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Billed as a "misty Scottish Stonehenge with fewer visitors" Kilmartin Glen, with its concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age remains, features on the New York Times global travel list for 2023.
A misty Scottish Stonehenge, with all of the mystery and far fewer visitors.
Had a great weekend doing researching for a tour I'm taking early September which took me to parts of Angus and Perthshire I'd not explored before - all in search of Pictish stones..and I found them in kirkyards, in museums and by the roadside!
A different way to see Urquhart castle .. from a high-speed rib..thank you Beastie Boats 👏
Thanks to a diversion to our route to Skye our Rabbies bus had to make a diversion and in doing so I managed to sample my first oyster at this amazing farm..simply magical 😊
Delighted to be in Edinburgh castle(purely by accident guiding a family visiting from the States) when the 42 gun salute went off at noon..
You might be forgiven for thinking this I was taken in Athens Greece..but this was taken
From the Royal High School, one of the iconic buildings of Edinburgh, the Athens of the North..very privileged to have a tour of the Royal High School today by the Hidden Door team ready for the Festival starting on 9th June - very exciting..
I've had a wonderful week guiding Dr Elsie Inglis walking tours and meeting such interesting people, some with their own stories to tell about their family links with the Scottish Womens' Hospitals
I was interested to know the origins of International Women's Day as it feels like a fairly recent initiative....so I was surpised to find that it dates from 1917 when Russian women began a strike for "bread and peace" in response to the death of over 2 million Russian soldiers in World War 1. The women continued to strike until four days later the Czar was forced to abdicate and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote. This day on the Gregorian calendar in use elsewhere was March 8.
Called ‘The Woman with the Torch’ because the residents of the tenement where she visited the sick clubbed together to buy her a torch so she could better navigate the dark, dank stairways at night.
An article about A Statue for Elsie Inglis in last week's Scotsman. Honoured to be part of this and running a series of walking tours with 2 other professional Scottish Blue Badge Guides.
https://app.scotsman.com/full_page_image/page-19-1366/content.html?fbclid=IwAR3bf_YNtYYHyKuf9aAjjqesnEfqbvB9z2v5x-7MiUIq5kL0aZB-KFc5hiU
Can't believe that after weeks of research, collaboration and walking the route that we are about to launch this tomorrow afternoon - so excited. ( still time to get your Friday tickets )
Love on the Royal Mile: stories of romance, passion and intrigue. Discover the romance behind some of the well known stories of Edinburgh.
Not long until we start our 'Love on the Royal Mile' ...just reading through my notes, memorising the dates and revising the route for the great tour we'll be taking you on from Friday 11th over the weekend until Valentines Day.
Come and join us and see the Edinburgh sights from a different perspective!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-on-edinburghs-royal-mile-guided-walking-tour-tickets-256143210237?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
Update to auction to raise money for Scottish Book Trust by auctioning book sculptures - amazing final sum raised..
Very excited to be part of this exciting tour..you'll find out lots about the love intrigues on our 90 minute tour - and..spoiler alert..we can give you a glimpse of one of Edinburgh's newly refurbished (romantic) closes with exclusive information...
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/love-on-edinburghs-royal-mile-guided-walking-tour-tickets-256143210237?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb
This is a paper sculpture of Burn’s epic poem ‘Tam O’Shanter’ - very appropriate for Burns’ birthday. In a fund-raising campaign, the Scottish Book Trust is auctioning 5 other gems like these- all books by Scottish authors ..(love the ‘Treasure Island’ One) You can bid at the online auction at Lyon & Turnbull..but if your pockets are a little empty just watch the fascinating video on the website about these book sculptures- all donated by an unknown creator ..
Unexpectedly came across this massive flag yesterday-in preparation for COP 26. Swiss ‘artivist’ Dan Archer . Flag is size of 10-storey building and made up of thousands of portraits from 190 countries!
An aerial climate installation, which hopes to influence those deciding the future of our planet at COP26, will fly at Edinburgh’s Dynamic Earth from October 12 – 13.
Walking in the bright sunlight this morning I saw this mirage flying above Dynamic Earth...getting ready for COP 26
There was a real buzz on the Royal Mile yesterday as we welcomed 80 people to our Doors Open Days event - our brilliant Tall Tales Walk! Competition from two weddings and a marching rally (as well as other tour groups) was no challenge for our professional guides..
Excited to be part of the annual Doors Open Days event at the end of September. Re-running the successful Tall Tales tour with a physical walking tour AND a virtual one.
Booking through Eventbrite.
Great to hear this talented writer talk about her latest book..’Rizzio’ (and even better to have bought it and read it before it went on general sale…
One of the cultural highlights this Summer was getting to the Edinburgh International Book Festival in person ..new venue at the College of Art but liked it immensely.
Really interesting to see how far the Viking culture spread..raised lots of questions..
Who knew The East Lothian town of Dunbar had so much to offer ..? Managed to take a self-guided heritage trail, visit two museums, have coffee AND lunch all in just over 4 hours..Would recommend for an interesting day out
If you're looking for a great day out go no further than Dunbar..accessible by train and bus..It boasts a long history including the infamous Battle of Dunbar. However, the town boasts strong ties with North America as this is where the naturalist and pioneer of the great outdoors, John Muir, was born and who knew that the 'American' swashbuckling buccaneer John Paul Jones has a connection with Dunbar..
https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2018/09/john-paul-jones/
Great tour today by Glasgow STGA Guides -found out lots of ‘glorious’ and ‘gruesome’ facts about Glasgow
TALL TALES AND TALL MINDS....
Loved taking this group around the various statues last Saturday - lots of interaction and great questions. I wanted to take a photo and was delighted to be able to capture the group not only in front of Sir Walter Scott but the Balmoral clock as well.
There are still tickets left for the amazing Tall Tales tour..finishes this Sunday 25th August
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tall-tales-walking-tour-tickets-156386451085
Enjoy amazing stories behind some of Edinburgh's wonderful statues on an easy 90-minute guided walk with an STGA Blue Badge Guide.
As an erstwhile Aberdeen FC supporter it was lovely and nostalgic to see this video promoting the club's new season ticket. However, it was the beautiful rendition of 'Northern Lights' by Iona Fyfe which I had heard this morning on Capture Caledonia hosted by the brilliant Ewan Petrie which drew me to the Youtube clip..check it out ...and Ewan's great programme every Friday 10am-12noon on Stirling City Radio..
As an erstwhile Aberdeen FC supporter it was lovely and nostalgic to see this video promoting the club's new season ticket. However, it was the beautiful rendition of 'Northern Lights' by Iona Fyfe which I had heard thison Capture Caledonia hosted by the brilliant Ewan Petrie which drew me to the Youtube clip..check it out ...and Ewan's great programme every Friday 10am-12noon on Stirling City Radio..
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=iona+fyfe+and+aberdeen+fc
As the vaccine roll-out progresses at pace and restrictions are easing, fans are set to return to Scottish stadia this summer. Against this more positive out...
The coastline of the East Neuk of Scotland never fails to be breathtaking - whether the weather is sunny or hailing...
Lovely to see the Isle of May and the boats now re-starting their journeys out there. Definitely worth a visit..
https://www.isleofmayboattrips.co.uk
Take a trip to the Isle of May on the Osprey boat along the coast from St Andrews, Dundee and Edinburgh.
Here you see the two sides of Deacon Brodie - by day a respectable leader of Edinburgh Society and by night an unscrupulous robber using the keys he managed to copy to gain entry into his victims' homes...Robert Louis Stevenson is said to have based his character of Dr. Jekyll/Mr Hyde on Deacon Brodie.
So, here is a photo of the other side of that tavern sign which tells an interesting story of an 18th Century Edinburgh citizen...all will be revealed tomorrow..
Thanks to all those who came to the Virtual St AndrewsTour on Sunday - it really was fun and thanks for the participation!
Last week I was on the Royal Mile and took some photos whilst things were quiet...below is the photo of a pub sign - notice the key in the hand of the be-hatted man - behind this sign and this man is a strange and eerie tale....more to follow ....
Just going over my tour and research for Sunday's re-run of the St. Andrews tour 4pm. If you missed it last time there are still some places for tomorrow. Just follow the Eventbrite link
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-andrews-beyond-the-tee-back-by-popular-demand-tickets-140916544177
St Andrews - beyond the Tee. Come and hear about the golfing history of St. Andrews but prepare to discover more about this unique place
Great to see the sun out again today and children sledging down the slopes with the National Monument on Calton Hill providing a backdrop.
In front, one of my favourite pieces of garden 'furniture' - this sundial. Not just a pretty sculpture either - it works at telling the time.
Out and about in the snow today with great views across the city.
Visitors to Edinburgh are often fascinated by the number of chimneys in the older houses - of course, this is because each room in a large house would have had an open fire and so a chimney hence the proliferation of chimneys across the city skyline.
As I put the final touches to my Virtual tour I am listening to 'Capture Caledonia' with the talented Ewan Petrie on Stirling City Radio. You can download the app and listen in to the programme every Friday 10-12noon. Today he's managed quite a coup as he's interviewing the legendary singer Karen Matheson of Capercaile fame. I loved listening to her at Celtic Connections last week.
Hi Everyone - thanks for your patience as I create my new business persona..I feel a little like the artist 'formerly known as Prince"...
Looking forward to my Virtual Tour tomorrow evening ....and thanks for all my FB friends who've already signed up. 98 of the 100 tickets have been snapped up so you may still have a chance to get the last 2 places but if you can't do not worry ...I will definitely be running it again...
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-andrews-beyond-the-tee-tickets-136079460329
St Andrews - beyond the Tee. Come and hear about the golfing history of St. Andrews but prepare to discover more about this unique place
I enjoyed a wonderful Burns' supper haggis on Monday evening complete with a whisky flight. Sometimes I am asked by visitors about the spelling of 'whisky/whiskey'....
In Scotland and Canada it is generally spelt without an 'e' but in Ireland and the U.S it has the 'e'..
Looks like a great series of tours coming from Glen2Glen Tours..get your tickets soon because I’m sure that they’ll be great in great demand!
Edinburgh
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