Nessie in Art | The Loch Ness monster, or Nessie for short, is a cryptid (an animal such as Sasquatch that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist) that is said to live in the murky depths of the Loch Ness Lake. This mysterious, aquatic being has been the subject of many stories, sightings, and theories over … Continue reading →
Recently, I came across a very interesting article published by Holly Kirkwood in the magazine Country Life. In this article Holly Kirkwood draws our attention to the so-called “peel-towers”, a type of construction typical of the Scottish Borders. “There are more than 100 peel towers in various states of repair and ruin scattered the breadth of the Borders“, she writes. … Continue reading →
Dear readers, Here we are again, at the beginning of a new year, hoping for the best in the coming months. Given the sanitary situation we still don’t know when we will be allowed to return to Scotland. En attendant des jours meilleurs I try to compensate my frustrations by browsing our pictures of Scotland, reading or re-reading books about … Continue reading →
In my last post I told you about the wonderful days we shared in Thirlestane Castle with our dear friends Iain and Margaret! Souvenirs ! Souvenirs ! In the living-room of our magnificent apartment, situated in the south wing of the castle, a glittering Christmas tree added its cheerful note to the warm and cosy atmosphere of the place. We’ll … Continue reading →
Who has never dreamed to spend a holiday in one of those fabulous “romantic” castles which have enchanted generations of travellers, artists, writers… a few months ago the dream came true for us and that was like being part of a fairytale story… Many many thanks to our dear friends, Iain and Margaret, to whom we owe such a wonderful … Continue reading →
There are many fabulous castles in Scotland but some of them, like Fyvie Castle or Drum Castle which I introduced last time on Scotiana, well deserve to be visited again and again. We discovered Fyvie Castle in 2006, re-visited it in 2007 and again in 2015 but we would have nothing against visiting it again. What a castle! Situated as … Continue reading →
Drum Castle is certainly one of the most beautiful and interesting castles we’ve visited in Scotland and when we went back to Drum for the second time, in May 2015, daffodils were still blooming here and there in the magnificent wooded park and the effect was truly magical! But there’s more than that. I remember pretty well our first impressions … Continue reading →
Contrary to Linlithgow Palace where one’s steps ring heavily on the stone floors of big empty rooms and draughty passages, Falkland Palace, which is a mix of ruined and restored buildings, looks much more cheerful with its magnificently refurbished rooms full of beautiful rugs and tapestries, furniture, paintings and antiques. The atmosphere is such that we would not be … Continue reading →
Your great article, Mairiuna, in the Scottish Castles Series featuring Falkland Palace shed light on another historic gem in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. What is great about it all, is that sites in the custody of NTS receive regular survey, inspection and maintenance programmes that preserve some unique elements housed inside the thick walls of the … Continue reading →
We visited Falkland Palace, a mix of ruined buildings and sumptuously restored apartments, in 2003 and 2006. This magnificent palace is situated in the picturesque village of Falkland, about 4 miles north of Glenrothes, in Fife, north of the A 912. Not far away, East Lomond Hill (448m /1470ft) invites the visitor to climb it up to have a panoramic … Continue reading →
Linlithgow Palace is located in West Lothian about 15 miles (24 km) west of Edinburgh, off the M9. The name “Linlithgow” comes from the Old British and means “lake in the damp hollow”… Even if you have planned to go directly to Stirling Castle and Wallace Monument don’t miss Linlithgow Palace. This magnificent ruin, for the old palace lost its … Continue reading →
We’ve already visited a number of castles in Scotland but there are still many more to discover for as a taxi driver told us in Glasgow: “In Scotland one can find a castle, or what remains of it, at every turn of the road.” As I was writing my post about Linlithgow Palace, the first of a series dedicated to … Continue reading →
What would he find there ? What new friends would he make ? What new songs would he sing ? Over what graves would he stand a moment in thought ? (In Search of Scotland – H.V. Morton) Our overseas adventures consist of three parts: planning, going and remembering. Over the years, we’ve found we like them all equally. … Continue reading →
Hi Mairiuna! It was truly a pleasure to read your post “The Wonderful Colors of Scotland: Blue…” , so much, it inspired me to gain more insights about blue tartans! The first thing that came to my mind was the blue tartan rug layed upon the corridors leading us through oddly-angled rooms and appartements when we visited the mysterious Cawdor … Continue reading →
Tantallon screams defense. From a distance, its walls soar out of the rocky headland like a monster fortification. A single line of huge wall was all that was necessary to defend this promontory from the land. Sea cliffs fall away precipitously from all sides except the front. Behind the castle, picturesque Bass Rock juts out of the Firth of … Continue reading →
