Hugh Miller was born in 1802, in Cromarty. It is a lovely little town, a former royal burgh, situated at the end of the so-called “Black Isle” which, contrary to what the name suggests and also, on a quite different register, contrary to Herge’s description of the place in his volume of Tintin entitled The Black Isle, is not an … Continue reading →
Uncover the intrigue of a mysterious ring discovery leading to Cromarty’s ancient Pictish stone, blending Pictish symbolism, local legends, and Highland history in the Black Isle region.
Continue reading →When we first discovered Scotland, like many travellers, we immediately fell in love with this wonderful land. Since then we have never stopped going back there, again and again, never getting tired of its wild beauty, of the quality of its light, of its changing skies… . . There is truly something magical in the solitary rugged landscapes, in the … Continue reading →
How am I to sing your praise, Happy chimney-corner days, Sitting safe in nursery nooks, Reading picture story-books? (Robert Louis Stevenson – From A Child’s Garden of Verses) I could not have found more charming lines to introduce my new selection of books for Christmas than the above verses written by Robert Louis Stevenson in his lovely poem “Picture Books … Continue reading →
Bonjour Marie-Agnès, Janice et Jean-Claude, Hello again from Scotland ! 🙂 I know that you rarely travel without your camera, Jean-Claude, but I wonder whether you were keenly interested in photography even as a schoolboy? One or two of my school friends would talk of developing and printing their own photos – in black and white only – skills … Continue reading →
Had it not been for this magnificent sculpture of a white unicorn, I’ve probably would not have noticed, upon leaving the beautiful town of Cromarty, where we delightfully visited the native house of one of Scotland’s premier palaeontologists, Hugh Miller, this very ancient building, circa 1775, named The Stables. The Stables, an imposing Georgian building was converted in 1995 to … Continue reading →
As a child touring Scotland I constantly nagged my parents to visit stone circles, brochs and standing stones. As I grew older I began to realise that many of these ancient sites had stories told of them and I found these stories as entrancing as the sites themselves. (Stuart McHardy – On the Trail of Scotland’s Myths and … Continue reading →
(Old luggage at Arley railway station on the Severn Valley Railway – Wikimedia) Hi everybody! As we are spending a few days away in the family, I’m busy preparing our luggage but on the eve of our departure I feel, as I always do on such occasions, very frustrated not being able to squeeze more things in my suitcase. … Continue reading →
… I went on between hawthorn hedges until I came to an arched bridge over the little stream of Sark. At the far end of the bridge was a metal post which held a yellow disc bearing, most dramatically, one word – ‘Scotland’. I paused there. How happy I was to stand once again on the hospitable doorstep of … Continue reading →
‘Books!’ says Tuppence in Agatha Christie’s Postern of Fate (Chapter 1: ‘Mainly Concerning Books’) “Is there anything I can take down for you?” “Well, I wish you would”, said Tuppence. “I’m falling off those chairs. Some of their legs are very wobbly, some of them rather slippery.” ”Any book in particular?” ”Well, I haven’t got on very far … Continue reading →
Don’t ask me to answer that question though I have more reasons to say YES than NO ! A black crow is cawing on the top of a pine-tree in front of my window as to agree with me… . . . . . . . . . . A few years ago, we rented an old rustic cottage, … Continue reading →
In the 19th century, it was not uncommon to see itinerant lecturers hopscotching across their countries. It was also a great opportunity for them to meet with people, mingle with them, and listen to local stories and folk tales. Is it during his itinerant lectures that John Mackay Wilson got the idea of writing and compiling the Tales of the Borders … Continue reading →
Wow….Mairiuna…it was worth the wait ! 🙂 That sword is indeed very impressive…I would not have liked to be pierced through by it…yikes! Not less impressive is Wallace Monument. You can see it from far afield, standing on the summit of Abbey Craig, when you visit the region. Designed by John T Rochhead it took 8 years to complete it. … Continue reading →
A haunting Scottish tale by Theresa Breslin, Whispers in the Graveyard follows Solomon, a dyslexic boy who finds refuge in an ancient kirkyard. When dark forces are unleashed after a rowan tree is removed, he must face supernatural dangers, uncover secrets from the past, and discover his own courage. A gripping blend of Scottish folklore, history, and hope.
Continue reading →The Canadian heart of Findhorn, tracing heartfelt connections from Guelph, Ontario, to the Moray Firth community in Scotland, blending transatlantic stories of heritage and belonging.
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