, military surgeon, botanist and the man largely credited with laying the foundations of the Royal Army Medical Corps - was born in Strathspey on April 9 1771.

Photo: Wellcome CC BY 4.0 Sir James McGrigor

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Educated at Aberdeen Grammar School before attending the city’s Marischal College, Aberdeen, where he received the MA in 1788, McGrigor was fascinated by medicine.

He spent three years in attendance at Aberdeen infirmaries, in a phase of training corresponding to a modern internship, and completed his professional preparation by attending medical lectures from prominent physicians in London and Edinburgh.

Photo by Watty62 CC BY-SA 4.0

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McGrigor was present at the Battle of Toulouse, April 10, 1814 PD

McGrigor sought a military life and, upon the outbreak of the war with France, his father purchased an army assignment for him in an Irish corps. The unit became famous later as the 88th Regiment or the Connaught Rangers. After serving in a range of locations, he returned to the British Isles in 1803 and a year

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later graduated as a doctor of medicine at Aberdeen. His outstanding qualities as a doctor and administrator enabled him to rise rapidly through the army hierarchy and to eventually become director general of the medical department, a post he held until 1851.

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An older James McGrigor circa 1839

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His best-known duty was as the head of the medical department in Portugal and Spain during the latter years of the Peninsular War. Under McGrigor’s guidance British army doctors received their first ever mention in dispatches, after the action at Badajoz in 1812. He raised the status of the ordinary army doctor and introduced the routine collection of disease statistics. His carefully maintained disease records were later used by statisticians to disprove many of the traditional theories of disease and to justify the introduction of crucial preventive measures such as better diet, clothing and sanitation. It was McGrigor who introduced the use of stethoscopes by military physicians in 1821. He was also the first to set up properly organised and hygienic field hospitals so troops wounded in action could get treatment at the earliest opportunity.

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Photo: Nat Army Museum PD Siege of Badajoz, by Richard Caton Woodville

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For his distinguished service to medicine Sir James was created a Baronet on 30 September 1831 and appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1850. A statue of him erected in Westminster was later moved to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Photo by Bob Embleton CC BY-SA 2.0 Inscription on the Obelisk in Duthie Park, Aberdeen

Photo by Noel Gaius Cornelius CC BY-SA 3.0 Memorial at the Army Medical Services Museum to Noel Chavasse VC & Bar, MC - a hero in the best traditions of the RAMC

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Today, there is an obelisk which stands in Duthie park is dedicated to his life and work and signifies his links to the city and the University of Aberdeen where he also served as Rector. To mark the 250th anniversary of McGrigor’s birth the University of Aberdeen held a virtual to celebrate his achievements.

Photo by Nick Bramhall CC BY-SA 2.0 Obelisk memorial to Sir James McGrigor in Duthie Park, Aberdeen

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Photo: Wellcome CC BY 4.0 Officers and men of the RAMC in action in the First World War

“As a medical student and as Rector he left a lasting legacy on the University of Aberdeen, not least the Aberdeen MedicoChirurgical Society which he founded in 1789 and is still in existence today,” said Professor Alison Murray, President of Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society, and Professor Emerita of Radiology at the University of Aberdeen.

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“As an army surgeon he became Wellington’s Surgeon General and is responsible for what is now the Royal Army Medical Corps, establishing the Army Medical Friendly Society and the Army Medical Benevolent Society for soldiers and their widows.

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Photo by Deeday-UK CC BY-SA 4.0 The grave of Sir James McGrigor at Kensal Green Cemetery, London

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“In later life he was Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen on three occasions. He is truly a local lad who had global influence for the enduring benefit of others.”

Sir James McGrigor died in London on 2 April 1858, a week short of his 87th birthday, and is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.

Photo by Deeday-UK CC BY-SA 4.0 Inscription on the grave of Sir James McGrigor

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Golf

icklaus golf course tees off by Scott Aitken

ork has swung into action to deliver the Jack Nicklaus designed 18-hole championship golf course at the spectacular Ury Estate. Activity has started on careful preparation of the land for the construction of a masterpiece signature golf course and housing development. Opening date for the golf course has been set for early Summer 2024.

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The overall Ury Estate project is being undertaken by developer FM Group and work has just been completed on the planting scheme, covering 30 hectares with around 60,000 trees planted. Known worldwide as the ‘Golden Bear’, Jack is an 18-time major championship winner, including the Opens he won on Scottish soil, twice at St Andrews in 1970 and 1978, and at Muirfield in1966.

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Jack Nicklaus at the site of his project near Stonehaven

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Jack’s love of Scotland is well-recognised and was acknowledged in 2005 when the Golden Bear became the only living non-UK national to feature on British currency. His legacy as a player is equalled only by his reputation as a golf course designer. With over 265 courses to his resume he has built one of the world’s leading golf design firms. “From the first day I walked the estate and we discussed the course design, FM Group director Jonathon Milne made it very clear that the goal was to create something that would blend in naturally with the Scottish countryside,” said Jack Nicklaus. “My philosophy has always been to work with what the natural environment has provided us with, and whenever possible create something that will enhance it, and in many cases create new and better natural habitats. And while our firm has created golf courses in 45 countries, Scotland is very special as the home of golf and to me personally.

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Jack Nicklaus in front of the ruins of Ury House

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“Some of my favourite courses are spread over the beautiful Scottish landscape and to have this opportunity to create something truly special at Ury Estate is both an honour and a great responsibility for me.

“My goal is to blend in a golf course that lays naturally over the landscape around Stonehaven, work to protect the existing natural surroundings, and to provide an experience that locals and visitors to Ury Estate will truly enjoy for generations to come.”

Aerial view of the Ury estate

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The £80million redevelopment of the 1,500-acre estate includes the creation of 19 luxury apartments created inside the preserved facade of the 1885 Elizabethan style mansion, along with a club house, pro shop, locker room and bar on the ground floor. The money made from the sale of the apartments will go towards funding the creation of golf course and running of the clubhouse. “To be commencing work on the course and having Jack’s personal involvement is a ringing endorsement of what we are trying to achieve here in delivering a spectacular experience for both residents and visitors alike,” said Douglas Thomson, Ury Estate Project Director

Jack Nicklaus viewing plans of the estate which will host his new golf course

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“The development has a great deal to offer the local community and will attract visitors to both Stonehaven and the surrounding area.

According to Graeme Webster, Golf Course Project Manager, the aim is to create a development that will blend in naturally with the spectacular Scottish countryside.

“The golf course is a significant addition to the Ury project and with work progressing on housing, infrastructure and the castle, it is full steam ahead this year.”

“Jack and his team work to an incredibly high level of detail, endeavouring to ensure that a wonderful golf course sits very well in the existing terrain,” said Mr Webster.

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“Current site features and the wonderful pallet of nature have all been carefully surveyed and incorporated into the design. “We have been working very closely with Jack, the Nicklaus Design team and local officials to follow all guidelines and requirements, taking special care to ensure all standards to protect

our beautiful Scottish environment are met. “The Jack Nicklaus signature golf course will undoubtedly be a fantastic addition to the North East of Scotland’s already rich golf offering and one which will enhance Aberdeen’s reputation as a world class golfing destination.”

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Ury estate lies just a short distance from the picturesque coastal town of Stonehaven

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Ury House has been a ruin for more than 70 years. The roof was taken off the building in 1959 as a way of avoiding taxes. Originally built in 1885 by Sir Alexander Baird, 1st Baronet, the mansion lies about one mile from the ancient fishing port of Stonehaven and enjoys commanding views of the surrounding countryside. The current structure stand on, or near, to the spot of at least two previous buildings which dominated the historic landscape where Bronze Age settlers lived and Roman legions set up camp.

Mapping out the new couse

An artist’s impression of the course and a refurbished Ury House

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The estate initially belonged to the Frasers before passing to the Marischal family with the marriage of Margaret Fraser to Sir William Keith who eventually sold it and the barony of Urie to William de Hay, Lord of Errol. The Hays held on to the estate until 1640. In the mid 17th century the lands of Urie, as it used to be called, were purchased by Colonel David Barclay and it remained in his family until 1854 when it was bought by the Bairds. Officials from Aberdeenshire Council, which approved the plans last year, have said the development would ensure a positive long-term future for the protected Victorian building.

Photo by Brideshead PD Ury House has been a ruin for more than 70 years

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Broadcast

Getting the bands back together

Listen Here

Photo by Drew de F Fawkes CC BY 2.0 The Beta Band, 2004

here is a bit of band theme to the latest episode of Musical Discoveries as presenter Tom Morton turns back time to explore some of the great talent to emerge from Scotland.

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The podcast, exclusive to Discover Scotland magazine, opens with Ronnie Costley and his nostalgic look back at life in Glasgow with his rendition of Harmony Row.

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with Tom Morton

Music to accompany reading Discover Scotland www.discoverscotlandmagazine.com 1) Ronnie Costley - Harmony Row 2) Jack Bruce - The Consul At Sunset 3) Sensational Alex Harvey Band -Action Strasse 4) Incredible String Band - Painting Box 5) Bert Jansch - Curragh of Kildare 6) Archie Fisher - To Joan Eardley 7) Average White Band - Pick Up the Pieces 8) Beta Band - Dry the Rain 9) Supernaturals - Smile 10) Boards of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy 11) Phantom Band - The Howling 12) Hamish Hawk - Calls to Tiree

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The song takes its name from the former tenement street, now demolished, which at more than

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a mile long had the unique claim to fame of being the largest unbroken house row in Europe.

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Photo by Johan Broberg CC BY 2.0 Average White Band, 2013

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The second track in the show, The Consul at Sunset, comes from the writer of Harmony Row, the late Jack Bruce, perhaps best known as the mainstay of the first supergroup - Cream - before embarking on a highly successful solo career. There are also performances from the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, the pioneers of psychedelic folk music, Incredible String Band, and folk and R&B heroes The Average White Band. Other big names from the Scottish music scene featured in the hour long show, which can be heard for free along with hours of other great shows on the Discover Scotland magazine website, include experimental folktronic musicians The Beta Band; indie rock supremos Phantom, Boards of Canada and the five-piece Supernaturals from Glasgow. Photo by Cindy Funk CC BY 2.0 Archie Fisher

Photo by Michael Gallacher CC BY-SA 2.0 Phantom

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The Incredible String Band, 1970

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There is also a song from writer and folk musician Bert Jansch along with tracks from Archie Fisher and Hamish Hawk.

Photo by Author Chris Barber CC BY-SA 2.0 Bert Jansch

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Travel

A loch by another name

by Paul Watson

fringe of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National park.

The unique accolade belongs to the Lake of Menteith, a 700 acre body of water situated three miles east of Aberfoyle in the heart of Stirlingshire, on the southern

Surrounded by rolling farmland and picturesque woodland its relatively low-lying, shallow waters and gently curved shoreline provides a tranquil contrast to the deeper, darker, long and narrow lochs found in Highland glens.

cotland has more than 40,000 natural freshwater lochs of varying sizes but only one lake.

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A haven for wildlife - attracting ospreys, geese and an abundance of other creatures - the lake is one of Scotland’s most important trout fisheries. Every week the waters are restocked with locally

reared rainbow and brown trout to attract anglers from all over the country and abroad. Indeed, the lake is the main venue for Scotland’s National Fly fishing Championships.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam A small motor boat run by Historic Environment Scotland takes visitors from the Port of Menteith to Inchmahome Priory

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In winter the lake has been known to freeze over completely and, when it gets cold enough for at least 7 inches thick of ice to

form on the surface, that’s when Scotland’s curlers come out in force.

Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0 Ice melting in the winter sun

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The Bonspiel or Grand Match, as it’s known, is held on the lake whenever the ice is thick enough and attracts thousands of curlers from far and wide eager to take

part in such a highly rare event. The last Bonspiel was held in 1979 between clubs from the north and south of Scotland and before that it was in 1963. Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0 Sunset over the Lake of Menteith with Ben Lomond in the background

Throughout the rest of the year the area surrounding the lake is highly popular with walkers and cyclists while history enthusiasts

flock to the area to explore the residue of human habitation going back to Roman times and before. Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0 Lake of Menteith sunset

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Photo by Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 4.0 Aerial view of Inchmahome Priory

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During the summer months a small passenger ferry takes visitors on a seven minute trip to the island of Inchmahome where there is a ruined medieval priory.

The remains of the Augustinian monastery date back to at least 1238 and over the centuries it has played host to a number of historic characters.

Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0 Part of the ruined Inchmahome Priory

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King Robert The Bruce visited several times and it was also used as a refuge by a young Mary Queen of Scots, who stayed there for three weeks. She was only

four-years-old when she was taken to the island for safety following the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in September 1547.

Photo by Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 4.0 Inchmahome Priory

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There are a number of other small islands on the loch, including Inchtalla, or Inch Talla, which is dominated by the ruins of Talla Castle. It was built sometime in

the 18th century, using some of the stones from the monastery, on the site of an earlier fortification going back to the early 15th century.

Photo by James Allan CC BY-SA 2.0 Castle on Inch Talla

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Trips to the islands can be taken from the Port of Menteith, the only significant settlement on the lake. A former burgh, it was granted permission to hold a

regular market by King James III in 1457, but is now little more than a small village built around the church and what is now the Lake of Menteith Hotel. Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0 Port of Menteith

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How the body of water got its unusual name remains something of a mystery. Historical records show that in the 17th century it was called the Loch of Menteith.

There are a number of theories as to how the name was changed. One suggestion is a mistake by cartographers of the 16th century who mistook the Scots name Laich o Menteith, which means ‘low place’, and called it a lake on their charts.

Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photo by Neil Aitkenhead CC BY-SA 3.0

Another possibility is that UK government ordnance survey officials, while mapping the area around 1838, used the word lake instead of loch because that was what was most prominent in literature at that time. Certainly, “Loch of Monteith” appears on a map made around 1750 but by 1868, when an OS

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one-inch map was published, the name had changed to “Lake of Monteith”. Subsequent editions of the OS map continued to use lake instead of loch and by the turn of the 20th century the name had stuck, making it a popular question in pub quizzes around the country - “How many lakes does Scotland have?”

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Photo by Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 4.0

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History

Antique Hunting with… Roo Irvine

Toby or not Toby? T

his article is particularly heard for me to write. I’m drawn to beautiful antiques that leave your gaze lingering a second too long, so naturally, that is what I write about. I also love a rich piece of social history, which is why I’m allowing such an ‘ugly’ item to be discussed. In today’s world of antiques and collectibles there

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are the go to “mockables” - items worthy of eye-rolls, laughter and sometimes even a look of disdain. We all know them, Staffordshire flat-backs, Wally Dogs and today’s star of the show - Toby Jugs. I too mocked, but having discovered the inspiration behind their existence, I’ve realised they’re merely a representation of who we were.

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Photo by Daderot CC0 1.0 Staffordshire figures, Winterthur Museum

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First of all, who is Toby? There are a few theories as to what inspired these notoriously unpleasant looking jugs. Some say the Toby in question was Sir Toby Belch, a character from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. His surname alone is an obvious nod to his gluttonous love of cake and ale, along with his uncouth and ungentlemanly manner. The name Toby derives from the French word “tope” meaning “to drink hard or excessively”. The most likely inspiration behind this stoneware creation is Henry Elwes, a 17th century chap who is reputed to have drunk 2,000 gallons of very strong ale by the name of Yorkshire Stingo. He became one of England’s greatest drunks, if there is such a thing? Such was his reputation he was given the nickname Toby fill-pot and it’s said the first jugs feature his intoxicated face. He was immortalised in Francis Fawkes’ 18th century poem, The Brown Jug. The poem even suggested a Toby Jug was made from the ashes of Toby himself. The opening lines profess:“Dear Tom’, this brown jug that now foams with mild ale, was once Toby Fillpot.”

Photo by Andreas Praefcke Pearlware Toby jug

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Photo © The Trustees of the British Museum CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Toby Fillpot

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It’s no secret the Georgians loved their drink. The infamous engraving by William Hogarth, Gin Lane, visualised the excesses and dangers posed at the height

of the gin craze from the 1730’s. At one point, London had over 8,600 brandy shops and nearly 6,000 beer houses, plus numerous taverns and inns.

Gin Lane by William Hogarth PD

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Beer Street by William Hogarth PD

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This thirst for liquor was immortalised in the Toby Jug, however, the concept of anthropomorphic drinking vessels started a little earlier. More than 4,000 years to be more accurate, as evidenced by figural jugs found in Crete. The ancestor of 18th century character Toby jugs was the Rhyton, an ancient drinking vessel shaped like the head of an animal or woman. Once full it couldn’t be put down unless it was inverted, meaning the entire contents had to be drunk in one go.

Photo MET Pair of spaniels aka Wally Dogs

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These were early character jugs and therein lies the difference between a character jug and a Toby Jug. If you are mooching around an antiques shop here is how to compare and contrast. A character jug is the head and shoulders whereas a Toby Jug is the entire figure. During the 1760’s Staffordshire potters developed the Toby Jug. No single potter is credited. They were made in vast quantities due to their popularity and usage in pubs and taverns. They were an early form of materialistic consumerism and mass production at a time when technology was booming.

Photo Auckland Museum CC BY 4.0

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However, even though they originated in the English county of Staffordshire there was no shortage of Scottish potters making their own versions, including the Kirkcaldy based Methvens Pottery Factory With the love of all things Scottish there does exist the obligatory Toby Jug characters dressed in tartan, with all the Scottish adornments, such is the appeal of our fine land and fascinating history. Dressed in 18th century clothes, accessorised with a mug of beer and a pipe, with a tricorn hat acting as a spout it makes for the perfect pouring vessel - hence its status as a jug and a not a mug. The Toby Jug epitomised the roguish Georgian drunkard. The cleverly crafted face depicted signs of excessive living such as pockmarked faces, missing teeth and a ruddy complexion. They were intentionally made as unattractive as possible, which is a relief of sorts.

Photo: Reptonix CC BY 3.0 Toby jug, Walker Art Gallery

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Photo Daderot CC0 1.0 Toby jug, circa 1800

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Some of you reading this may have Toby Jugs at home so look upon them with pride. There are many ways to determine value, from earlier biscuit-coloured jugs to later colourful 19th century versions. Early jugs show

paintbrush marks. Hollow feet on the base are often pre-1840 as well as many other tell-tale signs. Commemorative jugs of royal and political figures are also very collectable.

Photo Catlemur CC BY-SA 4.0 King George V and General Ferdinand Foch Toby jugs

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Naturally, there is a Rabbie Burns Toby Jug, made in Glasgow. It pays homage to his one time day job as a Dumfries and Galloway exciseman around 1789. Next time you see a Toby Jug, priced at some ridiculously low amount in a charity shop, just remember Toby Philpot. He was a gregarious English drunk of the 18th century whose legacy is to live on in these symbols of excess. Their true value may not me monetary but the lesson in moderation they provide to all of us.

Winstion Churchill Toby jug

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2nd April 2022

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History

Back in time for the S

cotland’s most famous historic heritage sites, including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Urquhart Castle, are ready for an invasion of visitors. Online booking has started for some of the country’s most iconic sites as Historic Environment Scotland (HES) lowers the drawbridge and opens the gates to more than 20 ticketed attractions.

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Visitors can once again explore and enjoy more than 5,000 years of history in innovative ways through downloadable maps, family trails, quizzes and quests, music, poetry and personal accounts of life throughout the centuries, videos exploring Gaelic culture, and digital fly throughs of areas usually restricted to visitors.

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Photo HES Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness

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Following an initial launch last autumn at Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Doune Castle visitors will now be able to access audio tours on their mobile

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phones during their visit to Fort George, Glasgow Cathedral, Jedburgh Abbey, Melrose Abbey and St Andrews Castle.

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In addition to outdoor spaces some indoor areas have been opened up at specific locations

where safety measures have been put in place and physical distancing is possible.

Photo HES Stirling Castle

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“We know how keen our Historic Scotland members and visitors are to get back to our sites, so we’re delighted to reopen over 70 per cent of our properties,” said Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HES.

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“Scotland’s heritage sector is a key part of our tourism offer – from providing jobs to increasing our wellbeing – and, in addition to reopening the sites that reopened

last year, we will also reopen further sites across the country on a phased basis over the upcoming months.

Photo HES Edinburgh Castle

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“We hope visitors will also enjoy learning about the fascinating stories of our sites through our new technology – including QR codes, online videos and digital audio guides for an innovative insight into Scotland’s past.”

HES is Scotland’s biggest operator of visitor attractions, with over 300 properties in its care.

Tickets must be booked online in advance from restarthistory.scot

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Attractions now open for visitors are Aberdour Castle, Blackness Castle, Caerlaverock Castle, Craigmillar Castle, Dirleton Castle, Doune Castle, Dryburgh Abbey, Dunblane Cathedral, Dundonald Castle, Dunfermline Abbey Nave, Edinburgh Castle,

Elgin Cathedral, Fort George, Glasgow Cathedral, Huntly Castle, Jedburgh Abbey, Linlithgow Palace, Melrose Abbey, St Andrews Castle, St Andrews Cathedral, Skara Brae, Stirling Castle, Tantallon Castle and Urquhart Castle.

Photo HES Tantallon Castle

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Food & Beverage

Skailg: A wee livener with… Tom Morton

The Japanese connection J

apanese whisky is likely to be made in Japan, in the future, whereas in the past it has sometimes been Scotch in disguise. But the spiritual links between Scotland and Japan are both fascinating and highly romantic, finds Tom Morton. The story of Kirkintilloch woman Jessie Roberta ‘Rita’ Cowan and her part in the founding of

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the Japanese whisky industry is deeply embedded in the culture of Nikka, the company her husband Masataka Taketsuru founded. Her house in Hokkaido is now a museum to the ‘Mother of Japanese Whisky’ and there has even been a daytime soap opera on NHK (the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation) called Massan, based on her life.

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Photo by Jousset CC BY-SA 4.0 Ben Nevis Distillery

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They meet in the most unlikely of circumstances. Masataka was studying organic chemistry at Glasgow University when Rita’s sister asked him to teach her brother Campbell ju-jitsu. He

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and Rita met, fell in love, married and left, via America, for Japan. She lived, in conditions of considerable discomfort, through World War Two in Japan, and would never return to Scotland.

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Masataka Taketsuru and Rita Cowan

But, Scotland would take root in Japan. Masataka’s time here was spent not just in academic work, but in visiting Scotland’s whisky distilleries, particularly in

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Campbeltown, working, watching and learning. His vision was to diversify the family sake business into Japan’s first attempt at whisky distillation.

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With Rita’s unflagging support, Masataku and their adopted son turned Nikka into a worldwide behemoth in spirits, and in 1989 the company bought the Ben Nevis Distillery in Fort William, very much as as a statement of remembrance and gratitude to Jessie Roberta Cowan. Japan’s links with Scotland are many, and rather curious. There is rugby, for example, thought to have been introduced to the country in the 1860s at Yokohama by two Scots, Lord Walter Kerr and George Hamilton. Bagpipes are, if not universally popular, at

Photo by Céréales Killer CC BY-SA 3.0 Yoichi single malt 15 year old

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Henry Faulds

least prevalent on many kilted occasions, thanks to the Tokyo Pipe Band, formed in 1974. Dr Henry Faulds was a Presbyterian medical missionary who went to Japan in 1873 and invented modern fingerprinting. And then there’s Thomas Blake Glover, the ‘Scottish Samurai. Born in Fraserburgh, son of a coastguard officer, and raised in Aberdeen, Glover was initially sent to Japan by the legendary,

and to some extent infamous firm of Jardine Mathieson. He was hugely successful in a variety of fields, from tea trading through mining and engineering, playing a major part in the modernisation of Japan during the 19th Century, and the foundation of Mitsubishi Heavy Engineering, as well as the Kirin Brewery. He was the first foreigner to receive the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese Emperor in recognition of his achievements.

Thomas Blake Glover

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The mansion he built in Nagasaki, Glover House, is thought locally to be the setting for Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly, and his Japanese wife Tsuru the model for Cho-Cho san, the woman who had a child with, and was then abandoned by a Westerner. Apparently Tsuru’s family crest was a butterfly.

Glover’s name has for several years been attached to several whiskies aimed at celebrating the links between Scotland and Japan. A blend of some rare Japanese and Scottish whiskies, ‘The Glover’, was produced and marketed by Fusion and Adelphi in limited and very expensive expressions released in five batches, varying in price and age, from 22 to four years. they are all collector’s items now. The fact is that blending Scottish and Japanese whisky is nothing new and is one of the techniques used controversially in Japan to either ‘beef up’ local distillates. And sometimes what seems to be

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Japanese malt is actually Scottish, shipped over in bulk and aged (or not) on the other side of the world from Caledonia, stern and wild. Ironically, demand for Japanese whisky is extremely high, in some countries, notably Japan itself, it can be higher than for Scotch. Hence the labelling practice of ‘passing off’. Things are changing, however, from last month (April 2021), the Japanese Spirits and Liqueur Makers Association, has issued new regulations regarding the production, labelling and marketing of Japanese whisky. Not all distillers in Japan are members of the association, but most of the big producers are.

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In future, in order for a spirit to be called Japanese whisky, it must meet these association rules, among others. The water used in production must come from Japanese reservoirs. All production must be carried out a Japanese distillery, and spirit must be aged in wooden casks of no more than 700 litres for at least three years, in Japan, where bottling must also take place. However if you want to toast the memory of Masataka Taketsuru and Kirkintilloch’s Rita Taketsuru, née Cowan, without whom it’s possible Japanese whisky would never have happened at all, there is an appropriate way of doing so which involves nothing but Scottish single malt.

Photo by Morigen PD

Photo by Herbert Frank CC BY 2.0

Memorial to Taketsuru Masataka

Barrels at Ben Nevis distillery

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Nikka has owned Ben Nevis (the distillery, not the mountain) since 1989, and there are various expressions of the single malt which can currently be obtained, though there appears to be a confusing variety of age statements (or lack thereof) around just at the moment. Why? Who knows? Probably nothing to do with the fuss a few years ago when bottlings of Ben Nevis were

rumoured to contain much older whiskies than the label might have indicated - possibly because the younger distillates were being bulk shipped from Fort William to Japan. That certainly led me to snaffle up as many bottles of Ben Nevis 10-year-old as I could find. Alas, they have all, it seems, now been drunk. Certainly, there’s none left in my local Co-op, or in my cupboard.

Photo by Dime Gontar CC BY 2.0 Tasting Nikka whisky

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Supernatural Scotland

agical tale of forgiveness

by Graeme Johncock

tories of Selkies can be found throughout Norse and Celtic folklore. Up and down the coast of Scotland and throughout the islands tales of these magical creatures have fascinated, frightened and entertained generations of Scots and their kin for centuries.

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The Selkies are seal-folk, able to change from seal to human form just by removing their skin. They would come ashore as groups in the night to try and avoid prying eyes during the transformation.

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In their human image, Selkies are beautiful creatures and irresistible to anybody who is lucky enough to see them dancing in the

moonlight. There are countless stories of relationships between humans and Selkies, although most end in tragedy. Photo by Siegfried Rabanser CC BY 2.0 Stories of Selkies can be found in both Celtic and Norse legend

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Not everybody believed in these creatures though, including Donald the seal hunter from John O’Groats on the very north coast. Donald made his living hunting the seals around the coastline and never paid any attention to the old stories about the Selkie people. Some people said he didn’t want to believe. To him, a seal was nothing more than a skin and a way to make money. One day, Donald saw a huge seal stretched out sunning itself on the rocks. He knew how valuable a skin of that size would be so he crept up with his sharpest knife and plunged it deep into the seal. His prey didn’t give up so easily and the animal bellowed in pain before diving into the sea, taking Donald’s best knife with it.

Photo by Graeme Johncock John O’ Groats

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Donald was furious at losing both his catch and his knife. He was still sulking about it that night when there was a knock at the door. A tall, handsome stranger stood outside and asked for the famous seal hunter. His lord had requested a large number of skins and would be delighted if Donald accompanied him to his hall.

Donald wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity like this! Without hesitation he leapt up on the strangers horse and off they sped. Donald started to get a little nervous when the horse took the cliff road. He didn’t know of anybody living in this direction. Those nerves turned to sheer terror as the horse galloped directly towards the edge of the cliff and dived into thin air.

Photo by Graeme Johncock Firth of Forth

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As they plunged into the sea, Donald was dragged far below the waves to a hidden door in the rocks. On entering he saw a great host of seals, all watching him, all with a sad look on their face. The big seal from earlier was lying in the middle of the room with a horrendous gash in his side. The stranger that Donald had arrived with then presented him with a blade and a cold dread came over him. He instantly recognised his best knife. Had the Selkies taken him here for revenge? His host said to him: “Donald you will have guessed that we are no ordinary seals. We are Selkies and even though you have slain many of our kin, we mean you no harm. I brought you here because you are the only person who can save our King. Only your hands can close the wound they opened.”

Photo by Graeme Johncock Pittenweem, Fife

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Photo by Graeme Johncock Aberdeenshire coast

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Donald was distraught at the pain he had caused these creatures. He didn’t know what good it would do but he stepped up to the dying Selkie and reached out with his hands. Slowly and tenderly, Donald pushed the wound closed and as if by magic it started to heal over. The Selkies all barked

their approval as the King raised himself up and Donald sighed with relief. Luckily for Donald, Selkies aren’t vengeful beings and allowed him to return home on one condition. He happily promised never to hurt another seal in his life.

Photo by Graeme Johncock Portobello beach, Edinburgh

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Living

Home is where the work is by Scott Aitken

oes the thought of returning to the rat race, navigating crowded city streets or suffering the indignity of packed commuter journeys fill you with a sense dread? If so, you are not alone!

For those fortunate to be able to work from home the idea of a job that is remote from the office with flexible conditions is no longer just a dream. It has become reality.

As a result many countryside villages are finding a new popularity as a place to live permanently, rather than mere holiday hotspots, among city dwellers.

It’s clear successive lockdowns and restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic have changed they way many people feel about the balance between work and life.

According to various real estate agents and lifestyle experts an increasing number of people across the four nations of the UK are considering escaping big city life for something simpler.

Research carried out on behalf of Hollands Country Clothing, the outdoor wear specialists, has identified the top 10 villages, with a population of less than 10,000, in the UK which are considered the best for remote workers.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Balloch Country Park

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Unsurprisingly, four out of the 10 top spots are in Scotland, including Balloch on the banks of Loch Lomond which is ranked the best of all. Each location was scored on a series of livability factors broadband speed, low house prices, distance to rail transport cities and National Parks, as well as number of pubs and restaurants, and Tripadvisor attractions - out of a total score of 70. The data reveals which villages offer a quieter life and the best escape for remote workers across the four nations. With 54 out of 70 Balloch came top for the whole of the UK, beating Portrush (2), Castlewellan (5) and Whitehead (8) in Northern Ireland; Broadway (3) and Clapham (9) in England; Llanberis (4) in Wales; and Crail (6), Tobermory (7) and Ballater (10) in Scotland.

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“The pandemic has brought so many changes into our lives, with one of the biggest being the shift to working from home. While some companies are keen to get staff back in, many are weighing up options and it seems unlikely that everyone is going to want to go back. For some, the pandemic has given them an escape from the rat race that can be city living,” said Mathew Holland, of Hollands Country Clothing who carried out the survey. “There were certain boxes that needed ticking. The villages had to be smaller to counter city living. Property prices had to be low to encourage people to move to the villages, while generally broadband speeds had to be high - if you’re remote working from another spot in the country, then internet quality is going to be key. But we also wanted people to have things to do - attractions, days out, and the ability to easily visit bigger cities when the mood struck. “It’s great to see Scotland scoring so highly. Balloch had a little bit of everything, and wasn’t short of things to do for those looking to escape to the country when reality resumes.”

According to the research the Top 10 best villages for remote workers in Scotland are:

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Balloch, Loch Lomond Considered a gateway to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park the village lies close to the A82, the main road from Glasgow to the West Highlands, and is renowned as a centre for tourism.

There are a number of hotels, inns and pubs in the village, which is home to a marina from where cruises take tourists into Loch Lomond and it also has the wide open space of Balloch Country Park. Photo Rosser1954 CC BY-SA 4.0 River Leven from Balloch Bridge

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Crail, Fife A picturesque fishing village with cobbled streets that dates back to the 17th century and just oozes charm. Situated in the East Neuk of Fife with one of the

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most photographed harbours in Scotland the village is renowned for the quality of its freshly caught seafood.

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Thousands of people visit each year to soak up the nostalgia, walk the coastal path or play the two golf links courses.

Photo by VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins Crail, in the East Neuk of Fife

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Tobermory, Mull The brightly coloured houses around the harbour are probably better known to millions of youngsters around the world as the setting for the fictional television show Balamory.

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The largest village on the Isle of Mull it was founded as a fishing port in 1788 and remains a popular destination for waterspouts enthusiasts and wildlife tourists.

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Thousands of people each year flock to the island to see golden and white-tailed eagles, otters, corncrake, basking sharks, whales, dolphins and an abundance of other creatures.

The busy harbour, surrounded by a wide variety of shops, hotels, and other businesses is always busy with fishing boats, yachts and the ferry to and from Kilchoan.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Tobermory, Mull

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Ballater, Royal Deeside The beautiful Aberdeenshire village dates back to at least the 14th century and has been a centre for tourism since the early 1800s when people used to come for the healing properties of the nearby spring waters.

The old railway station, now used as a visitor and exhibition centre, was built to cater for an influx of Victorian visitors who travelled here in the wake of Queen Victoria. The Queen’s residence of Balmoral lies just seven miles outside the village and members of the Royal household can often be seen in and around the village.

Photo by VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins Ballater is surrounded by views like this one of the River Dee

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Braemar, Cairngorms Just 58 miles west of Aberdeen the picturesque village of Braemar is something of a dormitory town for the granite city, famous as the oil and gas capital of Europe.

The area is steeped in history. The village lies closes to the spot where the Earl of Mar raised the Jacobite standard at the start of the 1715 attempt to restore the Stuart monarchy.

Photo by VisitScotland / Jakub Iwanicki The village of Braemar

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Brodick, Isle of Arran Brodick is the main village on the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde and lies in the shadow of Goat Fell, the tallest mountain on the island. It is home to the

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ferry terminal connecting Arran to the mainland and as such hosts a number of hotels, shops and visitor attractions.

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Arran is often described as Scotland in miniature and Brodick is the most popular destination for

visitors attracted to the island for its variety of walks, water sports and other attractions.

Photo by VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins View To Brodick From Goat Fell

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Tarbert, Argyll Situated on the banks of Loch Fyne the fishing village of Tarbert is often regarded as the gateway to the beautiful peninsula of Kintyre. A popular destination for yachties and landlubbers alike it has a wide

variety of shops, pubs, hotels and houses arranged around the natural harbour. Tarbert has a long history both as a fishing port and as a strategic point guarding access to Kintyre and the Inner Hebrides.

Photo by VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins Tarbert, Argyll

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Inveraray, Argyll The ancestral home of the Duke of Argyll and former county town, Inveraray on the western shore of Loch Fyne was created in 1747. The white washed homes provide a stunning sight to visitors attracted to the village by its picturesque surroundings,

fairytale style castle and historic buildings. Today the village is regarded as one of the country’s best preserved examples of an 18thcentury new town and is of great architectural significance.

Photo by VisitScotland The view from above Inveraray

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Arrochar, Argyll Located in the shadow of majestic mountains the tiny village of Arrochar, near the head of Loch Long lies within the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

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Once the domain of the Chiefs of Clan MacFarlane it was, until 1996, the historic boundary between Argyllshire and Dunbartonshire.

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Today, with good road and rail communications south to Glasgow and the rest of the

central belt or north to Fort William and Oban, it is a popular destination for visitors.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Arrochar

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Portnahaven, Islay Created as a planned village during the 19th century to provide residents with a livelihood from fishing and crofting Portnahaven remains a picturesque community on the island of Islay.

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Built around a small harbour. popular with grey seals and other wildlife, the area is magnet for visitors seeking a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

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It is a community full of charm and a few idiosyncrasies. The village church is shared between the

residents of Portnahaven and Port Wemyss and has separate doors for the people of each community.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Portnahaven, Islay

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Culture

An actor’s life for me with… Scott Kyle

errifically timeless Tivoli S

ituated in the heart of the historic centre of Aberdeen the Tivoli Theatre is the oldest working theatre of its type in Scotland. Opened in 1872 as Her Majesty’s Opera House this palace of Victorian opulence and entertainment was designed by Charles Phipps, one of the world’s leading theatre architects of the age.

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The three story Venetian Gothic building was constructed using Kemnay Sandstone and Aberdeen Granite for the facade combined with the first ever use of concrete, on any significant scale, in Scotland for the back and side walls.

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Photo Ragazzi99 CC BY-SA 3.0 The Tivoli Theatre, Guild Street, Aberdeen

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Edward Bulwer Lytton PD

The first performance to raise the curtains of this hallowed theatre was a five-act romantic melodrama, The Lady of Lyons, written in 1838 by novelist, playwright and politician Edward Bulwer Lytton. The play had been a major success in London, Broadway and around the country so was an excellent choice to introduce audiences to the new theatre. Incidentally, although Lytton is now largely forgotten by audiences today many of the phrases he first penned are still used. Quotations such as “it was a dark and stormy night”, “the pen is mightier than the sword” and “pursuit of the almighty dollar” are recognised by millions of people around the world and frequently referenced. Photo: Tivoli Theatre Company Inside the opulent auditorium

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Photo Tivoli Theatre Company Looking down on the stage

For the next 34 years the theatre flourished unchallenged as Aberdeen’s leading live entertainment venue but in 1906 His Majesty’s Theatre opened in Aberdeen on Rosemount Viaduct. In order to compete with the new attraction the Opera House closed for major refurbishment. When it finally reopened in 1910, as the Tivoli Theatre of Varieties, it thrived for the next 56 years with more than 3,000 people passing though its doors daily to see up to three shows a day, six days a week.

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A number of famous faces have tread the boards of the Tivoli over the years, including Stan Laurel, who, long before he found fame in Hollywood as one half of the comic duo Laurel and Hardy, performed under his real name of Arthur Jefferson as part of the Fred Karno Troupe. Karno was a well-known Music Hall impresario who is credited with popularising slapstick comedy and coming up with the, now familiar, custard-pie-in-theface gag. He used to tour the UK with a troupe of performers, many of them young, up and coming comics learning their trade.

Stan Laurel played The Tivoli when he was still Arthur Jefferson

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One such future star to come out of the Karno stable was Charlie Chaplin. He was another famous face who play the Tivoli, taking to the stage there in 1906.

Charlie Chaplin appeared at The Tivoli before finding Hollywood movie fame

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One of the first big names to play the Tivoli on its reopening in 1910 was the popular Vaudeville entertainer and juggler W.C.Fields, best known for his Hollywood movies of the 1920s and 1930s.

W.C. Fields played the theatre when it reopened in 1910

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Julie Andrews (alias Mary Poppins) appeared aged 8

In the early 1940s a young girl aged just eight-years-old stole the show while performing with her family. The girl went on to become Mary Poppins, star in the Sound of Music and become Dame Julie Andrews. Over the years numerous Scottish stars such as Kenneth McKellar, Moira Anderson, Calum Kennedy and Robert Wilson, were major draws for audiences to the theatre, which has been credited by its supporters as being one of Aberdeen’s greatest institutions. Wilson, a tenor and former principal singer with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, was especially liked by the Aberdeen crowd. Thousands of people would often queue all the way down the street for a chance to buy tickets to see him.

Photo David Forbes CC BY-SA 2.5 Scottish tenor Robert Wilson was major draw for Tivoli audiences

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The theatre thrived for many years in its new role as a palace of varieties but the advent of television had an impact, just as it had on almost every live theatre in the country. Audiences no longer turned out in the number they once had and by the 1960s the Tivoli was struggling. In 1964 Aberdeen was badly hit by a typhoid epidemic which

resulted in much of the city’s live entertainment venues being shut down for three months or more, in much the same way coronavirus has impacted society today. The Tivoli never really recovered. Gallant attempts by the singer Calum Kennedy, who had been appointed Managing Director of the theatre, to turn the tide by binging in big name stars of the day, including singer and actor

Frankie Vaughan; Billy Cotton, whose variety show was one of the most popular on BBC tv for more than a decade; and comedian Tony Hancock, had little affect. The theatre finally closed its doors with a final live show on Saturday, April 2, 1966.

Frankie Vaughan topped the bill in the 1960s CC0 1.0

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A kilted Stan Laurel

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For the next 32 years it was used as bingo hall before being finally abandoned in 1998 and falling into such disrepair it was eventually put on Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register.

When local businessman Brian Hendry bought the A-listed property it was in dire straits. Water damage, pigeon droppings and years of neglect had all taken their toll.

However, in 2009 the Tivoli Theatre Company Ltd was formed with the aim of returning it to its former glory, making it the oldest working theatre of its type in Scotland.

An amazing amount of work has since gone into restoring the building to create a magnificent space, full of atmosphere and packed with numerous original features, that is suitable for use in the modern age.

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In 2013 the Tivoli oped its doors as a theatre once again with the debut of an original play by Thomas Bywater. It was a landmark moment in the rebirth of a majestic venue with a proud and fascinating history that deserves a bright and promising future. Currently the theatre is looking forward to getting back to doing what it was always intended for, entertaining the public, with a variety of shows scheduled for later this year and into 2022. In the meantime anyone can help support the theatre by visiting https://www. aberdeenperformingarts.com/weneed-your-support/

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Photo by Ragazzi99 CC BY-SA 3.0 Outside the Tivoli

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Food & Beverage

Chef in a kilt with… Gordon Howe

Love me tender S

cottish pork fillet tenderloin medallions with creamy blueberry and Arran mustard sauce, served with Hassleback baby potatoes and aubergine pan tossed in fresh thyme butter is a dish for any occasion. Scots have been farming pigs for thousands of years. Although not as historically common on the dinner table as beef or mutton, especially in parts of the Highlands and lowlands where tradition and folklore kept

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it off the menu, it is growing in popularity. Any prejudice or taboo against pork has been largely dispelled over the years as both pig farming and public consumption have grown steadily. The country’s pig producers are firmly involved in playing major role in the Scotland Food and Drink Ambition 2030 which aims to double the sector’s turnover to £30 billion by the end of the decade.

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Photos by Gordon Howe

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There is no doubt that Scottish pork is delicious, inviting and now readily available everywhere. It is a very versatile and delicious ingredient to be enjoyed any day of the week. For this recipe I have chosen the pork tenderloin fillet which comes from a muscle that runs along the spine. It is not a particularly well-used part of the animal and is therefore long, thin, lean and very tender. However, when accompanied by some locally sourced potatoes, and a silky cream and blueberries sauce, this is an ideal ingredient for a truly delicious and easy to cook meal.

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Serves 4. Prep time 20mins Cook Time 35/40 mins Ingredients 500g Pork Tenderloin fillets 2 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil 1 tbsp fresh crushed thyme 400ml hot chicken stock 2 tbsp Arran mustard 1 small punnet of blueberries 3 tbsp fresh single cream 12 new baby potatoes (medium sized) 2 medium aubergines Sea Salt Cracked black pepper 1/2 Lemon 1 tbsp unsalted butter Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6 -fan 180C

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Hasselback potatoes Clean and place the potatoes one at a time on a large serving spoon or between two chopsticks. With a sharp knife cut down to meet the spoon or chopsticks, every 5 or 6 mm until the whole potato has cuts along it. Place in an oven dish until all the potatoes are done. Drizzle with rapeseed oil and a good sprinkle of sea salt. Put in the oven and cook for 35 mins until crisp and golden. Once the potatoes are in the oven, Place a skillet or heavy based frying pan on a high heat until starting to smoke. On a plate, mix together 1/2 tsp of sea salt and 1 tsp cracked black pepper. Pat the pork dry with a paper towel then roll the pork tenderloin in the seasoning mixture. Drizzle the skillet or frying pan with some rapeseed oil, add the pork and seer until golden all the way round. It usually takes 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

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Place the pork in an oven dish and cover, cook for desired taste and times as listed below: Pink blush Cook for 12 or 13 minutes Internal temp 65/150, then rest for 5 minutes and slice Non Pink (juicy) Cook for 16 or 18 minutes internal temp 68/155, then rest for 5 minutes and slice Note - Pork is extra lean and will become very dry if overcooked. Wash and chop the aubergine in medium chunks. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Place into the skillet or frying pan the pork was in and return to a high heat. Drizzle with rapeseed oil and toss until softened and cooked. Add crushed fresh thyme and butter cook for another 5 minutes. Add the stock, cream, Arran mustard and season with sea salt and pepper. Return to the skillet or frying pan used to seer the pork, at a medium heat setting, and cook for 5 or 6 mins.

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Reduce the heat to a light simmer before adding the blueberries and cooking for another 2 or 3 minutes until the cream has reduced by 1/4. The sauce will ripple with blueberries. Set aside to serve. Remove the pork from the oven, slice into medallions and let it rest, as set out in the cooking times above. Remove the potatoes from the oven and divide them between serving plates. Add the sliced medallions to the plates, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the pork and pour the sauce over the dish. Put the rest into a gravy boat to serve. Sprinkle with micro parsley or finely chopped flat leaf parsley and serve immediately.

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History

reathtakingly bold Blackness by Scott Aitken

ometimes called the ship that never sailed due to its unique shape Blackness Castle is one of Scotland’s most impressive strongholds. Built in the 15th century by the powerful Crichton family it has served Scotland throughout the centuries as a formidable fortress, garrison, royal residence, prison and, more latterly, as a prime movie location and tourist attraction. The castle, which stands on a rocky spit with commanding views over the Firth of Forth and Fife, was created to safeguard the main port serving the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow.

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Photo by VictorPaulK CC BY-SA 4.0 Blackness Castle on the River Forth

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Photo by Dr John Wells, West Lothian Archaeology CC BY 3.0 Blackness Castle looks like a ship

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The man responsible for its construction was Sir George Crichton, Lord High Admiral of Scotland, Sheriff of Linlithgow and Earl of Caithness. He was one of the most politically powerful men in Scotland at the time and enjoyed a close friendship with the king. However, you don’t get to be as powerful as he was without making enemies and it’s very likely

Blackness was also created to protect the Crichton family from the “Black” Douglases who were arch rivals. The castle was heavily strengthened in the 16th century by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, the King’s Master of Works, to become one of the most advanced artillery fortifications of its time.

Photo by tormentor4555 CC BY-SA 3.0 Re-enactors in period costume at Blackness Castle

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An expert on military tactics, having studied in Europe, Finnart introduced a number of revolutionary ideas into the design, including a complex entrance with a a special passage built inside the external wall which allowed defenders to fire

into the backs of any attackers who managed to breach the main gate. Known as a caponier, from the French word for chicken coop, only three such defensive structures remain in Scotland - the others are at Stirling Castle and Craignethan.

Photo by tormentor4555 CC BY-SA 3.0 A demonstration of battlefield tactics

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Photo by Andrew Shiva CC BY-SA 4.0

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Over the next 100 years or more the castle saw its fair share of action and was occupied successively by forces loyal to Mary Queen of Scots and those opposed to her. By the second half of the 17th century the castle was outdated

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in many ways. Despite its thick walls and strong defences it was no match for the innovations of modern artillery of the day. In 1650 Oliver Cromwell’s forces captured the castle during his invasion of Scotland after a sustained bombardment from land and sea.

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Following extensive repairs in 1667 the castle found a new use as a prison for Covenanters who opposed the King’s interference in church affairs.

Following the Act of Union in 1707, which saw the parliaments of Scotland and England merged into one, the castle was turned back into a fortresses for the new British Army.

Photo by Gene Selkov CC BY 2.0 Blackness Castle has appeared in numerous tv shows, including Outlander

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However, its ability to keep people in as well as out saw the stronghold used as a prisoner of war camp for French captives during the Napoleonic Wars.

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The last time the castle was used for military purposes was World War I when it served as a munitions depot. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument looked after by Historic Environment Scotland.

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In recent years the castle has featured in a number of big screen movies and television shows. In Mary Queen of Scots (2018), starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, the castle doubled as the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

In Outlaw King (2018), starring Chris Pine as King Robert the Bruce, the castle played the part of the Yorkshire fortress in which The Bruce’s wife, Elizabeth, was imprisoned.

Photo by Andrew Shiva CC BY-SA 4.0

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Blackness has also played a starring role in the BBC production of Ivanhoe and the internationally acclaimed Outlander television series. Based on the best selling books of author Diana Gabaldon the tv adaptation is shown in numerous countries around the world.

The castle has a dual role in the show as both the Fort William headquarters of villain Black Jack Randall and the prison for the hero Jamie’s incarceration. As a result it has become a top destination for fans and tens of thousands of people visit Blackness Castle each year.

Photo by tormentor4555 CC BY-SA 3.0 A demonstration of musket fire

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Business

Cancer biopsy breakthrough A

Scottish bio-tech company has developed a new “liquid biopsy” device that could revolutionise the way some cancers are detected and help save lives. BioCaptiva, a University of Edinburgh spin-out, has raised over £1m in seed funding from business angel investment syndicate, Archangels, and Scottish Enterprise, to help progress the technology.

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Researchers developed the new medical device to capture circulating free DNA from the blood of patients in much greater quantities than current methods.

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Named the BioCollector the device is the result of a decade of research led by Professor Tim Aitman, Director of the Centre for Genomic and Experimental

Medicine, and Professor Mark Bradley of the University’s School of Chemistry. Both researchers are co-founders and directors of the new company.

Prototypes have shown it has the potential to detect early stage cancers in patients without the need for a surgical biopsy, something which is currently impossible.

“The BioCollector is a disruptive technology which will be transformational for liquid biopsy testing. We are confident this can make a significant impact and, ultimately, enable cancers to be detected more quickly and accurately, enabling patients to receive precision cancer treatment as early as possible,” said Jeremy Wheeler, CEO of BioCaptiva.

Jeremy Wheeler of BioCaptiva

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Living

Heaven sent homes by Helen Lloyd

former Royal Burgh, created by King David in the 12th century, and now one of the most picturesque towns in the heart of Scotland’s renowned whisky country, is the setting for half of this month’s pick of the properties currently for sale. There’s also something of a spiritual flavour as two of the houses currently on the market have religious links.

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North College House A historic 16th century house built for a bishop is currently available for offers over £1million. North College House, a former manse situated next door to Elgin Cathedral, boasts a rich history and magnificent architecture.

In total, the property has nine bedrooms and six reception rooms, divided between the main house and adjoining wing, as well as an neighbouring business premises currently let to provide an income.

[https://vimeo.com/486812340/0842460a6e] North College House, Elgin

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Overlooking the town’s Cooper Park the Grade B listed property provides a quiet and attractive setting despite its central location. Considered to be one of the most historically and architecturally interesting buildings in Elgin it was built within the grounds of Scotland’s most beautiful medieval cathedrals in the 13th century. The property first served as the Precentor’s Manse for the visiting bishop, before being sold to Sir Alexander Dunbar of Burgie in 1568.

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The Dunbar coat of arms dated 1520 with the motto ‘ornat fortem prudentia’ is carved in stone at the front of the house. In the 1920’s the house was owned by Sir George Cooper, a wellknown Elgin philanthropist who donated the present day Cooper Park to the Burgh of Elgin.

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North College has been recently renovated and extended by the current owners to create superb accommodation including an atmospheric sitting room with a vaulted ceiling and a large fireplace, a spacious kitchen with granite worktops and integrated appliances; and a beautifully lit dining room and drawing room. There are five generously sized bedrooms, three of which have en suite bathrooms.

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The Wing, which has its own private entrance, includes a hall / dining room with double doors to a good-sized kitchen, sitting room, living room with open fireplace, family bathroom and a large store / additional bedroom. On the first floor, there are four bedrooms, two of which have en suite facilities. The grounds at North College extend to about 1.7 acres and offer considerable privacy and seclusion for such a centrally located property. The lawn is fringed by mature trees including Spanish Chestnut, an impressive Cedar of Lebanon and a Yew believed to date back over 400 years.

“North College is a truly outstanding property. The combination of the various elements opens up so many opportunities to buyers while intrinsically it remains a magnificent historical house with a wealth of period and architectural features,” said Rod Christie, of selling agents Galbraith.

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Wallfield House, near Elgin

Wallfield House For almost half the price being asked for North College another property, situated in a tranquil

yet accessible rural setting, to the west of Elgin has gone on the market for offers over £585,000.

[https://vimeo.com/536976682]

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Wallfield House is an elegant modern home thoughtfully designed by the architect to offer a wealth of entertaining space

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and finished to an extremely high standard, with a particularly impressive dining kitchen.

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The extensive accommodation includes an impressive open plan kitchen /dining / family room, with a full height ceiling, exposed Oak beams, high quality Ashley

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Ann fitted cabinets with various integrated appliances, a central island with a granite worktop and boiling water tap, an electric Aga (AIMS), and a wood burning stove.

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There is also separate lounge with wood burning stove and French doors to the garden, plus a large guest bedroom with its own bathroom, and a further dining

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room. Also on the ground floor are a walk-in pantry, a WC, boot room and a well-equipped utility room.

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On the first floor there is a landing currently used as a home office. The principle bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe / dressing room and en-suite shower room.

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There are two further bedrooms, one with en-suite shower room and one with a ‘Jack and Jill’ bathroom. Each bedroom is of a generous size.

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The expansive garden is level, mainly laid to lawn and includes two large patios, ideal to take in the morning and evening sun. The remains of a former bothy and a former ice house provide

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scope for development, subject to planning consents, while a detached double garage and workshop provide further storage space.

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Waulkmill Church About 40 miles from Elgin a stylish church conversion is on the market for offers over £360,000 providing a good sized family home.

Wualkmill Church at Premnay, Insch in Aberdeenshire dates from 1876 but has been transformed into a charming home with two attractive reception rooms, five bedrooms, family bathroom and shower room.

Waulkmill Church, Aberdeenshire

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The property sits in generous garden grounds with mature trees and has incredible open views across the Aberdeenshire countryside. Steeped in local history it has been thoughtfully converted into a practical, spacious and versatile home full of charm and character.

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To the ground floor there is an entrance courtyard, hall, lounge with wood burning stove and doors opening out to the courtyard area. Impressive dining kitchen and family room on open plan with wood burning stove.

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The separate dining room, a double bedroom, utility and shower room complete the accommodation to the ground floor. There are two staircases to the upper level, with the first leading you to the galleried landing with large windows showing the open countryside views.

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The second is a spiral stair case to the far end of the house. Both stairs lead to the upper landing. As one continues upstairs there is the impressive master bedroom and three further full sized double bedrooms. All the bedrooms have characterful arched windows, high ceilings and an abundance of light.

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Haysike House Further south, at almost the other end of the country, Haysike House in the Scottish Borders’ town

of Hawick is an impressive Arts and Crafts property dating from around 1914.

Haysike House, near Hawick

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The stylish property, located in the hamlet of Haysike about two miles from the market town of Hawick, includes six bedrooms, two reception rooms, annexe and office. It sits above the River

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Teviot and has fine outlooks up the Teviot Valley along with 2.32 acres of garden and woodland complete with riparian fishing rights on the River Teviot.

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The Scottish Borders is a particularly attractive part of Scotland and is ideal for those looking for a scenic rural home whilst being within easy reach of Edinburgh, Scotland’s central belt and the north of England - with the ability to work from home. The house has been refurbished and upgraded in recent years

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to give it a unique style and luxurious feel. The principal bedroom with ensuite luxury shower room is on the first floor along with two further double bedrooms and family bathroom while there are three more double bedrooms on the second floor.

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