When Janice and I made our promise to Sir Walter Scott to read all his books, we certainly did not realise the magnitude of the task 😉 How many books did the great Scottish author write, I could not tell exactly but what I do know is that there are many of them! 😉 Today, I can check off another … 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, Autumn is back with its gorgeous colours and shorter days. A good time for fireside reading and for me to go on with my promise to Sir Walter Scott to read all his books. A promise that seems to be well on its way though I still feel like the climber at the foot of the Himalayas ;-). … Continue reading →
. Blooming rhododendrons at the entrance of Hoddom Castle, in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland © 2006 Scotiana Just try to imagine what it can be to get asleep and wake up in the shade of an old castle, to be immersed in the silent atmosphere of such a place when the only sounds around are the murmur of the wind … Continue reading →
In 2000, when we first visited Melrose Abbey, we did not know that the heart of Robert the Bruce, the famous Scottish King who defeated the English army at Bannockburn, on 24 June 1314, was buried there. Indeed, we didn’t know much about Scotland and its history for it was our first journey there, only seven days in June which … Continue reading →
By the green hill and clear blue heaven. It was a barren scene, and wild, Where naked cliff’s were rudely piled; But ever and anon between Lay velvet tufts of loveliest green; And well the lonely infant knew Recesses where the wall-flower grew, And honey-suckle loved to crawl Up the low crag and ruin’d wall. I deem’d such nooks the … Continue reading →
