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.
Tour Scotland Highland Games slideshow. Highland games are held throughout the year in Scotland and many other countries of the world as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain elements of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes, the kilt, and the heavy events, especially the caber toss. While centered around competitions in piping and drumming, dancing, and Scottish heavy athletics, the games also include entertainment and exhibits related to other aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Camera Obscura, Edinburgh, Scotland. Located near the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle, on the short Castlehill Street. Camera Obscura is the oldest purpose built attraction in the city. In the early 18th century, the Edinburgh instrument maker Thomas Short leased some land on Calton Hill to display his instruments to the public. As his lease stipulated female relatives of Thomas could not inherit the building and its contents, his wife and children did not inherit it when he died in 1788. In 1827, Maria Theresa Short returned to Edinburgh from the West Indies claiming to be Thomas Short’s daughter and attempted to claim his Great Telescope for her inheritance. Despite strong competition from other parties, she received the telescope and set up Short's Popular Observatory in 1835, housed in a wooden and stone building next to the National Monument on Calton Hill. She exhibited many scientific instruments and kept her Observatory open till 9pm each evening. After this very popular observatory was pulled down by authorities against her protests in 1851, she moved to Castlehill. In 1852, she bought the Laird of Cockpen’s townhouse, adding two storeys to create Short's Observatory, Museum of Science and Art, in existence from 1853 to 1892. The tenement is thought to be the original mansion of the Ramsays of Dalhousie, the Lairds of Cockpen, turned into small flats in the 18th century. The main attraction in Short's Observatory was the camera obscura occupying the topmost room. Her husband continued to run the attraction after Mrs. Short died in 1869. The tower, with its six floors of interactive exhibitions, is still open to the public, making it the oldest purpose built attraction in the city, and one of the oldest in the United Kingdom.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the church in Tibbermore, Perthshire, Scotland. Tibbermore Parish Church is a former parish church rebuilt in 17th century when the transepts were removed and the striking bellcote added. Reputed to be the burial place of three hundred Covenanters who perished in the Battle of Tibbermore.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland. Scottish National War Memorial which commemorate Scotss and those serving with Scottish regiments who had died in the First World War and subsequent conflicts.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
