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We’re delighted to be back with a new ‘Hidden Scotland Weekly’. We really hope that you enjoy reading.

As always we welcome you to provide feedback, you can find this at the bottom of the email.

Have a great Sunday!

Mother’s Day Gifting Guide

We have curated some of our favourite Scottish made gifts to bring you inspiration for gifting this Mothers Day (it's Sunday 10th March in the UK). From knitwear to candles to sweet treats, reading material and much more, we hope that you enjoy discovering this selection from our very own retail space. For those local to the Hidden Scotland Shop at Milton of Crathes in Aberdeenshire, we will also have a delivery of fresh flowers and potted plants by local florist Hollie Berries Flowers available to purchase.

Flora MacDonald – The Unlikely Jacobite Heroine

Flora MacDonald has become one of the most famous figures from the 1745 Jacobite rising, famous for smuggling Bonnie Prince Charlie over the sea to Skye. This unlikely heroine lived on Benbecula when Charles arrived at her door as a hunted man. He had been leading the government troops on a merry dance across the Highlands for months after the Battle of Culloden.

However, the net was closing in on the prince and he was running out of places to hide. His small group soon came to the attention of Flora’s stepfather Hugh MacDonald, the man in charge of the local government militia. Hugh was sympathetic to the cause, but it was far too dangerous for him to hide anybody on this little island.

Flora was no Jacobite, but she feared what would happen if they were found harbouring a fugitive and so reluctantly agreed to help Charles escape. She obtained a permit from her stepfather to travel from the Outer Hebrides to Skye with 2 servants and 6 boatmen. The prince needed a disguise but with his slight figure and delicate features, he would never have passed as a boatman.

Instead, Charles dressed up in a dress and cap, passing as an Irish maid by the name of Betty Burke. Once on Skye, the group travelled overland to Portree where the prince sailed to Raasay before finally escaping to France. Flora’s ruse seemed to have worked perfectly.

When the government troops caught up with the boatmen, they quickly confessed to travelling with a very strange looking maid. Flora was arrested and taken down to London where she claimed that she had only been doing her Christian duty. Her seemingly romantic story and newfound fame amongst London society ensured that she was granted her freedom.

Her part in the flight of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s is now immortalised in The Skye Boat song:

Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,

Ocean's a royal bed.

Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep

Watch by your weary head.

Words by Graeme Johncock 

Oban

The Gaelic name for the Victorian seaside resort Oban, once described by Queen Victoria as “one of the finest spots we have seen”, is An t-Òban, or ‘little bay’. But what it lacks in perceived size, it makes up for in appeal. It’s horseshoe-shaped, enjoys some of Argyll’s best sunsets and is dubbed Scotland’s seafood capital. There’s a good range of shops, pubs and eateries, as well as a chocolatier, distillery and a fantastic museum on war and peace, all rippling out from Coliseum-like McCaig’s Tower atop Battery Hill with its views of the Atlantic islands.

Here are 5 places worth visiting in and around Oban

Historic Kilbride

Located three miles south of Oban in Lerags, Historic Kilbride marks a significant chapter in Scotland's Christian heritage, with origins tracing back to the 6th century. It is the final resting place for Clan MacDougall and bears witness to key events in Scottish history, from Columban Christianity through to the Jacobite Uprising. The Friends of Kilbride, established in 2015, aim to preserve and highlight this site, undertaking restoration efforts and welcoming international visitors to explore its historical significance while hosting events that benefit the local community.

McCaig's Tower

Another great lookout point over the bay, McCaig's Tower was completed in 1902 and inspired by the grand colosseums of Italy and Greece. With beautiful views over the entire town, this Grade B listed historical monument is accessible by a 144 step Jacob’s Ladder. Look out for Misha, a friendly cat who wanders around McCaig’s Tower greeting visitors.

Isle of Kerrera

Ten minutes by ferry from Oban, forboding stocky cliffs topped with glossy green constitute Kerrera, which looks like something from Game of Thrones. Old sea stacks at its southern end support the partially restored skeleton of 16th-century Gylen Castle, which was occupied for only 100 years before it was besieged and burned down. Kerrera’s 10km circuit is often described as one of the best coastal walks in the UK, taking in views of Mull, Colonsay and the Garvellachs. You’ll also pass Kerrera Tea Garden, which serves sandwiches made with homemade organic sourdough and eggs from the island.

St Conan’s Kirk

The story goes that architect Walter Douglas Campbell built this exquisite, now Grade A-listed kirk for his elderly mother, who couldn’t manage the long drive to the parish church in Taynuilt after the family settled on Innis Chonain, an island in Loch Awe connected by bridge to the mainland. Initially simple in design, the structure became increasingly intricate as he devoted his life to crafting a range of ecclesiastical details from across Scotland rather than limiting himself to the Norman or Romanesque styles. After he died in 1914, his sister Helen took on the project, and it was finally completed by their trustees.

Kilchurn Castle

The stacked remains of this 15th-century former powerbase of Clan Campbell are reflected in Loch Awe, around them the Arrochar Alps with their mighty flanks of light and shade. It’s certainly Scotland’s most photogenic castle, but it also packs a punch for historical interest: it held troops after the first Jacobite Rising in 1689, was a garrison in the Jacobite Rising in 1745, and contains the oldest surviving barracks on the British mainland.

Cafes, Restaurants and Shopping Recommendations

1. Hinba Coffee

2. Cuan Mor

3. Oban Chocolate Company

4. Kilchrenan Inn

5. Coast Restaurant

6. Julie's Coffee House

7. The Modern Croft

8. Oban Distillery

For accommodation check out No 26 by the Sea and Stormhouse

Edinburgh Guide Update

‘The Best of Edinburgh,’ our first guidebook, complete with a pull out walking map of the Old Town, is now available for pre-order.

Shipments start next week, making this your last chance to receive the exclusive pre-order gift. Every pre-order includes a complimentary Edinburgh Postcard Set, perfect for commemorating your visit. Secure your free gift by pre-ordering now.

The Winner is…

Thank you to everyone who entered our competition to win a 3 night stay at Harlosh Black H on the Isle of Skye.

Congratulations to our winner Sarah Hunt 🎉

If you’re interested in staying with Harlosh, you can get an exclusive 10% off your stay by quoting code ‘HS10’when booking. Please email [email protected] to enquire.

Follow @harlosh.co for updates

Assynt - Taken by Simon Hird

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