THE GATHERING

As part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations it was decided that a gathering of representatives from all of the Scottish clans was needed. This led to the aptly named 'Gathering' weekend event held in the parklands adjacent to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, at the eastern end of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh. We attended on the Saturday to see what went on at such an event..

A major part of the event was the 'clan village' with a collection of 60 or so clan tents providing info and souveneirs on the respective clans. This is Clan Stewart, formerly of Stirling Castle (see previous post) and also the name of Carly's (Chelsea residing) cousins back home..

There were also piping and marching bands that had travelled from all over the world to take part in the event..

Of course no proper Scottish getogether would be complete without some Highland Games! In the background is the main music stage..

There were more kilts in attendance than you could poke a haggis at! These two gentlemen are proud members of Clan Wallace..

Holyrood Park is situated just over a mile east of Edinburgh Castle and the city centre yet feels like it's much farther away. Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags are two of the reasons why, providing a backdrop more akin to a highland glen than a lowland city park. They also provide a nice vantage point for those not willing to pay the entry fee!..

Looking across the main arena to Arthur's Seat..

The very new and temporary set aginst the backdrop of the very old and (almost?) permanent..

Wouldn't be Highland games without the Caber Toss!..

The guys warmed up with a 'small' caber of 19ft which they all tossed easily, so the decision was made to try the 22ft caber..

Caber - mid toss!..

I don't think we've witnessed a more Scottish scene than this one - bagpipes, drums, the Saltire and some caber comedy!..

The commentator was a little harsh though!..

The saturday afternoon crowd..

The Murray Clan tent, Evan's grandad's name..

The root of all that is Murray!..

On the walk back through the Edinburgh Old Town to the station we passed by Calton Hill. This is the old Governor's House..

The Balmoral Hotel, Evan's new(ish) work place and a far far (far!) cry from the Arisaig Hotel!..

The Balmoral is one of, if not the best, hotels in Edinburgh and a landmark in it's own right. The clocktower has been set 3 minutes fast for the past 107 years to ensure train travellers heading to Waverley Station (next door) don't miss their train..

A typical street view in the Old Town..

Of course any post about Edinburgh wouldn't quite be complete without a picture of the castle..

And to finish, a pic of the East Princes Street Gardens, taken from the National Gallery on a sunny Saturday afternoon..


That's all from Edinburgh for the moment! Stay tuned for more soon!..

STIRLING, BRUCE, WALLACE & ALLAN

A few weeks back we jumped on the train and headed to the iconic and very historical region of Stirling. Situated just to the north of Glasgow and Edinburgh in central Scotland this area has played host to some of the most important dates, events and characters of Scotland for the past 700 years or so. It's also a unique environment where the Lowlands begin to rise and merge into the Highlands.
Arriving early Saturday afternoon in the midst of a typical Scottish (summer!) downpour we decided the best course of action would be to visit Stirling Castle, to give us some shelter from the rain..

Perched high on a hill above the town of Stirling, the views from the castle over the surrounding country are amazing. This is the Wallace Monument and the Ochill Hills, as seen from the castle forecourt..

Robert the Bruce standing tall at the castle entrance, looking out over the valleys and the Wallace Monument..

The ditch/moat below the main gate..

Looking down from the western side of the castle to the remains of the King's Knot - a 16th Century garden that was built on raised terraces..

The interior roof beams of the Great Hall - the largest of it's kind in Scotland. They don't make 'em like they used to!..

The Chapel Royal, rebuilt in 1594 (!) for the christening of Prince Henry..

Tapestries in the Chapel Royal ("This is a castle and vee do have tapestries!" Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)..

The North Gate and the Great Hall (white building). The North Gate contains the oldest stonework of the castle, dating from 1380..

Looking across the Royal Garden, passed the Prince's Tower to the countryside beyond..

The Casemates (now a museum) and the other side of the Royal Garden..

The northern view from the main entrance..

Another shot of the Wallace Monument, standing tall on Abbey Craig..

After touring the castle we decided a quick pint or two was required. Part of the bar in the Portcullis pub, just outside the castle walls. The pint in the foreground is probably the best one Evan has had (so far) in Scotland - Cairngorms Trade Winds - nice!..

Next day, with the weather having cleared somewhat, we took a walk a few miles west of Stirling to the area known as Bannockburn, scene of one of Scotland's greatest military victories over England..

Robert the Bruce, King of Scots. The man who led the charge against the invading English army in 1314, during the Wars of Independence. The English army (a force of around 20,000) had marched to Stirling to relieve troops who were under seige in the castle. Robert the Bruce's brother, Edward, had made a pact with the English troops holding the castle that if no reinforcements arrived to relieve them by midsummer 1314, they would surrender the castle to Bruce..

Of course the arriving English army also wanted to wipe out any resistance they came across, and Robert the Bruce wanted to settle things once and for all. This is the view of Stirling Castle from the battlefield, the closest the English got in 1314..

Bruce himself fought in the battle, which lasted more than 2 days..

After visiting Bannockburn we travelled a few miles east to the other monument of Scottish pride and resistance - the William Wallace Monument. Completed in 1869 of sandstone the gothic style tower is 220 feet high and dominates the local area..

In the Hall of Heroes are a number of busts of various Scottish heroes and two stained glass windows. This one depicts Robert the Bruce, King of Scots..

This is Sir William Wallace, Guardian of Scotland, holding his two-handed Claymore sword..

Navigating through the tower is difficult thanks to the narrow spiral staircase but once you reach the top the views make it all worthwhile. Looking over the Forth River towards Stirling..

Stirling village with the castle perched high on the hill..

The NW view looking across the valleys to Ben Lomond, shrouded in cloud and rain..

The Wallace Sword. Said to be the original sword (although hotly debated) used by Wallace over 700 years ago at the Battle of Stirling Bridge and the Battle of Falkirk. It is a huge Claymore, standing 5 feet 4 inches with the blade itself over 4 feet long..

Sir William Wallace raising his claymore above the entrance to the monument..

After visiting the monument we walked into the nearby village of Bridge of Allan to have some lunch and visit one of the recommendations of the Lonely Planet Guide..

The Bridge of Allan (micro) Brewery!. A tiny brewery off the main street of the village it was one of the highlights of our weekend..

When we walked in the owner, who was behind the bar, told us to take a seat then insisted on supplying a steady stream of free tastings! Left to right in this pic are Lomond Gold (blonde), Raspberry Ale (delicious with a 'tart' finish), Porridge Oat Stout (very nice) and 1488 Whiskey Beer (strong!)..

Also working that day was Bronwyn, the brewery mascot and resident canine who has even featured on one of her own beer labels..

This place was fantastic, with the hospitality afforded by Doug and Bronwyn coupled with the small intimate surroundings it felt more like someone's loungeroom or backyard bar rather than a commercial brewery!..

Too true!..


Stay tuned for another update coming sooner rather than later, with a report from 'The Gathering' in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park..