Tour Scotland photographs and videos from my tours of Scotland. Photography and videography, both old and new, from beautiful Scotland, Scottish castles, seascapes, rivers, islands, landscapes, standing stones, lochs and glens.
August 7th photograph of a Horseshoes Game at the Travelling People and Gypsy Festival at Lochore Meadows Country Park, Fife, Scotland.
August 7th photograph of a Horseshoes Game at the Travelling People and Gypsy Festival at Lochore Meadows Country Park, Fife, Scotland. Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people, or two teams of two people, using four horseshoes and two throwing targets (stakes) set in a sandbox area. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40feet (15.38 m) apart.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
August 7th photograph of Cob Horses at the Travelling People and Gypsy Festival at Lochore Meadows Country Park, Fife, Scotland. Cob is a term used to describe a type of horse that is small, usually of a stout build, with strong bones, large joints, and steady disposition. The term refers to a body type of horse rather than a specific breed. Historically, in the United Kingdom and, to a lesser extent, the eastern United States, it was also a word used to describe a common horse used for everyday riding.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
August 7th photograph of a pony and trap at the Agricultural Show in Perth, Scotland. Perth Show is 148 years old has been running for well over 100 years within the city of Perth. Originally being a one day show it developed into a two day event due to its popularity, drawing in the region of 20,000 people over the two days.
August 7th photograph of a pony and trap at the Agricultural Show in Perth, Scotland.
August 7th photograph of a pony and trap at the Agricultural Show in Perth, Scotland.
August 7th photograph of a pony and trap at the Agricultural Show in Perth, Scotland.
August 7th photograph of a pony and trap at the Agricultural Show in Perth, Scotland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland travel video of a Clydesdale Horse named " Jock, " an award winning Clydesdale horse at the agricultural show on visit and trip to Perth, Scotland. " Jock " is 8 years of age, and from Glasgow. The Clydesdale is a breed of draught horse derived from the farm horses of Clydesdale, Scotland, and named after that region. Although originally one of the smaller breeds of draught horses, it is now a tall breed. Often bay in colour, they show significant white markings due to the presence of sabino genetics. The breed was originally used for agriculture and haulage, and is still used for draught purposes today. The Budweiser Clydesdales are some of the most famous Clydesdales, and other members of the breed are used as drum horses by the British Household Cavalry.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of men making a gelly or gellie at the Travelling People and Gypsy Festival at Lochore Meadows Country Park, Fife, Scotland. A gellie is a bothy or dwelling made from natural material. Highland Travellers are closely tied to the native Highlands, and many traveller families carry clan names like Macfie, Stewart, MacDonald, Cameron, Williamson and Macmillan. They follow a nomadic or settled lifestyle; passing from village to village and are more strongly identified with the native Gaelic speaking population. Continuing their nomadic life, they would live on rough ground on the edge of the village and earn money there as tinsmiths, hawkers, horse dealers or fishing for pearls. Many found seasonal employment on farms, e.g. at the berry picking or during harvest.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of a basket maker at the Travelling People and Gypsy Festival at Lochore Meadows Country Park, Fife, Scotland. Basketry or basket weaving is one of the oldest traditional crafts in Scotland. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, crofting families in the Highlands and Islands made tightly woven grass containers to store grain and meal, and creel baskets for carrying heavy loads such as fuel, manure, crops and other goods. The first settlers who arrived in the Hebrides 9,000 years ago made long fishing baskets out of willow to catch fish.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Photograph of a climber on Suilven mountain in Sutherland, Scotland. This is one of the most distinctive mountains in Scotland. Lying in a remote area in the west of Sutherland, it rises almost vertically from a wilderness landscape of moorland, bogs and lochans. The highest point, known as Caisteal Liath, the Grey Castle in Scottish Gaelic, lies at the northwest end of this ridge. There are two other summits: Meall Meadhonach, Round Middle Hill, at the central point of the ridge is 723 m high, whilst Meall Beag, Round Little Hill, lies at the southeastern end.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Photograph of the national flag of Scotland. The Flag of Scotland, also known as the Saint Andrew's Cross or more commonly The Saltire, is the national flag of Scotland. As the national flag, the Saltire differs from the Royal Standard of Scotland in that it is the Saltire which is the correct flag for all individuals and corporate bodies to fly in order to demonstrate both their loyalty and Scottish nationality.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the River Coupall Falls and Buachaile Etive Mor, Glencoe, Scotland. Glencoe is the spiritual home of many a mountaineer and hill walker. Although the English author, Charles Dickens called it " perfectly terrible, an awful place, scores of glens high up, which form such haunts as you might imagine yourself wandering in, the very height and madness of a fever ", it provides some of the finest climbing and walking terrain in Scotland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland Dougie MacLean Video. Live at the Perthshire Amber Festival. One of my all time favourite Scottish singer, songwriters. The song is Broken Wings. I hope you enjoy this video.
A tall tree, turn and face the west O we’re running with the wind A high cliff-top, we’re waiting with the rest For this journey to begin
CHORUS But these broken wings won’t fly These broken wings won’t fly at all
And how we laugh, but maybe we should crawl And ask to be excused We shout loudly, have answers to it all O but we have been refused CHORUS
Girl child, you’re dancing with the stream Growing with the silver trees Your young questions, you ask me what it means O but I am not at ease CHORUS
Tour Scotland Battlefield Band Video. Live in Aberdeen, Scotland. Alan Reid, Iain MacDonald, Alastair Russell and John McCuster. One of my all time favourite Scottish bands. The first song is The Dear Green Place. I hope you enjoy this video.
It was by the clear Molendinar Burn Where it meets and runs with the river Clyde And they tell the tale of the holy one Who was fishing down by the riverside A holy man, from Fife he came His name they say was Kentigern And by the spot were the fish was caught The dear green place was born
Now the salmon ran through the river stream And they salted them by the banks of Clyde And the faces glowed as the silver flowed The place arose by the riverside There was cloth to dye and hose to buy The traders came from miles around And they raised a glass to the dear green place The place that was a town
There is a town that once was green and a river flowed to the sea The river flows forever on, but the dear green place is gone
When the furnace came to fire the iron And folk were thrown from their farmland Then the irishmen and the highland men And the hungry men came with willing hands They wanted work, a place to live, their empty bellies needed filled And the farmyard was another world From the dirty overcrowded mill
Now you may have heard of the foreign trade And fortunes made by tobacco lords But the working man slaved his life away And an early grave was his sole reward A dreary room, a crowded slum, disease and hunger everywhere And the price to pay was another day To fight the anger and despair
A thousand years have been here and gone (it is gone) Since Kentigern saw the banks of Clyde (it is gone) How many dreams and how many tears (it is gone) In a thousand years of a city's life (it is gone)
It was by the clear Molendinar Burn (it is gone) Where it meets and runs with the river Clyde (it is gone) Perhaps tomorrow it yet may be (it is gone) The dear green place again (it is gone)
Tour Scotland video of the Jacobite Steam Train in Highland Scotland. Described as one of the great railway journeys of the world this 84 mile round trip takes you past a list of impressive extremes. Starting at Fort William, near the highest mountain in Britain, Ben Nevis, it visits Britain's most westerly mainland railway station, Arisaig; passes close by the deepest freshwater loch in Britain, Loch Morar and the shortest river in Britain, River Morar, finally arriving next to the deepest seawater loch in Europe, Loch Nevis. The train stops en route to Mallaig at the village of Glenfinnan. Beyond Glenfinnan are the beautiful villages of Lochailort, Arisaig, Morar and Mallaig. You may alight at Arisaig by request to the guard. From here, on a clear summer's day, you can see the Small Isles of Rum, Eigg, Muck, Canna and the southern tip of Skye. The train continues on from here passing Morar and the silvery beaches used in the films Highlander and Local Hero. The Jacobite, provided the steam engine and carriages for the Harry Potter Hogwarts Express
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Lewis Chessmen which were discovered in 1831 on the Island Of lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. The Lewis Chessmen, or Uig Chessmen are named after the bay where they were found, are a group of 78 chess pieces from the 12th century most of which are carved in walrus ivory. The chessmen were probably made in Trondheim, Norway, in the 12th century, although some scholars have suggested other Nordic countries. During that period, the Outer Hebrides, along with other major groups of Scottish islands, were ruled by Norway. They may constitute some of the few complete, surviving medieval chess sets, although it is not clear if a set as originally made can be assembled from the pieces. When found, the hoard contained 93 artifacts: 78 chess pieces, 14 tablemen and one belt buckle.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of a rainbow over Loch Awe and Kilchurn Castle, Scotland. Scottish Castles. Kilchurn Castle is located on an islet in Loch Awe to the west of Dalmally in Argyll and Bute, the ruined remains of the Campbell stronghold of Kilchurn Castle date from the mid 15th century whilst extensions were added in the 17th century when the castle was used as a garrison. The roof was removed in 1770 when the building was left to ruin. Since 1953 it has been in the care of Historic Scotland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Kilchurn Castle, Scotland. Kilchurn Castle is located on an islet in Loch Awe to the west of Dalmally in Argyll and Bute, the ruined remains of the Campbell stronghold of Kilchurn Castle date from the mid 15th century whilst extensions were added in the 17th century when the castle was used as a garrison. The roof was removed in 1770 when the building was left to ruin. Since 1953 it has been in the care of Historic Scotland. Scottish Castles.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the Birnam Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland. Style, elegance and good old-fashioned Scottish hospitality is what the newly upgraded Birnam Hotel is all about these days.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of people, shops and cars on College Street, Buckhaven, Fife, Scotland. I was born not far from College Street, in Randolph Street, Buckhaven. Once a thriving weaving village and fishing port, in 1831 it was reported as having the second largest fishing fleet in Scotland with a total of 198 boats. Fishing declined during the 19th century, but in the 1860s Buckhaven developed more into a mining town. Although coal waste blackened its beaches and silted up its now non existent harbour, it later became a Fife coast holiday resort and recreation area for locals. The fishing community of Buckhaven is said to have been largely the descendants of Norsemen who settled there in the 9th century. Centuries later Buckhaven's fisherfolk bought an Episcopal Church in St Andrews in 1869 and transported it stone by stone to Buckhaven, using fishing boats.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Watten, Caithness, Scotland. This small Scottish village is on The Far North railway line but trains stopped calling at the village in 1960.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of fishing boats in the harbour at Macduff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. A Scottish town in the Banff and Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Macduff is situated on Banff Bay and faces the town of Banff across the estuary of the River Deveron.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of men fishing from the the Fairy Bridge, Largo, East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. There are many stories and tunes about the fairies in Largo. The original Largo’s Fairy Dance was a medley consisting of two Neil Gow composed tunes, The Fairy Dance and The Fairies Advance. Largo has also attracted many legends about hidden treasure or ancient gold mines. One tale is told of a shepherd, braver than his companions, who accosted a ghost who haunted the vicinity of Largo Law, to ask him why he roamed the land of the living. The shade was enticed to reveal where the shepherd might find the treasure that bound the ghost (for this might also release him from his wanderings), but under two conditions: the Auchendowie cock must not crow and the herder of Belmain must not blow his horn. The shepherd hastened to make sure the conditions were met, slaying all the cocks within earshot of the hill, and approaching the local herder, one Tommie Norrie, an by threats or cajoling, impugned him not to sound his horn. At the time appointed by the shade the shepherd drew near on the slopes of Largo Law, as the church bells tolled eight times. The shade turned to reveal its secret, but just as it was about to speak a horn blast sounded from down in the valley. Tommy Norrie had either betrayed his promise or forgotten his assignment. The shade, instead of divulging treasure, uttered a curse. “Woe to the man that blew that horn,” it said “For out of that spot he shall never be borne.” Indeed, Tommy Norrie dropped dead on the spot and his body remained immobile, despite attempts to remove it for proper burial. In the end the townspeople were forced to build a cairn around the body just where it lay.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of St Conans Kirk, Loch Awe, Scotland. This Scottish kirk is adorned with spires, towers and turrets, all designed in incredible detail.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Tarbert Pier, Loch Lomond, Scotland. Tarbet lies on the west shore of Loch Lomond some two thirds of the way towards its northern end.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the church in Trinity Gask, Perthshire, Scotland. The present church structure dates from 1770 and is still in use. It is a rectangular structure with the later additions of a porch, an office and a vestry. The west gable has a 19th century bellcote with a bell inscribed with the date 1838. The Trinity Gask Church is at the upper end of the cemetery on south facing slope overlooking the River Earn, and the Trinity Churchyard contains many interesting 18th and 19th Century Scottish headstones in a most beautiful location.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Ben Coutts gravestone in the cemetery in Trinity Gask, Perthshire, Scotland. Sir Max Hastings wrote: Ben Coutts often chafed about having failed to make any money in his life, but never failed to add that he had enjoyed every minute of it anyway. He was a great influence on many lives, including mine, inspiring a love of the Highlands, its people and their farming lives. Unlike some modern Scots, he saw no contradiction between being Scots and British. A man of passionately held opinions and loyalties, he always feared God, but I don't think he feared much else.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the James Simpson gravestone in the cemetery in Trinity Gask, Perthshire, Scotland. Forester on Trinity Gask Estate for 40 years. Who died on the 16th of May 1889, aged 72.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Thomas Cant gravestone in the cemetery in Trinity Gask, Perthshire, Scotland. Thomas Cant, late farmer Cow Gask, who died the on the 13th of February, 1826, aged 74.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the High Street, Penicuik, Scotland. Penicuik is situated on the west bank of the River North Esk. It lies on the A701 road midway between Edinburgh and Peebles, east of the Pentland Hills. Cargill Gilston Knott, was born on 30 June 1856 in Penicuik. He was a Scottish physicist and mathematician who was a pioneer in seismological research. He spent his early career in Japan. He later became a Fellow of the Royal Society, Secretary of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and President of the Scottish Meteorological Society. He died at his home at 42 Upper Gray Street, Newington, Edinburgh, on 26 October 1922.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of a Tram, shops, houses and people in Crossgates, Fife, Scotland. A small village about two miles east of Dunfermline and a similar distance south west of Cowdenbeath. Crossgates has a long history of mining, of both deep and opencast varieties.
Old photograph of shops, buildings and people in Lochee, Dundee, Scotland. An area of Dundee, Scotland. Until the 19th century, it was a separate town which developed in the 18th century with handloom weaving and in the 19th century as a centre of textile industries, such as spinning, bleaching, dyeing and linen manufacture. By the 20th century, the area had been surrounded by the growing city of Dundee. The name Lochee means eye of the loch, referring to the town's location on the banks of Loch Balgay which was drained in the 16th century for farmland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the hotel in Forsinard, Sutherland, Scotland. A hamlet in the county of Sutherland in the Highlands. It is located on the A897 road in Strath Halladale. It is served by a hotel and railway station on the Far North Line.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages in Gairloch, Scotland. A small village on the shores of Loch Gairloch on the northwest coast of Scotland. The lands around Gairloch have been mostly in the ownership of the Mackenzies of Gairloch since the 15th century, when they were acquired by Hector Roy Mackenzie who died in 1528, with a family house in the sheltered Glen of Flowerdale. The Mackenzies were clan leaders in the traditional sense and were known for their attachment to their tenants. During the 19th century, Sir Hector Mackenzie and his sons Sir Francis and Dr John Mackenzie refused to evict a single tenant during the Highland clearances, despite the estate running at a loss. As a result, evicted Highlanders from other communities came to live in the area and has caused Gairloch to maintain a thriving community even today. Gairloch and nearby Badachro had a strong history of creel shellfish fishing as well as small scale trawl fishing.
Old photograph of cottages in Dalginross, Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland. During the Roman incursions into Scotland, Dalginross contained two Roman camps, one of them occupying an area of 16 acres, supposed by some antiquaries to have been the Victoria of the ninth Legion.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages and houses in Balerno, Scotland. Balerno is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland situated south west of the city centre, next to Juniper Green and Currie. Its name derives from the Scottish Gaelic Baile Airneach, meaning "hawthorn farm". The earliest written records of Balhernoch or Balernach are found in the late 13th century.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages and houses in Kennoway, Fife, Scotland. This is a village near the larger population centres in the area of Leven and Methil. It is about three miles inland from the Firth of Forth, north of Leven. This position gave it importance in the old days while travelling by coach, for the stage road ran through Kennoway from the ferry at Pettycur, through Ceres, and on to St. Andrews.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of houses and people in Leslie, Fife, Scotland. This is a large Scottish village on the northern tip of the River Leven Valley, to the west of Glenrothes. The village was granted burgh of barony status by James II in 1458 for George Leslie who became the first Earl of Rothes.
Old photograph of Curling on the River Tay by Stanley Mills, Perthshire, Scotland. Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice towards a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called rocks, across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a circular target marked on the ice.[2] Each team has eight stones. The purpose is to accumulate the highest score for a game; points are scored for the stones resting closest to the centre of the house at the conclusion of each end, which is completed when both teams have thrown all of their stones. A game usually consists of eight or ten ends.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
