SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS
JULY 5-19, 2002 WITH GLOBUS TRAVEL
Following is a narrative that accompanies the video tape.
Day 1, Friday
Originally I had planned to take this trip with Annette along with her relatives, the Tisdales of Arizona. Vern Tisdale cancelled out because of heart trouble and Annette followed suit for the same reason. Since I had already made reservations with Globus Travel and there was a stiff penalty for cancellation, I chose to go on my own. My international flight from Minneapolis on Air Canada took me to Toronto and then on to Glasgow
Day 2, Saturday
The plane arrived at the Glasgow airport and was met by Bob Kenny of Globus who escorted us to our shuttle bus. From the bus I taped a road sign with an indication of Glasgow. We passed over the River Clyde and entered the central city.
The Holiday Inn was not ready with our room assignments so our guide Bob Kenny suggested we take in our own self-guided city walk to pass the time. Fortunately, we were situated in an excellent location (Bothwell Street, see map) and the weather cooperated for the venture.
There was a lot of commotion on Vincent Street so I checked it out. It turned out to be a massive Protestant Orange Parade. The street is in upper left hand corner of map at right with an arrow pointing to it.
The marchers were quite militant in their stride and the bands played extremely loud. The large banners carried slogans for William III and the Battle of the Boyne as well as Bible passages. Many of the spectators appeared to have been drinking to excess and hooligans ran along side the parade, some of them hopping. A lot of empty beer bottles littered the steps of businesses along the route. I thought this more like a Nazi demonstration than a “religious” parade. One of our tour members (a graduate from Texas Christian University) likened this hate group to the KKK.
I asked one of the demonstrators carrying a British flag if they weren’t supposed to be in Belfast and the response was “that parade is next week”. Historically, many of those in Northern Ireland had their roots in Scotland. What I thought was so sad is that many in the parade were young people -- which means another generation of hatred.
I proceeded down to Mandala Place on Buchanan Street and over towards the Cathedral (upper right hand corner of map). I was greeted by a large statue of Livingstone in front of the church.
Many young people in their teens were also visiting the great cathedral, an almost complete original 13th century church. It was dedicated to the city’s patron saint and reputed founder St. Mundo. Here was one of the few cathedrals to escape destruction during the Scottish Reformation by adapting itself to Protestant worship. The interior had been cleansed of “idols”.
Most of the stained glass windows date from the 20th century, when cooler heads prevailed. The interior nave (1233-58) on the upper level was beautiful as it was massive. Beyond the nave, the choir is hidden from view by the curtained stone pulpit.
Behind the Cathedral is an elaborate Necropolis (1833), a garden of death created as resting place for deceased wealthy individuals.
Here had been placed a towering statue of John Knox (right) facing the church and holding a Bible in his hand. Guides like to say “the indignant reformer looks like he is shaking his fist”. Biography of John Knox web.ukonline.co.uk/freegrace/library
Around 1514 in Scotland, John Knox (right) played a pivotal role in the reformation of the church in Scotland. Little information has survived about his early life. The exact time of John Knox conversion is not known, however it is clear that by the end of March 1543 he was committed to the Protestantism. It was at this time that he was persuaded to take a more public stand for his faith and act as the bodyguard for the preacher George Wishart. who had been accused of conspiring to assassinate Cardinal Beaton, the Roman Catholic emissary to Scotland.
While in St Andrews Knox was officially appointed preacher, and preached his first sermon on Daniel 7:24-25. It soon became apparent that Knox was prepared to strike at the very root of the Catholic system.
Mary Queen of Scots was living in France with her husband. In December he died, and Mary was allowed to return to Scotland on the condition that she did not attempt to bring back the Catholic mass to Scotland. Mary did not keep to this agreement and was soon using every available subterfuge to promote Catholic influence throughout Scotland. It was not the mass that brought about Mary's downfall but her marriage to the Earl of Bothwell, whom she married in secret after he had murdered her husband Lord Darnley. Mary was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her young son James. Although Mary made several later attempt to regain the throne her influence was now effectively over. This left Knox for the remainder of his life the time to concentrate on his preaching and pastoring work in St Giles, Edinburgh. He preached for the last time on 9 November 1572 and was taken ill a few days later and he died on 24 November 1572.
I went back to Mendela Place, the site of a Church of Scotland, and then over to George Square (right). Imposing architecture around the square reflects the confidence of Glasgow’s Victorian Age. Really nice park-like area with pigeons and flowers. Rising high above the centre of the square is an 80 foot column topped by a statue of Sir Walter Scott. Another statue (among many) was one of William Gladstone, a famous prime minister of the Victorian Age. I proceeded along Buchanan street at the point where it became a pedestrian mall. Street performers here included a bagpiper and a music group with more contemporary looks and sounds.
After the pleasant walk we were given room assignments and a chance to wash up before our welcome drinks. Dinner was at the Carvery started with smoked fish and then we were offered a wide selection of food from the buffet. No doubt everyone slept well after such a long day of travel and adjustment.
Day 3, Sunday
Today were introduced to our capable driver Jimmy and our comfortable coach. I was pleased with the bus -- upholstered seats, reclining seats with headrests, individual air vents, extra leg room.... Globus uses the custom of seat rotation so there was no mad competition for boarding and seating. Our first site city of the day was Alloway (see map) and the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.
As we approached the grounds Bob Kenny recited (and explained) some of the memorable lines of the great poet.
Burn’s birthplace was a dark and dank thatched cottage where animals and people lived under the same roof.
The beautiful gardens on the premises especially attracted the photographers like myself The two room museum here boasts all sorts of memorabilia and a nice statue of the boyish looking Robert Burns.
Nearby, twenty minutes walk, was the roofless ruins of Alloway Church where Robert Burn’s father is buried.
Across the street is the humped back bridge Brig O’ Doon (right) curving over the river below the Burns Monument.
We drove through Dumfries and then on to Gretna Green.
At Gretna English couples could buy a quick and secret wedding. Hundreds of runaway couples dashed up here to Scotland for a wedding at the blacksmith’s shop, which happened to be where the stagecoach first stopped in Scotland.
The Gretna Hall Blacksmith’s & Crafts Shop now houses a museum. We were given a rest stop here to shop and eat lunch. For lunch I had a healthy combination Waldorf and fruit salad for 2.95 pounds. Weddings are still performed here, one of which we were privileged to catch a portion. This particular bride and groom arrived in a luxury roadster and they put on quite a show, replete with a bagpiper.
Last stop on the itinerary was Carlisle Castle,guardian of England’s frontier with Scotland since the 11th century.
Mary Queen of Scots was “imprisoned” in this English castle in 1568. Richard Lowther did not know whether to treat her as queen or captive. Elizabeth had not captured Mary, nor sought to do so. Mary had arrived of her own free will seeking protection from the outraged Scots who sought her for implication in the murder of her husband Lord Darnley. Queen Elizabeth could hardly permitted Mary to have full liberty since she might prove an unpleasant focus for the loyalties of the English Catholics.
Ten years earlier Mary (right) had claimed to be the rightful queen of England. Furthermore, if something happened to Elizabeth, Mary was in fact the next in line through lineage for the throne. The dilemma for Elizabeth was that she could not send her back to Scotland to face the wrath of the nobles, nor could she allow her uninvited guest full freedom in England. Hence she was virtually under house arrest. (See pp. 298-299 of
History of England by David Harris Wilson, 1967)
The Guides employed by the castle were more entertainers than guides and their emphasis was more on the horrors of castle life rather than on other history. I pretty much fended for myself halfway through the presentation. I climbed to the wall and videoed the portion right of the keep where Mary had stayed, to the right on the drawing also. Richard Lowther was quite lenient toward Mary (photo above) and allowed her to ride horseback freely on the grounds in front of the castle for the two months she stayed here. The internal battery in the video was built in the 16th century.
Our evening lodging at the Crown Hotel (right) Wetheral was what I thought truly exceptional. After dinner I walked along the highway to the edge of this quaint village to observe the rural setting of grazing sheep. Walking back into the village took me past well preserved buildings -- an old school and modest homes with flowered yards.
Before turning in to the hotel I wandered over toward the river where I encountered an old church, the Church of the Holy Trinity and Constantine.
The entrance to the grounds was through a vine-covered archway.
I then took a road leading to the river. An old photograph shows the very road I took, Further along I came to the shoreline of the river where I could see a beautiful railway bridge spanning the Eden River. Down along the river, and on the opposite side, was an ornate waterfall in a classical setting with Victorian statues.
By the time I reached our Crown Hotel it was dark, but still enough lighting at the hotel for me to video the entrance area. Once inside, I took time to capture various parts of the charming lounge rooms.
Day 4, Monday
Fortified with a full Scottish breakfast we headed northeast through the Cheviol Hills (see map) to view remains of the Hadrian’s Wall (23 AD), a Roman coast to coast defense system. Our first stop was at Homestead (Annette and I toured this in 1976), but because of the rain I videotaped it from a distance. Some of our group pulled out their umbrellas and I contemplated using my compact raincoat. This was really the only place that rain seriously hindered our activities, and then the rain ceased before we reached the next stop on the Wall. I never did use my raincoat on the trip.
Plumbing (right)
And granary from the Homestead Roman fort.
Our bus then traveled on the highway for a portion that had been the site of the Wall. Bob Kenny drew our attention to the inclined areas that had been trenches that lined the wall.
Jimmy stopped the bus at Brunton Turret which had served as a station between the mile posts. We climbed over a cattle guard construction to walk to this ruin. I videoed this section then turned to the open countryside dotted with sheep. The red patch in the background was a field of poppies. What I liked about the ruins here is that you can see how wide the wall actually was for the defenders.
The weather continued to be clear so that when we reached the Rede River for a rest stop we could explore the region on foot. The town here was very small and limited to the highway. Like everywhere else in Scotland there were colorful flowers. A sign pointed ahead to Jedburgh.
When we reached the present-day border line between Scotland and England Jimmy pulled over for a photo opt. This is the only motor way that crosses the border. There were Big boulders mark the boundary. To remind us that we are again entering Scotland, a bagpiper played the traditional Scottish anthem, as well as Amazing Grace. From this site we could look out over the borderlands that had been the scene of so much strife.
Lawless Border Reivers plundered the area and feuded continuously among themselves employing raiding, arson, blackmail, kidnapping, murder and extortion. Family names such as Armstrong, Graham, Kerr and Nixon filled the hearts of Borderers with dread.
Jedburgh Abbey was next on the agenda. Jimmy pulled into a parking area along the Jed Water or Jed River that gave us an excellent vantage point. This magnificent complex dates back to the 12th century. When the Protestant Reformation arrived in 1560, the monks were allowed to stay but the abbey was used as the parish kirk for the reformed religion. Among the devastations here was one authorized by Henry VIII, known as the “Rough Wooing,” that resulted when the Scots failed to ratify a marriage treaty between his son Edward and the infant Mary, Queen of Scots.
Parts of the Abby have remains showing Roman influence in arches, Gothic influence, and French influence (Guise connection and French alliances) in the rounded towers. I walked over the Jedburgh Bridge for a closer look.
As our bus moved on in Jedburgh we passed by the Mary Queen of Scots House , where she visited in 1566 and now houses her death mask. It was commonplace to strike a mask from the severed head as soon as possible after death.
Annette and I toured this dwelling in 1976. The house displays memorabilia of Mary including jewelry, belongings, documents and paintings. it is believed that she stayed here, where she was gravely ill after riding 30 miles to Hermitage and back in one day to visit her lover James Hepburn, the Earl of Bothwell who was himself seriously wounded having falling into a bog on the way home.
Unfortunately, when the bus passed Melrose Abbey (map, northwest of Jedburgh) we were going rather fast and did not get a very good view of it. It is here that the heart of Robert the Bruce is buried. The embalmed heart was authenticated when it was exhumed in 1996. This abbey, too, suffered from Henry VIII's “Rough Wooing”.
Our tour at Abbotsford House (not shown) in Melrose was quite comprehensive. The grounds and flowers were gorgeous. Abbotsford House was built in the Scottish baronial style in 1817-21 by Sir Walter Scott. Scott wrote romanticized novels about Scotland's “glorious” past. The attractive young lady who gave us our guided tour was Dame Jean Maxwell-Scott, a relative of Sir Walter Scott. This guide started our tour by showing us the writing desk of Sir Walter Scott from which he wrote his later works. In the same room was the death mask of Scott. When Scott died his skull was opened to examine his brain for size comparison (It was normal size). This procedure accounts for the large incision scar so evident on his death mask. He died at age 61. He had had polio, walked with a limp, and had earlier strokes. His life may have been shortened by the recent death of his wife.
Scott was a romantic and collected many objects of the past. His romance was tinged with a genuine sense of loss. Loyal to the Hanoverians, he still grieved for Bonnie Prince Charlie. The library boasts Scott’s collection of assorted memorabilia including a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s hair and his drinking cup, as well as the pocketbook of Charlie’s friend Flora MacDonald. His collections include a lock of Lord Nelson’s hair and the sword of Rob Roy. The larger library has a famous hanging picture of Scott with his dog.
Continuing on we passed through Galashiels, four miles west of Melrose A Burns statue stands prominently in town. The city had quite a display of beautiful flowers arrangements along the main drag. Out in the open countryside we could observe the Moorfoot Hills. Bob explained that this land was poor and sustained only sheep. The sections of land covered with evergreens had been planted by people to supplement their income with the sale of lumber.
At last we came to Edinburgh, the “Prince of Cities”. Jimmy dropped us off on George Street so we could explore the city on out own while he took our luggage to the hotel. I started off on my own toward the Scott Memorial, the largest monument in the world to a man of letters. The architecture is closely modeled on Scott’s beloved Melrose Abbey. Underneath the archway is a statue of Scott with his deerhound Maida, carved from a thirty ton block of Carrara marble.
From here I went up the heights to the Hub (1845), an imposing black church building at the foot of Castle Hill. Photo on the right.
On the map it is situated on the upper left. The spire is the highest in Edinburgh and appears often on travel brochures. No longer a church it serves as festival center and harbors a cafe.
The main object of my walk was St. Giles Cathedral, properly known as the High Church of Edinburgh. The exterior of the church and tower were quite impressive. My visit within the cathedral was enhanced by the singing of a visiting choir from Ontario, Canada. It was from here that John Knox launched and directed the Scottish Reformation. A stained glass window features the reformer preaching a funeral service.
According to the head church guide, Knox is buried under the present parking lot (between slots 42 and 43) and the large life-like statue that had graced his grave was moved into the church.
The same guide gave me directions to the impressive Thistle Chapel (right) with its ribbed vaulted ceiling, huge drooping bosses, and extravagantly ornate stalls. The chapel) honors the knights of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the highest chivalric order in Scotland. The cathedral also has some Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows. Those designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris of Old Testament Prophets crossing the Jordan can be seen on the facade wall of the north aisle.
After leaving St. Giles Cathedral, I walked down from the heights of The Royal Mile to visit the National Gallery of Scotland. On map above the Gallery it is on the upper right. This walk afforded me the opportunity to video a nice view of Edinburgh Castle from below (center of map).
At the National Gallery I was privileged to see (and tape) works of European masters that included Murillo’s Virgin and Child and Sir Joshua Reynold’s The Ladies Waldegrave (on right).
Our coach picked us up again on George Street and delivered us to the fashionable Le Merdien Hotel. The lobby room and lounges were worthy of taping, as was my room. I took a video of the mirrored closet that reflected the Firth of Forth visible from my window. The two small bottles of whiskey on my desk were compliments of Juries Inn Hotel for “inconveniences” caused by substituting this hotel (actually an upgrade).
The day was topped off with the optional Scottish evening. Upon arrival for the event held at the Thistle we were greeted by a Scottish bagpiper in full regalia. After passing a large 3D mural of Bonnie Price Charles, we were escorted to the tables reserved for Globus, tables conveniently located right up next to the stage. The main course consisted of filet of Shetland Salmon. Entertainment included traditional Irish dancers, a talented fiddler Christine Legge, accordion music, and an gregarious MC Bill Torrence. The group from Belgium really got into the swing of things; maybe it was the included wine.
The highlight of the evening was the Ceremony of the Haggis. Haggis, the national dish, is made from sheep’s heart and liver mixed with spices, oatmeal and onion, and then stuffed into the lining of a sheep’s stomach. It is traditionally eaten on Burn’s Night, January 25th, to celebrate the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns. After the ceremony we were treated to more bagpipe music that included the Scottish national anthem and Amazing Grace and Auld Lang Syne. Then back to Le Meridien Hotel for a good night sleep.
Day 5, Tuesday
Again our day started off with a full Scottish breakfast. Bob Kenny introduced us to our city tour guide, a Scottish gentleman wearing a traditional kilt. First stop was Edinburgh Castle. The Castle (at right) was one time a stronghold of the Picts, rebuilt in the 6th century by Edwin, king of Northumberland. Edinburgh takes it name from King Edwin. The fortification is situated upon the basalt core of an extinct volcano.
The assemblage of buildings date from the 12th to the 20th century. After entering the castle we came upon an inner gate known as Portcullis Gate (1574-77). One of Mary Queen of Scot’s loyal followers held the castle for her for five years. When the siege ended he paid for his faithfulness by being beheaded. The ruling Lords of the Congregation then constructed Portcullis Gate. A little further on we walked along the fortified walls of the castle that offered a commanding view of the Firth of Forth and beyond.
Our kilted guide pointed out the 12th century St. Margaret’s Chapel (right) , the castle’s oldest existing building. And then with a brief summary about Mary Queen of Scots, he pointed out the building where King James VI of Scotland (James I of England)was born in the palace to Mary. The same building also housed the Crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny or Stone of Scone. The stone had been in London’s Westminster Abbey for centuries, but only recently return to Scotland at the behest of Prime Minister Majors (following the “reign of Margaret Thatcher”). After viewing the historic relics we continued on to the tiny paneled bedchambers where James I of England was born. Nearby was a bust of Mary and paintings of James I and Charles II (by Godfry Kneller).
Back outside, we walked to Cannon Megs Mon over by St. Margaret’s Chapel. This famous siege gun could fire a 500 pound stone nearly two miles. The door to St. Margaret’s was open affording entrance to the chapel to view the altar and stained glass windows of Margaret and Wallace. From the doorway looking out one could see Megs Mon commanding Edinburgh below.
Our bus then took us over to Holyrood or Holy Cross (Hollywood, according to the guide). On the map, it is in yellow, on the right.
Just outside the entrance was a royal carriage still used by Queen Elizabeth. Today the palace is known as the official Scottish residence of Queen Elizabeth II. Members of the Royal family frequently stay at the place when carrying out engagements in Scotland. The portion in which the Queen resides is on the right and was rebuilt by Charles II in the 1680 Restoration. The older part of the palace, on the left, was constructed in the period when Margaret Tudor (daughter of Henry VII) was married to a Stuart -- marriage of the Tudor Rose to a Thistle.
Mary Queen of Scots lived here between 1561 and 1567. Her son, James VI who later became James I of England lived here until ascending the English throne. Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) held court here at Holyrood in 1745. The Victorian monument in front of the palace was constructed in the 19th century. The only part of the QEII royal residence we could tour was the state room, but we did view the central court and the room where Riccio (Rizzio) was murdered in 1566 in the presence of Mary Queen of Scots.
Our tour concluded with the ruins of Holyrood Abbey which had been sacked by Henry VIII in 1547. The entrance portal front had been elaborately carved. I videoed the west front, chancel and transept. The formal tour having ended, the bus was scheduled to drop off passengers for shopping on George Street. Since I wanted to spend more time solo on the Royal Mile, I tipped the guide and left the group at Holyrood. Very shortly I came to Mary Queen of Scot’s “Bathhouse” located in front of the Holyrood complex. Actually, the structure was probably a summer room and part of the fortification wall.
Approaching the lunch hour, I decided to have lunch with Adam Smith in the cemetery at Canongate Church. So I bought a basket of strawberries for 75p ($1.25) to go with my Trail Snack and sat down on a park bench on the grounds. The grave site of Adam Smith was quite elaborate and it was set off with a wrought iron fence. From this site I turned around and had a commanding view of Calton Hill with its neo-classical structures (“curiosities” according to my guidebook). To the left the Nelson Monument stood out in the skyline. I then turned my attention to the Canongate Kirk itself, a church built in the 1860s to house the congregation expelled from Holyrood Abbey when the latter was commandeered by James II to serve as the chapel for the Order of the Thistle. The church was built to a cruciform plan wholly at odds with the ideals of Calvinist worship, but the simple altar and lack of carvings and stain glass was in keeping with Calvinism.
Further along the Royal Mile was the John Knox (see map above). John Knox who became the greatest figure in the Scottish Reformation, returned to Scotland from Geneva in 1558 to break the French grip (Mary of Guise and later her daughter Mary Queen of Scots) on his homeland and to champion the Protestant movement. The house dates from 1450 and is the oldest in the city. Knox lived here during the 1560s. He died in an upstairs room.
Next door is the Moubray House which also helps suggest how the Royal Mile must have once looked. Today the Royal Mile has different traffic, like the Scottie dog and street musicians along the walk. I found myself back at St. Giles Cathedral where a friendly dog sat outside as visitors entered the old church.
A colorful street mannequin drew my attention to Deacon’s Place. The character represented Deacon William Brodie, burglar by night and apparent pillar of society by day. Following his eventual capture, he managed to escape to Holland, but was betrayed and brought back to Edinburgh and hanged on the gallows of his own design. His ruse to cheat death by secretly wearing an iron collar under his shirt failed. Deacon Brodie was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Doctor Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde.
Across the street from Deacon’s Place was Brodie’s Tavern, also capitalizing on the Brodie name. Typical of a British tavern it was adorned liberally with flowers.
On my way down to meet the tour bus pickup at 1530, I walked through flower garden arrangements at West Princess Street Gardens. Unbelievably beautiful! As elsewhere in Britain there was an observance of Queen Elizabeth’s 50 year anniversary 1952-2002. An elaborate flower clock in the center kept perfect time. I zoomed in on the long minute hand whose movement was noticeable.
Our bus arrived on schedule and we returned to our lovely hotel to rest after a busy day.
Day 6, Wednesday
After a hearty breakfast I looked over a map to trace the day’s journey northward. Before leaving our hotel I took a last look at the gardens and fountains outside our dinning area. As our bus approached the bridge over the Firth of Forth, traffic started to backup, giving me an opportunity to tape flowery front yards of homes along the road. The Forth Road Bridge was massive as was the 1890 railroad bridge to our right, a Victorian monument to Scottish pride.
Our ride through Fife took us past fields of canola, the stuff I use to keep my cholesterol count down.
Our main target for the day was St. Andrews and the famous golf course. Our bus dropped us off at the Official Golf Links Shop on the golf course. I proceeded to purchase a golf ball and spot marker for my son-in-law. I rubbed the ball on the sacred green grass (twice) to pick up grass stains. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded here in 1754 by 22 “Gentlemen of Honour.” Golf was practiced in Scotland since 1457 and steadily gained in popularity. During the reign of James II of Scotland, golf (and football) was banned as a distraction fro the noble sport of archery. Today membership is quite limited and the cost to play a round is prohibitive even if one could get on the course. I taped a fortunate individual teeing off on the first hole.
I headed towards the cathedral and castle, passing Martyrs Monument (above right and #2 on map below photo) dedicated to Protestants put to death in the Reformation Era. The walk along the North Sea shore was delightful and serene.
The St. Andrew’s Castle along the seafront alone was worth the walk. It was founded around 1200, but there is not much left of the castle since it fell into ruin in the 17th century, and most of what can be seen dates from the 16th century, apart from the 14th century tower.
The Castle had a stormy history during the Reformation era of the 16th century. In March 1546 George Wishart, a leading Protestant minister of outstanding gentle character, was burned to death in the forecourt of the castle of St. Andrews. Cardinal Beaton and his bishops, according to Antonia Fraser, “watched from cushioned seats on the castle walls.”
Three months later, a band of Fife lairds, disguised as masons to work on the castle “seized the cardinal, as he was resting after a night spent with his concubine Marion Ogilvy.” The cardinal was slain and his mutilated body was hung naked from the fore tower of the castle “for the edification of the people”. Later the corpse was pickled in salt and kept in a barrel in the famous Bottle Dungeon of St. Andrews for over a year. The castle was placed under siege, but during an armistice in the course of the siege,
John Knox entered the castle and began his career as a preacher in the pulpit of the parish of St. Andrews. It took the arrival of a French expedition, assisting Mary Queen of Scots off the coast to end the siege. The castle fell on July 30th, 1547.
The Protestants rebels were forced to capitulate. Knox was sentenced to spend two years as a galley slave in the French fleet.(see
Scotland by Isabella Brega, Smithwork Publishers, 1996; for the need of a Reformation in Scotland, see also pp. 129-133 of
History of Scotland, by Peter and Fiona Somerset Fry, Barnes and Noble, 1995; and quotes from “historian” Antonia Fraser, pp. 30- 31,
Mary Queen of Scots, 1969).
The Cathedral of St. Andrews (right), once the largest cathedral in Scotland, survives only as towering ruins. Though founded in 1160, it was not finished and consecrated until 1318, in presence of Robert the Bruce. On June 5, 1559, the Reformation took its toll, and supporters of John Knox plundered the cathedral and left it in ruins.
The 16th century rubble-stonework building on the right of the Pends is Queen Mary’s House, where she is believed to have stayed in 1563.
Note: Mary Queen of Scots
Having completed our mission at St. Andrews we headed northward toward Dundee passing over the Firth of Tay
The railroad bridge is the second to span the river at that site, the first having collapsed in a terrifying disaster during a storm on December 28, 1879, which claimed the lives of around 100 people in a train crossing the bridge at the time. Our guide Bob said the architect Botcher “botched” in planning the bridge. On the banks of the Tay on the Dundee side is the ship RRS Discovery used by explorer Scott on his Antarctica expedition.
We drove through a tree lined approach to Glamis Castle, childhood home of the Queen Mother and birthplace of Princess Margaret.
Glamis Castle, a mile north of the picturesque village of Glamis (pronounced “Glahms”), is one of the most famous Scottish castles. Shakespeare chose it as a central location in Macbeth. The bulk of the current building dates from the fifteenth century, although many of the later additions (particularly from the seventeenth century) give it a Disneyesque appearance. Duncan’s Hall is the traditional, but inaccurate, setting for Duncan’s murder by Macbeth (It actually took place in Elgin).
Note: When Malcolm II died in 1034, he was succeeded by his grandson Duncan I (right), who was not the aging and venerable monarch portrayed by Shakespeare in Macbeth. He was actually an impetuous and spoiled young man whose six years of kingship brought glory neither to Scotland nor to his family. Against the advice of his counselors he invaded Northumberland and attacked Durham. The campaign was a disaster for Scottish arms and Duncan was compelled to withdraw. Thus he was faced with revolt among the lords, particularly those led by his cousin Macbeth, or Lord of Moray. In a skirmish Duncan was slain. He had come to the throne by means of a weird system of succession.
Macbeth had an even better claim, as far as strict descent was concerned, so had his wife who was his cousin. The Moray party were keen to have Macbeth as their ruler. Macbeth’s relatively peaceful rule of 17 years was generally praised by early historians. He organized troops of men to patrol the wilder countryside and enforce some kind of law and order. When Macbeth journeyed to Rome several months on a pilgrimage and to distribute money to the poor, his standing among his supporters was such that the kingdom was secure in his absence. After his return his kingdom enjoyed a further seven years under his rule. In 1057, however , one of Duncan’s sons in exile, Malcolm the Great Head, raised an army and invaded Scotland. He defeated Macbeth, who was slain in battle. Malcolm III was the founder of a new dynasty of Scottish kings, known as the house of Canmore. (Fry,
History of Scotland, 1995)
On right: Macbeth and Banquo with three witches. In college I played the part of Banquo.
I videotaped a picture of the Queen Mother Elizabeth cutting the ribbon to Glamis in 1996. We toured the castle, but cameras were not permitted. I did tape the exterior of the imposing structure (with Bob Kenny walking across the grass in the foreground). Beside me were two life-size statues of Stuart kings (loved in Scotland) James I and Charles I.
Next stop was Aberdeen, on the banks of the rivers Dee and Don, east coast fishing port, with off shore North Sea oil/gas fields. See map. The city serves as a departure point and service station for the transient population of some ten to fifteen thousand who live on the 130 oil platforms out to sea. Aberdeen is commonly known as the Granite City because of its many granite buildings. As we entered the city on a road lined with flowers we came across a number of the granite buildings.
Jimmy parked the bus in a convenient location of the inner city so we could explore on our own. I headed for Union Terrace Gardens (upper left on map above) with its statue of Edward VII. The base of the statue had figures on each side, the ones on the right represented Newfoundland and Canada, the ones on the left Australia and New Zealand.
Next I shot an overall view of the lovely Union Terrace Gardens. Although short of time, I entered the Aberdeen Art Gallery to look over their collection of British artwork. One large painting that stood out was Edwin Landseer’s Flood in the Highlands, 1860. Interesting enough, the artist associated by most with Scotland was not a Scot at all. Landseer was a Londoner (remember his lions?) who first visited Scotland in 1821.
The museum was also a gold mine for Pre-Raphaelite art. Because Annette studied 19th century British art at the University of Oxford, I taped a few of these paintings for her. The first Mariana, 1870 by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (pictured on the right), then two by John B. Millais, The Convalescent, 1875 and Bright Eyes, 1877.
When I returned to the bus parked by Marischal College of the U of Aberdeen I videoed the college entrance, the bus, and what had been the college chapel, now Greyfriar’s John Knox Parish Church of the Church of Scotland.
Day 7, Thursday
Jimmy drove us along the salmon-rich River Dee on the way to Ballater. Deeside offered us views of fields of heather and old ruins of a roofless church. Our morning rest stop was at Ballater, a pleasant city on the Dee River. Quite a few businesses spouted royal symbols and shields reflecting their ties to the Queen.
After the break we continued along the Dee River, then crossing over the river to Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s favorite residence during the hunting season of August and September. It is privately owned and funded by the Queen, and employs 50 people full time. The estate had been purchased by Queen Victoria back in 1852 and rebuilt in the Scottish baronial style at Prince Albert’s request. When Albert died Victoria spent much time in mourning here. The attractive building and grounds provided fare for the photographers in our group. After our tour I yielded to the temptations for cappuccino and peach dessert at the estate coffee house.
A dramatic change of scenery awaited us in the highlands. In this remote region even sheep had to scrounge for forage. Some of the sheep had long straggly coats because it was not economically feasible to bother shearing them. Further along the peat bogs yielded fields of heather that I caught on tape from the moving bus.
We also had a brief view of Corgarff Castle as we were approaching Malt Whiskey Country in the Spey Valley.
River Spey is on the right-hand side of map and runs diagonally to the middle bottom of map.
In the Spey Valley we took in a guided visit at Glenlivet Whiskey Distillery in the area known as the Whiskey Triangle. Scottish whiskey is the highest quality whiskey made anywhere and Scotland exports 200 million gallons a year. Bob Kenny signed us up for a tour in the lobby. Following the tour we were treated to whiskey tasting. I skipped this social activity and scooted out to a nearby field with grazing cattle, who were also fed a diet of recycled barley pellets.
These long haired beasts with friendly faces had some pretty hefty horns that made them appear a little threatening. The distillery had many storage sheds for storing whiskey in oak barrels for a 12-18 year aging process. I returned to the Globus group at the distillery cafeteria for a tasty lunch (cost 4.75 pounds).
We crossed over the River Spey and made our way up to Inverness, the Highlands capital. See map above. Jimmy dropped us off in town so we could stroll over to to Inverness Castle, a 19th century Victorian building of red sandstone, and lavished with flowers.
In front of the castle was a statue of Flora MacDonald looking out over the River Ness.
She had helped the Bonnie Prince escape to the Isle of Skye in the wake of Culloden. The original castle formed the core of the town until Robert the Bruce destroyed it while wresting it from the English. The second structure was destroyed when the Jacobites destroyed it (1715 and 1745 rebellions) to keep it out of government hands. Today's third edifice is used as a courthouse.
Back in the bus we headed to Loch Ness in search of the monster. Our bus pulled into the Visitor Center where we took in a tour of various exhibits posing theories and counter theories about the monster’s existence. A Jacobite Cruise boat was waiting at the dock for our Globus group to take out onto the deep loch. We didn’t see Nessie, but the boat trip afforded us a terrific view of the ruins of Castle Urqhuart perched atop a rock on the loch-side. The castle had been destroyed by Jacobins as they retreated.
Day 8, Friday
The weather was nice this morning, unlike the actual day of battle at Culloden (circled in blue on the large map up above) where we were heading. Map shows the proximity to Inverness. The Culloden Visitor Centre had a well organized series of exhibits and a short movie to explain the historic background and setting of the battlefield.
One particularly striking painting shows the Scots in traditional garb and swords facing the disciplined uniformed army of Cumberland.
Bonnie Prince Charlie was severely defeated here in 1746 by the Hanoverians. A portion from the movie shows the Bonnie (handsome and young) Prince Charles Edward Stuart, the Pretender to the Crown, on the left hand side of the battlefield. To the right is the ambitious Duke of Cumberland and his superior forces.
The next excerpt shows Flora MacDonald who sheltered the defeated Bonnie Prince and helped him to escape in exile in Rome, Italy, never to return. He spent nearly half a century in drunken, degraded exile. Flora was captured and imprisoned for a year in the Tower of London. The tartan kilt used by Scots to distinguish their clan was stringently outlawed after the Battle of Culloden. The ban was finally lifted in 1782. (see p. 317 of
National Geographic Explorer Great Britain by Christopher Somerville, Washington, DC, 1999)
We stepped outside to look over the flat battlefield. The center had placed standards to show where the two forces were as they engaged in combat. The yellow standard of Cumberland is to the right and the red standard of the Jacobites to the left. An existing farmhouse (right) has been preserved by the Visitor Center which helped us step back into time.
To reach our next destination we passed the Moray Firth and then crossed over the Doranch Firth Bridge before encountering fields of heather and stretches of trees (in Andrew Carnegie country) and finally approached Dunrobin Castle (right). Dunrobin Castle of Golspie, built in 1275 and for centuries the seat of the Dukes and Earls of Sutherland. The Sutherland family, was at one time Europe’s biggest landowner with a staggering 1.3 million acres of land, and the principal driving force behind the Clearances in this area. The castle is a fairy tale confection of turrets and pointed roofs, modeled by the architect Sir Charles Barry (designer of the Houses of Parliament).
We visited the massive formal gardens overlooking the North Sea. In one part of the garden area there was a collection of birds of prey that included a huge eagle, owls and falcons. The trainer really had a commanding way with the birds and had them perform for us, often swooping closely over our heads. To show how quickly a falcon can snatch a prey, he had bait on the end of a swinging rope to tempt the circling bird. The falcon displayed its speed and caught the bait on the fly.
We retired back to the castle for apple pie and brown-bread ice cream. Before departing I taped the picture of the First Duke of Sutherland in the lobby area, the man who forcefully evicted 15,000 crofters from his million acre estate.
Driving along the coast of the North Sea at Brora toward Wick, we encountered a moss covered Iron Age Broch of Cairn Liath, a Pict fort over 2000 years old. The structure had great twelve-foot thick walls and a number of obvious features intact, such as a staircase and entrance passage. Our bus did not stop, but we could take good pictures through the windows. Jimmy always kept the windows clean for us.
Finally we crossed a river and entered Wick. Wick, originally a Viking settlement, became the busiest herring port in Europe.
Jimmy left us off at the Caithness Glass Factory and Showroom, so he could drop our luggage off at the Norseman Hotel. We were offered a tour of the work shop where the glass was hand made in the furnace area and cut by craftsmen in the next department. The showroom offered glassware seconds for 40% off.
For those of us who signed up for the optional tour we headed to Gray Cairns of Camster, considered one of the most memorable sights on the northeast coast. Surrounded by bleak moorland, these two prehistoric burial chambers were constructed 4000-5,000 years ago.
Bob cautioned us more than once not to step on the soggy peat bogs, but to stay on the wooden walkways.
Some of our more agile passengers crawled into the hidden chambers through narrow passageways.
Heather and “cotton” plants grew fairly well on the peat bogs.
The main object, of course, for the evening was a musical night out at a local tavern called Old Smiddy’s Inn. When the bus pulled up a young lad, decked out in Scottish garb, began playing bagpipe music for us. The tavern room was small and cozy and the singing, piping and accordion playing was delightful, as were the two included drinks.
This time when we crossed the river into town the tide was out.
A busy day meant a good night’s rest.
GO ON TO 2002 SCOTLAND PART II
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