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We’re excited to bring you another edition of ‘Hidden Scotland Weekly’. As always, we hope you enjoy reading and find inspiration for your next adventure.

Enjoy this week’s edition, and have a fantastic Sunday!

Celebrating Summer Solstice with Call of the Wild

Liberty Martin is the co owner of Call of The Wild in Highland Perthshire, a business and family life that has been created hand and hand with nature.

She lives at Tombane Farm with her family and animals, creating a chemical free garden while working to enhance the land, protect biodiversity and regenerate the incredible SSSI woodland. Here you can enjoy courses and experiences, wild dining and celebrations, tartan and tailoring with Highland Outfitters and beautiful Shepherd's Hut accommodation.

Today she shares her insight into what the Summer Solstice means to her:The Summer Solstice, Midsummer, is where “The Sun stands still”, the longest day and the shortest night. It’s a time where Mother Earth flourishes with strength, fertility and highest abundance. Throughout history the solstices have been a time of reflection and celebration; a time to pause.

For us at Call of the Wild, it’s about celebrating, connecting with nature and looking at the traditions that hold special importance at this time year.

Things to notice and celebrate around Summer Solstice. -

Oak - a tree representing strength, protection, courage and during the Solstice one of special significance, sought for its ability to provide balance and guidance for the waxing year, whilst its leaves and acorns signify a cycle of renewal.

St John's Wort - look out for these golden star shaped, sunny yellow flowers that seem to embody the sun itself. This herb often blooms on the Solstice and represents the sun's energy heralding peace, prosperity, good health and protection. In the past, it was often hung over doorways as a powerful symbol and has been used for hundreds of years as a herbal remedy, a literal sip of sunshine.

Wrens and Swans - these birds held particular significance for the Druids during the Solstice. They studied the wrens flight pattens to depict prophecies. They also believed that swans signified purity, love, the soul and the union of air and water.

Stones - no matter the size, have always played a huge part in the Solstice celebration, they symbolise spiritual connections and have a healing ability. Solstice is a great time to gather and perhaps paint stones that feel special to you and your family.

Feasting - an important part of any celebration - time to gather, ideally outside to soak up the long hours of daylight (especially here in Scotland) along with good food, good drinks and good company.

However you choose to celebrate, take time to connect with nature and notice something you perhaps wouldn't usually. I wish everyone a very happy, heathy and prosperous Summer Solstice.

Liberty xx

Article by Rachel Rowley 

Rachel was a founding partner of Ballintaggart and is now a freelance consultant who specialises in brand and PR. She is based in Perthshire and will share stories about rural life and entrepreneurship. Rachel recently launched Kennedy Harrison, a vibrant collection of textiles and jewellery. You can follow her @rachel_connects_

The Pirate Laird of Kisimul Castle

In the far south of the Outer Hebrides, Kisimul Castle has dominated Castlebay on Barra for at least 600 years. Without the castle, the main harbour on Barra would have been incredibly exposed to seaborne raiders. Instead, they were protected by this fortress on the rock and secure enough to cause trouble at sea themselves.

In the late 16th century, Kisimul Castle was inhabited by Ruari MacNeil who caused so much trouble for the Scottish government he became known as “Ruari the Turbulent”. From his island castle he raided merchant ships up and down the west coast, even hunting in the Irish Sea. No nationality was safe from the pirate laird, but his speciality was ships from south of the border.

Ruari was so proficient at piracy that he became famously rich. Kisimul Castle was rumoured to be decorated with fine silks from the Far East, the cellar was filled with European wine and even his horses were shod with golden shoes. He might have been a pirate but for the local people, Ruari was a hero who brought wealth to Barra and a clan chief who looked after them.

His raiding of English ships eventually brought Ruari the Turbulent to the attention of Queen Elizabeth I. She put an enormous price on his head but those who were close with the laird wouldn’t dream of betraying him. Ruari seemed safe and comfortable behind the strong walls of Kisimul Castle.

English gold had failed and so Elizabeth leant on King James of Scotland to bring his vassal to heel. Royal authority was stretched thin around the wild western islands, so a simple order from James would have been wasted. Instead, the King commanded another west coast chief Mackenzie of Kintail to bring Ruari to Edinburgh by any means possible.

Mackenzie arrived at Kisimul Castle claiming to have just come upon a cargo of French wine, inviting Ruari onto his ship for a drink. That drink turned into a wild party and by morning, the pirate laird awoke in chains on his way to Edinburgh. During his trial and faced with execution, Ruari was asked to explain his piracy on the English ships.

His excuse played to the sympathies of the King and the court. He felt duty bound to avenge the execution of James’ mother, Mary Queen of Scots and pirating English ships was the only way he knew how. Regardless of how genuine Ruari’s sympathies were, he was allowed to live but not without punishment. Kisimul Castle and the island of Barra were given to Mackenzie as his reward.

That wasn’t the end for the pirate laird though. Mackenzie agreed to lease his lands back to Ruari and his heirs for only 40 Merks per year, allowing him to return to his old ways. The tradition of cheap rent has carried on, with Historic Scotland now running Kisimul Castle on a 1000-year lease for only a bottle of whisky and £1 per year.

Story by Graeme Johncock - For a signed copy of Graeme’s book ‘Scotland’s Stories’ click here.

Home Sweet Holiday Home

It might not have a Big Green Egg barbecue or outdoor hot tub – unlike Glen Dye’s other holiday properties, but the latest addition to their portfolio of quirky cottages, with its ‘no frills’, and ‘affordable luxury’ tag – is no bottom-of-the-heap-basic bolthole. Gamekeeper’s Cottage looking out over the River Dye, with its sunny, south-facing garden and wonderfully wonky laburnum arch, is a picture-perfect Georgian stone house, done up with the Gladstone family’s trademark vintage flair. It has three bedrooms – a double and two twins – and can be booked as a whole or by the room, old-school B&B style.

Glen Dye is one of many Scottish Estates that have been moving with the times. Over the past few years, huddles of dilapidated or abandoned estate workers’ homes have been given a new lease of life. For those pitching up for a Highland holiday that means vast swathes of glorious wilderness to yomp on the doorstep and outdoor activities on tap from wild swimming to Highland pony picnics, fishing, hiking, mountain-biking and more.

At Glen Dye there are 15,000 acres to tramp along with bushcraft, archery and wild wellness in the new purpose-built Discovery and Adventure Centre in the woods. Add a little shop, cosy BYOB pub, the Glen Dye Arms and the pop-up summer restaurant, the Seed Store, and the advantages of booking an ‘estate cottage’ are clear.

In Perthshire the 145,000-acre Atholl Estates has also just added a newly renovated property to its clutch of lodges, shepherds huts and contemporary cabins. Milton of Kincraigie is a traditional stone house sleeping four, just a couple of miles from the picturesque village of Blair Atholl and the fairytale confection - and ancestral home of the Dukes of Atholl - that is Blair Castle. Guests staying at the estate’s properties get free admission. The cottage is decked out with a mix of antique and contemporary furnishings with a cheery tongue-and-groove boot room, stacks of board games and a fire pit for marshmallow-toasting and stargazing.

Also in Perthshire, the Monzie Estate (the z is silent) has just finished refurbishing Burnside, a lovely low-slung old cottage, the interiors hand-crafted by Monzie Joinery, the estate’s dedicated team of craftsmen. This romantic retreat beside the tumbling burn on the 4,000-acre estate sleeps two and is powered by renewable energy from the estate’s 1950s hydroelectric plant – you can request a tour during your stay. The estate’s other cottages are wonderfully eclectic: the East Gatehouse Lodge is a turreted 19th-century mini-castle with spiral staircase, latticed windows and original Edwardian slipper bath from Monzie Castle.

Just south of Edinburgh, Penicuik Estate at the foot of the Pentland hills has been in the Clerk family since 1654, successive generations managing the 7,660-acre property, and, over the past year, doing up the estate’s cottages. Eskfield, one of the collection, a Palladian spa house built in 1714 and surrounded by its own walled garden, was completed at the end of last year. Along with 20km of walking and cycling trails, added extras include a private chef, whisky tastings, guided estate tours, private yoga classes and falconry. And, one to watch, for larger groups, the estate’s flagship property, Penicuik House, will be launched in August, the eclectic interiors designed by Charles Orchard, and featuring salvaged furniture and art from Old Penicuik House.

Lucy Gillmore is a freelance journalist who left a newspaper travel desk for the Highlands’ hills. Dipping into Scotland’s ever-evolving food, drink and accommodation scene she will be bringing us the latest news stories, dates for the diary and shining a light on local food heroes in a regular column.  You can follow her on @lucygillmore

Today’s Special Offer

Signed Copies of Graeme Johncock ‘s Book - Scotland's Stories: Historic Tales for Incredible Places

We have a limited number of signed copies of Scotland's Stories: Historic Tales for Incredible Places by Graeme Johncock available for purchase today. This beautifully crafted hardcover reveals the hidden tales behind Scotland’s most remarkable locations. From Loch Garve to Eilean Donan Castle, Graeme’s storytelling brings these iconic sites to life, blending history, folklore, and legend. It’s a must-have for anyone captivated by Scotland’s rich past. Don’t miss out on your signed copy!

Very limited signed copies available. Once they're gone, they're gone'

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