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.
Old photograph of boys fishing from the pier in Kirn by Dunoon, Scotland. Kirn is a village in Argyll and Bute in the Scottish Highlands on the west shore of the Firth of Clyde on the Cowal Peninsula. It now forms part of a continuous built up area between Dunoon and Hunters Quay, where the Clyde joins the Holy Loch. It had its own pier and was a regular stop for the Clyde steamer services.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the walkers bridge over River Brora in Sutherland, Scotland. The River Brora, Scottish Gaelic: Brùra, is an east flowing river in the Highlands which is formed as its headwater streams, the Féith Osdail, Allt Gobhlach and Allt nan Con-uisge meet at Dalnessie before flow southeastwards down Strath Brora to Dalreavoch. The river turns briefly north east then east and then southeastwrads once again to pass through the three distinct basins of Loch Brora to enter the Moray Firth on the North Sea at the town of Brora. Its one principal tributary is the Black Water which enters on its left bank at Balnacoil. The Black Water is itself fed by the River Skinsdale and the Coirefrois Burn.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the Mill in Colville Park in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The main Roman road through central Scotland ran along Motherwell’s side of the River Clyde, crossing the South Calder Water on the north west side of today’s town. At this crossing a fort and bath house were erected, but the Roman presence in Scotland did not last much later than this. There were definitely people living in the area from an early point. The name comes from an ancient religious well, the Mother's Well, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. By the start of the 19th century Motherwell was a small hamlet, a farming community of some 600 people living adjacently to the 16th century laird’s manor, Jerviston house. The hamlet remained reasonably small, reaching 1,700 people by 1841, and centred on the crossroads between the main road following the Clyde, and the road connecting Edinburgh with Hamilton and the west. Motherwell’s fortunes changed dramatically in the second half of the 19th century. With the coming of the railway in 1848, came industry and money. By 1881 David Colville had opened both an iron and steel works; Motherwell had a new piped water supply; had been granted burgh status and had its population swelled to 13,800 people.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of MOD Winners in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland. A mod is a festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture. Historically, the Gaelic word mòd refers to any kind of assembly. There are both local mods, and an annual national mod, the Royal National Mòd. Mods are run under the auspices of An Comunn Gàidhealach. The term comes from a Gaelic word for a parliament or congress in common use during the Lordship of the Isles. A Mod largely takes the form of formal competitions. Choral events, in Gaelic, both solo and choirs, and traditional music including fiddle, bagpipe and folk groups dominate. Spoken word events include children and adult's poetry reading, storytelling and Bible reading, and categories such as Ancient Folk Tale or Humorous Monologue. Children can also present an original drama, and there are competitions in written literature.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of a Summer drive West on the A85 road from Huntingtower on ancestry visit to the church in Methven, Perthshire, Scotland. Methven Parish Church has a tower and spire erected by public subscription in 1826. The Graham Mausoleum by Methven Church in the cemetery is the burial vault for General Thomas Graham of Balgowan, Lord Lynedoch, and his wife who was the Honourable Mary Cathcart, daughter of Charles Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart. Deeply affected by the death of his wife, Thomas Graham, Lord Lynedoch, commissioned a Mausoleum to her memory in the kirk yard at Methven, Perthshire. This gave the architect James Playfair, a chance to put to practice his most advanced ideas and the resultant design in the form of a gigantic sarcophagus is truly amazing for its period. After a long life Lord Lynedoch joined his wife in her last resting place in 1848. The Mausoleum is the free standing building in front of the church. The Battle of Methven took place in 1306 between Scottish forces led by King Robert the Bruce and English forces led by Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and resulted in a resounding win for the English. This was part of the Scottish Wars of Independence.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
