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This week’s Hidden Scotland Weekly brings together old ballads, slate quarries, highland peninsulas, and one of Edinburgh’s darkest public reckonings.

We begin in the Borders, where the story of Tam Lin has been passed down for centuries. A tale of defiance and determination, it follows Janet, a young woman who refuses to be afraid of the forest or the fairies who roam it.

Up in the Highlands, Graeme Johncock shares a day-long journey across the Black Isle. It starts with dolphins in the Moray Firth and ends among Cromarty’s quiet lanes. Along the way are Pictish stones, clootie wells, and plenty of places to stop for food and stories.

On Easdale Island, a flooded quarry and a few hundred spectators set the stage for the World Stone Skimming Championships. The rules are simple. The atmosphere isn’t. We spoke to Toss Master Kyle Mathews to find out why this slate island draws competitors from around the globe.

We’re also looking back to 7 September 1736, when a mob broke into the Old Tolbooth and lynched Captain John Porteous. His secret pardon sparked a riot that would shake Edinburgh and lead to one of the strangest chapters in the city’s legal history.

As always, there’s a quiz, some curious facts, and a few ideas for your next escape.

Thanks for reading, and for being part of the Hidden Scotland community.

The Ballad of Tam Lin

It’s no surprise that some of Scotland’s oldest and best known folk stories come from the Borders. Young women were often warned to avoid the forest of Carterhaugh to protect them from a mysterious fairy called Tam Lin. The daughter of the local landowner wouldn’t listen to the warnings though. Janet had been gifted this forest by her father and she would walk in it if she pleased.

As she wandered the forest picking flowers, Janet suddenly found herself face to face with Tam Lin. Tam challenged her for entering his forest and stealing his flowers, but Janet wouldn’t back down. The two were evenly matched for bravery, wits and beauty.

Before long, the argument developed into something much more pleasant. Soon after Janet returned home, she discovered that she was pregnant. With the father a fairy, there was no hope of marriage and she would be forced to raise the child on her own.

The pregnant Janet returned to the forest and finds Tam Lin there once more. Unsure of what to do, Tam revealed that he used to be a mortal man but has been trapped by the fairies. He feared that his time was coming to an end though, soon he will be offered up as a payment to hell. Tam begged Janet to rescue him and together, they came up with a plan.

That night, the fairy procession rode past with Tam Lin on a white horse. Suddenly, Janet appeared from her hiding place and pulled her lover from the horse, catching him in her arms. The Queen of the Fairies transformed Tam Lin into hideous beasts in an attempt to force Janet to drop him but she held firm.

When at last he was transformed into a burning coal, Janet threw Tam Lin into a well and he changed back into a man. His saviour quickly threw her cloak around him, shielding him from view. The Queen was furious but there was nothing more she could do. Tam was mortal again to live his life with Janet and their child.

Words by Graeme Johncock

On This Day in 1736: Captain Porteous Is Lynched in Edinburgh

On 7 September 1736, an angry crowd stormed the Old Tolbooth in Edinburgh and took justice into their own hands. Captain John Porteous, commander of the City Guard, had been sentenced to death for ordering his men to fire into a crowd during a public execution. Six people were killed. When news came that he had been secretly pardoned, the city erupted.

That night, a mob broke into the Tolbooth, dragged Porteous into the street, and lynched him. No one was ever convicted for his murder. The event shocked the government and led to a full inquiry, but no one truly answered for what happened. The Tolbooth is long gone, but the spot where he died, just off the Royal Mile, remains part of Edinburgh’s darker history.

A Day Around The Black Isle

When is an island not an island? When it’s the Black Isle just north of Inverness! Surrounded by the sea on three sides, this peninsula isn’t quite cut off from the mainland by rivers on its western border, but like all islands, it does have a unique feeling. It’s a compact area, but still somewhere that I can happily spend a day exploring the history, wildlife and folklore!

Chanonry Point

Starting at Chanonry Point, this narrow spit of land jutting out into the Moray Firth is one of the best places to watch bottlenose dolphins leaping amongst the waves. Early in the morning, the crowds haven’t formed yet and while I can’t promise you a sighting, it’s such a beautiful spot that a visit is never wasted.

Brahan Seer Memorial

You’ll also find a monument here to Kenneth Mackenzie aka Coinneach Odhar aka the Brahan Seer. This mysterious figure from the 1600s is said to have had the power of prophecy, but his gift would be his downfall.

When the Countess of Seaforth asked the Seer to spy on her husband in France, she wasn’t happy to discover the Earl was in bed with another lady. Taking her anger out on the messenger, she had Kenneth stuffed in a barrel and killed right here at Chanonry Point!

Fortrose Cathedral
5 minute drive

Not far away, the ruins of the 13th century Fortrose Cathedral make a peaceful place to visit. Once the seat of the Bishop of Ross, it was still partly used after the religious reformation in 1560, although around a hundred years later, much of the red sandstone walls were dismantled to build a citadel in Inverness. Although a shadow of its former self, Fortrose still makes an impressive sight!

Munlochy Clootie Well
10 minute drive

The Black Isle has a long history and nowhere symbolises that more for me than at the Clootie Well near Munlochy. A short walk through the woods takes you to a small spring with an ancient tradition. If you have an illness or a pain, wash it with a rag (cloot in Scots) that’s been dipped in the waters. That cloot should then be tied to a nearby tree and as it rots away, your ailment will disappear with it. It’s important to remember that your rag MUST be biodegradable, otherwise not only will the ritual not work, but you’ll be leaving behind litter in a very special place!

Lunch at IV10 Café Bar Deli
10 minute drive

IV10 is a great spot for lunch with an ever-changing menu based on what’s seasonal, fresh and available locally. Either sit down for a full meal, graze on bar snacks or share a delicious charcuterie board!

Groam House Museum 
5 minute drive

For more insights to this unique part of the Highlands, step inside the Groam House Museum! There are lots of interesting things inside, but I’m always drawn to the intricately carved Pictish Stones. Around 1200 years ago, the Black Isle was an important place for the Picts and here you can get a little closer to these mysterious people.

Wander The Streets Of Cromarty
15 minute drive

Almost at the very tip of the Black Isle, Cromarty is one of my favourite places to just quietly wander. It’s not big, but its narrow lanes, coloured buildings and fisher houses give it buckets of character! If you’re looking for an afternoon caffeine boost, The Last Splash is a great spot for coffee near the harbour!

The Emigration Stone
5 minute walk

Just a short walk along the shore, take it the massive Emigration Stone and read the poignant carved words. Around the edge are the names of 38 ships that sailed from Cromarty, through the massive twin headlands known as the Sutors, on their way to the New World in the 1830s and 40s. The words in the centre are from Hugh Miller as he watched the Cleopatra sail away, filled with a mixture of people who had no choice but to leave and those who were excited about a new life across the ocean.

Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Museum
5 minute walk

Hugh Miller was a fascinating local character and you can visit his Birthplace Museum run by the National Trust for Scotland. Hugh was a self-taught geologist and folklorist, considered one of the greatest Scots of the 19th century. Even if you aren’t too interested in the fossils or the stories that Hugh collected, the house itself is a fascinating place to visit!

Cromarty East Church
3 minute walk

Finish up your day in the Black Isle with one of Cromarty’s hidden gems. Tucked away at the end of the village is the East Church and while it doesn’t look like much from the outside, stepping through the doors will take you back in time. Make sure to head upstairs to enjoy the beautifully painted panels surrounding pews reserved for the wealthier worshippers!

You can read more of Graeme Johncock’s stories and itineraries over on our site — including his latest travel guides, historical insights, and curious tales from across Scotland.

Running the World’s Most Unusual Sporting Event

This weekend, a few hundred people gathered around a flooded slate quarry on Easdale Island for one of the most unusual and joyful events in Scotland. There were cheers, splashes, quiet moments of focus, and the occasional team in costume. The World Stone Skimming Championships were back.

The rules are simple. Use a local Easdale stone, step up to the slate platform, and throw. The furthest legal skim wins. Some come to compete. Others just come to have a go. Either way, the energy is the same. Fun, friendly, and surprisingly intense.

At the centre of it all is Kyle Mathews, Easdale local and official Toss Master. He keeps the day moving, announces every name, and makes sure the rules are followed. We caught up with Kyle to find out what makes this small island the global home of stone skimming.

To start off, could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your role in the Stone Skimming Championships? (e.g. how you got involved, what you do on the day, and what keeps you coming back)
My name is Kyle Mathews. I am a resident of Easdale Island and the official Toss Master of the World Stone Skimming Championships.

When and where did the Stone Skimming Championships first begin? How did the idea come about?
The Championships first started on the island in 1983 by Bertie Baker. Like all the best ideas, it came out of a conversation in the island pub. The first World Championships were held the very next day. The event then lay fallow until 1997, when it was resurrected by the island community charity Eilean Eisdeal and has been run annually ever since, excluding a break for three years due to Covid.
The most important aspect of the event is that it is run by volunteers from the island, and all the proceeds go to charity. The majority goes to Easdale's own charity, Eilean Eisdeal, which raises money to maintain the island harbour, hall, and museum—vital lifelines for the community. Yet, as the event grows, it also raises significant amounts of money for our neighbouring island, the local primary school, and local charities including the community choir, cinema club, and elderly transport club, as well as raising money for the RNLI and Scottish Air Ambulance. Last year’s event raised over £15,000, all of which went to charity.

Can you tell us a bit about the location – why is it the ideal place for stone skimming?
Easdale Island is the home of stone skimming. Completely made of slate, it is the island that roofed the world—as a centre of slate mining in the 1700s–1800s, with slates from Easdale travelling across the world to Australia, Canada, and America.
In 1881, a large storm hit the island, flooding the seven quarries overnight. Today, these look like seven Olympic-sized swimming pools on the island—perfect for cold water swimming and skimming stones. One of these is the championship quarry where the tournament takes place.

As the island is made of slate, its beaches are full of perfect flat skimming stones. It is rare to find a location that has both perfect skimming water and perfect stones. This is because the best water to skim stones is flat and calm, whilst to create skimming stones, rough waves are needed. As Easdale sits on the Atlantic, the seas create the perfect stones, whilst the quarries provide the perfect flat skimming conditions.
In 2018, the island charity Eilean Eisdeal bought the quarry from the island's owner, making the championship quarry the only purposely purchased skimming arena in the world. Not only does the quarry provide perfect skimming waters, but it also creates a rock amphitheatre, enabling hundreds of spectators to line the edges of the quarry cheering on our competitors.

Roughly how many people take part each year – and where do they come from?
350 skimmers compete each year for the world title, of all ages, from across the world. This year, 27 countries are represented. We have four categories: U10 (open and female), U16 (open and female), adult (open and female), and the over-60 “Old Tosser” category (open and female), plus a team competition.

As the tournament's 'Toss Master', what exactly does your role involve?
On the day, as Toss Master, I am the tournament director, there to make sure the tournament runs smoothly. I announce every competitor as they step onto the 'Skim of Destiny'—a large slate platform from where all throws must take place. I also watch every throw and make sure rules are applied to each competitor. If there are any disputes, my word is final.

What are the official rules competitors need to follow? Are there any disqualifying throws?
Each competitor has three throws. They must use stone from Easdale Island. These have unique features, including containing iron pyrite, which makes them identifiable. Each stone must be less than three inches in diameter, easily passing through the 'Ring of Truth' (a 3-inch-wide circular measurer). All stones must be thrown from the Skim of Destiny.
A legal throw must hit the water at least three times (i.e. two bounces and a sink minimum), and it must stay at all times within the Skim Zone—a lane of buoys similar to a swimming lane.

How is the winner decided – is it based on distance, number of skips, or something else?
Stone skimming is all about distance. In America, they do 'stone skipping', which is all about the number of bounces. Here, simply the furthest throw wins. But the unique feature of the World Championships is that we are the only skimming competition in the world with an endpoint: 'the back wall'.
Because the quarry is 63 metres wide, hitting the back wall is the aim. This provides quite a psychological challenge, as 25 ft of slate stares down at our competitors as they stand up to throw.

The world record distance of stone skimming is 128m, held by Dougie Isaacs, the 8x World Champion. Yet in practice, many competitors throw further—up to 150m. This means that each year several of the best competitors will hit the back wall and therefore be tied. These players then go through to the final 'Toss Off'.
In the Toss Off, they receive three more stones, and the cumulative distance of all three throws added together is taken, with the highest score winning. This means things start to get tactical. If one of your three throws drifts outside the legal area, then it is very unlikely you will win. So suddenly our competitors become more cautious. This is why the competition is perfect for the World Championships—because to win it, yes, you need distance, but you also need consistency, accuracy, and guts to do the business with hundreds of people watching every throw.

What’s the atmosphere like on the day – more competitive or community celebration?
The atmosphere is amazing. Last year was our biggest ever, with over 1,200 spectators watching and cheering each throw. In the final Toss Off, the tension was palpable as each finalist received a huge cheer on stepping up to the Skim of Destiny—only for silence to take over as they started their throws.

Do you have any standout memories from past years – funny moments, great performances, unexpected happenings?
In 2023, I was contacted in advance by a team from Australia seeking permission to use our logo on their team costume. On the day, they didn’t seem to be wearing any particular outfits—that is, until they stepped up onto the Skim of Destiny, when each team member removed their clothes to reveal their team costume: budgie smugglers.
It took me quite a while to realise where they had put the logo. A sign of their commitment to the event—particularly as it was raining at the time.

How has the event grown or changed over the years?
Since Covid, the event has modernised, with online entries and ticket sales in advance. The popularity grows every year as we sell out faster and faster. A wonderful problem to have.

When and where is the 2025 competition taking place? How can people take part or attend?
The event is taking place on the 6th of September and is free for spectators. Entries have sold out. This year, they sold out in under three minutes as over 2,000 people tried to get a spot—making us way more popular than Oasis!

How do you actually choose or prepare the perfect skimming stones for the day? Do organisers ever have to source or manage a stone supply?
Prior to the event, we collect buckets of stones—roughly over 1,000—which are available to competitors on the day. Though many of the serious skimmers come to Easdale earlier in the year and select their own stones, often taking them home and practising with each to see what works best for them.

What’s the most unexpected thing that’s ever happened during the event?
Last year, 15 competitors hit the back, resulting in a 15-man Toss Off. This was the largest ever in tournament history, yet after each skimmer had their three extra throws, we still had a tie—as two skimmers had thrown the exact same distance.
As a result, for the first time in 40 years, we went to sudden death tossing, where the two remaining skimmers selected one stone each. Simon Power from Ireland threw a very cautious 36m, whilst Fred Savage of England really went for it, losing control and throwing his stone outside of the Skim Zone, giving Simon the title.
It was incredibly tense, and you could have heard a pin drop as the hundreds of spectators held their breath before gasping as Fred's stone went wide.

Have you seen people travel a long way just to take part? What motivates the die-hards to return year after year?
Yes, this is truly an international event befitting the title of World Championships. This year, we have competitors from 27 countries participating. We regularly have competitors fly in from across Europe, Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

What’s your own earliest memory of the event — before you were an organiser?
I watched a wonderful documentary about the event called Sink or Skim on the BBC. It’s now available to watch online.

If someone came to the event not knowing anything about it, what do you hope they leave with?
A smile and a story to tell. This is nothing but a fun, positive event in today's world. There's at least one thing that unites us all... we've all thrown a stone.

The World Stone Skimming Championships are unlike any other event in Scotland. It’s simple, joyful, and built around community. To learn more about the rules, the history, or how to take part next year, visit the official website at stoneskimming.com.

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