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

Have a great Sunday!

We’ve dispatched Issue 09

We are delighted to say that issue 09 of Hidden Scotland magazine is on it’s way to everyone who pre-ordered.

If you would like to get your hands on a copy, follow the link below.

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.

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The Rise and Fall of the Stewart Earls

Around 100 years after the islands came under Scottish influence, an illegitimate child of King James V was given control of both Orkney and Shetland. Neither Earl Robert Stewart or his appointed Sheriff Laurence Bruce cared much for the lives of the native Shetlanders. The new rulers abused their power in any way they could. Tampering with official weights to increase taxes, pirating passing ships and helping themselves to just about anything that they wanted.

The exploitation under this duo was hard for locals to deal with, but it was nothing compared to Robert’s son Patrick. His deeds were so vile that he has gone down in local history as Black Patie. Amongst other crimes, he used forced labour to build Scalloway Castle, allegedly mixing the blood and hair of those unfortunate workers into the mortar.

Black Patie’s methods were so unpopular that even the wealthy landowners began to feel the effects. The formerly disliked Laurence suddenly found himself on the same side as the Shetlanders but going against the Earl was a dangerous business. He built Muness Castle on Unst to protect himself and was thankful of those walls when he survived an attack by Patrick’s men in 1608.

Word of the Earl’s dark deeds was sent to the Scottish government and a force arrived in the islands to apprehend him. With the testimony of many landowners including Laurence Bruce, Black Patie’s reign of terror came to an end. After a lengthy trial, he was finally convicted of treason and beheaded in Edinburgh.

Words by Graeme Johncock

Around Scotland with Graeme Johncock

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.

If there’s one thing about Scotland I love almost as much as the stories, it’s the whisky. That meant I was in my element while spending a couple of days last week in Speyside! This region is a haven for whisky lovers, although there’s far more to discover here than just the bottom of a glass.

First thing in the morning is a little early for a tasting, even for me, so we stopped at Cawdor Castle on our way from Inverness. Still lived in by the Campbells of Cawdor, this 650-year-old tower is firmly in my top five Scottish castles. Legend says that the Thane of Cawdor followed a dream to decide where to build his new home in the late 1300s.

He put all of his money onto the back of a donkey, then watched to see where it lay down. When the animal finally took a nap beneath a thorn tree, the location was finalised. It might sound like a silly story, but in the depths of Cawdor Castle stands a long-dead thorn tree, carbon-dated to roughly 650 years ago. Remember, there’s a grain of truth in every story!

Finally thirsty enough for a dram, it was time to dive into one of the many Speyside distilleries. There are plenty to choose from, but we ended up at Glenfarclas, an icon of the region. It’s still owned by the Grant family, as it has been for five generations and around 200 years, which is rare these days!

A few delicious drams need something equally tasty to soak them up, so we stopped off at the Aberlour Hotel for a prize-winning meal. Their Cullen Skink with a twist won this year’s World Championships, adding crispy bacon and blaggis bon bons to the traditional cream, potato and smoked haddock soup.

After learning the importance of casks at Glenfarclas, it made sense to see how they’re made at the Speyside Cooperage. The tour is well worth an hour of your time, watching skilful craftsmen dismantling, repairing and rebuilding barrels of all sizes in record times.

There’s no better way to end a day exploring Speyside than in a traditional wee pub with well-stocked shelves. If you ever have the opportunity, then the Fiddichside Inn ticks all of the right boxes. It might not serve food (unless you count packs of scampi fries) or play music (unless you count singalong sessions), but the location is beautiful, the welcome warm and the whisky range vast!

Let's just say that with their expert advice and a few generous samples, I experienced more than a few distilleries that evening!

Written by Graeme Johncock

The Freelance Ranger - Elizabeth Tindal

With the outdoor activities she runs for all ages as The Freelance Ranger in Dumfries and Galloway, Elizabeth Tindal aims to bring out the inner child in all of us. Because childlike wonder is something we all need, she says.

Darkness, says Elizabeth Tindal, has a “velvety feel to me”. She found her way into it because, “I never was much good at ‘early’. ‘Late’ seems to suit me better”. Plus, “my uncle was a ships’ captain, and would point out the constellations from our garden”. In fact, hers was a childhood spent outdoors: bait digging and fishing with her dad, “which explains the mud and coastal interest”, while her mum gave her “the freedom to learn about things in an experiential way, which is the basis of outdoor learning”.

These days, Elizabeth offers similar experiences “24/7 and 365” to guests in her work as a Biosphere Dark Sky Ranger in Galloway Dark Sky Park – one of the world’s first, where on a clear night, over 7,000 stars and planets are visible with the naked eye – and a certified Freelance Ranger in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. The experiences range from water and sound laboratories to den making, camp fire cooking and stargazing.

“I like to do creative things and have fun,” says Elizabeth. “Dark Sky Experiences are my favourite thing in the winter, and things like making huge sand art by raking the sand on the beaches or exploring rockpools in the summer. Oh, and then there is being in a hammock too!”

Being outside, says Elizabeth, boosts both physical and mental health. “A smile makes you feel happy,” she explains. “And a little bit of that childlike wonder is something that everyone needs.” Children, she says, are “amazing! The way that they look at and explore the world about them tends to get lost as we get older. I try to bring some of that back so that adults can have fun too.”

Elizabeth’s Dumfries and Galloway

Dumfries and Galloway is where I was born and grew up, so it is special to me – and it seems to be special to others too.

We have so many world-class designations for our natural and cultural heritage: the UNESCO designation of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, our Gold Tier Galloway Forest Dark Sky Park, and awards for our authenticity.

We treasure our darkness and enjoy our stars.

Go out and meet people, spend time looking around and return the smiles of the people who smile at you. Have a chat and learn about the real Dumfries and Galloway.

Find out more

www.freelanceranger.com

Glencoe by Sam Rogers

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Available while stocks last.

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