Discover Scotland Issue 54

Strange but cool buildings

Sad beauty of Loch Broom

Whisky; don’t flask, don’t get

Taking a peek at parish records

Health benefits of visiting Scotland

Exploring Perthshire by bike

Issue 54

p1

June 2021 This month’s Discover Scotland multimedia magazine has been brought to you by: Sponsors Glenturret Distillery Loch Lomond Seaplanes Turin Castle Evelyn MacDonald Peter Barton Sally Watson

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

Find out Here Photo by VisitScotland / Discover Clackmannanshire / Damian Shields Views of the Wallace Monument as seen from Dumyat at the western end of the main range of the Ochil hills

p2

Issue 54

Issue 54

p3

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 Photo by VisitScotland / Discover Clackmannanshire / Damian Shields Views of the Wallace Monument as seen from Dumyat at the western end of the main range of the Ochil hills

p4

Issue 54

Issue 54

p5

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

p6

Issue 54

Travel

Outdoors

Six of the best strange structures

Day at the museum - by bike

Fashion

Exhibition

Fast-track for fresh fashion

Monster movie exhibition

Issue 54

p7

p8

History

Travel

Brief history of Urquhart Castle

A Scotland trip to improve well-being

Music

Outdoors

Pride of the Clyde immortalised in song

TikTok star encourages responsible tourism

Issue 54

Travel

Books

Back to business at Hostelling Scotland

Life stories at Boswell Book Festival

Arts

Science

Top stars head for seaside festival

Bright future for Astronomer Royal

Issue 54

p9

p10

Food & Beverage

Arts

James Pirie, Ace of Pies

Celebrating the ‘new normal’

Travel

Arts

Loch Broom, a point of departure

New doors open for artists

Issue 54

Music

Living

Notes on history of fiddle music

Fancy a cottage by the sea?

Arts

History

Horror job for movie director

Rocks roll back years to ancient times

Issue 54

p11

Contributors

88

144

166

Skailg: A wee livener with…

Musical Discoveries Tom Morton presents the latest showcase of Scottish talent

Chef in a kilt…

Gordon Howe bakes a cake for all occasions

Tom Morton on the importance of flasking

p12

Issue 54

188

216

Discovering Scotland’s

Folklore Scotland An actor’s life for me with…

Scott Kyle on the King’s Graeme Johncock on handling Brownies with care Theatre, Glasgow

documents with…

Dr Bruce Durie reveals secrets of parish records

272 Hunting antiques with…

Roo Irvine reflecting on a strange year

Issue 54

236

Cover image Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam Crail fishing village, East Neuk of Fife p13

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.

p14

Issue 54

Issue 54

p15

p16

Issue 54

Issue 54

p17

Travel

by Tracey Macintosh

S

cotland has an impressive array of built heritage, from dramatic castles and gothic churches to ancient stone circles and well preserved neolithic villages. Each has its own individual character and almost always an intriguing story or two.

Across the country such a variety of unusual looking man made

p18

structures - ranging from eccentric summer houses and monumental follies to handcrafted churches and the corridors of power - help enrich a landscape that is already spectacular.

In this issue of Discover Scotland we look at six of the most unique buildings worth exploring.

Issue 54

The Dunmore Pineapple The village of Airth sits on the River Forth, some eight miles north of Falkirk, and is the site of one of the most unusual buildings in Scotland.

Created for the Earl of Dunmore in 1761 the Pineapple summer house was constructed as the crowning glory of the walled garden which served the Dunmore Estate.

The central point of the building is a stunning stone pineapple, unique in Scotland. It is a testament to the imagination of the architect who designed it and to the skill of the stone masons who brought the vision to life with their extensive high quality carving.

The Dunmore Pineapple in Dunmore Park, an 18th Century garden house which is now available as a holiday let.

Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p19

Measuring an impressive 14 metres high it was built to last.

A carefully sculpted elaborate design ensures rain water drains from the leaves of the structure thereby reducing the risk of frost or ice damage in winter.

p20

A symbol of wealth in the 18th century pineapples were first grown in Scotland in 1731. The original building at Dunmore included a hothouse complete with glass panels and a furnacedriven heating system where pineapples were grown among many other plants and fruits.

Issue 54

Today the Pineapple is in the care of the National Trust and can be hired as a holiday property.

The rooms to each side provide comfortable accommodation and access to a private garden behind the main building.

The walled garden to the front of the building is open to visitors and includes a small orchard. The surrounding woodlands also offer a range of paths and walkways to explore.

The Dunmore Pineapple Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p21

National Monument of Scotland Calton Hill, towards the East end of Edinburgh’s Princes Street, forms part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. It houses a number of intriguing monuments of which, perhaps, the most

p22

unusual is the National Monument of Scotland. This ambitious structure based on the Parthenon of Athens was intended to commemorate Scottish soldiers killed in the Napoleonic wars.

Issue 54

Building started in 1826 but was halted in 1829 due to lack of funds and sadly the monument was never completed. Subsequent

plans to finally finishing the structure have been revisited numerous times over the last 200 years but never been agreed.

National Monument of Scotland Photo by VisitScotland/Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p23

Today, the open structure with 12 impressive pillars is one of the striking sights of Edinburgh’s cityscape and, in no small way, helped the city to become known as the ‘Athens of the North’ – a

p24

name the city claimed in the early 19th century in reference to its neo-classical architecture and prominent role in the Scottish Enlightenment.

Issue 54

Fireworks over Edinburgh Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p25

The monument’s aspiring design, even unfinished, remains a reminder of an age of great optimism which pays homage to the past with an eye to the

p26

future. It bears the inscription “A Memorial of the Past and Incentive to the Future Heroism of the Men of Scotland”.

Issue 54

The National Monument on Calton Hill Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p27

McCaig’s Tower Dominating the skyline of the coastal town of Oban, McCaig’s Tower, also known as McCaig’s

p28

Folly, is a hugely impressive structure based on Rome’s Colosseum.

Issue 54

It was commissioned by local philanthropist and banker Sir John Stewart McCaig, who was also the tower’s architect. He wanted to

create a lasting monument to his family and also provide work for local stonemasons during the lean winter months.

McCaig s Tower rising above Oban town centre Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland

Issue 54

p29

With a circumference of around 200 metres and two tiers of arches it remains an imposing landmark dominating the skyline of Oban.

p30

Issue 54

Construction of the tower began in 1897 but was halted within five years, following the death of its visionary in 1902, and never completed.

Oban at dawn seen from McCaig s Tower on Battery Hill Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland

Issue 54

p31

McCaig had intended to have a museum and art gallery within the structure, along with statues of his family, but those plans never came to fruition.

Despite leaving an annual sum

p32

in his will for maintenance of the completed structure the project was abandoned after his heirs successfully challenged the will and overturned the bequest.

Issue 54

Today the walls of McCaig’s tower, made from local Bonawe granite, enclose gardens open to visitors and provide stunning views over

the bay of Oban towards the nearby islands of Kerrera, Lismore and Mull.

McCaigs Tower in Oban Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland

Issue 54

p33

The Italian Chapel Following the capture of 550 Italian prisoners of war in North Africa in 1942 it was decided to transport 200 of them to the previously unoccupied island of Lamb Holm within the Orkney islands.

The prisoners were put to work in creating the Churchill Barriers – a series of defensive structures designed to block access to Scapa Flow, the main British Naval Base during WWII. In 1939 a

p34

German U Boat had entered the natural anchorage and torpedoed the battleship HMS Royal Oak resulting in the devastating loss of the 1,400 members of the crew.

Unable to escape from their island camp the prisoners requested permission to build their own place of worship and, in 1943, construction of what has become known as the Italian Chapel began.

Issue 54

The Italian Chapel was built by Italian POWs during WW2 Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p35

The project was a masterclass in recycling and purposing materials.

The chapel was created by joining two Nissan huts end to end,

p36

covering the corrugated interior with plasterboard while the altar and rail were made from concrete left over from the barriers.

Issue 54

The font was built from the inside of a car exhaust covered in concrete and the chapels original light holders were created from discarded corned beef tins.

The bulk of the interior decoration was done by Domenico Chiocchetti, originally from Moena, who stayed on to finish the chapel after his fellow prisoners were released just before the end of the war.

Inside the Italian Chapel Photo by VisitScotland / Fionn McArthur

Issue 54

p37

Chiocchetti continued his connection with the chapel long after the war and even revisited the island to help restore it in 1960. Although too ill to join a number of the former prisoners who travelled to the chapel to

p38

the commemorate the 50th anniversary of their arrival on the island in 1992 he was there in spirit.

Chiocchetti died in 1999 but he lived long enough to see a

Issue 54

Declaration of Friendship signed between Moena and Orkney in 1996 to further strengthen the links between the communities.

The chapel is now in the Roman Catholic Parish of Our Lady

and St Joseph in Orkney and a number of restoration projects have ensured it remains a popular destination for visitors to the islands. Mass is held in the chapel on the first Sunday of the summer months.

The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, Orkney Photo by VisitScotland / VisitOrkney / Colin Keldie

Issue 54

p39

Riverside Museum Glasgow’s award winning Riverside Museum is home to the city’s impressive transport collection.

First housed in an old tram depot in the city’s southside in 1964, the collection moved to the Kelvin Hall in the West end of the city in 1987 before moving in 2011 to this custom built futuristic-style setting, part of the project to regenerate the Clyde waterfront at Glasgow Harbour.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and engineers Buro Happold, the distinctive zig zag or wave shaped outline is intended to symbolise the relationship between Glasgow and the River Clyde over the centuries. The design takes in the rich ship building heritage of the area as well as the industrial legacy the harbour and its symbiotic relationship to the city.

p40

Issue 54

The Riverside Museum Photo by Kenny Lam / VisitScotland

Issue 54

p41

In addition to its huge transport collection the museum is also home to a reconstructed cobbled street, complete with shop fronts dating from the late 19th century, provide an evocative glimpse of life in years gone by.

p42

Directly behind the museum lies the restored Tall Ship, Glenlee.

A former cargo ship built on the River Clyde in 1896 it is now permanently berthed at this spot and is run as an independent museum specialising in the area’s maritime history.

Issue 54

As such a striking building it’s no surprise the Riverside Museum won European Museum of the

Year Award in 2013 and, like many Glasgow museums, welcomes visitors free of charge.

Riverside Museum is a well known museum in the city of Glasgow Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p43

Scottish Parliament Situated within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh the parliament complex at the end of the Royal Mile, across from the Palace of

p44

Holyroodhouse in the shadow of Salisbury Crags and Arthur’s Seat, is a jewel in the crown of modern Scotland.

Issue 54

The vision of renowned Spanish architect Enric Miralles, who died before it was completed, this iconic building was born into controversy. The project

took three years longer than anticipated - opening in 2004 and cost a whopping £414million to build, almost 10 times the original budget.

Scottish Parliament and Our Dynamic Earth seen from Salisbury Crags Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p45

However, the award-winning design, which has been praised by leading architectural academics,

p46

has become an internationally recognisable fixture of the Edinburgh landscape.

Issue 54

Comprising an assortment of lowlying buildings to blend in with surrounding scenery the rather odd looking structure provides

sustainable accommodation for the country’s MSPs, their researchers and parliamentary staff.

Scottish Parliament building Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p47

p48

Issue 54

One of the most striking distinctive features are the unusual windows, which project out from the side of the building, of the offices of the MSPs. These specially constructed bays have a seat and shelving so they can be used as “contemplation spaces”.

Throughout the year the parliament is open to visitors with regular guided tours, exhibitions and events.

Scottish Parliament Building Photo by VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Issue 54

p49

p50

Issue 54

Photo by Guy Phillips

Issue 54

p51

Outdoors

magnificent seven S

cotland’s Cateran Ecomuseum has launched seven new cycling and walking routes to encourage more people to get active and make the most of the country’s hidden heritage.

‘Built to Last’, a new film from Bikepacking Scotland, showcases the new routes alongside six existing cycling itineraries that

p52

have been designed for road, mountain, gravel and touring bikes.

Created as part of Travel for All Our Tomorrows, which aims to develop new regenerative tourism experiences, the film provides a unique preview of some of the stunning locations that await visitors to Perthshire and Angus.

Issue 54

Photos by Markus Stitz

Issue 54

p53

Made by round-the-world single speed cyclist Markus Stitz, the 10-minute documentary features Bob Ellis, founder of the Cateran Trail; Neil Tuer, owner of Alyth Cycles and Jane Wilkinson, a willow weaver at Special Branch Baskets.

Complete with an evocative soundtrack of music from Dave Macfarlane the video aims to help position the Cateran Ecomuseum as one of Scotland’s premier carfree holiday destinations.

p54

Issue 54

Photos by Markus Stitz

Issue 54

p55

One of a growing number of ecomuseums worldwide, all of its sites are outside, the community led project empowers local

p56

people to take an active role in preserving the objects, sites and cultural practices they value.

Issue 54

The museum already has over 20 pre-designed cycling and walking routes that reveal the less known attractions of this often

overlooked part of Scotland.

Its website also offers visitors a chance to design their own routes around its 130 sites of interest.

Photos by Markus Stitz

Issue 54

p57

The itineraries developed by Bikepacking Scotland can be downloaded as GPX files for free on the Ecomuseum’s website www.cateranecomuseum.co.uk.

p58

They range from 8.3km to 109km and feature a variety of points of interest like stone circles, standing stones, historic churches and wildlife reserves along the way.

Issue 54

“Climate change and the impact of my actions on future generations is something that concerns me deeply, and I would

like to offer people positive alternatives to our very carfocussed culture,” said Markus Stitz, director of the film.

Photos by Markus Stitz

Issue 54

p59

“For me travelling by bike has had a massive positive impact on my life, both for my own physical and mental wellbeing. I understand that changing our habits will take time and depend on good alternatives like the electric

p60

bus service I used to get to the Ecomuseum from Edinburgh.

But as Jane wonderfully puts it in the film, we can make a small difference and can be part of a better history in the future.

Issue 54

“In my eyes we need to be more mindful about what impact we have on our planet and future generations, so that beautiful places like the Cateran Ecomuseum will inspire generations to come. For me the

joy of cycling doesn’t depend on the latest innovation in cycling.

It depends on a connection with people and places, and the Cateran Ecomuseum has provided exactly that for me.”

Photos by Markus Stitz

Issue 54

p61

Photos by Markus Stitz

p62

Issue 54

Issue 54

p63

Fashion

reative, inspiratio fash

by Helen Lloyd

A

new wave of fresh design talent will be showcasing their creations at one of the fashion world’s biggest events for emerging stars.

Seventeen students studying Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) have been selected to present their designs at Graduate Fashion Week in London.

The students’ collections draw upon a range of influences and events, including the Covid-19 pandemic and major societal issues such as cultural identity and the climate crisis.

p64

The event this month at Coal Drops Yard in London’s King’s Cross, will parade the work of BA students from leading fashion schools who are graduating in 26 different specialisms.

Graduate Fashion Week is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year after 2020’s event was scaled down and staged digitally because of the pandemic.

Organisers say the show is a celebration of the enduring spirit of this year’s graduates and the sector’s up-and-coming stars.

Issue 54

onal hion

Design by Skye Bending Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p65

The designs will be showcased in physical and digital events including live-streamed runway shows which will be available through the Graduate Fashion Week website.

p66

The attendance of ECA students is supported by the St James Quarter – a new retail led, lifestyle district – which is opening its first phase in Edinburgh’s City Centre at the end of next month.

Issue 54

Edinburgh students have a successful track record at Graduate Fashion Week, with many scooping major awards. Graduates from the programme have gone on to

work for leading brands including Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood.

Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p67

This year’s group of Fashion students includes Skye Bending, whose dramatic womenswear collection is inspired by how women are portrayed in gothic literature and modern-day

Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

p68

Issue 54

media. She combines contrasting materials such as rubber and soft silky drapes for dramatic effect and employs alternative methods of construction to create her sophisticated garments.

Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p69

Sophie Walton’s collection is inspired by the exploration of personal identity and selfexpression. It combines a love of classic and contemporary tailoring, with softer knitwear pieces. With a focus on

Design by Sophie Walton Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

p70

Issue 54

sustainability and tackling overconsumption issues, the collection uses recycled wool suiting fabrics, appliquéd on to one another to create bright and bold garments.

Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p71

Yige Zhou has taken inspiration from migrating birds and how their movement can link to people searching for finding the purpose of life, in different places.

The 3D printed textiles reveal skin-toned bird patterns mixed

p72

Issue 54

with fabrics such as wax cotton – inspired by the fabric of bicycle riders raincoats. The collection links to the designer’s personal experiences of studying abroad for seven years.

Design by Yige Zhou Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p73

“I am delighted that, despite the challenging year, our talented students will now have the opportunity to showcase their work on such an influential platform as Graduate Fashion Week,” said Mal Burkinshaw, Head of the School of Design.

In 2019 alone, ECA students scooped several prestigious prizes at Graduate Fashion Week, including the Conscious Design Award sponsored by Swarovski, the Christopher Bailey Collection of the Year Award, the David Band Textiles Award, and the George Catwalk to Store Award.

Through its leadership in the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk initiative, it has been an advocate for increased diversity in the fashion design industries by encouraging students to show emotional consideration for the buyer.

Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

p74

Issue 54

Issue 54

p75

Exhibition

Edinburgh homage to movie pioneer T

he groundbreaking work of the godfather of fantasy film making is being celebrated in an expansive exhibition in Edinburgh.

Generations of film fans have been awed by the pioneering special effects of Ray Harryhausen who helped elevate stop motion animation to an art.

For more than 70 years his innovative and inspiring movies, from the 1950s onwards, played a pivotal part in changing the face

p76

of modern motion picture making forever.

The new exhibition is the largest and widest-ranging showcase of Harryhausen’s work ever seen, with newly restored and previously unseen material from his incredible archive.

His work included blockbuster movies such as Jason and the Argonauts, the Sinbad films of the 1950s and 1970s, One Million Years B.C. and Mighty Joe Young.

Issue 54

Harryhausen has been credited with inspiring a generation of filmmakers, including Peter Jackson, Aardman Animations, Tim Burton, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg. Even today, almost a decade after his death in 2003, his influence on blockbuster cinema can still be felt.

Titan of Cinema at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art traces Harryhausen’s career as a special effects guru, whose only limits was his boundless imagination.

Mighty Joe Young climbs The Scott Monument

Issue 54

p77

The exhibition shows his creative processes from embryonic preparatory sketches, through to model making and bringing characters to life who went onto terrorise and delight audiences in equal measure on the cinema screen.

At the heart of the incredible display are Harryhausen’s creatures, such as Medusa, the Kraken and Bubo the owl, as well as his iconic skeleton army from Jason and the Argonauts.

Visitors can see Harryhausen’s sketches, storyboards and original movie posters as well as discovering just how Dynamation - the illusion of layering backgrounds and footage of real actors to show them interacting with models on film - actually works. Harryhausen developed the system and used it to incredible effect.

The more adventurous can even have a go at fighting the mighty Talos and deadly Harpies in the green screen set-up.

p78

Issue 54

Medusa on Calton Hill

Issue 54

p79

This exhibition, in collaboration with the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, has been devised to celebrate what would have been his 100th birthday year. It brings his creations to life once more and celebrates the legacy of a filmmaker who changed the face of modern cinema.

p80

To celebrate the opening of the exhibition the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two), the National Galleries of Scotland recreated some of the iconic cinema pioneer’s most famous creatures and let them loose around Edinburgh.

Issue 54

Famous landmark’s to get the Harryhausen treatment include The Forth Rail Bridge, which has falling victim to The Kraken. The fearsome monster looms large in Ray Harryhausen’s final film, Clash of The Titans (1981).

Medusa, probably one of Harryhausen’s most terrifying creations from Clash of The Titans (1981), has been transported to Calton Hill.

The Kraken and the Forth Rail Bridge

Issue 54

p81

p82

Issue 54

A fearsome skeleton, from Jason and the Argonauts (1963), causes quite a stir on The Royal Mile. The sword swinging, bone rattling creature was a star of Harryhausen’s epic journey into

Greek mythology. Anyone who has seen the film can’t forget the seven sword-fighting skeletons doing battle against Jason and his intrepid band of adventurers.

Skeleton tourist on the Royal Mile

Issue 54

p83

Three more of Harryhausen’s skeletal creations from the same movie can be seen taking their cue from The Skating Minister aka Reverend Robert Walker (1755 -

1808). Skating on Duddingston Loch by Sir Henry Raeburn is one of the most popular works in the Scottish national collection.

Tickets for the exhibition can be booked online at nationalgalleries.org

p84

Issue 54

Finally, Mighty Joe Young climbs The Scott Monument. Inspired by King Kong, a young Harryhausen landed his dream job working with his hero Willis O’Brien on another film involving an animated ape: Mighty Joe Young.

Due to O’brine’s hectic workload the younger man ended up creating much of the animation himself, earning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and a reputation that was to cement his career for years to come.

Skating Skeletons on Duddingston Loch

Issue 54

p85

p86

Issue 54

Issue 54

p87

Food & Beverage

Skailg: A wee livener with… Tom Morton

ou only had to flask T

om Morton on the handiness of whisky flasks, and a very cheap but excellent blended malt with Antarctic antecedents.

I was away from home, flaskless.

As in, not carrying a whisky flask; this was not just an unusual situation, but an uncomfortable one. Having a flask of good quality, or at least half decent whisky about one’s person is a sustaining comfort in trying situations, and this, a protracted and emotionally debilitating family bereavement amid the strictures of the pandemic, was definitely one of those.

p88

It will come as no surprise that I possess a variety of whisky flasks, from the ‘double’ and ‘doubledouble’ stainless steel receptacle picked up in an Aberdeen charity shop (Aberdeen has the best charity shops in Scotland, apart from Crieff and Bridge of Allan; it’s all about numbers of dead rich people) to my favourite: the eight-ounce cylindrical steel hunting flask, encased in leather and tartan, complete with four steel nip-cups. You can pick these up remarkably cheaply, for around £15, or anything up to £100 for larger and more snootily-branded versions.

Issue 54

Issue 54

p89

I was introduced to the necessity of a flask by a couple of whisky professionals. One, manager of a major distillery, I met at a music festival where there was little availability of decent drams.

Secreted about this person’s person, however, was just such a hunting flask as I have described

p90

above, and soon four of us were enjoying the delights of a 30-yearold single malt the variety of which I had better not disclose, lest the manager involved be accused of breaking T in the Park rules against the smuggling in of liquor.

Issue 54

The other was the editor of a major drinks publication who wrote, unashamedly, of the need for a whisky flask containing high quality spirits when attending a wedding. Not only was whisky likely to be very expensive at such an event, there was no guarantee that anything worth drinking

Issue 54

would actually be available.

The solution? Bring your own.

Flaunting such a source is of course not advisable, as it is likely to bring back re-runs of the ‘halfbottle-down-your-sock’ escapades of one’s youth, climbing in toilet windows at dubious nightclubs.

Or perhaps that was just me.

p91

But back to the funeral I was involved in organising and later attending. I had no flask, having left home in a hurry and with the minimum of luggage.

Staying in an unfamiliar flat, in a town I had known well up until the age of 17, but hardly since, I decided to buy some whisky.

However, I knew I would be the only person drinking it and while I wanted something palatable,

I did not wish to spend a great deal of money. Malt Miniatures (five centilitres, which these days cost around £1 per centilitre) always seem both expensive and dissatisfying. I found myself in a supermarket, a Morrisons, and to my astonishment, came across a blended malt, 70cl, for a mere £20, reduced from £40. And as I write, it’s still available at this ridiculous price.

Shackleton and team mate Photo by F. Hurley PD

p92

Issue 54

I speak of the Shackleton Blended Malt “based on an antique blend of Mackinlay’s fine old Highland malt whisky, the spirit supplied to the 1907 British Antarctic Expedition”, as put together from a variety of Highland whiskies by legendary master blender Richard Paterson. The story behind this dram is quite extraordinary, and involves three cases of perfectly preserved Mackinlay’s bottles being discovered buried in ice next to the base camp for Ernest Shackleton’s unsuccessful 1907 attempt to reach the South Pole.

He had apparently obtained no less than 25 cases of whisky to sustain his team during the project. Three of the bottles were taken first to New Zealand, then back to Scotland (in a case handcuffed to Richard Paterson) where they were analysed, sampled and then recreated for retail sale.

Ernest Shackleton PD

Issue 54

p93

More than once, it has to be said, and some would argue that the Shackleton legend has been diluted somewhat over the production of at least three Shackleton whisky facsimiles - the current, widely available supermarket and duty free version, and two previous limited editions. Both of these feature very old Glen Mhor whisky distilled in Inverness, in a distillery which no longer exists.

It’s thought in fact that the original Shackleton Mackinlay was single malt Glen Mhor and nothing else.

What’s in this bottling? Given the antecedents of the whisky at bottlers Whyte and Mackay, and Richard’s past position there, we can count on amounts of Dalmore and Fettercairn, and it’s known that the more expensive Discovery and Endurance Shackleton editions contained Glenfarclas, Mannochmore, Tamnavulin, Ben Nevis, Aultmore, Pulteney and Jura. As well as a wee dab of Glen Mhor.

p94

Issue 54

At £20 a bottle (less than wholesale), it’s fair to say that fewer and more commonplace malts are likely to be involved.

Dalmore and Fettercairn, yes, and probably whatever stocks Whyte and Mackay had to hand that could provide the aroma and taste of an early 20th Century Highland single malt, albeit something as lightsome as a Glen Mhor. I’ve tried a late 1970s Glen Mhor (now around £300-400 a bottle) and it was not by any means a bushwhacker of a dram.

Given that the branding and advertising for this Shackleton is, rather clunkily, insisting that it is perfect for drinking with ice, you might expect something light, and indeed, it’s not a hefty, peaty monster, as might have been expected from something bottled in the early 1900s. In fact I understand that Richard, when tasting the actual ice-bound Shackleton whisky, expected something much more peaty and strident. The restraint of the ancient whisky is indeed reflected in the 20-quid version.

Issue 54

p95

p96

Issue 54

How is it? Not bad at all.

The lemony colour has dark overtones, and precludes heavy caramelisation. This is somehow commensurate with the age of the whisky it imitates. On the nose it has an immediately reassuring floral oakiness, and in the mouth its fruitiness has a hint of sherry but more of an American oak vanilla biscuit creaminess. The finish is smooth and honeyed, with elements of faraway smoke just peeking through. It’s satisfying and substantial.

After the funeral, it was a reassuring dram to take, watching the sea in the coastal town I was staying in, thinking of Shackleton and his team, who apparently tackled the South Pole well equipped with port, brandy, creme de menthe and (legal and commonplace in those days, presumably) cocaine. I made do with just the whisky, and had plenty left to transport home.

There to fill up all my flasks for future emergencies, probably not including any expeditions to the regions of endless ice. Indeed, any ice at all. It’s hard to get the cubes into a flask.

The Shackleton blended malt is widely available in the Uk from £20-£40 a bottle. A percentage of each bottle’s purchase price goes to support the Antarctic Heritage Trust in New Zealand.

Issue 54

p97

p98

Issue 54

Issue 54

p99

History

by Scott Aitken

L

ocated on a rocky promontory overlooking the cold grey waters of Loch Ness the romantic ruin of Urquhart Castle is a ‘mustsee’ attraction for thousands of visitors every year.

One of the largest castles in Scotland, in terms of the area of uneven ground it occupies, the castle has more than 1,000 years of history attached to it.

p100

Issue 54

Although there are many more complete structures with their own dramatic tales of adventure few Scottish castles have such a turbulent past and certainly no other has such a well known association to a legendary monster.

The name Urquhart comes from Airdchartdan, a 7th century name made up of an old Irish word ‘aird’, meaning point or promontory, and an old Welsh word ‘cardden’, meaning thicket or wood.

A floodlit Urquhart castle Photo by Paul Tomkins / VisitScotland

Issue 54

p101

As far back as AD 580 the area was seen as a strategically important location. It is said that when St Columba was travelling up Loch Ness, on his way to the court of Pictish King Bridei at Inverness from his home on the Isle of Iona, he was summoned to visited a dying Pictish nobleman

at Airdchartdan (Urquhart) where he baptised the former pagan and his entire household.

There is certainly evidence that a Pictish broch from the late 700s or early 800s may have occupied the site of the current castle.

Urquhart Castle from the main tower Photo by WKnight94 CC BY-SA 3.0

p102

Issue 54

Urquhart Castle tower house Photo by WKnight94 CC BY-SA 3.0

Issue 54

p103

However, it is not until 1230 that the first documentary evidence of the castle appears in the annals of history. It was around this time that King Alexander II subdued a revolt in Moray to the north and used Urquhart Castle as a strategic stronghold to defend this major route through the highlands.

Some 60 years later the castle was again at the centre of one Scotland’s most bloody periods when, in 1296, the fortress was captured by Edward I of England during his invasion of the country which marked the start of the Wars of Independence.

Defensive ditch Photo by WKnight94 CC BY-SA 3.0

p104

Issue 54

Sir William fitz Warin was appointed by Edward to hold the castle for the English. However, just a year later in 1297, the celebrated Scottish guerrilla fighter Sir Andrew de Moray laid siege to the castle and by 1298 Urquhart was again controlled by the Scots.

Over the next few centuries the castle changed hands several times before eventually becoming a royal fortress of the King of Scots, Robert the Bruce, in 1307.

However, peace was never going to last.

Having survived several onslaughts from foreign invaders in the 14th century the castle spent much of the next couple of centuries mired in the often bloody politics of rival Highland clans.

Urquhart Castle on shore of Loch Ness Photo by VisitScotland

Issue 54

p105

By the 1390s the biggest threat came from the Macdonalds, the Lords of the Isles. They repeatedly targeted Urquhart Castle in their attempts to seize more power and influence across the Highlands.

In 1509 the Grant family were given the barony of Urquhart

p106

and the castle in perpetuity by King James IV on condition they repair the castle and improve its defences as a fortress. It was they who built the Grant Tower, a fivestorey tower house, in the centre of the castle designed as a final redoubt even if the rest of the castle fell.

Issue 54

However, following the confusion caused by the overwhelming defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Flodden, in which a huge number of Scots nobility, including the King, were killed, Sir Donald MacDonald of Lochalsh seized the castle.

He managed to hold on to the fortress for four years before the Grants regained it, but not before he had stolen more than 300 cattle,1,000 sheep and looted the castle. The result was a feud that lasted for decades.

Tower walls Photo by WKnight94 CC BY-SA 3.0

Issue 54

p107

p108

In 1544 it all culminated in men of Clan Grant and Fraser being defeated by the Macdonalds and Camerons in the Battle of the Shirts. Out of some 800 men who took part in the battle only around a dozen or so survived.

surrounding countryside. Known as the Great Raid the invaders managed to loot more than 2,000 cattle, as well hundreds of other animals, and strip the fortress of its furniture, 20 cannons, three boats and even the castle gates.

Despite the heavy casualty toll on both sides the victorious MacDonalds and Camerons were able to ravage Urquhart and the

Grant eventually regained the castle and was awarded Cameron lands as recompense.

Issue 54

The last time Urquhart Castle was used as a military garrison was during the first Jacobite risings of the l17th century.

Following the exile of Catholic King James VII in 1688 and his replacement by Protestant monarchs William II and Mary II many of the Highland clans remained loyal to the Stuart cause.

In an attempt to subdue the rebellious Highlanders Urquhart Castle became a fort for government troops until 1692.

When the last soldiers left they blew up the gatehouse to prevent it ever being used as a military stronghold again.

Spiral staircase Photo by WKnight94 CC BY-SA 3.0

Issue 54

p109

Over the next century or more than castle fell into decay and was left to the mercy of the elements and actions of local people who plundered some of the stone to build their own homes.

It wasn’t until the advent of tourism in the Victorian age that Urquhart Castle found new fame as a noble and romantic ruin.

Over the years its popularity has grown to such an extent that it has become one of the most visited castles in Scotland.

Located two miles south east of Drumnadrochit and about 15 miles south of Inverness it is easy to reach and, aside from its majestic beauty, splendid surroundings and fascinating history, it has another claim to fame.

The uninterrupted view of the deep, dark waters of Loch Ness makes the ruin a perfect vantage point from which to search for Nessie. The legendary beast, first reported by St Columba in 6th century, has been spotted numerous times over the centuries with several mysterious sightings still reported every year.

Urquhart Castle

p110

Issue 54

Issue 54

p111

Travel

isit Scotland for better mental health

by Scott Aitken

I

t’s an open secret many of us have known for years - Scotland is good for you!

New research by the nation’s official tourism organisation has

p112

revealed almost a quarter of people from the UK and Ireland took a holiday in Scotland last year to specifically protect their mental health from the impact of COVID-19.

Issue 54

VisitScotland examined the emotional benefits of tourism such as alleviating stress, boosting confidence and increasing creativity. It has also shone a light on the travel motivations of visitors from across the UK and Ireland during the pandemic.

The insights have highlighted the fact that taking a break can improve well-being. Looking after mental health was a strong motivation among visitors aged under 45 with 42 per cent taking a holiday or short break in Scotland because of this.

Bass Rock Photo by Stewart Cunningham

Issue 54

p113

VisitScotland’s new Emotional Benefits of Tourism research paper explores how holidaying in Scotland can enhance visitors’ well-being and draws upon visitors’ key reasons for travelling to Scotland as restrictions eased last year.

p114

Over half of people, 53 per cent, wanted to holiday in Scotland in 2020 because they needed a change of environment, followed closely behind by wanting to connect with nature/the outdoors, 51 per cent.

Issue 54

A relaxing game of golf at Dunbar Photo by Stewart Cunningham

Issue 54

p115

The emotional benefits of a holiday in Scotland include how it fosters resilience, alleviates stress, increases creativity, boosts confidence and encourages empathy. The latter benefit is

p116

backed up by the fact that 36 per cent of people holidayed in the country to support tourism businesses who had been suffering during the pandemic.

Issue 54

Previous qualitative research carried out by VisitScotland found visitors imagine a holiday here will be an intense experience with the potential to profoundly move them emotionally. They expect to

feel an emotional connection with Scotland, to feel at home and recentred in their own lives and destressing and escapism are viewed as some of the key benefits of a Scottish holiday.

Gullane Beach Photo by Stewart Cunningham

Issue 54

p117

In the wake of the research Scottish tourism businesses are being encouraged to use wellbeing as a focus for their activity going forward. Personalisation, developing emotional

p118

intelligence, and providing opportunities to give back in the business’s local community are just some of the ways to engage with emotional tourism suggested in the paper.

Issue 54

“Post-lockdown, there will be a focus on improving our well-being and going on holiday or attending an event will prove popular ways

to do that – when restrictions allow,” said Chris Greenwood, VisitScotland Senior Tourism Insight Manager.

Wind surfing off Gullane Beach Photo by Stewart Cunningham

Issue 54

p119

“Our research has shown that protecting mental health and a need for change and connection are key motivators for holidaying in Scotland.

p120

Issue 54

“An overall emotional experience is critical for today’s visitors and is a powerful factor when choosing where to travel. Scotland, with its combination of nature, history

and welcoming spirit ticks all the boxes when it comes to providing a sense of connection and enrichment.

Cove harbour, Berwickshire Photo by S. Rae, Scotland CC BY 2.0

Issue 54

p121

“Tourism is a force for good – creating economic and social value in every corner of Scotland and enhancing the well-being of everyone

p122

who experiences it. We all deserve a holiday, and Scotland, and all it offers, will be the perfect antidote after lockdown.”

Issue 54

According to Chris O’Sullivan, Head of Communications and Fundraising at Mental Health Foundation Scotland, the more people learn to recognise the

things that help protect and improve their mental health the more likely they are to prevent mental health problems arising.

Dumbarton Castle Photo by Stewart Cunningham

Issue 54

p123

“Taking a break is good for our mental health - a change of pace, a change of space and an opportunity to spend time away

p124

from our work can all be good for our wellbeing, particularly if it includes connecting with nature,” he said.

Issue 54

“We’re lucky in Scotland that we have so many beautiful places on our doorsteps. Even in our cities we’re never far from natural beauty. Whether it’s Princes Street Gardens on a city break, the perfect beaches of the west

coast, or camping under the stars in one of our dark skies parks, Scotland is a unique place to take a break and find and cherish our connection with the natural world.”

Tantallon Castle with the Bass Rock in the distance Photo by Stewart Cunningham

Issue 54

p125

Holiday property, North Berwick Photo by Stewart Cunningham

p126

Issue 54

Issue 54

p127

Music

Story behind the song…

The Bonny Ship Balclutha

“F

rom Cape Horn to Alaska, San Francisco to Australia the pride of the clyde sailed with the tide, the bonny ship Balclutha”. With those words, or very similar, songwriter and performer Ken Campbell has immortalised one of the last great sailing ships of Scotland.

p128

The Balclutha was built by Charles Connell and Company of Scotstoun, near Glasgow as a three-masted, steel-hulled, square-rigged Barque for Dumbarton businessman Robert McMillan in 1886.

Issue 54

Initially destined for the grain trade, which was then booming between the USA and Europe, she enjoyed a career that spanned two centuries over several decades, carrying a range of

cargo that included coal, timber, grain, tin plate, whisky, wine, wool, pottery, tallow, canned salmon and people from one side of the world to the other.

Balclutha at Hyde Street Pier, San Francisco Photo by Chehaliswash CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p129

On 15 January 1887 the 26 man crew of the Balclutha set sail on her maiden voyage from the Welsh capital of Cardiff carrying coal to San Francisco in exchange for California wheat destined

p130

for Europe. It took 140 days to complete the journey to the US considered a good time for a ship whose only propulsion was the tide and the wind in her 25 sails.

Issue 54

In 1899 the Balclutha, a name derived from the Scots Gaelic words Balla meaning town or city and ‘Clutha’ meaning Clyde, was sold to the Colonial Shipping

Company of San Francisco. She was then transferred to Hawaiian registry and used for carrying coal and timber for the mining industry between the US and Australia.

Bowsprit of the Balclutha, moored at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Photo by Frank Schulenburg CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p131

One of her many claims to fame is that she was the last vessel ever to fly the flag of the Hawaiian Kingdom before a special act

p132

of the United States Congress admitted her to American registry so she could trade freely between American ports.

Issue 54

It was around this time that the Alaska Packers Association, a San Francisco firm which harvested

and canned salmon, chartered her to carry men and supplies north to Alaska.

View aft of main deck, port side Photo National Park Service PD

Issue 54

p133

In 1901 she was chartered by the Alaska Packers Association, a San Francisco firm involved in the salmon trade, to ferry almost

p134

300 fishermen and their supplies north to Alaska for the season and return with up to 78,000 cases of canned salmon.

Issue 54

In 1904 disaster struck when she ran aground and could have been left to rot if the Alaska Packers Association hadn’t bought her for

the bargain price of $500. After some extensive repairs she was put back to work under the new name of Star of Alaska.

Balclutha when she was known as Star of Alaska under sail Photo by National Park Service PD

Issue 54

p135

For the next 26 years she regularly sailed up the west coast from California to Alaska every April carrying supplies and cannery workers for the salmon industry.

p136

Five months later, loaded with tinned salmon, she would then make the 2,400-mile voyage back to San Francisco Bay.

Issue 54

Eventually, in 1930, she was effectively pensioned off and her time as a working vessel looked

like it was over. However, luck was again on her side.

Balclutha at her permanent mooring Photo by mutante CC BY-SA 3.0

Issue 54

p137

Museum display board about the Balclutha Photo by mutante CC BY-SA 3.0

p138

Issue 54

In 1933 showman Frank ‘Tex’ Kissinger bought the ship for $5,000, changed her name to Pacific Queen and turned her into a movie star. She often featured as a supporting backdrop in a number of movies including the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Charles Laughton and Clark Gable.

Following Kissinger’s death the future of this one proud ocean going ship looked bleak until she was rescued by enthusiastic volunteers of a Maritime Museum at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

Balclutha, San_Francisco Photo by Sanfranman59

Issue 54

p139

Crew at work on the Star of Alaska, aka Balclutha, in 1925 Photo National Park Service PD

Balclutha Photo by National Park Service

After a lot of hard work, and fundraising, she was returned to her former glory. Her original name was restored and, in 1955, she took pride of place at the museum as a permanent floating exhibit and memorial to the golden age of sail.

Now moored within sight of the Golden Gate and infamous island prison of Alcatraz at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park she offers visitors a unique opportunity to appreciate the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history.

In 1978 she was transferred to the National Park Service and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985.

p140

Issue 54

Balclutha Photo by mutante CC BY-SA 3.0

Issue 54

p141

Linsey Aitken and Ken Campbell in performance

p142

Issue 54

As one of only five remaining floating examples of the vast fleet of steel sailing ships that were built on the Clyde the Balclutha is testament to the craftsmanship of Scottish shipbuilders whose vessels once dominated the world’s oceans.

It was the rich history of the ship that inspired Scots musician Ken Campbell to write a song specially for her, The Bonny Ship Balclutha, which he has just released on Youtube. It was initially composed in 2016 for a concert he and his wife, Linsey Aitken, played on board the square rigger. The song has since become a big hit for them and is featured on their Shore to Shore album.

Issue 54

p143

with Tom Morton

Music to accompany reading Discover Scotland www.discoverscotlandmagazine.com 1) Cocteau Twins - Cherry Coloured Funk 2) JSD Band - Cousin Caterpillar 3) Jesus and Mary Chain - Just Like Honey 4) Donovan - Wear Your Love Like Heaven 5) Teenage Fanclub - Everything Flows 6) Aidan Moffat, Bill Wells - The Copper Top 7) Five Hand Reel - Ae Fond Kiss 8) Beta Band - Dry the Rain 9) Gerry Rafferty - Mary Skeffington 10) Frightened Rabbit - Holy 11) Belle and Sebastian - Lazy Line Painter Jane 12) Idlewild - These Wooden Ideas

p144

Issue 54

Issue 54

p145

Outdoors

R

amblers Scotland has launched a new short film featuring Scottish TikTok star Jarad Rowan, aimed at encouraging responsible wild camping in Scotland.

Jarad, known as @LittlestChicken to his hundreds of thousands of social media followers, has created a new video detailing five ‘Rules of Wild Camping’.

p146

The light-hearted video, supported by NatureScot and John Muir Trust, was made during a trip to Borders Forest Trust’s scenic Corehead estate near Moffat. It shows the 21-year-old social media star from Stranraer learning where to camp, what to pack, where to go to the toilet outdoors, how to leave no trace and the importance of using stoves rather than lighting fires.

Issue 54

“This was such a great project to be involved in and I had the best time filming! It was also really cool to be shooting in Dumfries & Galloway. There are some lovely spots here in Scotland. I’m wondering does this make me an icon in the world of wild camping now?,” said Jarad.

Photos: Ramblers Scotland

Issue 54

p147

The film was planned by Ramblers Scotland alongside a team of young adults – the target audience – who have completed

Ramblers Scotland’s Out There Award, which helps 18 to 26-yearolds kick-start their journeys into the outdoors.

Jarad Rowan, known as @LittlestChicken to his social media followers

p148

Issue 54

“Scotland has world-class landscapes for everyone to explore.

Getting more people active outdoors more often will help make Scotland a happier and healthier nation. It can also provide valuable income for rural communities and help more people feel inspired to protect the places where we all love to walk,” said Brendan Paddy, director of Ramblers Scotland.

“The challenge we now face is making sure that the welcome increase in people getting outdoors is backed by the support needed to ensure people have the knowledge and opportunities to enjoy the experience responsibly. I hope our new film will support people – especially beginners - to plan fun, responsible nights out under the stars.”

Issue 54

p149

p150

Issue 54

Ramblers Scotland and partners have launched the video ahead of what is expected to be a hugely busy summer for Scotland’s outdoors, particularly as many festivals, indoor parties and overseas travel remain off limits. In fact, a recent study by the David Hume Institute (DHI) showed 36 per cent of people in Scotland spent more time outside in nature last year than before – with 58 per cent intending to spend more time outside in future.

Last year, antisocial and irresponsible behaviour by a small minority of visitors in some popular locations caused real issues for the environment, local people, and other visitors. This summer is expected to be even busier, so it is vital that people act responsibly.

Issue 54

p151

p152

Issue 54

Issue 54

p153

Travel

elcome return for budget travellers

A

dventure seeking travellers and budget conscious visitors can once again find a welcome waiting for them throughout Scotland’s network of hostels.

p154

Hostelling Scotland, the not for profit, self-funded charity now celebrating its 90th anniversary, has announced a phased reopening of its youth hostel and affiliate accommodation network across the country.

Issue 54

Following the latest easing of Covid-19 restrictions, 19 youth hostels will open to guests on a private room only basis while 12 further youth hostels will be available on RentaHostel for

exclusive private hire. The aim is to offer visitors the perfect solution for a Scottish staycation so they can explore everything the country has to offer.

View from Rowardennan Photo Hostelling Scotland

Issue 54

p155

Open to everyone wanting to enjoy a relaxing and safe hostelling holiday in an informal and friendly environment, there’s certainly plenty of locations to choose from.

All available accommodation can now be booked on the Hostelling Scotland website or by contacting the Reservation Team at hello@hostellingscotland.org.uk

Hostelling Scotland website

p156

Issue 54

From cities to islands, beaches to hills and mountains, and everything in between, Hostelling Scotland’s quality assured

Youth Hostels provide budget accommodation and expert local knowledge for guests travelling around Scotland.

Glen Nevis hostel Photo Hostelling Scotland

Issue 54

p157

Youth Hostels providing private rooms include Aviemore, Broadford, Cairngorm Lodge, Crianlarich, Edinburgh Central, Gairloch Sands, Glasgow, Glen

p158

Nevis, Glencoe, Inverness, Loch Ossian, Oban, Pitlochry, Port Charlotte Islay, Portree, Rowardennan, Stirling, Torridon and Ullapool.

Issue 54

Hostels available for RentaHostel include Aberdeen, Achmelvich Beach, Braemar, Durness Smoo, Glen Affric, Glenbrittle, Kirkwall, Lochranza, Newton Stewart, Perth, Ratagan and Tobermory.

These unique sites offer a great base for curious travellers, city explorers or adventure seekers, keen to escape the last 14 months of lockdown restrictions and spend some quality time in the great outdoors.

View of Glen Affric Photo Hostelling Scotland

Issue 54

p159

Hostelling offers guests the freedom to explore Scotland and their love of travel, discovering places of historic and cultural

p160

interest, enjoying its stunning countryside, environment and natural heritage, making memories to last a lifetime.

Issue 54

“If you love to travel, escape the everyday and find your adventure then give Hostelling a try; with a warm welcome and a comfy

bed, you can discover the best of Scotland with us,” said Margo Paterson, Hostelling Scotland’s CEO. Loch Ossian Photo Hostelling Scotland

Issue 54

p161

“With the increase in customer demand following the gradual easing of Covid restrictions we are delighted to be in the position to offer our guests a range of high quality, affordable, safe and private room accommodation throughout Scotland.”

Glen Nevis lounge and wood burner Photo Hostelling Scotland

p162

Issue 54

Twin room in Edinburgh Photo Hostelling Scotland

Since 1931, the organisation’s mission has been to make Scotland more accessible to more people than anyone else; especially young people, providing great value, flexible

and welcoming accommodation in the best locations. With the pandemic still weighing heavy, this mission is as relevant today as it was then.

Loch Ossian Photo Hostelling Scotland

Issue 54

p163

p164

Issue 54

Issue 54

p165

Food & Beverage

Chef in a kilt with… Gordon Howe

piece of cake C

akes have been enjoyed in Scotland for centuries. Early versions of popular favourites such as Black Bun, a dense and rich fruit cake wrapped in shortcrust pastry; and the Selkirk Bannock, a buttery leavened tea bread, can be traced back hundreds of years.

p166

Even the classic Dundee cake, which derives its name from the city of its origins, is said to have been inspired by a delicacy created in the 1500s and favoured

by Mary Queen of Scots.

Issue 54

Taigh cèic, which is Gaelic for House Cake Photos by Gordon Howe

Issue 54

p167

It is said an enterprising chef, familiar with the Queen’s dislike for glacé cherries in her confectionary, created a treat using almonds as a substitute for decoration. The design, and rich taste, quickly found widespread

p168

popularity. By the end of the 18th century the company of marmalade inventors James and Janet Keiller of Dundee had begun mass producing the cake we all know and love today.

Issue 54

Throughout the country every community has its own particular delicacy or versions of classic recipes that make the most of the vast array of ingredients that make up Scotland’s bountiful larder.

Issue 54

Alcohol - namely whisky, rum and brandy - have been used as flavouring and as a preservative in baking for centuries. The high heat of the oven allows the alcohol to burn off leaving a taste of opulence.

p169

Similarly the use of herbs and wild plants to add flavour to popular dishes has been common practice for Scots throughout the ages.

p170

Issue 54

For this month’s recipe I have used a herb common to most modern kitchen gardens. Known for its health benefits coriander

Issue 54

has been used as a flavour ingredient in various recipes for thousands of years.

p171

p172

Issue 54

I have also included some Scottish gin - a tasty alternative to whisky.

Although the country’s association with the spirit can be traced back to the early 1700s a huge surge in manufacturing over the last decade has resulted in more than 100 new distilleries and 70 per cent of the gin made in the UK originating in Scotland.

For a special treat, using some of the best Scottish ingredients, here’s a my deliciously simple lemon and coriander cake with Harris Gin and Scottish heather honey that I call Taigh cèic, which is Gaelic for House Cake.

Issue 54

p173

Prep time 20 Mins. Cook Time 50/55 mins Ingredients 110g (4 oz) butter or margarine 110g (4 oz) caster sugar 2 tbsp golden syrup 2 eggs 1 tbsp boiling water 3 tbsp Harris Gin 175g (6 oz) self raising flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tbsp of fresh finely chopped coriander 1 Large lemon juiced and grated rind Squeeze of heather honey to serve

p174

Issue 54

Issue 54

p175

p176

Issue 54

Method Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy.

Add in syrup and eggs one at a time beating after each addition.

Sift the flour and baking powder and fold into mixture, add the Harris Gin and vanilla. Mix at hint speed until smooth creamy batter.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes at 180 C / Gas 4, until the cake has risen and golden brown and a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

Issue 54

p177

Allow to cool on a baking rack.

Enjoy with some butter or a dollop of Lemon Sorbet.

Slice into thick slices, then drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and heather honey.

p178

Issue 54

Issue 54

p179

Books

elebration of life stories S

ome of the most talked about biographers, diarists and writers of memoir will be appearing at this year’s Boswell Book festival.

Named in honour of Ayrshire’s James Boswell, the inventor of modern biography, the festival has attracted some of the greatest biographers and memoirists from across the globe. It is the world’s only festival dedicated to biography and memoir.

“I have never been more grateful for our unique theme of biography and memoir than in planning this exciting first online Festival, which we are offering free of charge thanks to the generous support of loyal sponsors and with the help of your much needed donations,” said Caroline Knox, Festival Director.

p180

Issue 54

“Not only will we showcase a rich choice of home-grown talent but the lack of geographical borders has allowed me to search further afield to find speakers and new partnerships from America and Canada to Australia and Italy – even including one with our namesake, the Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee.”

Due to the altered status of the event the organisers have added extra features in order to keep audiences entertained.

Issue 54

Each of the main festival days will have a dedicated Scottish host Thursday 10th June: James Knox; Friday 11th June: Alan Taylor; Saturday 12th June: Sally Magnusson and Sunday 13th June: James Naughtie).

Before each session excerpts from James Boswell’s work will be read by Bill Paterson, whose voice currently can be also heard narrating BBC1’s The Repair Shop.

p181

Andrew Marr Photo Steve Schofield © BBC

The festival proper begins on Thursday 10 June with the audience invited to a join an Evening Party of talk, music and art in Edinburgh’s Old Town hosted by William Zachs in the company of Andrew Marr, Bill Paterson, Robert Burns and Ludwig Van Beethoven and raise a glass to Boswell, biography and life stories.

Also on Thursday lifelong fan of Boswell, the broadcaster, journalist and critic Andrew Marr will talk about why Boswell matters.

p182

Issue 54

Among those talking about their extraordinary lives are Lady Anne Glenconner, participating in her first Scottish book festival, the Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen, Charlie Gilmour, the adopted son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour; and Kindertransport evacuee and acclaimed journalist Hella Pick.

Also on the menu this year is the advocate for LGBT rights Mohsin Zaidi and comedian Janey Godley, whose story about growing up in impoverished Glasgow has won many plaudits.

From Canada there is journalist Desmond Cole with The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power which describes the struggle against racism in his country, who will be joined by Lee Lawrence winner of the Costa Biography Prize 2020.

Using the story of his ancestors is Alex Renton’s personal story of his Ayrshire family’s history as slave and plantation owners.

Renton will be joined on stage

by Sir Geoffrey Palmer OBE, a descendant of slavery in Jamaica who was aged 15 when he joined his mother who had arrived on the Windrush in 1948. He has been appointed to lead the group investigating the street names, monuments and buildings of Edinburgh.

Amanda Owen

Issue 54

p183

Tackling the complexities of group biography are Chris Bryant MP, author of The Glamour Boys, and journalist Helen Lewis, writer of Difficult Women, whose books cast light on some of those airbrushed from history.

Diaries make for compelling reading and an invaluable source for biographers and travel writers.

Reflecting this are historian Simon Heffer, the editor of the unexpurgated diaries of society figure and politician Henry ‘Chips’ Channon; Royal biographer Hugo Vickers on photographer Cecil Beaton; and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Fredrik Logevall, who has spent much of the last decade combing through material unseen or unused by previous biographers taking us as close as we have ever been to the real John F. Kennedy.

Another new segment, made possible by becoming a digital event, are illustrated 10 minute talks on Scottish portraits as biography. James Holloway, former Director of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, James Knox, Director of The Fleming Collection, and David Eustace, internationally acclaimed Scottish photographer, will explore the ability of portraits to convey the personality, physical looks and life of a sitter and how this has changed over time.

p184

Issue 54

Lady Anne Glenconner Photo by Hal Shinnie

Issue 54

p185

Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire Photo by Bex-Lemon CC BY-SA 4.0

p186

Issue 54

Issue 54

p187

Family History

Discovering Scotland’s documents with… Dr Bruce Durie

A

ttempts to carry out meaningful research using only the majority of widely known commercial websites often ends in disappointment. The fact is they simply do not have many of the necessary records.

For most people the journey to discover their Scottish roots usually begins with a search of birth and baptism archives among old parish records. Both www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk and www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk are great places to start.

However, some really important documents are easily available but only to those who know where to look and how to use them.

p188

Issue 54

Issue 54

p189

The Reformation came late to Scotland, compared to many other European countries, but it was nonetheless decisive. The Kirk broke with Rome and developed a predominantly Calvinist national church. The Reformation Parliament of 1560 rejected Papal authority, forbade the celebration of mass and approved a Protestant Confession of Faith.

It was an event that not only shaped the Church of Scotland, it affected Scottish civil society in long-lasting ways. The decision to put a school in every parish, the root-and-branch reforms of the university system, the movement of art and architecture away from religious to secular patrons were just some of the changes.

It also altered the evolution of the existing parish structure which had been central to everyday life from the earliest days of Christianity in Scotland. Originally it reflected land ownership or the location of religious institutions such as monasteries and abbeys but, as society evolved, it became central to local administration, serving both ecclesiastical and civil purposes.

The Kirk was at the core of the majority of people’s lives.

It not only regulated religious observance and moral behaviour but also provided a place to meet, social functions, education, poor relief and other benefits to the community.

p190

Of course, there was a price to be paid in the form of the Kirk’s discouragement of nondevotional books, plays, songs and poetry, and a general disapproval of enjoying-yourselfness. But for all that, the Kirk was the subject of national pride and it wielded a great deal of influence.

An attempt to find a better, and less haphazard, way of recording the Sacraments (Baptism, Betrothal and Burial) led to the establishment of the Old Parish Registers, or OPRs.

Issue 54

However, not everyone saw it as a positive, which is why there are often gaps or incomplete entries in the archives today. All of this registration was, at times, costly and unpopular so many people did not bother.

There were also moments in history when the Kirk was split by Secessions (the mid-1700s) and the Disruption (mid-1800s) which caused breakaways from the established church and left gaps in the parish records. In addition

some Roman Catholics felt it was unwise to be on any kind of list.

During the 19th century the move to larger towns by large swathes of the rural population saw a waning in church influence and a drop in registrations. It has been estimated that as few as a third of events were actually recorded in some urban parishes. There is also the interesting concept of what constitutes a marriage in Scotland - something we will explore in a future instalment.

Not everybody lived in a castle like this one, Smailholm Tower in the Scottish Borders Photo by Keith Proven CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p191

Eventually, some 3,500 registers in various conditions and degrees of completeness, which had not been lost or destroyed, were collected by the National Records of Scotland.

Reasons for the gaps in some of these valuable records are varied, and in some cases fascinating.

Historically, there was a requirement from 1552 that parishes should record baptisms and marriages.That instruction was reinforced in 1565 by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland which ordered every minister to keep a register of deceased persons in their parish.

Unfortunately not all did.

The oldest register in the available archives, detailing baptisms and banns from the parish of Errol in Perthshire, dates from 1553.

However, many parishes did not start until much later. Some more remote areas, particularly in the Highlands and Western Isles, have no registers before the early 1800s.

In addition, some records have been lost to fire, water or rodents over time. A few were loaned out to lawyers or other parishes and not returned while others were taken by the family of a deceased or relocating minister who regarded them as personal possessions.

Sometimes the records were deliberately removed, such as by the minister of Carriden who, in 1690, was deposed for

p192

Issue 54

Many parish records have endured longer than the churches. The old Stoer Church and cemetery Photo by Dieter Weinelt CC BY 2.0

drunkenness, and allegedly took the parochial records away with him in a fit of pique.

In 1649, when an English army invaded the parish of Castleton in Roxburghshire, soldiers took the records of baptisms and marriages to light their fires and their pipes.

Passing of the Impress Acts of the 1750s, 1770s and the1797 Militia Act caused many parishioners to remove some OPRs to avoid identification of those eligible for military service.

However, despite all their imperfections the OPRs still form the best-collected and most readily available set of such records on the planet.

When a number of Seceding and Non-Conformist churches came back into the Kirk in the 20th Century, their records were also captured for posterity.

A long campaign to get the Catholic Church to comply finally prevailed, and there is hope yet for the Episcopalians.

It is now possible to look up all surviving Church of Scotland records, plus those of “other” churches, and Roman Catholic registers (mainly after the Relief Act of 1793).

In 1855 the whole system was taken out of the sole hands of the churches with the introduction of Statutory (Civil) Registration to catch every birth, marriage and death in the country (in theory!).

Issue 54

p193

An added nicety is that, when Registration Districts were first established for the 1841 census, and polished to a high gleam in time for 1855, the official RD numbers given to these were back-attributed to the parishes from which they had sprung, making it possible for researchers to be sure they are still in roughly the same place, even if the parish had shrunk, grown and divided, or merged with another.

A list of parishes in the records can be found at www.nrscotland.gov.uk/ research/guides/old-parishregisters/list-of-old-parishregisters Other churches and organisations, such as the Bishopric of the Forces, can be seen at www.scotlandspeople. gov.uk/guides/churchregisters#Parishes There are a few things to keep in mind when using the baptism registers at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk Although baptism was the sacrament recorded some parishes recorded birth dates, which is always a bonus. However, information can be patchy. There was no attempt at standardising the form of recording or the information gathered.

p194

Issue 54

Some entries may have an address, such as the name of a farm, and include names of the proud parents or the father’s occupation but not all of them do.

Some records don’t even name the mother, as if women played no part in the birthing process!

It’s also fair to say the attention to detail of some Session Clerk or Ministers was less than perfect, but you might get names of witnesses which could yield valuable clues to family members, cousins, neighbours and such like.

It is also worth remembering that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. If you can’t find a baptism or birth record for an ancestor you are in quite a large club.

Parish names are not unique.

There’s an Aberdour in Fife and one in Aberdeenshire, two Kilbrides, not including East Kilbride and West Kilbride; at least three places called St Andrews and five Kincardines.

A great help here is the Genuki portal which can assist with finding the right place name (www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct).

Finally, do not obsess over spelling – nobody really cared provided it sounded right.

There is no difference between MacGregor, McGregor or M’Gregor and often a MacKay is a Mackay is a McKay is a Mackie.

Discovering your ancestors once lived can be tricky. Many settlements and buildings no longer exist, like this one on Raasay.

Photo by Vincent van Zeijst CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p195

Fig. 1 One of the earliest Baptism records on Scotland’s People – Christane HAY, daughter of Peter HAY and Jonet FERMLAND, 27 December 1553 in Errol, Parish No. 351, Ref. 10 3.

The heading says: Nomina baptizatorum anno domini milesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo tertio decem[bris] 27 (Names of the baptised in the year of our Lord the one thousand five hundred and fifty third December 27).

The entry reads: “decemb[er] 27 Baptized paroch of Errol 1553 Christane Hay daughter to Peter Hay and Jonet Fermland in Errol”.

It’s interesting that the heading is in Latin and the actual entry in Scots.

Photo © National Records of Scotland

Fig. 2 Not every record is a good record! The second one here from the Parish of Ochiltree in Ayrshire says: “Something George

Something lawful son to What-yecall-him in Mains of Barskimming was baptized April 9th 1704”.

Photo © National Records of Scotland

p196

Issue 54

Fig. 3 Some records are more fulsome in the information given. This one, from Kirkcaldy on 29 January 1826, tells us that James Bremner was born on the 1st of January

and baptised on the 29th, that his father was John Bremner, a Clerk, married to Isabella Fleming, and that her father was James Fleming, an accountant.

Photo © National Records of Scotland

Photo © National Records of Scotland

Fig. 4 Legitimacy or otherwise was a major preoccupation of the “Holy Wullies” within the Protestant clergy. A legitimate birth will often be called “lawful” (son or daughter), and the wife named as “his spouse” or “his wyf”, whereas an illegitimate child may be referred to as “natural”, and the mother not be referred to as the spouse. The entry above from Inverness, 23 October 1716 reads: “Edward Dunbar in Coulllodin [= Culloden] had ane Child begot in furnecation with Isabel McGilchrist called Janet”. However, Janet was baptised, and there were witnesses, so presumably Edward and Isabel were a stable couple, just not “regular” in the eyes of the Church. There is a record of them “regularly” marrying in November 1718.

Issue 54

p197

Fig. 5 The Minister of Pittenweem in Fife, Patrick Couper, was obviously rather proud of the new Baptism Register he started in 1692. Usually, they were actually compiled by the Minister or the

Session Clerk who was often the local Schoolmaster Notice here that Patrick Innes and Barbara Anderson had “a man child called Robert”.

Photo © National Records of Scotland

p198

Issue 54

Issue 54

p199

Arts

Something to

SHOUT about

T

wo of Scotland’s greatest living singers are to headline an exciting lineup of big names to play at this year’s Fringe By The Sea, the annual music and entertainment festival held in North Berwick which is due to take place this summer from 6 to 15 August.

Pop legend Lulu will appear on Saturday 7 August, 57 years

p200

after releasing her debut single ‘Shout’ which catapulted her to international fame at the age of 15.

Other hits by the international star include ‘To Sir With Love’, the James Bond theme ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’ and the Eurovision Song Contest winning ‘Boom Bang A Bang’.

Issue 54

Lulu Photo by R Purvis

Issue 54

p201

p202

Issue 54

Also added to this years lineup at Scotland’s freshest festival this year is Eddi Reader who is due to appear on 15 August.

Described by Jools Holland as one of his favourite singers of all time, Eddi has become one of Scotland’s top acts. From lead singer with Fairground Attraction to the acclaimed album ‘The Songs of Robert Burns’, Eddi’s impressive solo career has consistently produced great work.

One of the UK’s top comedy clubs, Just The Tonic, will present a mixed bill comprising Ed Byrne, Jo Caulfield and Larry Dean with host Barry Castagnola on Tuesday

Eddi Reader Photo by Genevieve Stevenson

Issue 54

p203

p204

Issue 54

10 August.

Headliner Byrne had a total sell out run at Edinburgh Fringe 2019, as well as major many national tours. This is a very rare chance to see him in a ‘comedy club’ environment.

“To have not one, but two of Scotland’s greatest female singers as well as Ed Byrne appear this year is such a coup,” said Rory Steel, director of Fringe By The Sea. “It demonstrates how Fringe By The Sea has evolved from a small weekend festival in 2008 to an event that attracts major acts to come and perform in North Berwick.”

Tickets are already selling fast for Basement Jaxx, Janey Godley, Huey Morgan, Peat & Diesel, The Blues Band, Irvine Welsh, Gail Porter and The Poozies as well as many other acts. A number of events are already sold out.

One of the main changes visitors to Fringe by the Sea will notice is the use of new spaces across the town, with outdoor - mostly covered, sideless marquees and stretch tents - auditoriums enabling social distancing for audiences of up to 200 people, in line with the current guidelines being given by the Scottish Government for event planners.

All events will be run in line with Covid-19 protocols and guidance.

Details of shows and tickets can be found at: www.fringebythesea.com

Ed Byrne

Issue 54

p205

p206

Issue 54

Issue 54

p207

Science

First female Astronomer Royal

for Scotland A

renowned astrophysicist and investigator into one of science’s great unsolved mysteries has become the first woman to be appointed as Astronomer Royal for Scotland.

Professor Catherine Heymans, a world-leading expert on the physics of the so-called dark universe, has been awarded the prestigious title, which dates back almost 200 years.

p208

Heymans was recommended to the Queen for the role by an international panel, convened by the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

She is Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the German Centre for Cosmological Lensing at RuhrUniversity Bochum.

Issue 54

Professor Catherine Heymans Photo by Maverick Photo Agency

Issue 54

p209

Her research seeks to shed light on the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter – elusive entities that together account for more than 95 per cent of the Universe.

Created in 1834, the position of Astronomer Royal for Scotland

p210

was originally held by the director of the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. Since 1995, however, it has been awarded as an honorary title. The previous holder, Professor John C Brown, passed away in 2019.

Issue 54

As the eleventh Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Professor Heymans’ main focus will be on sharing her passion for astronomy with Scots from all walks of life. One

of her first targets is to install telescopes at all of Scotland’s remote outdoor learning centres, which are visited by most of the country’s school pupils.

Professor Catherine Heymans Photo by Maverick Photo Agency

Issue 54

p211

“I don’t think anyone forgets the first time they saw the rings of Saturn through a telescope, but too many people never have the chance. As Astronomer Royal for Scotland, I want to change that.

My hope is that once that spark and connection with the Universe

p212

is made, children will carry that excitement home with them and develop a life-long passion for astronomy or, even better, science as a whole,” said Professor Catherine Heymans, of the School of Physics and Astronomy.

Issue 54

“I am absolutely delighted to be named Astronomer Royal for Scotland and, as an advocate for equality and diversity, it is also a great honour to be the first woman appointed to the role. I will enthusiastically use

this high-profile platform to advance amateur and professional astronomy within Scotland, and to promote Scotland internationally as a world-leading centre for science.”

Scottish Dark Sky Observatory Photo by Dave Dubya CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p213

Dark skies over Kirroughtree forest Photo by VisitScotland / David N Anderson

p214

Issue 54

Issue 54

p215

Folklore

Folklore Scotland with… Graeme Johncock

N

ot all creatures of Scottish Folklore are dangerous, some of them just want to help.

Brownies are small beings, ugly and unkempt but still incredibly proud. They are found all over Scotland in hidden glens, castles or any house with enough space for them to hide away through the day. At night they come out to complete chores or farm work and all they ask for in return is a bit of respect and the occasional bowl of milk.

p216

It was deemed very fortunate if a Brownie attached themselves to you or your home but they’re easily offended souls. If somebody tried to do their work or they were offered a gift of new clothing then they would take it as an insult and leave. But if you keep the Brownie happy then one day, he might even save your life.

Issue 54

The Brownie in this story lived alone in an ancient woodland called Fern Den but he still helped around the nearby farm and loved the farmer and his wife. The servants didn’t trust the Brownie though. They were lazy and the Brownie showed them up with how hard he worked.

They spread rumours that he was dangerous and soon everybody was too afraid to walk through his Den. They would go the long way round between the farm and the village, adding at least an hour to the journey just to keep their distance.

Isolated crofts or farms, like this one at Northmavine would have been great places for brownies to live Photo by Gricey Lipper CC BY 4.0

Issue 54

p217

One day, the farmer’s wife got sick. She got so sick that the farmer didn’t think she would last until morning without help from a healer in the village. He would have gone himself but couldn’t leave his wife in case her final hour came. He ordered the servants to ride through the Den to fetch the healer and be quick about it.

The servants all argued between themselves over who would have to go out into the dark night and ride through the Brownie’s den.

Little did they know the Brownie himself was hiding around the corner listening in disbelief at them wasting time! He couldn’t stand it any longer so grabbed the farmer’s horse, threw on a long cloak and a big hat then set off to the healer’s cottage.

The elves and the shoemaker was a children’s tale very similar to those about brownies PD

p218

Issue 54

Illustration of a brownie by Arthur Rackham PD

When he arrived at the door, the healer looked a little confused at the short man in front of her but couldn’t quite see his face. He explained the situation, that there was no time to lose and rushed her up onto the horse behind him.

Galloping along the road, the healer was getting worried when she saw they were heading for Fern Den!

“What if we meet the terrifying Brownie?!” she asked.

Her companion replied “I can assure you madam, we won’t meet any creature more dangerous than I.” Once they arrived at the farmhouse, the Brownie helped the healer down and his hat fell off in the process. She looked shocked and asked what kind of creature he was! He told her just to see to his mistress but if anybody should ask then tell them she had ridden in the company of the Brownie of Fern Den!

Ideal home for brownies in Glenfeshie Photo by Dorothy Carse CC BY-SA 2.0

Issue 54

p219

2nd April 2022

p220

Issue 54

Issue 54

p221

Food & Beverage

T

he humble Scotch pie has been a staple dish of the national diet for hundreds of years. Its origins have been lost in the mists of time but, as a cheap and convenient snack they, have been a favourite among working folk and busy families for generations.

p222

Hundreds and thousands of traditional spiced mutton pies, and their more modern variants, are eaten every day throughout Scotland and as far afield as Canada, Australia and the USA.

Issue 54

Each year Scottish Bakers, the trade association that supports the bakery trade in Scotland, organises The World Championship Scotch Pie Awards.

This year, in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic, it was announced the competition

would run with a slightly different format.

All the past winners of the last 22 years were invited to pit their winning pies against each other in a competition to find the best of the best.

Alan Pirie is World Scotch Pie Champion of Champions

Issue 54

p223

https://www.pirieandson.co.uk/

“It is important to say each and every pie that was entered on judging day is a winning pie having taken the title in recent years,” said Scottish Bakers Chief Executive, Alasdair Smith.

p224

“The judges really were spoilt for choice. It was a close run thing, but the best pie won out on the day.”

Issue 54

And the winner is…James Pirie & Son of Newtyle, Angus. The family firm has been crowned World Scotch Pie Champion of Champions and their pies officially declared the best in the world.

“To have been judged alongside literally the best pies in the land and to have come out on top is beyond my wildest dreams,” said Alan Pirie from James Pirie & Son.

James Pirie & Son of Newtyle, Angus is very much a family firm

Issue 54

p225

p226

Issue 54

Issue 54

p227

Arts

Exhibition examines the new ‘normal’ A

rresting artworks inspired by the ‘wake-up call’ of Covid-19 are the focus of an exhibition that addresses pressing global concerns.

Key themes in The Normal, which takes place at the University of Edinburgh’s Talbot Rice Gallery, include the pandemic’s impact on communities, health, work, nature and even ideas about progress.

Talbot Rice Director Tessa Giblin says The Normal affirms the urgent need for people to rethink

p228

their relationship to the natural world.

The presentation of 21 works brings together acclaimed artists attuned to this singular moment in history.

It seeks to address how our laws, histories and communities are entangled with viruses, ecosystems and each other.

The exhibition foregrounds the role that art plays in envisaging different relationships to worlds that have yet to emerge.

Issue 54

Among the works on display is Larry Achiampong’s ongoing Detention Series which sees punishment exercise lines, inspired by memes and trending

hashtags, painted on classroom blackboards – highlighting the artist’s view that anti-racism is not something to be picked up and dropped in a fickle moment.

Detention by Larry Achiampong Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p229

p230

Issue 54

Anca Benera and Arnold Estefan’s new commission includes a 3D printed sculpture that brings together the form of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent with the Tower

of Babel from the book of Genesis – reflecting the artists’ concerns about human encroachment upon nature.

The Delusion of the Commons by Anca Benera and Arnold Estefan being examined by James Clegg, Curator at Talbot Rice Gallery Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

Issue 54

p231

The convention of the dedication song is reimagined in Gabrielle Goliath’s video and sound installation This song is for …

Each piece is dedicated to, and chosen by, a survivor of rape, and features a recurring sonic disruption to create a space for reflection.

This song is for … by Gabrielle Goliath. A projection with dual stereo audio.

Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

p232

Issue 54

Tonya McMullan collected multiple honey samples during lockdown, in colours ranging from creamy white to molasses black. McMullan worked with the University’s Roslin Institute to create vibrant, microscopic images of pollen in the honey, which present an alien picture of Edinburgh’s diverse ecology.

Melissa MacRobert, Exhibitions Manager at Talbot Rice Gallery views The lure of tomorrow’s harvests by Tonya McMullan

Issue 54

p233

And, Talbot Rice Gallery’s resident artist Sarah Rose explores the re-use of plastic waste – a continuing focus in her practice.

Rose’s work is both critical of the recycling industry yet also reflects a fascination for its lifesaving properties, intrinsic beauty and links to a fossilised pre-history.

“The Normal touches on the very human experiences we have collectively encountered during

lockdown, while holding out hope that this ever-increasing proximity to viruses – this horrible awakening – will all lead to change,” said.Tessa Giblin.

The exhibition runs until 29 August 2021 but visitors must book in advance https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ the-normal-exhibition-tickettickets-151181707557

Open Source (crocodile) by Sarah Rose made with reclaimed plastics Photo by Neil Hanna Photography

p234

Issue 54

Issue 54

p235

Arts

An actor’s life for me with… Scott Kyle

jewel in the theatre crown T

here can be few natives of Glasgow who have never set foot inside the marvellous King’s Theatre. For more than a century it has been one of the city’s top spots for live entertainment and the annual pantomime has been a family tradition for generations of Glaswegians.

It was no accident that when Glasgow was named European City of Culture in 1990 the opening ceremony was held at the King’s Theatre.

p236

Opened in 1904 as part of the show business empire of Howard & Wyndham Ltd it was built to be a sister for the company’s other venue in the city, the Theatre Royal.

The impressive building was designed by celebrated architect Frank Matcham, who was responsible for some of the best known theatres in the UK during the boom years of 1892 to 1912, and constructed for the then huge cost of £50,000.

Issue 54

King’s Theatre, Glasgow Photo by Stinglehammer CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p237

Originally the panels which fan out from a single centre ceiling rose would have contained painted scenes Photo by AlasdairW CC BY-SA 4.0

p238

Issue 54

Matcham, whose genius was only really recognised long after his death in 1920 from blood poisoning caused by cutting his fingernails too short, made very effective use of the location on the corner of Bath and Elmbank streets.

Initially an ornate iron canopy was wrapped around the front of the building, providing shelter for many of the audiences who would often queue for ages to gain entry, until it was removed during the Second World War as part of

a drive for scrap metal needed to make weapons.

Built from red Dumfriesshire sandstone the facade incorporates a blend of Baroque and Art Nouveau styles in the design. Inside, the theatre was created to provide seating on four levels - the Stalls, Grand Circle, Upper Circle and Gallery.

Matcham’s trademark cantilever construction reduced the need for supporting pillars giving more seats an uninterrupted view of the stage.

Easy to see why Billy Connolly is reported to have said appearing at the theatre was like “performing inside a wedding cake.“ Photo by AlasdairW CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p239

As with most theatres built around this time the standard and quality of the seats varied with the price of the tickets. The more luxurious seats, covered in rich red fabric, were at the bottom and became less opulent the higher you got to the cheap seats in the gods.

And, if that wasn’t enough to differentiate between ticket prices, patrons in the stalls used to be served tea in their seats when the theatre first opened.

The 1,785 seat auditorium is flanked by a number of private boxes. There are two on either side at Grand Circle level while another is located at Upper Circle level with an elaborate domed

canopy alongside three domed alcoves. Billy Connolly is said to have once described appearing at the theatre as like

“performing inside a wedding cake.“ Theatres were designed to be palaces of entertainment and The King’s is no different. The ornate ceiling, with panelling that fans out from a single centre ceiling rose, is complimented by heavy marble and plasterwork borders, flying cherubs, ornate gilding and an impressive emblem above the stage to give the impression of glamour and grandeur.

Ornate plasterwork gives a feeling of opulence Photo by AlasdairW CC BY-SA 4.0

p240

Issue 54

Photo by AlasdairW CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p241

Hollywood actress Katharine Hepburn

p242

Issue 54

Over the years numerous musicals, dance shows, comedy acts and circus performers have played the King’s while on tour.

Big names known to have trodden the boards include Katherine Hepburn, Sarah Bernhardt, Ray Walston,Tyrone Power, Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward, Vivien Leigh, Dolly Parton, Alec Guinness and The Jackson Five.

American actor Ray Walston

Singer Dolly Parton

Issue 54

Actress Sarah Benhardt

p243

Hollywood heartthrob Tyrone Power

p244

Issue 54

For many ordinary Glaswegians since the 1960s, especially youngsters, the annual pantomime has always been the highlight of the year with stars such as Stanley Baxter, Jimmy Logan, Rikki Fulton, Gerard Kelly and Elaine C. Smith delighting thousands of people with their comic antics and lavish sets.

One other claim to fame the King’s can boast is that it helped change the way theatres were used during the 1930s. Back then it was commonplace for many city venues to close their doors during the summer as audiences decamped to the coast for their annual holidays.

Laurence Olivier by Carl Van Vechten

Issue 54

p245

But, in 1933, the King’s broke with conformity and began staging a variety show of music, laughter and song starting at 8.30pm each night during the summer. It was a tremendous success with new acts being brought in every two weeks to keep the audiences coming back for more.

It was a move soon copied by other theatres around the country and opened up more opportunities for both theatre owners and performers.

Alec Guinness Photo by Allan warren CC BY-SA 3.0

Jackson 5 in 1972

p246

Issue 54

Gone with the Wind actress Vivien Leigh

Issue 54

p247

King’s Theatre Photo by AlasdairW CC BY-SA 4.0

p248

Issue 54

Issue 54

p249

Travel

wept up in history

by Paul Watson The beautiful waters of Loch Broom and majestic peaks of the surrounding mountains are possibly one of the last sights the ancestors of more than 100,000 North Americans saw as they left Scotland for a new life.

p250

It was from this sea loch on the west of Scotland that the Dutch ship Hector set sail for Canada in July 1773.

Issue 54

On board were 189 passengers, made up of 25 single men and 33 families. Ahead of them lay a dangerous voyage across 2,500 miles of storm ravaged North Atlantic seas packed into the cramped and leaking hold of a ship that had seen much better days.

In an attempt to escape rising rents, bad harvests and the consequences of an ethnic cleansing policy introduced in the wake of the Battle of Culloden 28 years earlier many of those on board had little choice but to seek a fresh start in a new world.

Loch Broom Photo by Rob Mason CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p251

Lured by the promises of free passage, a year’s free provisions and a farm of their own in the new world the Gaelic speaking

p252

emigrants jumped at the chance to be among the first Scots to travel to Canada.

Issue 54

However, by the time the Hector arrived in Canada, five weeks late due to delays caused by storms, on 15 September 1773 at least 18

of the occupants, mostly children, were dead as the result of hunger, dysentery and smallpox. And their trials were not over.

View of Ardcharnich and Loch Broom Photo by Erika Nygard CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p253

It was only then that the families realised they had been cheated.

The supplies and provisions promised failed to materialise, the accommodation they had

p254

been told to expect had not been built and the land allocated to them was not on the coast as described but three miles in land on uncleared woodland.

Issue 54

Faced with the onset of winter the emigrants set about building shelter on land closer to the sea and finding food for themselves.

Slowly but surely they established a foothold in Canada and set about creating a new home.

Remains of a broch above Loggie Photo by John Ferguson CC BY-SA 2.0

Issue 54

p255

Today, it is easy to imagine how those early settlers might have felt as they boarded the ship and said goodbye to Scotland.

Loch Broom, which gets its name from the Gaelic Lochbraon meaning “loch of rain showers”, is every bit as atmospheric as it must have been 250 years ago.

p256

Issue 54

View from the summit of Sgurr Fiona, An Teallach Photo by Amtiskaw CC BY-SA 2.5

Its sister loch, Little Loch Broom, to the west lies in the shadow of the spectacular mountain An Teallach, and is separated from Loch Broom by the Scoraig peninsula.

The peninsula is home to the mountains of Beinn Ghobhlach, which overlooks the entrance to Loch Broom, and Beinn nam Ban. These mountains have been here for some 400million years and the view has probably not changed all that much.

Loch Broom at sunset Photo by Rob Mason CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p257

The area is an important habitat for a variety of wildlife free from the pressures of a large human population. By far the biggest settlement around the edge of the loch is the fishing town of Ullapool, with some 1,500

p258

permanent residents, on the eastern shore.

Initially a hamlet of less than 20 houses the town was created in 1788, a decade after the Hector set sail, as a herring port by the British Fisheries Society.

Issue 54

For the best part of two centuries the town was a major fishing centre and the local men from Loch Broom were renowned worldwide as great sailors.

many were recruited by some of the wealthiest families in the world - with names such as Lipton, Coutts, Vanderbilt and Singer to crew their prestigious racing yachts.

Such was their reputation that between the 1870s and 1930s Ullapool Photo by GerritR CC BY-SA 4.0

Issue 54

p259

In the later half of the 20th century fears of overfishing curtailed the herring industry. However, despite losing its main economic driver the town was saved by the arrival of mackerel fishermen from Eastern Europe. At the heart of

p260

the Cold War several thousand communist country fishermen, known as ‘Klondykers’, would regularly anchor in the loch and many established a friendship with the locals that lasts to this day.

Issue 54

In recent years Ullapool has established a name for itself as a top tourist attraction, having been rated in the “20 most beautiful

villages in the UK and Ireland”

by Condé Nast Traveler last year, and as a centre for music and arts festivals.

Loch Broom with Ullapool in the distance Photo by Paul Hermans CC BY-SA 3.0

Issue 54

p261

White cottage across Loch Broom Photo by grumpylumixuser CC BY 3.0

p262

Issue 54

Issue 54

p263

Arts

of recovery T

his year looks set to be something of a renaissance for many of Scotland’s artists as they reopen their doors to the public and the country’s begins to heal the wounds of Covid After a year of virtual exhibitions caused by a series of nationwide lockdowns, the East Neuk’s Open Studios’ artists are once again ready to welcome visitors on the 26th and 27th of June.

With its golden beaches,varied wildlife, scenic villages and colourful harbours the East Neuk of Fife has long been recognised as an ideal place to inspire artists, designers and crafts people.

p264

Issue 54

East Neuk artists to open doors again

Issue 54

p265

Many of the participants in this year’s Open Studios event have exhibited internationally and there is always an exciting range of paintings, textiles, prints, jewellery, illustrations, cards, photographs, metalwork and stained glass on sale.

p266

Issue 54

Later in the year more than 200 artists and makers have signed up for Perthshire Open Studios in September and organisers are hoping it will be a bumper year as the region emerges from lockdown.

Dawn Wood specialises in paintings, monoprints and ceramics

Issue 54

p267

The event, which takes place from 4-12 September, was cancelled last year due to COVID.

“We are excited to be back after what has been a very difficult time for artists and makers,” said Glenys Andrews, president of Perthshire Open Studios.

“The response has been wonderful, with numbers back to what they were in 2018 and 2019.

“Everything will be organised in line with COVID regulations – but we can hopefully promise visitors a fantastic range of arts and crafts of every kind right across beautiful Perthshire and Kinross-shire.”

Depending on any travel restrictions, the organisers believe there may be a very good turnout of visitors as well – especially as many people may choose to take breaks and holidays in the UK rather than overseas.

p268

Issue 54

Karenina Johnson, an expert in traditional letterpress printing

Issue 54

p269

Alan Lewis, a talent for stained glass, copper and silver jewellery

p270

Issue 54

Issue 54

p271

History

Antique Hunting with… Roo Irvine

reativity through adversity S

ometimes it’s nice to take a little breather and reflect on the year that’s passed. As I write I’m hurtling south on a train, looking out the window at a tumultuous grey sky above smoky blue mountains and rolling green hills with just a hint of sunlight peeking through the clouds.

Jazz keeps me company, as it often does, allowing me to blend into the background and indulge

p272

in guilty pleasures such as peoplewatching, navel-gazing and deep contemplation.

Catching my masked reflection in the window reminds me just how much has happened. This time last year we were three months into a global pandemic, and lockdown on an international scale - unheard of and unimaginable in a modern, highly functional, capable society.

Issue 54

Issue 54

p273

Any belief that we’re untouchable was replaced by a sense of vulnerability which was only

p274

soothed by a renewed spark of creativity. That’s what saved many of us.

Issue 54

Redundant workers turned pipedreams into new businesses.

Homes and gardens flourished under mass DIY projects. All those to-dos were finally getting done because time was all we really had. Entrepreneurs took the opportunity to refresh and makeover their shops, cafes, restaurants and retail stores so they were ready to come back with a bang.

Issue 54

In the media world we have had to become creative in ways never previously imagined.

Adapting technology and finding new practices allowed us to continue making the content people wanted and needed to get through the isolation of the pandemic.

p275

p276

Issue 54

Filming BBC’s Antiques Road Trip and Bargain Hunt, for example, are both immensely wonderful experiences but completely different.

Antiques Road Trip, with its compact crews and classic cars, had the dilemma of how to film two experts sharing the same vehicle. Social distancing, minimal production crew sizes, the mandatory wearing of masks and

Issue 54

keeping hand gel within reach at all times did make things tricky.

However, necessity is the mother of invention and the cleaver use of perspex screens, GoPro cameras, and skilful production techniques worked wonders.

As for Bargain Hunt, its larger production crew meant that socially distanced we took up enough space to fill a swimming pool.

p277

The extra effort made me even more incredibly proud of how creative the studios were in their dedication to providing new content while keeping everyone safe. There were long days, tired bodies and frazzled minds as we ticked all the safety boxes and never compromised on the quality of the output. If anything, some would argue, the fight to keep going helped create some of the best content yet.

Maintaining production of these popular television shows was certainly the correct decision as the world of antiques has experienced something of a reawakening during the pandemic. Lots of people have

p278

spent the last year looking at ingenious ways to make money, searching their own homes and rooting around for profit.

Selling antiques inherited from grandparents or finding buyers for childhood toys left languishing in the garage kept the pounds rolling in.

As a result more items with fascinating stories found their way on to the market and a new audience discovered the joys of antiques and collectibles. As the pace of life slowed down it allowed many to appreciate a beauty and rich history they never noticed before and they have embraced it with enthusiasm.

Issue 54

Issue 54

p279

p280

Issue 54

Issue 54

p281

Music

Hidden history of A

new resource dedicated to the earliest known sources of Scottish fiddle music has been launched online.

The searchable database has an index of around 3,500 tunes taken from the earliest 27 Scottish fiddle manuscripts – handwritten tunebooks from between 1670 and 1750.

Its aim is to help unlock many secrets of Scottish fiddle music, allowing researchers and performers alike to find the original sources for particular tunes, and trace information on

p282

the backgrounds of the musicians who were composing and collecting them.

The new database is the first publication from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded PhD research of Aaron McGregor, completed at the University of Glasgow in 2020.

Dr McGregor’s thesis “Violinists and Violin Music in Scotland, 1550-1750” has radically re-written the early history of the violin in Scotland, tracing its arrival to over a century earlier than was previously thought.

Issue 54

Aaron McGregor

Issue 54

p283

The new findings show evidence of a thriving violin tradition dating back to the 16th-century Scottish royal court, with elements from Scottish traditional music rubbing shoulders with a surprisingly cosmopolitan range of styles.

“It had previously been assumed that the violin didn’t arrive in Scotland until around 1670 but my research shows that in fact it was here over 100 years before,” said Dr McGregor.

Aaron McGregor

p284

Issue 54

“Equally, my research shows the huge significance of the period 1670 to 1750 in the history of Scotland’s music. Fiddle music began to be written down for the first time, and musicians experimented with mixing traditional music with the most up-to-date art music styles.

“Without this period, we would never have had the “Golden Age” of Scottish Fiddle Music of the late 18th century and the music of famous fiddlers like Niel Gow and William Marshall.

Legendary violinist Niel Gow (1727 - 1807) painted by Sir Henry Raeburn

Issue 54

p285

“This new resource points researchers and performers alike to the earliest manuscript sources, and we hope that it will lead to greater exploration and interest in Scotland’s early fiddling traditions”.

The database is available to view at the website Historical Music of Scotland, where it joins another resource for early printed sources of Scottish fiddle music.

Violinist and composer William Marshall (1748-1833)

p286

Issue 54

Issue 54

p287

Living

Cosy cottage by the sea A

pretty, traditional cottage in a stunning coastal location is the dream home of many people and for once lucky house buyer such a fantasy may soon become reality.

Bay Cottage, on the shore at Ross Bay in Dumfries & Galloway, in on the market for offers over £350,000 and provides wonderful sea views.

“Bay Cottage offers the ultimate in seaside seclusion. This part of Dumfries and Galloway is particularly tranquil, and the owners will be able to enjoy water sports and sailing as well as beautiful coastal walks in the area,” said Marion Currie of Galbraith, who is handling the sale of the property.

p288

Issue 54

“This year the demand for rural homes is exceptionally high, with seaside properties among the most sought-after.”

Bay Cottage on the shore at Ross Bay, Dumfries & Galloway

Issue 54

p289

The real estate agents has recently sold a number of coastal properties including Balcary Tower, a 19th century Tower House on a rock promontory at

p290

the entrance to Balcary Bay; and the award-winning contemporary property The Edge on a cliffside overlooking the Solway Firth.

Issue 54

Issue 54

p291

The cosy and welcoming threebedroom cottage is located on the southern side of Ross Bay amid rolling countryside and bordered by the Solway Firth.

p292

The sitting room features a large picture window, with a spectacular view of the Bay. The kitchen has original Victorian tongue and groove timber panelling.

Issue 54

Issue 54

p293

Outside there is a sheltered gravel courtyard garden with plenty of room for outside seating and entertaining. The garden merges with the shoreline, giving direct access to the bay. There is a detached brick coal shed and a substantial area measuring 40 feet x 18 feet in the basement, which also provides useful storage.

p294

The artists’ town of Kirkcudbright is approximately six miles away.

Kirkcudbright has a wide range of shops, services and businesses in addition to well-regarded primary and secondary schools.

A closing date for offers has been set for 1 July, 2021.

Issue 54

Issue 54

p295

Arts

Horror for

Glasgow film director A

ward-winning Glasgow-based filmmaker Steve Johnson has been picked to direct a new psychological horror movie.

Steve was chosen to direct Fr(e)ight, by international award-winning film production company Stronghold, after his festival success with feature film ‘Convergence’, which won Best Feature Film as well as 20 additional award wins and nominations.

Fr(e)ight is currently in preproduction development with BAFTA award-winner Stuart Brennan recruited to act in the film.

p296

Written by screenplay writer and Scotland based novelist Chris Watt Fr(e)ight is a suspenseful thriller delving into the depths of extreme human psyche.

An actress and a stranger find themselves trapped in a freight elevator when the lift malfunctions. With their calls for help unanswered, the two can only rely on each other, until their trust is shattered upon discovering they are not strangers at all.

Steve Johnson’s first feature film, ‘The Students of Springfield Street’ won Best Feature Film at the 2015 Aberdeen Film Festival.

He also has experience working on over 16 short films as a Director of Photography.

Issue 54

Steve Johnson during the making of his successful feature film Convergence

Issue 54

p297

“Fr(e)ight is a grounded and dramatic psychological thriller with a dark and moody undertone which I think reflects society at the moment,” said Steve, who believes he can bring something unique to the direction of the film.

“Whenever you have a single location story, you want to utilise every inch of the playground that you have access to, which is a challenge, but we are taking advantage of the freight elevator location in some interesting and unique ways.”

p298

Issue 54

Stronghold is an entertainment production company with offices in Los Angeles, Calgary, Glasgow and London. They have brought five movies so far to shoot in Scotland, this they hope will be their sixth. Recent credits include Tomorrow executive produced

by Martin Scorsese and starring Stephen Fry, James Cosmo and Joss Stone.

Glasgow-based film director Steve Johnson

Issue 54

p299

p300

Issue 54

Issue 54

p301

History

First prehistoric animal carvings discovered in Scotland P

rehistoric animal carvings, thought to be between 4,000 and 5,000-years-old, have been discovered for the first time in Scotland.

The carvings, thought to date to the Neolithic or Early Bronze Age, were found hidden inside Dunchraigaig Cairn in Kilmartin Glen.

They include depictions of two male red deer, which are considered to have been the

p302

largest deer species in Scotland during this time. Full-grown antlers can be seen on both animals, while anatomical detail including a short tail can be seen on one. Three other quadrupeds are also visible, two of which are thought to be juvenile deer.

Valuable as sources of meat, hides, and with bones and antlers used for a variety of tools, deer would have been very important to local communities during the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age.

Issue 54

These are the earliest known animal carvings in Scotland, and the first clear examples of deer carvings from the Neolithic to Early Bronze Age in the whole of the UK.

Issue 54

The carvings were discovered by chance by Hamish Fenton, who has a background in archaeology, while visiting Kilmartin Glen. They are located inside Dunchraigaig Cairn on the capstone of an Early Bronze Age burialcist.

p303

Kilmartin Glen has one of the most important concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains in mainland Scotland, including some of the finest cup and ring markings in the country. This is the first time that animal carvings of this date have been discovered in an area with cup and ring markings in the UK. There are over 3,000 prehistoric carved rocks in Scotland. The vast majority are cup and ring markings which are abstract motifs created by striking the rock surface with a stone tool, such as a large river-washed pebble. Most commonly, cup and ring markings are composed of a central cup mark surrounded by pecked concentric circles. While many of these mysterious carvings can still be seen in the open landscape today, we know little about how they were used, or what purpose they served.

“It was previously thought that prehistoric animal carvings of this date didn’t exist in Scotland, although they are known in parts of Europe, so it is very exciting that they have now been discovered here for the first time in the historic Kilmartin Glen,” said Dr Tertia Barnett, Principal Investigator for Scotland’s Rock Art Project at Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

p304

Issue 54

Issue 54

p305

“This extremely rare discovery completely changes the assumption that prehistoric rock art in Britain was mainly geometric and non-figurative.

“While there are a few prehistoric carvings of deer in the UK, the only other ones created in the Early Bronze Age are very schematic. It is remarkable that these carvings in Dunchraigaig Cairn show such great anatomical detail and there is no doubt about which animal species they represent.

“This also tells us that the local communities were carving animals as well as cup and ring motifs which is in keeping with what we know of other Neolithic and Bronze Age societies, particularly in Scandinavia and Iberia. Until now, we did not know of any area in Britain with both types of carvings, which poses questions about the relationship between them and their significance to the people that created them.”

p306

Issue 54

Following Hamish’s discovery, experts from Scotland’s Rock Art Project examined the carvings to confirm their authenticity.

This included utilizing innovative technology in their analysis. A structured light scan was carried out by HES digital documentation experts to create an accurate and detailed 3D model with photographic texture, and various visualisation techniques were then applied to the model in order to reveal more details of the carvings than would have been visible to the naked eye.

“Digital techniques are being used more and more frequently to create precise 3D models of rock art and reveal details that were previously unknown to us, or that we only suspected. This also means that we are able to make rock art in Scotland more accessible than ever before.

As part of Scotland’s Rock Art Project, we have created over 1,000 3D models of prehistoric rock art which are now available online for people to explore,” said Dr Barnett.

Issue 54

p307

“Digital technology is becoming increasingly important for archaeology, and particularly for rock art, and is a key to unlocking the hidden secrets of our past.

This incredible discovery makes us wonder if other animal carvings previously unknown to the UK are hidden in unexpected places in our ancient landscapes, waiting to be uncovered in the future.”

The Cairn, which is a Property in Care of HES, is 30m wide and contained three stone burial chambers, or cists. The third cist, where the carvings are located, was dug directly into the ground, lined with drystone cobbled walls and capped with an unusually large stone over 3.5m long. The remains of up to 10 individuals, some cremated, were also discovered here when the site was initially excavated in the 1860s, as well as artefacts including a

p308

whetstone, a greenstone axe and a flint knife.

On discovering the carvings, Hamish Fenton said: “I was passing Dunchraigaig Cairn at dusk when I noticed the burial chamber in the side of the cairn and decided to slide inside with my torch. As I shone the torch around, I noticed a pattern on the underside of the roof slab which didn’t appear to be natural markings in the rock. As I shone the light around further, I could see that I was looking at a deer stag upside down, and as I continued looking around, more animals appeared on the rock.

“This was a completely amazing and unexpected find and, to me, discoveries like this are the real treasure of archaeology, helping to reshape our understanding of the past.”

Issue 54

Issue 54

p309

p310

Issue 54

Issue 54

p311

p312

Issue 54