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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.

There is still time to pre-order for Issue 10! click here to find out more

Each pre-order is wrapped by hand with a bookmark and print included. Available for a limited time only.

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

Still time to Pre-Order

It brings us enormous pleasure to welcome you to Issue 10 of Hidden Scotland Magazine, our Spring/Summer 2025 edition.

As an independent publication, the fact that we’ve now reached a double-figure landmark is a source of huge pride – and as such, we wanted this issue to be a celebration.

All pre-orders will come with:

→ Neidpath Castle bookmark
→ A5 print of the front cover image

Each magazine is wrapped by hand with bookmark and print included. Available for a limited time only.

If you are a subscriber to Hidden Scotland magazine, then your order will also arrive with the bookmark and print.

We hope that you enjoy issue 10 and as always, thank you for your continued support.

We will begin shipping from Scotland early April.

The Lighthouse Family

Scotland's dramatic coastline stands dotted with 207 lighthouses – each a triumph over nature's fury. These guiding lights perch on storm-battered cliffs and remote islands, marking treacherous shores for seafarers. Behind these engineering marvels stands an extraordinary tale of one family's vision – the Stevensons – who across generations shaped Scotland's maritime silhouette through determination, innovation and remarkable resilience.

Inchkeith, Hoxa Head and Girdleness. Bass Rock, Sule Skerry and the Butt of Lewis. Ushenish, Rhuvaal and Muckle Flugga. The list of Scotland’s lighthouses – which now stretches to some 207 different sites around the country – reads like an atlas of places to get away from it all. These exposed, gust-blown beacons dot some of the wildest, most remote parts of the coastline, each one representing a minor miracle of engineering. They sit on cliffs, ledges, breakwaters and islands. More remarkably still, the vast majority of them were designed by multiple generations of the same family.

Their story begins with a Glaswegian sugar trader dying of fever in the Caribbean. The man was Alan Stevenson, whose 1774 death brought his family’s income to an abrupt halt. Back in Scotland he left a young wife, Jean, and a twoyear-old son, Robert. The boy was sent to a charity school, then later moved to Edinburgh with his mother, where she married a lamp-maker named Thomas Smith. This simple twist of fate would shape the look of Scotland’s coastline for centuries to come.

Back in the late 18th century, the Industrial Revolution had spurred a growing demand for sea commerce. But while the shipping lanes around Scotland were well used, they could also be treacherous. No mariner wanted to be scuppered on the rocks, however lucrative the job. So 1786 saw the formation of the Northern Lighthouse Board, tasked with making the coastline safer to negotiate. Thomas, whose reputation was strong after working on street lighting in Edinburgh, was invited to become part of the new team. He was, it seems, a good sort, and he took his stepson under his wing by arranging for Robert to be employed as an apprentice.

The teenage boy took to the work well, enjoying the mix of adventure and creativity that lighthouse design entailed. It took guile and determination, after all, to create vast towers that could face down the Scottish elements in far-flung, inhospitable locations. By the age of 19, young Robert showed so much promise that he was entrusted with supervising the construction of Little Cumbrae Lighthouse in the Firth of Clyde. It’s still there today, standing sentry above the cliffs.

The rest is legend. Robert spent close to half a century as an engineer for the Northern Lighthouse Board, designing and overseeing at least 19 coastal beacons around Scotland. His masterpiece – or rather one of many – was Bell Rock Lighthouse, constructed on a notorious reef more than 11 miles off the Angus coast. It was built on a perilous, uneven surface only accessible at low tide, taking a team of 60 men more than three years to finish. The solidity of its design means the stonework remains unchanged to this day, despite being pummelled by more than 200 years’ worth of raging North Sea waves.

Robert also revolutionised the type and efficacy of the lights themselves, introducing the idea of rotating oil lamps in front of silver-plated parabolic reflectors. But in many ways, his legacy was only just beginning. He had ten children, three of whom – David, Alan and Thomas – chose to continue the same profession as their father. David joined the Northern Lighthouse Board. Alan and Thomas oversaw the building of more than 30 lighthouses apiece, all at one point manned by keepers. The Stevenson dynasty was in full flow.

If Robert’s magnum opus was Bell Rock, his son Alan ran him close with the construction of Skerryvore Lighthouse, a six-year undertaking on a rocky island 11 miles off the west coast. It was a fiendish commission. The island was, and is, tiny; the tower weighed some 4,300 tons, using granite quarried on Mull; the first barrack built to hold the 40-man workforce was destroyed in a gale. But the project succeeded, eventually, taking from 1838 to 1844 to complete. With 151 interior steps it remains the tallest lighthouse in Scotland.

The family tale doesn’t end there. David’s two sons, Charles and David, continued in the same singular trade, designing and creating almost 30 lighthouses between them, pushing the Stevenson production line right through to the 1930s. It’s almost no exaggeration to say that the wilds of the Scottish coast have been bent to one family’s will. Mention also has to go, of course, to the most famous Stevenson of the lot. Thomas was disappointed when his only son, born in 1850, declined to go into the family business. But Robert Louis Stevenson was destined for a fate of his own, going on to write world-famous works such as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. He also penned a poem, called The LightKeeper. Its verses give testament to an ancestral obsession.

words // Ben Lerwill - photography // Simon Hird

Taken from Issue 06 of the Hidden Scotland Magazine

A Day Around Northern Arran – Scotland In Miniature

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.

Scotland has lots of islands, but none quite like the Isle of Arran. Nestled in the Firth of Clyde, it’s somewhere that I feel the excitement building as the ferry crosses over. Arran has a wee bit of everything including distilleries, castles, stone circles, waterfalls and important wildlife. The Highland Boundary Line even divides the island into Highlands and Lowlands. No wonder the Isle of Arran is known as Scotland in Miniature!

There’s so much to see on Arran that it can’t be done in a single day, but if you only have 24 hours, I would explore the northern half of the island!

Brodick Castle

Start your day exploring Arran at one of its most impressive sites! Run by the National Trust for Scotland, Brodick Castle was once a lavish home for the powerful Hamilton family. At its core, the building dates back to the 1200s, but you wouldn’t think it today.

Brodick was doubled in size and completely redesigned by Princess Marie of Baden who married the future 11th Duke of Hamilton. She made sure that this place was fit for her title and its opulent rooms and rows of antlers are a Downton Abbey fan’s dream!

Just keep your eyes and ears open for the Grey Lady ghost who likes to haunt the servant’s quarters...

North Glen Sannox Waterfall Walk

Time to stretch the legs with one of the most underrated waterfall walks in Scotland, somewhere that in my opinion rivals the beauty of the Fairy Pools of Skye. The first of the North Glen Sannox Falls are reached quickly from the car park and the further you go, the better the view of the dramatic mountain ridge.

It’s a popular spot for swimming on a hot day but just remember, the water is always icy cold!

Lochranza Distillery

Walking on Arran works up a thirst and there’s no better place to quench it than at the Lochranza Distillery. Even if you don’t have time for a tour or tasting around the award-winning distillery, you can enjoy a dram or two in the bar. That’ll put some warmth back into you if you did any swimming at the falls!

Lochranza Castle

The northernmost castle on Arran is a picturesque ruin, built by the MacSweens in the 13th century to guard the Kilbrannan Sound. It’s almost entirely surrounded by water and on a clear day, when the sun is shining, the reflections are stunning. The door is usually open for visitors to see what’s left inside this historic spot!

Lunch At The Sandwich Station

Located near the northern ferry on Arran, the tiny Sandwich Station makes impossibly good sandwiches. If the 5-spice slow roast pork is an option, I’d highly recommend it!

Sailor’s Grave

This tiny spot on the northwest of Arran is easily missed, but a pile of stones beside a layby marks the Sailor’s Grave. The story goes that in 1854, residents of Lochranza and nearby Catacol refused to let a sailor who had died at sea be buried in their graveyards for fear of disease.

Instead, he was buried between the two and residents would drop pebbles from the beach on his grave every time they passed, possibly asking for his forgiveness.

Machrie Moor Standing Stones

There aren’t many standing stones as easily recognisable as Machrie Moor. After around half an hour of walking from the car park, you reach an incredible ceremonial landscape. There are dozens of standing stones, burial cairns and hut circles dating back thousands of years. Legend says that they were created by fairies flicking the huge stones down from the hills that surround Machrie Moor. There’s even one boulder with a hole in it that locals once poured milk through as an offering to the Wee Folk.

King’s Cave

The west coast of the island is littered with sea caves, but there’s one that’s more important than the rest! That’s King’s Cave and it’s said to be where Robert the Bruce hid during the winter of 1306. Nobody knows for sure if it’s true, but Arran has always been one of the candidates for the King’s winter hideout. Guarded by a metal gate which is now left open, this is where Bruce is said to have watched a spider building its web. The wee beastie fell a dozen times before succeeding in its task, inspiring Bruce to continue fighting and coining the phrase, “If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.”

It’s one of my favourite spots in all of Arran!

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

Edinburgh’s Star-studded cast of chefs

There’s never been a better time to eat out in the Scottish capital. In February at The Good Food Guide’s annual awards, Edinburgh was named the most exciting food destination for 2025. Then, hot on its heels, this year’s Michelin Stars were announced with Edinburgh bagging two more for recently launched restaurants Lyla and Avery, and Bib Gourmands - a shout out to restaurants offering great food without the wallet-busting price tag - to another two, Rebecca Hall McCarron’s casual dining outpost, Ardfern down in Leith and Skua, Tomas Gormley’s tiny basement eatery in northerly neighbourhood, Stockbridge.

Lyla is Stuart Ralston’s fourth restaurant in the capital following Aizle, Noto and Tipo. He took over the site of the late Paul Kitching’s restaurant with rooms, 21212, opening at the end of 2023 with a 10-course sustainable seafood-focused tasting menu. Meanwhile, American chef Rodney Wages, transplanted his Michelin-starred restaurant, Avery, from San Francisco to Stockbridge in 2024.

Located on St Stephen Street with its eclectic mix of boutiques, bookshops and bars, this is also where you’ll find Skua, Gormley’s hole-in-the-wall restaurant with its late night drinking den vibe and a menu of inventive seasonal small plates. And one of the most exciting openings this year – even if it’s only March – Moss. Ex-Noma chef Henry Dobson launched his farm-to-table restaurant at the end of January – with 90 products sourced from his Angus farm, including the tables, crafted from wind-felled lime trees and the crockery made by his wife Akiko from clay dug up on the farm. And then there’s the Stockbridge Eating House.

The Gardener’s Cottage and the Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage on top of Calton Hill were last year’s shock closures, but chef Dale Mailley has already staged a comeback with this no-frills communal dining spot with intriguingly retro combos – bone marrow and dripping toast or roast hare anyone? And weekday set lunches for just £14.95.

Stockbridge is fast becoming the city’s standout foodie hangout. Just one street away, a few doors down from hip cheese, charcuterie and wine bar Smith & Gertrude, ‘chef’s table’, Eorna, is a two-man show run by chef Brian Grigor and sommelier Glen Montgomery with just 12 seats around a counter.

Edinburgh has always taken its food seriously. Seven of Scotland’s 13 Michelin stars can be found in the capital – including Timberyard which nabbed the Good Food Guide’s Drinks List of the Year along with sister restaurant Montrose. But despite all the accolades it’s never been just about fine dining. The food scene here isn’t stuffy. Some of the most popular spots are the neighbourhood bistros – one of the friendliest LeftField on the Meadows - the farm-to-tables, the supper clubs. What sets it apart is its accessibility as well as its culinary acrobatics and with a flurry of new openings it is hands-down the UK’s most exciting food destination - this year and possibly longer.

Written by Lucy Gillmore.

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