
I had a tour today of the very new Highland Archive Centre in Inverness: four large temperature and humidity controlled rooms house a mass of maps, records, letters, books, some dating from the 15th century...

Scottish Clans and Castles Another fascinating day at 'Scotland's Global Impact'. Big Question: following the attempted genocide after Culloden, why did so many Highlanders join the British Army? Partial answers: 1. Only 1/3 of the clans were actively Jacobite. ...2. People had to eat, and the army was a good outlet for Celtic martial vigour. 3. There was already a tradition of Highlanders joining the British Army.Read more

I've had a fascinating couple of days at 'Scotland's Global Impact' Conference in Inverness. I expected to learn more about well.....

Scottish Clans and Castles Advertised our 2010 Outlander Tour at about midday, two bookings in already. The reason, I suspect, is that part of the deal is dinner with Diana Gabaldon in a 17th century castle...
Source: www.clansandcastles.com
A guided tour, based on the Outlander series of novels by Diana Gabaldon. Experienced Highland guides give an insight into life here in the 18th Century.

It has been a lovely bright autumn weekend and I took a walk to a local landmark called the 'Stone of the Maiden'...

Scottish Clans and Castles Great day with clients on Skye today - Dunvegan Castle, two hours in a 'black house' with stories of Celtic legends, Pictish symbol stone and 14th century church, then a boat trip from Portree with a sea eagle swooping down to pick up fish thrown from the boat! Picture to follow, I hope.

Yesterday I spent a happy late afternoon in the Cawdor Castle gardens, trying out a new camera. For many the word 'Cawdor' brings just a faint echo of 'Thane of Cawdor' in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'. In fact Macbeth became king of Scotland in 1040; and so long before the castle was built (circa...

Scottish Clans and Castles Decided to go to 'Scotland's Global Impact' Conference at Inverness in October. Extraordinarily impressive line up of speakers and some unusual topics.
Source: www.uhi.ac.uk
Dr Dauvit Broun: "The arrival of the Gaels in Pictland"Alex Woolf: "The English in Scotland before the Wars of Independence."James Fraser, University of Edinburgh (title TBC)

Scotland finds itself blinking in the spotlight of international attention. The land of tartan, whisky, clans and castles suddenly has a role on the world stage.So how did this unusual situation come about?Well, it all goes back to the Union of Scotland and England to form a United Kingdom in 1707...

We had just under two hundred people in Edinburgh during The Gathering - a busy time for our small company. And once everyone was safely back home, I took a few welcome days off in the South of France...

Scottish Clans and Castles
Went to the launch of Highland Homecoming (19 - 31 October). Programme is out late, but what an amazing series of events - traditional music, exhibitions, ceilidhs, storytelling! The heart of the festival is Eden Court Theatre in Inverness but t...here are events throughout the Highlands. If anyone would like to attend... we have hotel and B&B rooms available and will organise associated tours or car hire as required.Read more

The redcoats stopped when they saw the funeral. A troop of six was escorting the bread wagon to Inverness and any gathering of Highlanders was worth a look in 1746 - there might be a wanted man, an illegal weapon...

We book quite a lot of clients into Ethie Castle, near Arbroath. Built in the 14th century, it was originally the residence of the Abbot of Arbroath, Cardinal Beaton, who later became Archbishop of St Andrews and was murdered by Protestant reformers...










