Welcome to Scotland 
I hope you enjoy the tour and the history of my beautiful country)
- Pictures of Scotland at my special gallery
Displaying 1 - 7 of 61 entries.
~ Welcome to learn about Scotland ~
Scottish Icons
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Whisky
Get a taste for the water of life with our guide to Scotland’s national drink.
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Gaelic
Delve into the past, present and future of Scotland’s ancient language.
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The Thistle
Why is it that such a proud people as the Scots should choose a humble weed as its national symbol? In truth, no-one knows!
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The Bagpipes
The stirring sound of the bagpipes is quintessentially Scottish, but how did they become Scotland’s national instrument?
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The Kilt
A familiar fixture on true Scotsmen at sporting events, weddings and other occasions, delve into the history of Scotland’s national item of dress.
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Tartan
The romance of the Highlands is woven into every aspect of tartan. Explore the ‘chequered’ history of Scotland’s famous pattern.
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The Burns Supper
Champit tatties, bashed neeps and maybe a wee dram or two – find out the best way to celebrate Scotland’s national poet.
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St. Andrew
St Andrew has been the patron saint of Scotland for over 1000 years – discover why.
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The Stone of Destiny
Find out why this plain and rather unremarkable block of sandstone has fired the passion of Scots for 700 years.
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The Honours of Scotland
Marvel at the glittering history of the Scottish crown jewels, otherwise known as The Honours of Scotland.
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The Saltire
Information on the origins and history of the Scottish national flag
Some wee scottish facts ..
Did You Know…. Wee Scottish facts
* The shortest scheduled flight in the world is one and a half miles long from Westray to Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. The journey takes 1 minute 14 seconds to complete.
* The wildcat is the quickest Scottish animal to fend for itself after birth. It faces the world at a month old and begins hunting at the age of 3 months.
* Golf has been played in St. Andrews, Scotland since the 15th Century.
* Eas Coul Aulin Waterfall in the county of Sutherland, with a sheer drop of 658 ft, four times the height of Niagara Falls, is the highest waterfall in Britain.
* The very first recorded appearance of the elusive Loch Ness Monster occurred in 565 AD, when a ” water beast ” attacked one of St. Columba’s followers in the loch. ”’
* The windiest place in Scotland is the Island of Tiree, which has the highest average gusts over 100 mph.
* There are 787 Scottish Islands.
* The Chapel of St. Oran on the island of lona in the Hebrides, holds the tombs of 48 kings of Scotland, 8 kings of Norway, 4 kings of Ireland and 4 kings of France.
* 7 out of every 10 Scots have blue eyes.
* Seven Scotsmen were in the US 7th Cavalry with General Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn on 25 June, 1876.
*Herring no more! An ancient bell, suspended from a tree in a churchyard in the fishing village of St. Monans in the County of Fife, and rung to summon people to worship, was removed during the Herring fishing season because local fishermen believed in the superstition that its noise frightened the fish away.
*Conan Doyle, writer and creator of Sherlock Holmes, was Scottish.
The Full List
*The first official international football match was played at the West of Scotland Cricket Club in Partick in 1872. It was between Scotland and England.
The splendid and spectacularly domed glasshouse the Kibble Palace’ (1873) located in the Botanic Gardens (1842) was originally the conservatory of John Kibble – a Victorian eccentric. In 1873 he made an agreement with the Royal Botanic Institution to have it transferred to the Botanic Gardens.
Part of the agreement was that he could retain the use of the glasshouse for concerts and entertainment. For over 20 years it was the social focus of the West End gentry.
Partick has been in existence since at least 1136 at various times being known as Perdeyc, Perthic, Perthec and Partic. Until the mid-1880s Partick had a drummer who would beat his drum every day at 5am, to get everyone up for work, and at 9pm to signify that it was time to go back to bed.
There are only five Clyde built sailing-ships left afloat in the world – the SV ‘Glenlee’ is one of them and can be seen at close range at the Clyde Maritime Centre.
The world’s last sea-going paddle-steamer, the ‘Waverley’ was built on the banks of the River Kelvin by A & J Inglis in 1947. This was a replacement for an earlier Waverley, which had been sunk at Dunkirk.
The ‘new’ Waverley is still in use – you can take a trip ‘doon the watter’ throughout the summer.
The first weekly service to North America sailed from Yorkhill Quay.
There is a widely held belief that Glasgow’s Art Gallery and Museum was built back-to-front in anticipation of the main road being moved to what is now the back of the Gallery. I’ve recently discovered that, although the myth is untrue, the front of the building actually points away from the main road towards the River Kelvin and Glasgow University, whilst the back points to Dumbarton Road – the main thoroughfare.
In 1807 the Hunterian Art Gallery and Museum became the first public museum in Scotland.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh was of course a Westender – staying at 78 Southpark Avenue.
Alexander Greek Thomson built many famous buildings in the West End; notably Great Western Terrace ( Great Western Road ) which is easily the ‘grandest terrace in Glasgow’, also Westbourne Terrace, Northpark Terrace and part of Oakfield Avenue, where I used to live in a basement flat.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
Both Glasgow’s most famous architects Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson came from very large families – 11 and 20 children respectively. I suppose thats why they were fond of building such big houses.
Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson never visited Greece – in fact he was not a noted traveller. He did, however, found the ‘Thomson Travel Scholarship’ that enabled Charles Rennie Mackintosh to make educational visits to Venice, Florence and Rome.
You may have heard that Charles Rennie Mackintosh was married to Margaret MacDonald but did you know that he had previously been the long time partner of Jessie Keppie the youngest sister of John Keppie (also a Westender and junior partner in Honeyman and Keppie where Mackintosh worked). Jessie and Margaret were part of the same group of art students at Glasgow School of Art. Apparently Jessie never got over her ‘disappointment’ – she never married.
You will find the world’s largest collection of the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh in the Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery. University Avenue.
The University of Glasgow’s Building is the second largest ‘Gothic Revival’ building in Britain (built 1867). When the architect Gilbert Scott was chosen to design it there was no competition. Alexander Thomson was displeased and showed his annoyance and disapproval by delivering a lecture damning its Gothic style and pointing to the fact that no Scottish architects were able to compete for the design.
The Glasgow underground or ‘tube’, which has stations in the West End at Kelvinbridge, Hillhead, Kelvin Hall and Partick was called the ‘Clockwork Orange’ by locals because ( I imagine ) of the colour of the carriages. Glasgow is the only city in Scotland which has an underground train service.
The original underground system was cable operated and is the oldest underground system in the world. Carriages from the original underground can be found in the Museum of Transport on Bunhouse Road
The Mitchell Library is Europe’s largest public reference library with more than a million volumes. It also houses the world’s largest Robert Burns Collection. Stephen Mitchell the libraries founder died in 1874 the same year the library came into existence. ( North Street )
People who live in the West End of Glasgow are reputedly called ‘Wendys’ (West End Trendies) by those who live outwith the area.
The West End is made up of a group of hills which were formed by the action of ice flows during the last ice age. Glasgow University sits on top of one of them: Gilmorehill.
The Western Baths – a private club – located in Cranworth Street is famed for the trapeze which spans the pool. It is also known for its occasional classical concerts held in the pool – when it has been emptied of water of course. Until the 1930 it had the biggest indoor pool in Scotland.
A statue of William Thomson, Lord Kelvin was put up in 1913 and is located in Kelvingrove Park. For 53 years William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) was Professor of Natural Philisophy at Glasgow University where he did research into marine instrumentation and thermo_electricity.
The Kelvin temperature scale, which identifies -273 C as Absolute Zero, is named after him. I have been told by my friend David Donald – don’t know if it’s true or not – that the first refrigerators were called Kelvinators – again named in reference to Lord Kelvin.
An arm from one of the statues on the Kelvin Way Bridge, which had been detatched by the explosion of a 1914 bomb, lay in the mud of the river Kelvin until 1995 when a passer-by spotted and retrieved it. ( Thanks to ‘Sculpture in Glasgow’ by Ray McKenzie, Glasgow School of Art for this bit of information.)
The Kibble Palace, which is now located in the Botanic Gardens, was a gift from John Kibble – having been re-located from his home in Coulport in 1873. An enthusiastic amateur photographer he produced some of the largest photographs of his time ( no such thing as enlargements in those days). The negatives of some of his photographs were so big they had to be moved around in a horse-drawn camera!
On 24th January1914 twenty seven panes of glass from the Kibble Palace where broken by a bomb allegedly planted by militant suffragettes. A second explosion was narrowly avoided when the burning end of a lighted fuse was cut of by the night stoker. Evidence that it was the work of suffragettes included the impression of high-heeled ladies shoes in the soft ground and a lady’s black silk scarf found nearby
Ten fun facts about Scotland
Ten fun facts about Scotland
Fact 1:
Scotland is the second largest country in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
Fact 2:
Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have its own fire-brigade.
Fact 3:
Scotland is considered the home land of golf.
Fact 4:
The most famous actor from Scotland is probably Sean Connery.
Fact 5:
Scotland is in the Greenwich Mean Time time zone.
Fact 6:
The highest point in Scotland is Ben Nevis at 1343 meters.
Fact 7:
The official animal of Scotland is Unicorn.
Fact 8:
Scotland is well known in the world for its whisky.
Fact 9:
The motto of Scotland is “No one provokes me with impunity”.
Fact 10:
Edinburgh was just like Rome, built on seven hills.
Old scottish sayings
A lot of people struggle to understand the scottish language, its understandable since we have so much slang words. Here is a few phrases and words that may make you giggle.
- Keep the heid! – Stay calm, don’t get upset.
- We’re awe’ Jock Tamson’s bairns! – We’re all God’s children, nobody is better than anybody else – we’re all equal.
- Dinnae teach yer Granny tae suck eggs! – Don’t try to teach someone something they already know.
- Is the cat deid? – Has the cat died? Means your trousers are a bit short – like a flag flying at half mast.
- Haud yer wheesht! – Be quiet.
- Ah dinnae ken. – I don’t know.
- Ma heid’s mince – My head’s a bit mixed up.
- Yer aff yer heid – You’re off your head – a little bit da
- Speak o’ the Devil! – Usually said when you have been talking about someone – they usually appear.
- Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! - What’s meant to happen will happen.
Some slang words
- dinnae - don’t
- ken – know
- aye – yes
- ye – you
- Braw – Nice
- guid – good
- Blether – Talks a lot
- Breeks – Trousers
- gimme – give me
- Frae – from
- Haud – Hold
- Hoose – House
- Moose – Mouse
- Sleekit – Sly
- Widnae – Wouldnt
- Windae – Window
A little History about Glasgow Rangers
Glasgow Rangers was first formed by William Mcbeath and brothers,Peter and Moses McNeil and Peter Campbell. The had no money for strips, they didnt even have a football!
They had their first match against Callander which ended with a score of 0-0.
They became established in 1873 when their first annual meeting was held and the office Bearers were elected.
They used a pitch called Flesher’s Haugh in Glasgow Green until they moved to Burnbank in 1875. The continued to keep moving until finally they moved to Ibrox in 1899 and built their now famous Stadium 
Some more facts about Scotland
The Thistle – Why is it that such a proud people as the Scots should choose a humble weed as its national symbol? In truth, no-one knows!
The thistle legend
But why is it that such a proud people as the Scots should choose a humble weed as its national symbol? In truth, no-one knows. There is a legend which relates how a sleeping party of Scots warriors were almost set upon by an invading band of Vikings and were only saved when one of the attackers trod on a wild thistle with his bare feet. His cries raised the alarm and the roused Scots duly defeated the Danes. In gratitude, the plant became known as the Guardian Thistle and was adopted as the symbol of Scotland.
Sadly, there is no historical evidence to back up the tale and in fact, there’s even confusion as to the type of thistle that we see represented everywhere. There are many species of thistle and the spear thistle, stemless thistle, cotton thistle, Our Lady’s thistle, musk thistle and melancholy thistle have all been suggested as possible candidates.
The thistle as symbol
Whatever its origins, the thistle has been an important Scottish symbol for more than 500 years. Perhaps its first recognisable use was on silver coins issued in 1470 during the reign of James III and from the early 16th century, it was incorporated into the Royal Arms of Scotland. Scotland’s premier Order of Chivalry, established in 1687, is The Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle and its members wear a collar chain whose links are made of golden thistles. The Knights and Ladies of the Thistle also wear a breast star which bears the thistle emblem and a motto which is regularly associated with it, Nemo Me Impune Lacessit – ‘no-one provokes me with impunity’.
The Bagpipes
Early history
In fact, the earliest recorded reference to bagpipes is on a Hittite slab from Asia Minor which has been dated to 1000 BC while by the 1st century AD, bagpipes existed in many countries from India to Spain and from France to Egypt. It’s also clear that bagpipes were popular throughout the rest of the British isles prior to their documented appearance north of the border. When, and how, they did first appear in Scotland is a hotly contested topic with competing theories claiming they were either a Roman import or that the instrument came from Ireland.
Components and styles of pipe
In whichever country it developed, the basic bagpipe comprised the same elements: a bag with a chanter (on which the melody was played) and one or more drones (pipes which play a continuous note). Some examples were mouth-blown while others used a bellows attachment to supply the air to the bag. The bag provided a sustained tone while the musician took a breath and allowed several tones to be played at once. The original Scottish pipes probably had, at the most, a single drone. The second drone was added to the pipes in the mid to late 1500s while the third, or great drone, came into use early in the 1700s.
While different styles of pipe emerged in Scotland, it is the Highland bagpipe or the piob-mhor ‘the Great Pipe’, which has emerged as our national instrument. These are blown by mouth and the bags were traditionally made from the skin of a sheep, although nowadays leather, rubber or other synthetic materials are used. The pipes themselves were originally made of bone or ivory, but hardwood is the modern choice. The melody is played on a reeded chanter leading down from the bag while the three drone pipes sit on the piper’s shoulder and provide a constant, steady sound as a background to the melody.
Music styles
There are essentially two types of music played on the Highland pipes: the march, strathspey and reel variety, which were composed for military or social events, and the piobaireachd (pronounced pee-broch) which is the ‘symphony music’ of the pipes. This classical music is an art form which can compare to the music of any other country and most of it was composed 100 years before the piano and without written notation.
So while they did not invent bagpipes, Scots can fairly claim to have made them their own through keeping them alive as part of their musical tradition and by making them one of the outstanding parts of their culture.
The Kilt – A familiar fixture on true Scotsmen at sporting events, weddings and other occasions, delve into the history of Scotland’s national item of dress.
The original kilt
The feileadh mor was a longer untailored garment, around five metres in length, which was gathered and then belted at the waist to provide cover for both the upper and lower body. From the waist down, the feileadh mor resembled a modern kilt while the remaining material above the waist was draped over the shoulder and pinned there. This upper portion could be arranged in a variety of ways around the shoulders according to the demands of weather, temperature or freedom of movement required. At the end of day, the belt could be unbuckled to transform the feileadh mor into a warm covering for the night. The Gaelic plaid actually means ‘blanket’.
The kilt evolves
The feileadh mor was simplified by disposing of its top half, leaving the belt and the skirt below. The resulting creation became known as the feileadh beg, or ‘little kilt’. This was reputedly at the behest of an Englishman running an ironworks at Invergarry who felt his kilted employees needed a greater freedom of movement to do their work. Whatever the impetus for change was, the kilt now became a tailored garment with sewn-in pleats, making it neater and far more easy to put on and wear. The upper half of the big kilt evolved into the separate plaid (or sash) which is now worn at more formal events.
Proscription and survival
Following the Jacobite defeat at Culloden in 1746, the kilt and and other aspects of Highland dress were outlawed and its continued survival during these years was largely due to its adoption by Highland regiments serving with the British army. Highland regiments still wear the kilt on regular basis (although no longer into battle) but it is not an everyday article of dress in Scotland. Visitors are more likely to see kilt-wearers at formal celebrations such as weddings and at Highland Games or similar gatherings. And although the kilt is typically regarded as being Highland dress, more kilts are now worn in the Lowland cities than in the Highlands.
The kilt today
Modern kilts have up to eight metres of material which is thickly pleated at the back and sides, with the pleats stitched together only at the waistband. Fashion designers have also tried to update the kilt and make it appeal to a wider audience by using non-tartan designs such as camouflage and material such as leather.
Burns Supper -Champit tatties, bashed neeps and maybe a wee dram or two – find out the best way to celebrate Scotland’s national poet.
The Burns Supper is the annual celebration of the life and work of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns. January in Scotland is a dark and cold month, traditionally perceived to be filled with post-Christmas gloom. So the chance to get together at its end with like-minded individuals to eat, drink and be entertained lifts the spirit in a way Burns himself would surely have approved of.
No-one is exactly certain when the first Burns Supper took place but it’s likely that it was held by one of the many Burns Clubs that sprang up across west and central Scotland in the wake of the poet’s untimely death in 1796 at the age of only 37. Nowadays, Burns Suppers have followed his popularity around the globe so that, on or around 25 January (Burns’s birthday), they can be found everywhere from Moscow to Manhattan, Newfoundland to New Zealand. They also come in all shapes and sizes, from formal affairs in grand surroundings to more intimate gatherings in local clubs and pubs. The only common link between them all – and the only one that really matters – is the desire to commemorate one of the greatest poets the English language has known.
The Saltire
History and legend
Tradition has it that during the ninth century, near the village of Athelstaneford in what is now East Lothian, a battle was fought which led to the adoption of the Saltire as Scotland’s national flag. A joint army of Picts and Scots under the High King of Alba, Angus mac Fergus, was invading Lothian which at that time was still Northumbrian territory. Angus’s force was surrounded by a larger army of Angles and Saxons and the prospect of defeat was very real. However, on the night before the battle, Angus dreamt that he saw a great cross in the sky and that in its name, he would triumph in the coming struggle. The following morning, as Angus faced the rising sun, he and his men were dazzled by a Saltire Cross in its rays and inspired by what they had witnessed, Angus’ army went on the defeat the Saxons. From this time on, St Andrew and his cross, the Saltire, increasingly became adopted as symbols of the emerging country of Scotland.
National symbol
Divinely inspired or not, records show the Saltire in regular use by the 14th century, although not always against a blue background. In fact, it wasn’t until the 16th century that the plain white saltire on a blue field became established. Throughout the 17th century, the Saltire continued to be used as a national symbol, particularly by the army and navy and even following its incorporation into the first Union flag in 1606 after the union of the crowns. After the Union of the Parliaments in 1707, however, the widespread use of the Saltire declined and it wasn’t until the later 20th century that there was a major resurgence in its use. It has now regained its status as the legally established national flag of Scotland, used by all Scottish teams in international competitions and widely flown on the flagstaffs of public buildings, sometimes alone and sometimes side by side with the Union Flag. The Saltire is also used by many bodies, both private and public, as a logo since its simplicity of design makes it ideally suited for use as a brand.
The official ‘Saltire Blue’
In 2003, Scotland’s politicians nailed their colours to the mast and specified the precise shade of blue to be used on the Saltire. Henceforth, the white St Andrew’s Cross should appear on an azure background known as Pantone 300 in the international colour coding system. The MSP’s recommendation, however, carries no power of enforement and it is likely that Saltires will continue to fly in a variety of shades.
The Saltire Memorial Information on the origins and history of the Scottish national flag
In 1997, a heritage centre was opened in a restored dovecot next to Athelstaneford Church, and visitors are now able to learn much more about Scotland’s flag and to enjoy a short audio visual dramatisation of its origins. The Centre is open from 10am till 5pm each day from April till September, and admission is free. The public are also encouraged to visit the Saltire Memorial which was erected in 1965. A Saltire is flown permanently at the Memorial, even during the hours of darkness when it is floodlit.
Facts about Scotland
When you are looking for facts about Scotland it is no surprise that the history of Scotland and Scotland tourism play a very strong part. Here are some facts about Scotland that you will find interesting.
1. History of Scotland
Scottish history can be traced back over 10,000 years when the first inhabitants arrived. The modern history of Scotland involves the many battles with their English neighbours in which the battle of Bannockburn was significant as Robert the Bruce and the Scots army defeated the English. Throughout the next few centuries there continued to be tensions and battles with the English but the act of union in 1707 united Scotland and England and they were governed by a shared parliament. However, Scotland remains a fiercely proud country and although still part of the United Kingdom the Scottish people have their own parliament and most would consider themself Scottish before British.
2. Sport in Scotland
The dominant sport in Scotland is football (Soccer to the Americans). Almost very town or city has a local team at various levels but the most famous teams are Glasgow Celtic and Glasgow Rangers. The Scotland football team enjoys strong support from a loyal group of supporters often known as the “Tartan army” who follow their team home and away.
3. Education in Scotland
There are many famous universities in Scotland including the University of St.Andrews, Edinburgh University and Glasgow University. Children attend school form the age of 4-5 and up to 16-18 years old before having the option to move onto further education.
4. Scotland population
Scotland currently has just over 5 million population and similar to most of the UK population, this is an aging population.
5. Capital of Scotland
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and has many great visitor attractions including the famous Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Tattoo show and some shopping in Princess Street.
6. Jobs in Scotland
Any member of the European union can apply for jobs in Scotland and other nationalities can apply for a visa subject to meeting requirements.
7. Scottish highlands
The Scottish highlands are regarded as one of the most stunning places to visit in the world as they offer fantastic opportunities for hill walking and other outdoor sports. Inverness is an emerging vibrant city and the Cairngorm national park is also worth a visit.