Scotland Magazine Issue 33

Och! There’s a croc in the loch

Sally Toms muses about Scotland’s biodiversity and the mysterious case of the Loch Ness crocodile

Interesting things are happening in Scotland. There’s a new first minister, a new parliament. Governmental changes are shaking the foundations of this great nation. But, as usual, I prefer to leave p...

By Sally Toms in the section From the Editor

Changes

Change is part of life, and this year a lot of change is taking place in Scotland. Following the May elections for the Scottish Parliament, we have a new First Minister in the person of the enigmatic ...

By Roddy Martine in the section Roddy Martine's World

Fit for a queen

Charles Douglas visits The Castle of Mey in Caithness, beloved holiday home of the late Queen Mother

Although the Castle of Mey on Scotland’s northern coast will forever be associated with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, its provenance reaches far back into the past. Built between 1566 and 1572, i...

By Charles Douglas in the section Historic Houses

Secret island escape

Colonsay and Oronsay are two bleak but beautiful islands just south of Mull on Scotland’s west coast. John Hannavy reports

It was an oasis of light against the darkening night sky – Caledonian MacBrayne’s ferry making an evening departure from Scalasaig Pier on the Hebridean island of Colonsay. Generating more electric li...

By John Hannavy in the section Scottish Islands

The National Gallery of Scotland

In the latest of our series on Scotland’s best galleries and museums, Roddy Martine takes a walk round Edinburgh’s National Gallery

It can sometimes be confusing when people talk about the National Galleries of Scotland, because essentially this umbrella title encompasses four galleries within Scotland’s capital, and includes the ...

By Roddy Martine in the section Scotland Galleries

The devil and the deep blue sea

Gavin D Smith explores Scotland’s long association with the sea

Humankind has been fishing in the waters off what is now Scotland since around 7,000BC. In McArthur’s Cave near Oban remarkable evidence of early fishing has been found in a 5,000 year old excavated ...

By Gavin D. Smith in the section Scotland's Heritage

Aggie MacKenzie

Christopher Fisher talks to Aggie MacKenzie, queen of clean and star of television show How Clean is Your House?

Tell us about your five favourite places in Scotland. “Let’s start with Lilly Loch, near where I was bought up. It is absolutely isolated, there are no roads nearby and you have to walk across the moo...

By Christopher Fisher in the section Celebrity Scotland

Mr & Mrs Smiths

The new Smiths Hotel in the town of Gretna Green has a reputation for romance… Vivien Devlin stayed there

For centuries painters, poets and travellers have recognised and relished the beauty, magic, mystery and altogether romantic tranquility of the Scottish landscape. Nowhere more so, it seems, than the ...

By Vivien Devlin in the section Best of Scotland

Fife & Dundee - Three's a crowd

The east coast north of Edinburgh is dominated by three vastly disparate towns. Dominic Roskrow explains why that is good for visitors

If you’ve been following news events in Scotland recently, you’ll be aware of the social and political undercurrents swirling just beneath the surface in the eastern regions beyond Edinburgh. In rece...

By Dominic Roskrow in the section Regional Focus

Fife & Dundee

What to do Dundee Camperdown Park Coupar Angus Road A country and leisure park with a range of activities including golf. Great for walking. www.camperdownpark.com Tel: +44 (0)1382 431 818 Dundee Co...

By Dominic Roskrow in the section Regional Focus

The first Highland charge

This issue, James Irvine Robertson looks at the bloody history that surrounds Sir David Lindsay, 1st Earl of Crawford, and the battle at Glasclune

April 23, 1390, the Feast of St George, was a fine sunny day. The windows of the houses lining old London Bridge were packed with spectators. Pennants and multicoloured awnings fluttered in the gentl...

By James Irvine Robertson in the section Scottish History

The Act of Union

This year marks the 300th anniversary of the union between Scotland and England. Paul Riddell looks at where events unfolded

It is now 300 years since Chancellor Seafield, the second most powerful man in Scotland, stood up in the Scottish Parliament and proclaimed: “Now there’s ane end of ane auld sang.” His melancholy stat...

By Paul Riddell in the section Scottish Politics

House proud (House of Bruar)

After almost 15 years of purveying the best of Scotland’s edible and wearable produce, House of Bruar is becoming a legend in its own lunchtime. Even people who hate shopping make the pilgrimage there, discovers Kate Patrick

The phone springs to life. It is a text from someone who would rather be stuck in an immigration queue at Miami airport than out shopping for his wardrobe. Driving down A9. Stopped at Bruar. Bought f...

By Kate Patrick in the section Best of Scotland

Berry nice

Sue Lawrence provides some recipes using that quintessential summer fruit, the raspberry

Most people, on tasting their first raspberry of the season think of hot sun and summertime. My thoughts, however, are not of melba sauce or luscious raspberry jam, but of luggies and dreels and sore...

By Sue Lawrence in the section Scottish Food

A noble and ancient family (Sinclairs)

James Irvine Robertson looks at the history of the Sinclairs, a clan with its roots deep in the soil of Scottish history

The origin of the Sinclairs, in the male line at least, is conventional enough. The first of the family was said to be a kinsman of William of Normandy and came over with him to acquire England in 10...

By James Irvine Robertson in the section Scottish Clans

Snap happy

Scotland is one of the most picturesque places in the world, so Kate Ennis gets some insider information on how to capture it on camera

Postcards of inspiring vistas to make friends and relatives back home envious of your holiday destination are never in short supply in Scotland. It has to be one of the most picturesque countries in t...

By Kate Ennis in the section Scottish Landscapes

Friend more than servant

History has preserved the friendship between the widowed Queen Victoria and her personal attendant John Brown. Jackie Cosh reports

Queen Victoria described him as ‘friend more than servant,’ but not everyone was as complimentary about John ‘Ghillie’ Brown. Rumours were rife that he was conducting an improper relationship with th...

By Jackie Cosh in the section Scottish Legends

Scots abroad: how to trace your Scottish ancestry overseas

In the first two parts of this series we looked at how Scottish ancestry can be researched within Scotland. But what happens when the trail leads overseas? Dominic Roskrow reports

It’s debatable whether crime pays or not. But when it comes to genealogy, a criminal past can be an advantage. That’s the view of Doctor Brian Thomson, a leading genealogist who specialises in smoot...

By Dominic Roskrow in the section Scotland Genealogy

Hotels of the year 2007

Dakota Eurocentral by Glasgow Tel: +44 (0)1698 835 444 Winner: Rising Star Award 2007. Dakota is a powerful new hotel brand being developed principally by Ken McCulloch, founder some years ago of On...

By in the section Best of Scotland

Right on track

Mark Nicholls samples an unforgettable four-night rail journey across Scotland in the style of the Orient-Express

Few journeys compare to that which is offered by the Royal Scotsman. Based on the style of the Orient-Express, this is a train that has a unique combination of comfort and luxury while transporting p...

By Mark Nicholls in the section Scotland by Train

To the beat of a different drum

Roddy Martine looks at the history of Scotland’s most spectacular annual event, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo which takes place in August on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle has become, beyond doubt, one of the greatest open-air spectacles in the world. For the past seven years ...

By Roddy Martine in the section Scottish Events

Everything you need to know about... The Loch Ness monster

The Loch Ness Monster, or ‘Nessie,’ as he, she or it is known locally, has become a popular Scottish icon inspiring poems, books and songs. Over the years, Nessie’s image has been transposed onto coff...

By Roddy Martine in the section Scottish Legends