Old Travel Blog Photograph Victoria Esplanade Largs Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of people walking on Victoria Esplanade by the beach in Largs in Ayrshire, Scotland. From its beginnings as a small village around its kirk, Largs evolved into a busy and popular seaside resort in the nineteenth century. Large hotels appeared and the pier was constructed in 1834. It was not until 1895, however, that the railway made the connection to Largs, sealing the town's popularity. The town is served by the railway line from Glasgow to North Ayrshire. Largs is the birthplace of the actors Daniela Nardini and John Sessions, the footballer Lou Macari and the golfer Sam Torrance. Though not born in Largs, musician and songwriter Graham Lyle of Gallagher and Lyle was brought up there and still returns to visit his holiday home.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Vintage Cars Esplanade Prestwick Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of vintage cars and people at the esplanade by the beach on the coast at Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland. From Robert the Bruce to James VI, King of Scots, numerous Kings have traversed the coastal walks in and around Prestwick. Bruce is reputed to have been cured of leprosy by the waters of the well at St Ninians church. The town is served by Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which serves many European destinations as well as transatlantic and other international cargo flights. The town was the first home of the Open Golf Championship, which was played on the Prestwick Old Course from 1860 to 1872.



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

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Blacksmith Straiton Ayrshire Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the Blacksmith in Straiton, Ayrshire, Scotland. A blacksmith was often a farrier, a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combined some blacksmith's skills, fabricating, adapting, and adjusting metal shoes, with some veterinarian's skills, knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the lower limb, to care for horses feet. Straiton is a Scottish a village on the River Girvan in South Ayrshire in Scotland, mainly built in the 18th century. It was the main location for the film The Match, where two rival pubs played an annual football match as a challenge. However, since the village has only one pub, a house was used as a pub for filming. Straiton is located in the hills between Kirkmichael, Dalmellington, Crosshill, and Maybole. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



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

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Old Travel Blog Photograph River Eye Reston Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the River Eye at Reston village in Berwickshire, Scotland. On August 12, 1948 the Berwickshire region was hit by a calamitous flood when one third of the annual rainfall fell in just six days. The water flowed off the Lammermuir Hills causing the River Eye Water other rivers of the area to overflow and cause much damage. The low lying farm land around Ayton was turned into a large lake with the embankment of the East Coast Main Line railway acting as a dam. There were fears that the embankment would break and Eyemouth would be inundated. The embankment did hold but Eyemouth still received some damage, with reports saying that gales and the impact of the overflowing Eye Water had the “ impact of a hurricane ”. The flood caused the closure of the local Eyemouth Railway from 13 August 1948 to 29 June of the next year. Between Reston and Granthouse 7 railway bridges were washed away. Those on the East Coast Main Line were replaced by military bridges, allowing goods trains to resume on 25 October and passenger on 1 November 1948. The temporary bridges weren't finally replaced until 21 May 1950.



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

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Old Travel Blog Photograph Cars Waiting For Kylesku Ferry Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of vintage cars waiting for the ferry at Kylesku in Sutherland, Scotland. Kylesku is a small, remote fishing hamlet in the Scottish Highlands. Until 1984, it was the site of a free ferry. It is located where Loch Glencoul and Loch Gleann Dubh join to form a sea passage Loch a' Chàirn Bhàin which links to Eddrachillis Bay. There was a passenger ferry, a rowing boat, in the early 19th century. Commercial traffic mainly comprised cattle on their way to central Scotland, and they had to swim across. Over the years, various ferries came and went, and small car-carrying ferries first appeared between the wars. The Kylesku Ferry was unusual in being free for much of its life.





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

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