Old Photograph Stills Pulteney Whisky Distillery Wick Scotland

Old photograph of Stills in Pulteney Whisky Distillery in the Pulteneytown area of Wick, Caithness. Scotland. The distillery was established in 1826 in the name of Sir William Pulteney, who died in 1805, and for whom Pulteneytown is named. The distillery is the most northerly on the Scottish mainland and was quite inaccessible, except by sea, when established. Barley was brought in by sea, and the whisky was shipped out the same way. Many of the distillery workers were also employed as fishermen. The herring fishing industry is no longer part of daily life in Wick but the distillery continues to operate, producing a Highland single malt with a reputation as one of the finest available. Characteristics of the whisky are attributed to exposure to sea air during maturation. The distillery closed in 1930 due to declining trade after the local parish enforced prohibition laws but re-opened in 1951 when the vote was rescinded after the law was abolished. It is now owned by Inver House Distillers. The Pulteney site uses water from an old mill lade, constructed by Thomas Telford. This stream flows out of Loch Hempriggs, 2 miles) to the South West, and is reputed to have powered a barley mill at or near the site of the distillery. The distillery produces the Old Pulteney single malt whisky at a number of ages.



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Old Photograph Pot Still Invergordon Scotland

Old photograph of an illicit Pot Still in Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. The illicit whisky trade was well suited to the Highland life. In traditional farming communities, families had to work with each other to be able to grow enough to support themselves. Many turned to making whisky as it became harder to survive as farmers.



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Tour Scotland Autumn Video Glen Tromie Speyside

Tour Scotland Autumn video fast moving water in a gorge in Glen Tromie, Speyside, Scotland. A number of ancient drove routes across the Cairngorm Mountains. Highlanders drove their Highland cows on one of those tracks from Dalnacardoch up the valley of the Edendon Water and over the watershed to the Gaick Forest, before descending to Speyside through Glen Tromie.

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Tour Scotland Video Autumn Trees And Burn Scottish Highlands

Tour Scotland travel video of Autumn trees and and sight and sounds of a burn on ancestry visit and trip to the Scottish Highlands. A burn is a watercourse, in size from a large stream to a small river. The term burn is used in Scotland and England, especially North East England, and in parts of Ulster, Australia and New Zealand. Scots Gaelic has the word bùrn, which means " fresh water "; the actual Gaelic for a " burn " is allt, often anglicised as "ault" or "auld" in place names.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Video Oban Harbour And Town West Coast

Tour Scotland travel video of the harbour and town at Oban, on ancestry, genealogy, history visit and small group trip to the Scottish West Coast. The modern town of Oban grew up around the whisky distillery, which was founded there in 1794. The town was raised to a burgh of barony in 1811 by royal charter. Sir Walter Scott visited the area in 1814, the year in which he published his poem The Lord of the Isles; interest in the poem brought many new visitors to the town. The town was made a Parliamentary Burgh in 1833. The arrival of the railway, Oban to Callender Railway, opened on 30th Jun 1880 brought further prosperity, revitalising local industry and giving new energy to tourism. Work on McCaig's Tower, a prominent local landmark, started in 1895. It was paid for by John Stewart McCaig, born 1824, died 1902, and was constructed, in hard times, to give work for local stone masons. However, its construction ceased in 1902 on the death of its benefactor. During World War II, Oban was used by Merchant and Royal Navy ships and was an important base in the Battle of the Atlantic. Since the 1950s, the principal industry has remained tourism, though the town is also an important ferry port, acting as the hub for CalMac, Caledonian McBrayne, ferries to many of the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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