Tour Scotland with Helen

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Tour Scotland with Helen

I am Helen Houston, a professional Blue Badge Scottish Tourist Guide. I lead individual and small group tours throughout Scotland.

I will guide you for a day or for an extended tour to help you get the most out of your visit to my beautiful country

18/11/2024

First snow of the winter this morning! Photos taken on bus journey from Elgin to Aberdeen.

09/10/2024

A fabulous day out on Rothiemurchus Estate with my last Rick Steves group of the year.
Big thanks to Sarah, James and all at Rothiemurchus for making this such a special day.

05/10/2024

When you are told that there is a high risk of the return ferry from Mull being cancelled and leaving you and your group stranded what do you do?
Change your arrangements, stay on the mainland, and take the service bus to Easdale.
The 14 Tour Members who came with me thoroughly enjoyed their time on another island!

30/07/2024

Visit to ‘the rock’ by the ‘daughter of the rock’ today.

20/07/2024

Just finished a great tour driving a delightful couple through Scotland and the Hebrides. Great fun, sunshine and ferries that ran on time. And staying in various B&Bs on the islands and a very comfortable Tiny Pod at Kirkton, Balmacara.

17/07/2024

Great day on Lewis and Harris today.

25/06/2024

No such thing as bad weather - just inappropriate clothing!
Beautiful sunshine at Culloden Battlefield and Fort George one day and bucketing rain the next day at Rothiemurchus. Both days were thoroughly interesting and enjoyable.

21/06/2024

A dreich start to our day to Iona but a wee glimpse of blue sky while at the abbey.

14/06/2024

Guiding is Fun!
A great day spent with lovely guests from St Andrews Experience at Gleneagles Falconry and Clay Pigeon Shooting

01/06/2024

Look who was practising their archery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse yesterday.
The Royal Company of Archers - the Sovereign’s Personal Bodyguard in Scotland. This honour was bestowed on them by George IV in 1822. Constituted in 1676 for the ‘purpose of encouraging the noble and useful recreation of archery’ it received its royal charter from Queen Anne in 1704. Archery remains it principal activity today and the long bow is still carried by the Royal Company on ceremonial occasions.

27/05/2024

What a day! Rain and hail in Saline today! Summer is just around the corner!

04/05/2024

Breakfast at Dishoom this morning. Fabulous!

07/03/2024

Two fabulous museums in Glasgow: The Burrell and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

I have spent a few days in Glasgow with old friends - we visited the museums which are both so different but at the same time give very similar experiences.
They are so easy to go round with excellent staff on hand to give further information if required. The labelling of the exhibits is clear and sufficiently informative. The Burrell has a guide you can download on your mobile which is really helpful.

The Burrell was the private collection of William Burrell which he gifted to the city to be housed together outside of the city centre away from pollution of the day.

Kelvingrove opened in early 1900s and offers exhibits ranging widely from Roger the elephant to Salvador Dali - a wonderful eclectic mix of treasures. You can also catch the organ recital at 1pm.

05/03/2024

A wonderful hidden gem in Glasgow - The Tenement House

Miss Toward lived in this tenement from early 1900s til she died in 1975. She was in hospital for the last 10 years of her life but continued to pay her rent.
Anna Davidson recognised the importance of this flat in its original state when she accompanied her uncle to pick up a couple of chairs he had been left by Miss Toward. She bought the flat, cleaned it up and then gifted it to National Trust for Scotland - not without a fight as some members did not want it in NTS portfolio. How wrong they were!

17/02/2024

Snowdrop walk in Valleyfield woods today with Saline Walking Group.

Robert Preston inherited Valleyfield estate in 1800 and set about making major changes to the house. He decided to make the large mansion the centrepiece to a beautifully landscaped area. He commissioned the respected garden designer, Humphrey Repton, to draw up the plans. This was to be Repton’s only Scottish project. He included the walled garden, the Bluther burn crossed by rustic bridges, an ornamental canal and an artificial island. Robert Preston was proclaiming his great wealth. Sadly after years of neglect Valleyfield House was demolished in 1941 and the estate was slowly taken over by nature. Today a lot of work is being done to clear the pathways to encourage the local community to enjoy the estate.

14/02/2024

Happy Valentine’s Day

The Wincher - a statue in Buchanan Street Bus Station in Glasgow by John Clinch, installed in 1994.
‘Winching’ is a Scottish word for ‘courting’, both beautifully old fashioned words today but lovely to think of on Valentine’s Day.

03/02/2024

Lovely walk round Preston Island today with Saline Walking Group.
Salt was Scotland’s largest export after wool and fish. All that was needed was a plentiful supply of sea water and coal. The Firth of Forth had both. From the 13th century salt was produced in salt pans along the Fife coastline of the Firth including on Preston Island.
Scottish salt was grey in colour and not as pure as salt produced in England or France but salt duties, foreign wars and cost of transportation made Scottish salt attractive and profitable. Preston Island salt pans were further developed by Robert Preston of Valleyfield House in the beginning of 19th century. Initially this was a very profitable venture however the repeal of salt duties led to a flood of cheaper imports and the Scottish salt industry went into rapid decline and the last salt pans closed in mid 20th century. Today, the East Neuk Salt Co is producing salt in the traditional way in St Monans on the Fife coast once again.

17/01/2024

Lovely walk this morning with fellow bletherer, Liz, out from Saline to Sheildbank Coffee shop. Beautiful views and lots of blethers not to mention great toasties and lots of tea!

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