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Home , Battle of Culloden, Clan Campbell, Clan Donald, Edward I of England, Jacobitism, Massacre of Glencoe

DiscoverScotland HISTORY ANDCULTURE independence, but the death of King Robert I in1329 led to another crisis ofsuccession Iin1329ledto anothercrisis Robert independence, butthedeathofKing the In Treaty in1328,Englandfinally acceptedScotland’s ofNorthampton The Kings Stewart Abbey. atArbroath drew ofIndependence 1320theScots uptheDeclaration . In in1314,when Englishforcesled to were theBattleofBannockburn cleared from His campaign I)wasdefiantlycrownedeventually Scone in1306. at Robert Bruce (King forces in1297,buthisarmy wasdefeated Bridge year. atStirling thenext the Robert ,Scotland’s thefirstof freedom fighters, defeated occupying English to mediateasked inthedispute. Hechoseapuppet-king,butlater invaded in1295. Edward EnglandandScotland, tiesbetween King IofEnglandwas close marriage andprosperousof successioninwhathadbeenatrouble-free timefor Scotland. With AlexanderIIIprecipitatedGraham andBruce, 1286thedeathofKing acrisis settled. In of )gradually spread to families, Scotland. AngloNorman withnameslike influences(followingwere by Norman marriage. interlinked Conquest theNorman of England–onemany occasionswhentheRoyalHousesofEnglandandScotland Margaret, ofEdward grand-daughter IIImarried theConfessor Malcolm 1070,King In Wars ofIndependence SCOTLANDPOLITICAL today itmuchthesameshapeasScotland making kingdom, fixedRiver alongthe Tweed.By 1034,theStrathclyde Britons were added to thelarger Englishwere defeatedNorthern andtheborder attheBattleofCarham cameto be came together. hademerged. 1018,the 843ADaunited Scottish/Pictish In By kingdom Pict, –Scot, andAnglian–gradually inwhichthepeoplesofScotland Briton of warfare ofDalriada. form theKingdom Gaelic. They spoke The firstthousand years ADisastory and settledonthewestern seaboard inpresent-day insufficientnumbers to anotherCelticthe , tribe, whocamefrom andinthe5th6thcenturies ofScotland. history used today theearly indescribing derivesfromThe nameScotland tribes are andalloftheseterms , alternatively they namedthenorthern conquerors referred landsabove thelineofForth andClyde toas thenorthern They were by calledBritons thelater invading Romans. Althoughthesetemporary waves ofsettlersandinvaders. fromEurope about500BC. north-west arrived to have isknown beeninhabitedScotland for about6-8,000years, withsuccessive The last battle of the national armies was in 1547 when the Scots lost again at Pinkie lostagainatPinkie was in1547whentheScots The lastbattle ofthenationalarmies in consequencecausingthenation to suffer defeat oncemoreMoss in1542. Solway at century, withJames French two FranceV making continuingto marriages, support and defeat againstEnglandin1513atFlodden. Franco-Scottish linkscontinuedinthe 16th intheircauseagainstEnglandand,arms inconsequence, suffered Scotland her worst ruledwisely, kings, butrevivedbe thebestofStewart aFrench alliance, took up by rebellious IV, noblesin1488. James butwaskilled (Clan ) reckonedto often atthesiegeofRoxburghe IIIsubduedtheLords in1460.James killed oftheIsles family, IIwasinvolvedJames Douglas struggleswiththepowerful ininternal thenwas David IbothspenttimecaptiveCross, IIandJames inEngland. kings 1346.Scottish in1332andconsequenceofaFrench in 1332,HalidonHill Moor alliance, Neville’s anddamagedby defeats factions by Englishforces bytorn powerful –atDupplin errors. For fatalmilitary hundred was two years, thenext making kingdom theScots eventually followed were by either dyingtoo young, characterised beingtoo weak or – athemewhichisrepeatedly found inScotland’s story. which The Stewart HISTORY ANDCULTURE DiscoverScotland – the culmination of a bloody campaign known as – theculminationofabloodycampaign known Rough ‘the Wooing’. This wasthe defeated by government forces GlenShiel. innearby Finally, camethemostdisastrous ofSpanishtroopsdestroyed was by bombardment andaparty Navy by theBritish Castlecame theminorrebellion was whichtimeEileanDonan of1719,during John’‘Bobbin from hishabit ofbobbing, i.e. changing sidesinhispoliticalcareer). Then TheJacobite firstmajor rebellion wasin1715,indecisively(called ofMar led by theEarl Massacre ofGlencoein1692. respondedthe slowness ledto withwhichonebranchoftheMacDonalds the politicalgame).ClanswereEurope-wide forced to swear anoathofallegiance –and movement –Catholic nationssuchasFrance andSpainwere involved inthe wasnotjustaScottish a potential source ofinstability, (This ahotbedofJacobitism. clans,The many Highland ofwhomwere were thedeposedking, Catholic seenas like knownJacobitesJames). asJacobus – (: fled to Europe, became hissupporters James their generalGrahamofClaverhouse )waskilled.When (Bonnie VII/II in1689when oppositioncameto anendattheBattleofKilliecrankie the lastStewart principles. The reign of religious establishedanew tolerance and William andMary Orange were invited throne theBritish because ofJames to take VII/II Catholic against James andherProtestantVII/II whenhisdaughterMary husbandWilliam of againsttheCovenantersThe brutality onlyendedfollowing theEnglishrevolution The Jacobites James King VII (IIofEngland). towardsOpposition andbrutality thetimeof continued1660-90,during invasion andoccupationby ’s forces 1650-60. parliamentary were asCovenanters. known However, IIledto forCharles King support theScots I,many signed Charles Scots theNationalCovenant1637 by King inopposition. They After anattempt to introduceto thePresbyterian Episcopalianpractices Church in andEnglandwere Scotland 1617. Both troubled by religious warsinthe17thcentury. finding theoffice more rewarding, moved south, to onlyonce Scotland, to return in IofEnglandand, theEnglishCrown inherited James – James in1603.HebecameKing Margaret IVhadmarried James example, King Tudor, VIII ofEngland sister ofKing the continuingblood-linkswithEnglishRoyalFamily over –for thecenturies James wasthemotherofKing VI. becoming theminister ofEdinburgh. Mary Through intheanti-French part Reformers, andanti-Papal taking revolution andlater wasoneoftheleading Knox astheReformation. John religious known period Scotland’s mostcontroversial figure, historical caughtinthecentre ofatroubled wasperhaps Queen ofScots, QueenofScots andhenceto Mary, unite thekingdoms. Henry VIII’sEnglish King offhis young son evento the Mary, younger attempt to marry pro-Jacobite neighbour(i.e. sympatheticto border. France) onhernorthern The result neededfreeScotland trade. England, involved ina French war, couldnotafford a waiting inEurope. Englandresponded witheconomic sanctions.Poverty stricken decisions aboutthecrown’s succession. They threatened king, to recall the Stewart ) wasproving unstable. disagreedThe Scots withEnglish parliamentary ofonemonarcharrangement (inLondon) ( andtwo and bankruptcy.Meanwhile, the intheschemewhichreducedmoney to Scotland virtual attack. The colony wasabandoned. smallmerchants Both hadsunk andgrand nobility England forbade any to ofitscoloniesnearby helpandalsoallowed Spanishforces to of Panama. When severe difficulties were encountered bytheexpeditionin1698, anxious aboutcompetition. ontheisthmus This Scheme wastheill-fated Darien decided to found anoverseas colony, thereby thedispleasure ofEngland, incurring more mercantile age. by Inspired England’s tradingsuccessesoverseas, theScots James grandson ofKing theseJacobite episodes,VII. During moved Scotland into a rising, forin1745. theHighlands The ’45wasledby Prince Edward Charles Stuart, DiscoverScotland was the Treaty ofUnion,reinforced by anEnglisharmy underGeneralWade placedat banknotes andawholerangeofculturalsocialdifferences.banknotes institutionssuchasitsown educationandlegalsystems,through banksand surviving retained itsownlikewise vigorous personality, notjustinitsowntongue, Scots but also including Lowland Scotland, where thegreat ofthepopulationlives, majority has anddancing. andbagpipes, Games example, Highland The rest ofScotland, culture stillremains. haveThe given Highlands hermostpotent Scotland symbols–for by nativeandherdingundisturbed farming activities. However, muchGaelic more profitable estates than tenants,required whilesporting their red deer outby landowners for wascarried ofGaeldom world economicreasons: sheepwere theWesternas Skye, IslesandalsoShetland. This uprooting across andscattering the from outwidelyin the Highlands, carried aswell to of evictions over to deer. Clearances, abrutalseries intheHighland factor This wasoneimportant playground, becamefashionableasasporting The Highlands withlarge areas given for chosetheHighlands hersummerhomeatBalmoralonDeeside.Victoria suchasSir ofwriters works Walter thengainingasealofapproval Scott, whenQueen a underwent image ofthewildHighlander ‘rehabilitation’ encouragedby the further highly. very beganto rate picturesquescenery Movement inthearts Romantic The clansmen emigrated to theNewWorld. Around thebeginning ofthe19thcentury, the introducing economicmeasures, new includingwidespread sheepgrazing.Many systemmany landlords new andlandowners took over intheHighlands, weapons wasforbidden for several years afterwards. With thebreakdown oftheclan of dress consequenceofCulloden, andthecarrying thewearingofHighland In Towards Scotland Modern of life shouldbechangedforever. way fought) Jacobites, decidedthattheHighland theauthorities andmainlyHighland 1746 –abattlefought Governmentarmy (for theBritish between whommany Scots Prince’s causeasasideshow. hisdefeat after Nevertheless, attheBattleofCulloden, becoming more withcommerce concerned andmany may Scots have regarded the armyinEngland, andtook was itasfarsouthDerby Scotland Highland Prince in1745,gathered orBonnie –landedinScotland amainly Charlie Stuart nationswereeven thetwo after united. However, by thetimePrince Edward Charles representation. As noted above, Jacobite rebellions didflare thisperiod, upduring English , businesscontinuedasusual, except there wasnow aScottish thus lostitsindependencein1707. ParliamentThe Scots ceasedto meet.For the border,Newcastle neartheScottish bereluctantto shouldtheScots acceptit.Scotland Stewart Monarchs. Stewart Though increasingly brought withtherest into contact of Scotland, heyday, culture tribal which,inits15thcentury Gaelic of the threatened theauthority wasadistinct ofScotland.the clansystem It waswell establishedintheHighlands Whatever theirancientorigins, Celtic, NorseorNorman-French, by the13th century OFSCOTLANDCLANS Scotland’s history. colourful week on12May. took upitsfulllegislative powers It on1July, day in alandmark Parliament,The Scottish 1999,satfor on5May elected thefirsttime following 1998. Bill inJanuary The Billbecamelaw inNovember Act astheScotland ofthatyear. forparliament Scotland, theoutcome ofwhichled to theintroduction oftheScotland On 11September 1997 areferendum was heldonproposals for adevolved The New DiscoverScotland the clan system survived until dismantling, partly asaconsequenceofthefinal untildismantling, partly the clansystem survived with some road-building taking placewhichmadecommunicationseasier,with someroad-building taking clansand the 18thcentury, withagricultural improvements spreading from theLowlands and pipersto theMacLeods, hereditary MacCrimmons, were themostfamous. However, by clan’s story. post, ofwhomthe The clanpiperwasanotherhereditary of heroism inbattle, andrecite ofhisrole astherecorder lineage, whichwaspart ofthe retinue wasthebard, recalling whocouldbothcomposeanepic poem,perhaps afeat of aclanchieftain’s preoccupations memberofthechief’s were war-like. Animportant autonomy overand hadvirtual matters oflaw andorder withintheirterritory. Notall andretainers for chiefsexpensive courts prestige insomeplaceskept most powerful sometimes directlyfrom thecrown, sometimes from clanchiefs. othersuperior The were disputes clans. between territorial The clansmendidnotown land, onlythechief, as theirmainwealth. Stealingwaswidespread, cattle(sometimesinorder to as survive) family orchildren. The clanslived offthelandmore orlessself-sufficiently, withcattle applicable bothto theEnglishandLowland Gaelic, theword In Scots). ‘clann’ means custom andgeography from the ‘Sassenach’ (ie, orsoutherner of ‘Saxon’ origin –aword culture, tribal ofaGaelic completely separatedThe by clansystem language, waspart The Clans –theirheyday andtheirdemise Pictish tribe, forced ofScotland. into thefarnorth may claimamostunusualdescent:they havein Sutherland beenanancientsurviving in Gilleoin, asdotheMathesons, withlandscloseto Kyleakin . The Gunns kinsman who appeared andCromarty, inRoss claimingdescentfrom 12th-century MacPherson, ‘son ofaparson’. origins includetheMacKenzies Clanswithuncertain tonsured man’; Buchanan, ‘of thecanon’s house’; MacTaggart, ‘son ofapriest’, and of Lismore, theislandinLoch examplesincludeMacmillan, Linnhe. Other ‘son ofa comefrom Gillean,whodescendedfrom theabbots inMorven theMacleans Earn; houses: theMacnabs, ‘son oftheabbot’, descendfrom lay abbotsofStFillan onLoch Olaf, clansarewithancientmonastic grandson Some ofNorseKing linked theBlack. ofLorne comefrom theMacDougalls (Gaelic, Dougall a Norseking; ‘dark foreigner’), arehave theMacLeods saidto ofSkye Norseconnections: descendfrom Liot,sonof placename).Following aNormandy Bruce (Brix, early raidsonScotland, others Viking onthefamilycrest), device Sinclair(StClair)and referring to thestrawberry-shaped Hays (de laHaye), Frasers (LaFrezeliäre to –ultimately theFrench linked fraise’,‘la Cummings (Comyns), clanshave intoSome roots Celtic Norman society: andmarried The Origins oftheClans whichendedatCullodenJacobite uprising in1746. controlled aboutwhich there the sealaneswiththeiroared ) (Gaelic: galleys Scotland, especiallyonthelandsby thewestern seaboard. Great seafarers, they , theLords oftheIsles, clanin wasfor generations themostpowerful The Lords oftheIsles inevitably, politics. ofScottish theclansystemwas apart as aJacobite agentandsympathiser(asdidthereal life Roy),demonstratingthat, Rob a merchant preoccupied withprogress andbusiness. Even so, alsoacts Rob the old, self-sufficient Jarvie, ways, Nicol whichcontrasted withhisdistantcousin,Bailie noted by Sir Walter inhisnovel, Scott Roy, Rob where canbeseenasasymbolof Rob economicsociety.gradually into amodern beingabsorbed This process ofchangewas ofestates theforfeiting andsoon)theoldclansystem was (ie, thebanningoftartan, without theshockofCulloden andtheviolentreactionofLowland authorities their chiefs were brought more andmore with into contact ‘southern’ ways. Thus, even DiscoverScotland were many songsandtales. The power wasfinallybrokenbefore ofClanDonald the the Industrial Revolution and Revolution the Industrial ‘foreign’ landlords whoallchangedthenature ofclans old clanways hadbeenswept asideby emigration, proscription following Culloden, becoming safe enough for avisitby thereigning George monarch,IV, King in1822. The wereHighlands nolongerseenasathreat to thenation’s stability, Scotland the deeds, received addition,by theendof18thcentury wideacclaim.In ofSirWalterembodied inthework heroes withhistalesofScottish Scott andbrave had beenpopulated by araceofnoblewarriors. This way new ofthinking, savage’ mystique uparound beganto spring which theHighlands, andthusacertain up. Movement wasaninterest oftheRomantic Anotheraspect intheideaof noble ‘the ofa cametotourists Scotland, aspart ‘cult ofthepicturesque’ whichbeganto spring interest and southoftheborder. innature root beganto take bothnorth The first andliterature inthelate Movement 18thcentury, inart ofaRomantic an As part The Clan Revival andtheClans today issimplya myth. conflict Scotland-England Princeagainst Bonnie thanfor Charlie him. The popularinterpretation ofCulloden asa Subsequent Jacobite mythology hasobscuredthatmore took thefact Scots uparms the 9,000-strong army whichincludedthree British otherregiments ofLowland Scots. of took thegovernment sideagainstthe5,000rebel Jacobites andwaspart Clan wasto theforeThe powerful attheBattleofCulloden in1746. Their The Clans at Culloden thansimply clanenmity. wasfarmore important designed rebel to bring clanstopolicy thiscase, heel. thebrutalpoliticsoflate In . The Campbell ofagovernment regiment underorders acted aspart by aregularbranch oftheClanDonald regiment ofthe ‘British’ army, raisedfrom the aclanaffair atall.was notprincipally outona The massacre ofGlencoewascarried theBattleofInverlochy.after Yet thebloodydeedwhichhasgainedmostnotoriety Lamonts were executed atDunooninrevenge for changing sidesby theCampbells shut ahundred nearObanandsetitalight.More Campbellsthanahundred inabarn 140 oftheColquhouns inGlenFruin, west ofLoch Lomond. forces ClanDonald once meantspiltblood. often Clan conflict MacGregors The are said to have massacred The Massacre ofGlencoe Crown. end ofthe15thcentury, theirpower having brought withthe theminto conflict its rich heritage but is also looking to thefurture. butisalsolooking heritage its rich people. and sports a dynamicnationproud Scotland toThis makes celebrate mixture offreshthe quality produce calibre andtheinternational ofour nationalopera,ballet isstilltrue, buttoday, bagpipes andwhisky fortartan, isalsoknown Scotland modern hasmanyScotland symbolsthatare recognised world-wide. The traditionalimageof SYMBOLS OF SCOTLAND that now stretches round right theworld. andcompanionshipstill havetraditional valuesofloyalty theirplace, withinafamily clan. Though theclansofoldhave gonefrom theirhomelandsforever, theold andcomradeshipofthe theform thatpromote ofClanSocieties thehistory taking in Scotland’s heritage. Highland This hasbeenmaintainedto thepresent day, often helpedsustainthefashionandgenuineinterest Gathering of theBraemarHighland and clanlands. ’s andBalmoralherpatronage love oftheHighlands DiscoverScotland Tartan dialect ofthe dialect Thames Valley inEnglandevolved to becomewhatiscalledtoday ‘ ‘English’ asthe (just ofAnglo-Saxon whichhasgrown dialect from aNorthumbrian annual festival songandpoetry. Scotland’s ofGaelic otherlanguageisScots, aform of vigorous asseenattheMod, an force prose andspoken poetry inwritten aswell. speakEnglish/Scots remainsHebrides. speakers Gaelic Now a allGaelic inthewest, andontheislands,spoken with–arguably –itsstronghold intheOuter forms, emptiedofitsnativevarious population. astheHighlands Today isstill Gaelic in more recent centuries, losingground to thegrowing dominanceofEnglish,in inthelastthousandyears,contracted then becomingthelanguageofHighlands, languagewasGaelic. theprincipal Scotland This languagehas 10th-century In Language clanconnection. infindingadistinct difficulty e.g. Caledonian, Fort areWilliam alsoavailable, andBlackwatch shouldthere beany advise you onyour clanlinksinrelation orgeneraltartans, to you surname. District found withone. sites orinternet manufacturers,will Several aconnection stockists oftheirclan, havingwhatever choose, to they wear though itisnormal thetartan legalsense, visitors canwear astrictly continues today it.In whenanoccasionmerits inventedparticular, were many designed andtheprocess populartartans orotherwise designs withnew beingintroduced asdemandincreased.tartan, Around thistimein eighteenth century. Then George IV’s visitto Edinburgh in1822helpedpopularise patterns. inthe ArmyThe wasthefirst British to setdown ordefineuniform selection. Tartans withitslimited entitlementto display certain areheraldry notlike few resemblances families, to withvery Highland today’s onwell-to-do portrayed Visit Edinburgh, oftartans NationalPortraitGallery, theScottish to seethevariety alone.to suggest thattheoldclanscouldbedistinguishedfrom oneanother by tartan eighteenth century. intheearly Historically,demands for there tartan isnoevidence well asincreasing mechanisation, were and, later, introduced to meetmilitary fashion had beenforgotten in1782.Later, whenthebanwaslifted otherchemicalmethods, as by thegovernment following (1745-6)many thelastJacobite uprising localdye recipes cloth withcoloursdependentonlocallyavailable dyestuffs. wasbanned Whentartan would times, produce earliest localfamiliesorsettlementsintheHighlands a In King. used for Grace’, to theKingis ‘hoiss (trousers) for pairoftartan anew the perhaps 1538 where there isanorder for abaleofcloth ‘Heland Tartane’, being thematerial the Exchequer oftheLord Rooms Treasurer James ofKing V in court oftheScottish refer ofFrench ofmaterial isin to say akind thefirstmentionoftartan origin. Others give writers Some theorigin oftheword asFrench ‘tiretane’ thoughthismay simply the Scots tothe Scots victory. The Flag Centre Heritage atAthelstaneford, near Haddington, vision ofthecross ofStAndrew wasseen,white againstabluesky. This helped prayed AngusIofScots Athelstane. to StAndrew King andwhenbattlewasjoineda combined force undertheirleader ofPicts against invading and Scots Northumbrians adoptionissaidto date fromsaint. Its abattle, somesay a in832ADbetween flagorThe Scottish ‘saltire’ isderivedfrom thecross ofStAndrew,Scotland’s patron The Saltire it canstillbeheard inallitsrichness, colourandvigour. andfishingcommunitiesbeyond theGrampianmountains,among thefarming where inthe North-East, Scotsisstillspoken became theofficiallanguageofadministration. in 1603andmoved to England. Finally, withtheUnionofParliaments in1707,English untilJames the standard speechofcourt theEnglishcrown inherited VI ofScotland Standard English’). French, hasabsorbed Scots andNorseinfluences was Germanic DiscoverScotland , is on the site of the ancient battle and an audio visual display re-enacts East Lothian, isonthesite oftheancientbattleandanaudiovisualdisplay re-enacts During the summer months several hotels arrange Scottish evenings thesummermonthsseveralwhichallow Scottish hotels the During arrange butnow ofsongandstorytelling, any musicalentertainment. purposes Scottish meaning avisit,theword inahousefor hascometo meannotjustagathering the Another event borrowed from istheceilidh,pronounced theGael ‘kay-lay’. Literally Scottish MusicandDance hammer, dancing. together withdisplays ofpipebandsandHighland meaning,as tossing thecaber(pronounced literally kay-ber apole)andthrowing the in the19thcentury. Today provide they insuchevents auniquemixofathleticskills, later promoted andupdated by various ‘Caledonian Societies’ whichwere founded chiefs set by recruiting Highland forskill theirpersonalentourage. The gameswere owe issaidtheseGames theiroriginsheld acrossto tests Scotland. ofstrength It and andSeptember, May Between is andGatherings aprogramme Games ofHighland Games Highland AugustBand Championshipheldduring inGlasgow. and competitionsare heldthroughout thesummer, thelargest beingthe World Pipe musical instrument.Pipe Games bandsand solopipingare commonplaceatHighland longenough to become agreatbagpipes have butonlyinScotland survived they have intheworld one.theirhandatthe countries tried Most same astheHighland today althoughithasnobag, usesapipewhich, isbasicallythe snake-charmer Indian legions Roman oncemarched todeveloped themintothepipes, anart. andeven the doesnotclaimtoScotland have invented thebagpipes, butitdoesclaimto have Bagpipes on athistle! whenoneofthebarefootunder cover raidersyelled ofdarkness stepping inpainafter Scandinavian invaders. advancing The Scots, itissaid, to were araidingparty alerted The thistle’s role emblemrelates asaScottish battleagainst to anincidentin early The Thistle shows thered lionstandingonitshindlegssurrounded byIt aborder offleurs-de-lis. Kingdom. flagwaschosen byWilliamIScotland The LionRampant of for hisstandard. ofthebattle. symboloftheUnitedthe story oftheUnionJack, The cross isalsopart music can often beheardmusic canoften inpubsandwinebars–checklocallyfor listings. music anditsown nationalballet,operaandorchestra. Traditional fiddleandjazz folk, Today continuesto Scotland have amajorinfluenceinbothclassicalandpopular border. andraidingalongtheScottish-English fromthe ofwarfare centuries dramatic imagery, category, are stemming yet anothertraditionalmusic(or literary) whaling, fishingandothertrades. BorderThe ballads, ofimpressive power and songs,both farming calledbothy often songsrelating balladsandwork to spinning, andfolk cultureScots musicwhichincludes alsoincludesastrong traditionofpoetry dancing. country andto gatherings, includeaceilidhbandandScottish itisstilltradition to wear thekilt visitor to taste fare Scottish andenjoy thenationalmusicanddance. At weddings and DiscoverScotland Inventors andInventions Lewis, the observance oftheSabbathismuchstricter,Lewis, theobservance becauseoftheinfluence and islands,On someoftheHebridean notablyintheWestern Harris Isles, particularly low key.on themainlandisfairly Shops andpubscanremain openonSundays inScotland, henceSabbathobservance Episcopalian, Protestant andBaptistchurches canbefound throughout thecountry. Church (Presbyterian). ofScotland CatholicThe faithhasastrong Roman following and recognisesScotland many religious denominations, themostprevalent beingthe Worship self. for your toyear food try atvarious festivals agreat markets, andfarmers opportunity venison andlambisnotto bemissed. Food are anddrink celebrated throughout the to magnificent seafood suchaslobster, oysters,Scottish beef, musselsandsalmon aswell asbeer, inwhiskies variation waters. aleandspring The coldwaters are home food intheworld.quality anddrink The waters ofdifferent regions produce a great ofScotland’s anddiversity The richness larder allows usto produce someofthefinest Food andDrink competitively. are andcurling stillplayed (similarto hockey) ofShinty sports The Scottish Hampden Park football stadiumistheoldestinternational stadiumincontinuoususe. where and suchastheMelrose tournaments are Sevens stillenthusiasticallysupported played associated withtheBorder alongthelowland areas coasts, rugby isparticularly here thegameofgolfwasborn andwasfirst heritage; hasastrongScotland sporting Sport longest riverinCanada him. whichwasnamedafter the whocharted whofoundedJones andAlexanderMacKenzie Navy theAmerican who went onto becomeinfluentialleadersthroughoutJohn including the world Paul savings bank were ofScot’s. allthework alsoproduced Scotland many great explorers engine, penicillin,anaesthetic andadhesive postagestampsandtheworld’s first use inday to day life where invented here. The television, telephone, radar, steam hasproduced inventorsScotland alonglineofindustrious andmany oftheitems we www.burnsfestival.com oftheevening’san integral part entertainment. andspeeches. Recitals, andpotatoes), toasts alongwithwhisky turnips andreplies are fare, withScottish includinghaggis,the country chappitneepsandtatties(mashed Burns, Scotland’s ofRobert placeacross supperstake The nationalpoet.Burns birthday 25th January DATES FOR YOUR DIARY inScotland, and insomecasesto thechurch. view attend services petrol, etc.transport, iftravelling to theIsles. Visitors are always madewelcome to Free Church ofScotland. Visitors shouldcheckinadvanceSunday ofpublic availability DiscoverScotland Watch out for and Clan Gatherings taking placethroughout Watch Scotland taking andClanGatherings outforGames Highland May-September www.ancomunn.co.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 01463231226 IV1 1EY 109 Church Street, language. ontheGaelic Information An Comunn Gaidhealach USEFUL CONTACTS to andfestivals whisky. from storytelling forshinty, everything battlere-enactments pastimes suchascurling, placeincludingScottish Many othertraditionalevents take www..net Hogmanaynow mark withpubliccelebrations. Fire BallFestival oftheClavie inBurghead. andtheBurning towns Several andcities symbolicgifts.stranger) bearing Traditional fire festivals are suchastheStonehaven a houseimmediately theNew after Year and handsome (ideallyby adark hasarrived of The custom stillsurvives ‘first-footing’, thatis, ceremonially crossing thethreshold of 31 December, Hogmanay gathertoScots celebrate theirpatron, SaintAndrew. 30 November www.the-mod.co.uk through andliterature. music, dance, drama,arts isacompetition-basedfestivalMod languageandculture whichcelebrates theGaelic andcultureatadifferent andisheldannuallyinOctober Scotland.arts locationin The isScotland’sThe RoyalNationalMod premier festival language, Gaelic oftheGaelic October www.edinburgh-festivals.com literature, musicandtheworld-renowned EdinburghTattoo. Military Edinburgh plays festivals comedy, ofinternational hostto aseries includingarts, August www.visitscotland.com/guide/see-and-do/events/highlandgames over thesemonths. www.nms.ac.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 01312474422 EH1 1JF Chambers Street, Edinburgh their achievements –through nationalcollections. the rich –itsland, ofScotland itspeopleand The museumpresents thehistory ofScotland Museum www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Tel: 01316688800 EH9 1SH Longmore Place, Edinburgh House, intheircare throughout properties onhistoric Scotland.Information Scotland Historic DiscoverScotland www.scottish.parliament.uk E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01313485000 EH99 1SP Edinburgh Public Service Information ParliamentThe Scottish www.scotsdictionaries.org.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 01316504149 EH8 9LD 27 George Square, Edinburgh language. theScots Records andpreserves LanguageDictionaries Scottish www.the-mod.co.uk E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01463709705 IV1 1EY 109 Church Street, Inverness ontheRoyalNational Mod. Information The RoyalNationalMod www.nts.org.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 08444932100 EH2 4ET Square,28 Charlotte Edinburgh intheircare throughout properties onhistoric Scotland.Information National Trust for Scotland VisitScotland canacceptnoresponsibility for anyerrorsoromissionscontained inthepublication. www.visitscotland.com The information containedinthispublicationiscorrectat thetimeofgoingtoprint. The information

Scotland. To bookaccommodationinVisitScotland QualityAssured propertiesthroughout Welcome to our life. Scotland visitwww.visitscotland.com andadvicetohelp orforinformation you planandbookyournextholiday [email protected] Want toknowmoreaboutScotland? Produced by Publishing Services, VisitScotland January 2011 VisitScotland January Produced byPublishing Services, Email: [email protected]