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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!

Have a great weekend.

ISSUE 10 SPOTLIGHT - Conor Gault and the Last of Scotland’s Lighthouse Keepers

Exploring the practice of lighthouse keeping at the edges of Scotland, photographer Conor Gault’s latest project honours a nevermore way of life. To the work, Conor brings a very personal connection: his Granda, Bill Gault, the last of the Scottish Lighthouse Keepers.

Johnny One Arm

In the 17th century, an Edinburgh man called John Chiesley was ordered by the courts to pay a huge sum of money in child maintenance. John wasn’t happy about the decision and like many disgruntled citizens, spat threats at the judge. This was all part of the job for Sir George Lockhart though, he was used to being threatened daily.

A few months later, George was attending a service in St Giles Kirk having completely forgotten about the incident with Chiesley. As he walked out of the church, a vaguely familiar character greeted the judge and he nodded his head in return.

It wasn’t far to George’s Edinburgh residence, but he had the strange feeling that somebody was behind him. This was a stout member of Edinburgh’s high society though; he didn't scare easily. He did however start to pick up the pace. As George turned approached his home, there was no doubt now that he was being followed.

As he fumbled for his keys, a voice called out behind him. Turning around, George was met with the barrel of a pistol and the grinning face of John Chiesley. Without any subtlety, John shot the judge, bragging to the world that he had carried out his own justice.

It was a short trial and for murdering such an influential figure, John was tortured before his execution. His legs were broken, the arm he fired the pistol with was chopped off and he was hanged. The murderer was supposed to be kept on display as a warning, but after a few days, the body vanished.

Soon, reports of ghostly, shuffling footsteps following people down the Edinburgh streets began. Rumours of a one-armed man lurking in the dark spread around the city. Eventually, in 1965 during some house renovations in Dalry, a skeleton with only one arm and a rusty pistol hanging around its neck was found. It could be none other than Johnny One Arm.

The skeleton was laid to rest and the ghost sightings suddenly stopped. The missing arm has never been found though, so while most of John Chiesly is able to rest, there might be one part still dragging itself around the cobbles of Edinburgh.

Story by Graeme Johncock

A Day In Inverness - Itinerary

Graeme Johncock, the travel blogger and storyteller behind Scotland's Stories, is now bringing his adventures to us in a weekly column. He will journal about his explorations around Scotland, sharing fascinating stories and highlighting unique places to visit. Accompanied by his dog Molly, Graeme continues to uncover and share the rich history and beauty of Scotland.

Inverness is the “Capital of the Scottish Highlands”, and it’s sat at an important junction of roads and routes for centuries. From here you can travel in a number of directions, but there’s a lot to be said for staying right where you are. As one of the most historical spots in Scotland, I love getting the chance to spend a whole day in Inverness.

Inverness Castle and Viewpoint

Starting the day at the city’s high point, Inverness Castle’s history stretches back around 1000 years! Built by Malcolm Canmore to stamp his authority on the Highlands, it’s seen its fair share of conflict.

In the 1400s, King James I invited the Highland Chiefs to a parliament before having them all arrested. In the 1500s, the castle was stormed by Mary Queen of Scots’ men against rebels who had locked the gates. The later fort was then destroyed by the Jacobites!

The castle we have today is a Victorian reconstruction and is currently being transformed into a visitor attraction. While you might not be able to get inside the building, the vantage point still offers the perfect view across the River Ness to start the day.

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
2 minute walk

Right beside the castle the Inverness Museum tells the story of both the city and the wider region, with over 100,000 artefacts providing an insight into Highland history and culture. Whether you’re interested in Pictish stones, Jacobite memorabilia or Felicity the Inverness-shire Puma, there’s plenty to keep you busy.

Ness Islands Walk

20 minute walk
Inverness wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the River Ness and a walk across a beautiful Victorian footbridge leads you to the often-missed Ness islands. Wind your way along paths beneath soaring trees or just quietly sit as the river flows around you, it’s the perfect haven away from the bustling city streets.

Inverness Cathedral
20 minute walk

On the other side of the river from the castle stands Inverness Cathedral and although it was originally intended to have two large spires, I think the square towers suit it well. It might not be the oldest church in Scotland, being built 150 years ago, but it’s still impressive both outside and in!

Lunch at The Mustard Seed

10 minute walk

Easily one of the most popular restaurants in Inverness, the Mustard Seed does simple Scottish food really, really well. It’s a fantastic dining experience and great value with the 2-course lunch deal!

Inverness Old High Kirk
3 minute walk

Built on a low mound known as St Michael’s Mount, the Old High Kirk of Inverness is said to be the site where St Columba first preached in the 6^th century. After converting the King of the Picts to Christianity, the saint was given this land to build a chapel on.

Worship carried on here for centuries, however, it’s the church’s role in the 1745 Jacobite rising that it’s best remembered for. In the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden in April 1746, Jacobite soldiers were kept prisoner inside. One by one, they were dragged out to be shot and you can still find tragic reminders of that in holes caused by musket balls in the wall around the doorway.

Leakey’s Bookshop
1 minute walk

No day in Inverness is complete without a visit to Leakey’s Bookshop. Housed in the former Gaelic Church, this is the largest second-hand bookshop in Scotland, boasting over 100,000 volumes on its iconic shelves.

I gravitate towards the history and local folklore section, but there’s something for everybody, split over two levels. Book lovers could easily spend an entire day in here, especially if the fire is roaring on a cold day!

Victorian Market
5 minute walk

Inverness is very proud of its Victorian Market and so it should be! This historic shopping arcade dates back to the 19^th century and is crammed full of independent shops, artisan boutiques and wee eateries. It’s more than just a market though, this is a beautiful indoor space to wander between the cast iron arches!

Live Music at Hootananny

The one thing that Inverness does better than anywhere else in Scotland is live music. There are a number of pubs that have local folk musicians playing almost every night, but my pick is Hootananny!

Make sure to book a table in advance and that way you can enjoy a Scottish dinner and have a seat while the band plays. It’s the perfect way to end a day in the Capital of the Highlands!

A seat at the table by Lucy Gillmore

There was a time when the idea of a pavement café culture in Scotland would have caused a degree of eye rolling. Now they’re an established part of the urban landscape. Scottish summers might be fleeting, but we’re hard-wired to make the most of them, scrubbing down barbecues at the first sign of sun and shaking out the picnic rugs.  And although there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it quality to summer here, the evenings are long and light, the sun barely dipping below the horizon, leading to the growing popularity of another seasonal phenomenon: the long table supper. 

The communal dining scene has been on the rise for a few years now, tickets hungrily snapped up, chefs devising ever-more inventive menus showcasing the country’s seasonal produce. The Taybank in Dunkeld has regular long table events in the sprawling beer garden which slopes down to the River Tay, the first this summer on 27^th June (£70 per person). The three-course sharing menu, cooked over fire, will showcase ingredients from their lovingly restored kitchen garden along with produce from local suppliers. There will be live music and dancing, diners warmed by the fire pit’s flickering flames.
Guardswell Farm is another long table pioneer and on 25^th June their glorious glasshouse will be the venue for a spread laid on by Arete. Chefs Neil Patterson and George Colebrook will conjure up a four-course dinner cooked over fire featuring the likes of grilled beef heart, anchoiade and Japanese milk bread along with tomato and peach gazpacho, stracciatella and lovage as the sun sets over the Carse of Gowrie (£90 per person). Then, on 18^th July, Eolach’s Verity Hurding will head up their kitchen. Eolach means ‘familiar’ or ‘connected to place’ in Gaelic and her food, many of the ingredients foraged, celebrates Scotland’s seasons and wild larder.

If you have a glasshouse or tipi like the Dell of Abernethy you can also wing it with an outdoors-in vibe. The Dell is hosting a long table supper with Wild Kabn Kitchen on 28^th June, Will Hamer cooking a five-course feast-over-fire featuring venison from the surrounding forest, his menu exploring ‘the connection between food, fire and nature’ (£65 per person).

The long table supper is one of the most joyful and inclusive dining trends, guests, coming together to break bread and share food. In the Pentland Hills The Free Company once held a seasonal series of supper clubs. Now with a shift towards a la carte dining, they offer just a few communal feasts, one of which, a Midsummer Farm Party, takes place on Saturday 14^th June, an evening of chatting round the fire, feasting in the old barn, with games, storytelling and a ceilidh (£85 per person). 

And, hot off the press, another Midsummer Feast will be hosted by Hidden Scotland on 21^st June, celebrating the summer solstice and the launch of the 10^th edition of the magazine in collaboration with Ashleigh Forbes and Laura Bremner of Gather.

Hidden Scotland’s first long table feast, ‘Gather x Hidden Scotland: A Midsummer Dream’ starts at 12.30pm at the Old Sawmill in Milton Crathes on the bosky banks of the River Dee. Folklore writer, Graeme Johncock, will enchant guests with storytelling sessions beneath the trees as seasonal sharing plates pass hands after welcome drinks by the river and a selection of carefully curated canapes. Tickets are on sale now and cost £60 per person (and include a copy of the 10^th edition)

There’s never been a better time to gather together…  but if you’re a little wary of an evening spent with strangers just remember what legendary American food writer and TV personality Julia Child once said; “People who love to eat are always the best people.”  

Lucy Gillmore is a freelance journalist who left a newspaper travel desk for the Highland’s hills. Dipping into Scotland’s ever-evolving food and drink 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

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