Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for scotland
A Scottish Neuk
By Linda Tancs
Famous for its idyllic fishing villages, Scotland’s East Neuk (nook) is generally accepted to comprise the most northerly part of the Firth of Forth and the land and villages slightly inland. St. Monans is the smallest of the East Neuk fishing ports, and that’s where you’ll find a picturesque windmill that was used in salt production to provide the power to pump sea water from tidally-fed reservoirs cut into the rocks offshore into salt pans. The industry is credited to Sir John Anstruther, who became the local laird in 1753. A village was named for him, which happens to be the largest of the Neuk and features a fisheries museum that tells the history of the fishing industry in the region. The festive spirit is in full swing this time of year, complete with loads of lights and Christmas markets.
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A Kingly Encounter in Scotland
By Linda Tancs
Regarded as a national hero in Scotland, Robert I, popularly known as Robert the Bruce, was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. He led Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against England and fought successfully during his reign to restore Scotland to an independent kingdom. Dunfermline Abbey is the final resting place of Robert the Bruce, and so it’s appropriate that it’s also the location where you can view a spectacular 3D replica of the king’s head (adorned in armor and a crown) in celebration of the 750th anniversary of his birth. To create the model, a cast of his skull (preserved at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow) was scanned and enhanced with muscle formations and textured skin. The resulting model is heralded as the most accurate depiction of his face to date. The public can view it at the abbey until December 7.
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The Library of Mistakes
By Linda Tancs
Make no mistake about it: The Library of Mistakes highlights financial mistakes of the past in an attempt to avoid their repetition in the future. Located in Edinburgh, Scotland, the facility is a free-to-use public library dedicated to the study of financial history. In addition to their vast collection of books, the library offers online and in-person courses to help financial professionals perform a better service for their clients and to educate the general public.
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A Hidden Gem in Scotland
By Linda Tancs
One would hardly expect one of the finest collections of 20th-century British art to be located on the tiny Scottish island of Orkney. Yet that’s what you’ll find at The Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, a captivating maritime town that serves as Orkney’s main ferry port. The venue features artists like Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson and Alfred Wallis as well as contemporary art by Sean Scully, Eva Rothschild and Olafur Eliasson. A focal point for the local community, local artists are featured as well, and the facility boasts a valuable library and archives open to the public.
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Skye Walks
By Linda Tancs
Built in 1900, Neist Point Lighthouse is one of the most famous lighthouses in Scotland and can be found on the westerly tip of Skye near the township of Glendale. A concrete pathway leads to the light, offering as much interest as the famous light itself. The fairly easy walk down (in suitable weather) brings views of high cliffs and the lighthouse itself, a must for landscape photographers. The walk generally takes 45 minutes, but allow more time for breaks on the steep trek back up.
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Honoring Writers in Edinburgh
By Linda Tancs
Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson are three of Scotland’s most celebrated writers. You can explore their lives at Edinburgh’s Writers’ Museum. The gems you’ll find include Burns’ writing desk and a plaster cast of his skull, one of only three ever made. Scott’s childhood rocking horse is there, along with the printing press on which his Waverley Novels were first produced, once among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe. Stevenson’s reputation as a storyteller is commemorated by a ring given to him by a Samoan chief, engraved with the name “Tusitala,” meaning “teller of tales.” The exhibits include a wide collection of portraits and works as well. This free museum is easy to locate just off the Lawnmarket, the top part of Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile, in Lady Stair’s Close.
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A Flag, a Cup and a Horn
By Linda Tancs
Located on the Isle of Skye, Scotland’s Dunvegan Castle has been the seat of Clan MacLeod since the 13th century. As the country’s oldest, continuously inhabited castle, you might imagine that some family heirlooms have accumulated. Those include a flag, a cup and a horn. The Fairy Flag is a treasured clan possession, associated with a handful of tales concerning fairies and magical powers. Another relic is the Dunvegan Cup, a ceremonial cup gifted by the O’Neills of Ulster as a token of thanks to one of the clan’s most celebrated chiefs for support against the marauding forces of Queen Elizabeth I. A third historic treasure is Sir Rory Mor’s Horn, a drinking horn allegedly derived from a bull killed by Rory to save a man’s life. Capable of holding over six cups of liquid, custom has it that each successive clan chief should fill it with wine and drink it in one sitting to prove his manhood. Explore the clan’s history and legends by taking a guided or self-guided tour of the castle.
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Scotland’s Highest Village
By Linda Tancs
At about 1,532 feet above sea level, Wanlockhead is Scotland’s highest village. For many centuries, lead mining was the mainstay of its economy. In fact, in the 1600s the Duke of Buccleuch built a smelting plant and workers’ cottages to support year-round production. Lead wasn’t the only treasure there, however. The area also yielded zinc, copper, silver and gold. Interestingly, some of the world’s purest gold was found there and used in the Regalia of the Scottish Crown. No wonder the area became known as “God’s treasure house.” As one would expect, the Museum of Lead Mining tells the story of the local industry. The museum experience includes a guided tour of the Lochnell Lead Mine, the miners’ cottages and a gold panning area.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Iron Age Roundhouses
By Linda Tancs
A broch is a round tower found in Scotland. Dating to the Iron Age, it has an inner and outer dry-stone wall (that is, assembled without mortar) of imposing height. The best-known example is the Broch of Mousa on the island of Mousa in Shetland, Scotland. Its renown as one of the best-preserved prehistoric structures in Europe is no doubt due to its remote location. Enjoy a climb on the winding staircase to the top of the tower during the open season (April to September).
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Tall Trees in Britain
By Linda Tancs
Some of the tallest trees in Britain are located in the gardens of Blair Castle near Pitlochry in Scotland. You’ll find them in Diana’s Grove, a tranquil wooded area adjacent to the castle. The Banvie Burn runs through the grove and is crossed by two 18th-century bridges giving access to the ancient Celtic ruins of St. Bride’s Kirk. The herbaceous borders are particularly resplendent in Hercules Garden in summertime, where a life-sized statue of Hercules presides over a nine-acre walled Georgian garden. If you can tear yourself away from the exquisite environs, then be sure to take a self-guided tour of 30 rooms in the castle, covering 700 years of history of the Atholl family.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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