Best Scottish Tours: October 2007

Wednesday, 31 October 2007

Best Scottish Short Stories

The Merry Men and Other Tales and Fables. This enthralling anthology, first published in 1887, collects six fantastic tales of adventure written by the author of the classic horror novel, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson (1850-1894) was a major force in the development of the English short story, and his narrative genius comes to the fore in these tales. The Merry Men and Other Tales and Fables (New Millennium Library). Best Scottish Books.

Best Scottish Small City

The City of Perth, located beside the River Tay, and surrounded by beautiful countryside is the best Scottish small city.

Tour Tarskavaig Scotland

Tour Tarskavaig, Isle of Skye, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Dundrennan Abbey Scotland

Tour Dundrennan Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Monday, 29 October 2007

Will ye gang to the Heilands Leezie Lindsay

Will ye gang to the Heilands Leezie Lindsay.
Will ye gang to the Heilands wi' me.
Will ye gang to the Heilands Leezie Lindsay.
My bride and my darling to be.

To gang to the Heilands wi' you, Sir,.
I dinna ken how that may be.
For I kennae the land that ye live in.
For ken I the lad I'm gaun wi'.

Leezie, lass ye maun ken little,
If sae ye dinna ken me.
For my name is Lord Ronald Macdonald.
A Chieftain o' high degree.

She has kilted her coat o' green satin,.
She has kilted them up to the knee,
An she's aff wi' Lord Ronald Macdonald.
His bride and his darling to be.

Best Scottish Music.

Sunday, 28 October 2007

A Grave Scottish Matter

It was a grave matter in the old days in Scotland to hear of anyone, that they had "taken to their bed." It was normally a sign of impending death. The Scottish doctor never loitered by the wayside when he heard these ominous words. One wild October evening, Dr. Findlay got a message from a Perthshire farm that Flora MacDonald, the maid, had "taken to her bed." He knew Flora to be an honest lass, and quickly packed his bag and set out for the farm. He was soon shown to the room where Flora lay.
"Well, Flora," he asked, "what is wrong with you ?"
"I am just as you see me Doctor," was her reply.
Dr. Findlay looked at her tongue, felt her pulse, and surveyed her with an experienced eye. There seemed to be nothing wrong with her. She was a beautiful Scottish woman, apparently in glowing health. At last, in reply to his many searching questions, she blurted out, "It's this way, Doctor, I have not been paid any wages for the past six months, and I am going to stay in bed until I am paid my dues."
To Flora's surprise the doctor slipped off his overcoat and jacket.
"What are you going to, doctor ?" she asked, in alarm.
"Move over Flora, move over. I am going to lay beside you. They haven't paid any bills of mine for the past three years !"
Best Scottish Jokes.

Scottish Enemy

Scottish Enemy.

Common Scots

"Sandy, they say it's common at these places to tip as much as five pound."
"Don't worry, Jock, we are Scots, and not that common."

Small Scottish Boy

"Of course I'm small, you would be small too, if you were only raised on shortbread!"

Thursday, 25 October 2007

Scottish Second Fiddle

There was strong competition for the favours of saucy Mary of Dunoon. It came as a very great shock to one of her young men, who thought himself well in the running, to discover that she was flirting with another man. One day, on Dunoon Pier, he confronted her angrily. "Let me tell you this, Mary, I am not going to play second fiddle to anybody !" To which she replied. "Play second fiddle, Gordon. You will be very luck to be in the band at all." Best Scottish Jokes.

Scotch Mist

"Scotch missed !"

Wednesday, 24 October 2007

Elderly in Dunoon

A doctor in a home for the elderly in Dunoon was talking about one of the residents with one of the senior staff. "I am very worried about Gordon," said the doctor, "He claims that when he goes to the bathroom through the night God switches on the light for him, then switches it off again when he's done. Do you think he might be going senile ?" "I don't think so," said the staff member, "He has just been peeing in the refrigerator again."

Aboyne Castle Scotland

Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Tour Ecclefechan Scotland

Tour Ecclefechan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Keiss Castle Scotland

Tour Keiss Castle, Caithness, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Quinag Sutherland Scotland

Quinag, Sutherland, Scotland.

Tour Buchollie Castle Scotland

Tour Buchollie Castle, Caithness, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Portobello Scotland

Tour Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tuesday, 23 October 2007

Pennant Tour of Scotland

Thomas Pennant was to write the seminal work of the eighteenth century. His writing is one of the first major accounts of the Highlands of Scotland fter the suppression of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. Pennant's work is more than simply a topography of the country, but represents a desire to introduce a land which was very much terra incognita to a southern audience. Although a Hanoverian, it is a measure of his balance and judgement that his writings about a land so recently hostile to that dynasty are so fair and scrupulous. The acutness and range of his observation is almost without parallel for the time, and his work is an invaluable mine of information on the history, tradition, customs and geography of North Britain on the edge of vast and irrevocable change. A Tour in Scotland, 1769.

Tour Shettleston Scotland

Tour Shettleston, Glasgow, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Baosbheinn and Ben Alligin Scotland

Baosbheinn and Ben Alligin, Wester Ross, Scotland.

Tour Melrose Scotland

Tour Melrose, Scottish Borders, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Visit Suilven Scotland

Visit Suilven, Sutherland, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Duart Castle Scotland

Tour Duart Castle, Mull, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Visit Flodden Memorial Scotland

Visit Flodden Memorial, Selkirk, Scottish Borders, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Visit Loch Coruisk Scotland

Visit Loch Coruisk, Isle of Skye, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Monday, 22 October 2007

Tour West Highland Railway Scotland

Tour West Highland Railway, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Kilmahog Scotland

Tour Kilmahog, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Innellan Scotland

Tour Innellan, near Dunoon, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Mercat Cross Edinburgh Scotland

Tour Mercat Cross, Edinburgh, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Scottish Anglers Dream

Scottish anglers dream, catching the Loch Ness monster.

Scottish Laundry

" Somebody has really messed up in the laundry !"

Sunday, 21 October 2007

Tour Ardstinchar Castle Scotland

Tour Ardstinchar Castle, Ballantrae, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland.

Tour Scottish Haunted Tower

Tour Scottish Haunted Tower. The haunted tower in St Andrews, Scotland.

Best Scottish Walks Birks of Aberfeldy

The Birks of Aberfeldy is a popular Scottish circular walk, leading to the Falls of Moness, through wonderful mixed woodland on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland.

Best Scottish Food Atholl Brose

Best Scottish Food Atholl Brose. The following old Atholl Brose recipe comes from the records of the Atholl Arms Hotel in Dunkeld. For Atholl Brose as sampled by Queen Victoria in 1844. One pound of comb honey, one and half pints of whisky, one pound of oatmeal and water. Cover the oatmeal with water and soak overnight. Strain off liquid and add this to the honey. Stir well and pour in the whisky. Whip until frothy. It can be bottled and corked tightly to keep for several months. Another old Atholl Arms Hotel recipe may cure all winter colds and flu. Mix a half pound of oatmeal with a half pint of cold water, one bottle of whisky, two lemons, six ounces of caster sugar, half a honey comb; then strain. Add a half pint of double cream and whip in. Cork and keep bottle in a dry place. Best Scottish Cooking.

Best Scottish Food Stovies

Best Scottish Food Stovies. Stovies are a national Scottish dish, pan cooked potatoes that must not burn while cooking. Put some dripping or cooked fat cut small into a strong stew pan, and heat until smoking hot. Slice an onion and fry. Peel and slice potatoes; add with salt and pepper. Cover closely and cook for one to two hours. When cooked, stir juices over the potatoes. Left over meat can be cut up and added to the potatoes. Best Scottish Cooking.

Best Scottish Food Porridge

Best Scottish Food Porridge. Oatmeal is the base of Scottish porridge, the Scottish winter breakfast dish, and, to Robert Burns "Chief of Scotia's Food." There is much tradition attached to the making of Scottish porridge, and it is far removed from the instant porridge used by many people today. It should be served on a cold plate, with salt, or eaten from a birch wood bowl with a horn spoon. The milk or cream is served in a separate bowl and each spoonful of porridge is dunked into it to cool it. Some Scots say that porridge should be eaten standing up, hinting back to the days when Highland Clansmen were always ready to hurry off to war. Some Scots soak the oats overnight to double the amount, other Scots say this should never be done. Porridge should be stirred in the pan with a Spurtle, a smooth wooden stick. Here is porridge the traditional way. Bring one pint of water to the boil, add one level teaspoon of salt, and sprinkle in a handful of oatmeal stirring all the time. Allow to simmer at least half an hour, stirring frequently. Serve with cream, buttermilk or milk. It is said that adding the salt before the oatmeal makes the meal nuttier. Best Scottish Cooking.

Scottish Pan Haggis

Scottish Pan Haggis. A half a pound of liver, a quarter pound of chopped suet, one large par-boiled onion, a teacup of oatmeal, one cup of water, seasoning. Boil liver and onion in a little water for forty minutes. Pour the liquid into a basin. When liver is cold, mince it and mix with the chopped onion. Brown the oatmeal carefully in a pan, mix with the liver, onion, suet and seasoning, and moisten with some of the liver liquid. Stew slowly for about one and half hours, or steam in a greased basin for two hours. Best Scottish Cooking.

Best Scottish Comfort Drink

Blenshaw is an old Scottish comfort drink. Take two teaspoons of oatmeal, two teaspoons of demerara sugar, one pint of milk and freshly ground nutmeg. Place oatmeal and sugar in tumblers, blend in a little cold milk. Heat remaining milk, pour into tumblers and mix well. This should be allowed to cool to "the temperature of milk from the cow" before it is drunk. Sprinkle on nutmeg. Best Scottish Cooking.

Scotland the Autobiography

Scotland the Autobiography. Two thousand Years of Scottish History by Those Who Saw It Happen. This is a vivid, wide-ranging and engrossing account of Scotland's history, composed of eye-witness accounts by those who experienced it first-hand. Contributors range from Tacitus, Mary Queen of Scots and Oliver Cromwell to Adam Smith, David Livingstone and Billy Connolly. These include not just key historic moments - from Bannockburn to the opening of the new parliament in 1999, but testimonies like that of the eight-year-old factory worker who was dangled by his ear out of a third-floor window for making a mistake; the survivors of Culloden, who wished perhaps that they had died on the field; the breakthrough moment for John Logie Baird, inventor of television; and, the genesis of great works of literature recorded by Conan Doyle, Stevenson and the editor of Encyclopaedia Britannica. From the battlefield to the sports field, we have moments of glory or disaster, along with wonderfully readable insights into the everyday life of Scotland through the millennia. This is living, accessible history told by crofters, criminals, servants, house-wives, poets, journalists, nurses, politicians, prisoners, comedians, sportsmen and many more. Scotland the Autobiography: 2,000 Years of Scottish History by Those Who Saw It Happen. Best Scottish Books.