Clik here to view.
Glen Lonan: ‘The Road of the Kings’
If you’re travelling from the east of Scotland towards Oban, you’ll pass through the small village of Taynuilt before reaching Connel and then following the coastal road south. But if you have time,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A timeless moment
When I was 17 or 18, I wouldn’t have believed anyone who told me I’d be wishing to quote T S Eliot later in life. I can still remember my outrage at being asked to make sense of ‘The Waste Land’. But...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Falkland’s treasures
Nestling in the shadow of the Lomond Hills in Fife, the village of Falkland struck us with its old-fashioned charm when we drove through there – purely by accident! – a couple of years ago. We ventured...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A timeless moment
When I was 17 or 18, I wouldn’t have believed anyone who told me I’d be wishing to quote T S Eliot later in life. I can still remember my outrage at being asked to make sense of ‘The Waste Land’. But...
View ArticleClik here to view.
In a nutshell: the Linlithgow Palace fountain
Where wine once flowed like water… Built by James V in 1538, this ornate fountain graces the courtyard at Linlithgow Palace. Standing over 16 feet high and designed to reflect the supreme power of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Looking at crannogs
Water makes a great defensive feature, which is why so many castles are surrounded by a moat; but the early inhabitants of Scotland had another way of looking at this idea. Instead of digging a moat...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The stone circles of Fortingall
At Fortingall in Perthshire, in a field that leads down to the River Lyon, are a number of large stones. At first glance, they appear to be scattered at random as if by some giant hand, but it soon...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A little chapel in Ballachulish
Every time we drive through Glen Coe, we pass the Church of St John in Ballachulish. It’s not the church itself that draws my eye but a small rectangular building just to the side of it. Built of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A sport for kings at Falkland Palace
Following on from my tour of the amazing Falkland Palace, I want to tell you how I managed to step back in time in the gardens… Because it was only the end of March, the herbaceous borders were still...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Castle Coeffin: guarding a broken heart
The ruins of Castle Coeffin stand on the western shore of Lismore, a low-lying island in the Firth of Lorn. To get there, you have to walk a mile or so across fields that are bordered with stone walls,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Falkland Palace: power and glory
In 1542, James V of Scotland lay dying in Falkland Palace. He was still only 30, but he had lived a full and rather stressful life. The son of the tempestuous Margaret Tudor, he’d been held captive...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kintraw’s lonely watcher
I don’t know how many times we must have driven past the standing stone at Kintraw in Argyll without seeing it. This is a shameful thing to admit, because it’s not hidden among trees, nor is it a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ardchattan Priory: a place of serenity on Loch Etive
The head of Loch Etive lies in the wild and mountainous landscape of Glen Coe, and it stretches south-west like a twisted ribbon for about 20 miles, squeezing through the Falls of Lora, a tidal race...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Looking at brochs
Tirefour Castle, Isle of Lismore If you open a map of northern Scotland at random and study the markings of ancient sites, it won’t be long before you come across the word ‘broch’, reproduced in Gothic...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Two old arches and a warning in stone
In the Scottish Borders the minor roads seem to wind their way forever around the low rolling hills, following river valleys and then slowly climbing to reveal views of rich farmland. A few miles to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Doune Castle: seat of power
Standing in one of the grand bedchambers at Doune Castle, gazing through the window at the beautiful woods that lead down to the River Teith, it’s easy to imagine yourself as a guest here in the 15th...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Athelstaneford – a dovecot, an elusive battle, and the legend of Scotland’s flag
In the middle of East Lothian, surrounded by rich farmland, is the pretty village of Athelstaneford. For me, the name ‘Athelstaneford’ evokes the wooded country lanes, rolling farmland and clear...
View ArticleClik here to view.
An old graveyard near Callander
As you drive along the A84 between Callander and Strathyre, you catch sight of a small walled enclosure with a rusting iron gate. You can tell it’s a graveyard, because there’s one gravestone just...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Dupplin Cross
Standing at the centre of Dunning in Perthshire, the church of St Serf dates back to at least 1200; its lovely honey-coloured sandstone walls and Romanesque tower make it well worth a visit, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
St Mary’s College in St Andrews
On a visit to St Andrews, just by chance, we stepped through an archway and discovered the ancient quadrangle of St Mary’s College. What a lovely place, and what a long history! Ever since 1579, the...
View Article
