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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!

A Place In Scotland : Beautiful Scottish Interiors

A Place in Scotland is a collation of interior spaces that represent a rejuvenated Scottish vernacular that has emerged over the past twenty years. Something is happening in Scotland – a new confidence – and inspirational voices are redefining what 'Scottish style' really is. Banjo and Alexander see this manifesting in homes and public spaces alike.

Spanning the breadth of Scotland, they have picked places that tell a story, highlight sustainable design and represent a considered style that can be recreated at home. Including thirty different spaces, from a masterfully restored Scottish castle and the Gleneagles hotel to a World War 2 control tower in the Scottish Highlands and a brightly coloured tenement apartment in Glasgow, A Place in Scotland is a celebration of clever and contemporary design. All these beautifully photographed places will not only give you interiors inspiration, but take you on a stunning journey through Scotland.

One Good Deed Deserves Another

Clan Lamont were once force to be reckoned with on the west coast, ruling over most of the Cowal peninsula. By the 16th Century, the Campbells had become dominant in Argyll and smaller clans grew closer together, allied against their rival’s expansion. 

One night, a joint hunting party of Lamonts and MacGregors had made camp around the banks of Loch Awe. After a long day, the men were happy to rest their weary legs and enjoy themselves, with drink flowing freely. With so much alcohol and testosterone flying around, tempers began to flare.

In a sudden outburst, the son of the Lamont chief pulled out his dirk and stabbed the son of the MacGregor chief. Without waiting to find out if the wound was fatal or not, the assailant fled into the darkness chased by the Macgregor men. By the weak moonlight, Lamont had no idea where he was going and accidentally stumbled upon the home of the MacGregor chief.

Seeing how panicked the young man was, MacGregor ushered him inside, promising to protect him from whoever was on his heels. The old chief soon realised why Lamont was running, but he had offered protection and would stay true to his word. When the chasing clansmen appeared at his door, MacGregor tried to calm them, refusing their calls for swift justice.

Seeing that his men wouldn’t be satisfied without blood, the chief sneaked Lamont out the back and into a hidden boat. MacGregor looked the young man in the eyes and told him that he deserved the chance to save himself if he could. As the boat slipped away, MacGregor shouted that they would pursue him fairly once he was in his own land.

That young Lamont eventually became clan chief and years later a haggard, exhausted looking man appeared at the door of his castle. It was the old MacGregor chief, stripped of his land and forced from his home by the Campbells. With nowhere else to go, the old man had hoped to find shelter and support against the two clans’ common enemy. Lamont was more than happy to finally repay MacGregor for protecting him in his hour of need.

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Itinerary: Travelling From Edinburgh To Oban

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.

Oban is the gateway to th isles, a perfect base for travelling to the Inner or Outer Hebrides. It’s somewhere that I find myself spending more and more time every year, making it feel almost like a second home! Don’t rush to reach this west coast town as fast as possible though, there’s a lot to enjoy on this journey.

The Kelpies 
1 hour drive from Edinburgh

It’s a long drive to Oban from Edinburgh, so I like to break the journey up early on with a stop at the Kelpies. These are the tallest equine sculptures in the world at 30m high, created in 2014 by artist Andy Scott. They’re a nod to the Clydesdale horses that once pulled boats along the Forth-Clyde Canal here, but also to creatures from Scottish mythology. Kelpies are shape-shifting water spirits that often take the form of horses to lure travellers onto their back and to their doom down in a loch or river!

Stop At Doune Castle
30 minute drive

Close to where the Lowlands meets the Highlands, Doune Castle is one of the best-preserved Medieval fortresses in Scotland. Most of what we see today was built by Robert Stewart the Duke of Albany, a devious man who usurped power from his brother the King. Doune is also famous from film and TV, popping up in Monty Python, Outlander and Game of Thrones. It’s always worth spending an hour to wander it’s old stone walls!

Loch Lubnaig
25 minute drive

Translated as the Crooked Loch, a quick stop here is the perfect place to take your first breath of fresh Highland air!

Lunch At Artisan Deli Café
35 minute drive

Between Crianlarich and Tyndrum, you’ll find this old church hidden off the road and converted into an amazing café. As well as delicious food, they have a great selection of Scottish products on sale, including the Hidden Scotland magazines!

Kilchurn Castle
Viewpoint 20 minute drive

Kilchurn Castle is one of the most picturesque ruins in Scotland, although you won’t get that view from the normal car park! Instead, turn off the A85 onto the A819 and you’ll soon see lay-bys to pull into on either side of the road. Over the stile, into the field and down to the water gives you the iconic scene over Loch Awe to the castle with the mountains in the background. Built in the 1400s, this was once home to the Campbells of Glenorchy. From this spot, the clan’s power grew and their territory spread, with castles right across Scotland. The chief moved his family to Taymouth Castle in Perthshire and Kilchurn was abandoned. Unfortunately, there’s no access inside the castle at the moment due to conservation works.

St Conans Kirk
5 minute drive

Another big highlight on the banks of Loch Awe is St Conans Kirk. The jumble of architectural styles makes it seem as if the building is centuries old, but it was actually only constructed in the late 1800s! Walter Campbell had recently moved to the nearby island of Innis Chonain, but his elderly mother wasn’t able to make the weekly carriage ride to church in Dalmally. He solved the problem by building her this incredible church beside their home. When Walter died, his sister carried on the work, extending St Conans to what we see today.

Pass Of Brander
5 minute drive

The Pass of Brander isn’t somewhere to stop, but it’s worth noting these steep slopes as you drive through it on your way to Oban. In 1308, his was the scene of a crucial battle during the Wars of Independence. King Robert the Bruce had come to Argyll to get revenge on Clan MacDougall who had ambushed him two years earlier. The MacDougalls thought they had trapped Bruce’s army in this narrow pass. However, half of the King’s men had climbed over Ben Cruachan and were now bearing down on them from above. The ambushers had become the ambushed and the MacDougalls were practically destroyed!

Dunstaffnage Castle
25 minute drive

Shortly before you reach Oban, turn off to Dunstaffnage Castle. It’s an incredibly historic fortress, perched on solid rock and while the building dates back the 1200s, it was the site of an even earlier fortress from the 7th century! It was home to the Lord of Lorn, passing from MacDougalls to Stewarts to Campbells and even being used as a prison for the Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald. The castle is open for visitors and there’s a ruined chapel hiding in the woods.

Oban’s Green Seafood Hut
10 minute drive

If you arrive in Oban early enough, then make sure to visit the Green Seafood Hut near the ferry terminal. While everything is always fresh and delicious, at this stage in the day lots will be sold out, but you can usually rely on a portion of mussels in white wine and cream to enjoy beside the harbour!

Written by Graeme Johncock Greame has recently written a book called ‘Scotland's Stories by Graeme Johncock’ Grab a copy here.

Spotlight: Skye Monkstadt 1745 Restaurant with Rooms

A handsome house with history seeping out of the stonework, a smattering of four posters and bona fide Bonnie Prince Charlie credentials; Monkstadt 1745 is a luxury restaurant with rooms with a handful of smart self-catering cottages in a converted steading. After the Battle of Culloden in 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie, fleeing government forces with the help of Flora Macdonald, landed on the shore below the house. At the time, the house was the seat of the Clan Donald and Lady Margaret Macdonald, the laird’s wife and a Jacobite sympathiser, gave them provisions and helped them escape. By 1798, however, the family had moved to the newly restored Armadale Castle in Sleat in the south of Skye and the house fell into disrepair. When it was purchased by the MacQueen family in the 1980s it was a ruin. They began a painstaking restoration and today you can sleep in one of the luxurious suites named after historic characters linked to the house - or the sunset suite in the garden with its sea view hot tub.

The Monkstadt 1745 Restaurant with Rooms enhances this experience, inviting guests to relax in the cosy panelled dining room where traditional Scottish and world cuisine is beautifully prepared. As part of our diverse culinary offerings, a special Vegan Tasting Menu is also available, featuring dishes such as roasted white onion soup with vegan cheese, beetroot carpaccio with a pickled walnut dressing, and a seaweed and root vegetable terrine with crispy tofu. Priced at £84.95 per person, inclusive of VAT, this menu provides a sumptuous option for those seeking plant-based delicacies amidst the serene views of traditional working croft land and tasteful Jacobite-themed décor.

Follow Skye Monkstadt 1745 on Instagram or find out more here.

For more amazing things to see in Skye check out our Best of Skye Guidebook, available now.

Caol Ila, Islay - By Simon Hird

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