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 cottages and houses by the beach in Portnahaven, Island of Islay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. This village is within the parish of Kilchoman. It is located at the southern tip of the Rinns at the southern end of the A847 road. The A847 follows the coast from Portnahaven to Port Charlotte and Bridgend. Its harbour is sheltered by the island of Orsay and its smaller neighbour Eilean Mhic Coinnich.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of Tonley House by Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. When Robert Byres was accidently drowned in Dublin Bay, his widow, Jean Sandilands from Cotton, at Aberdeen, bought the Tonley estate in 1716 and moved in with her young family, Patrick and James Byres. Patrick Byres was an ardent Jacobite and Major in the Tonley company of Stoneywood’s Aberdeen Regiment, raised by his brother in law Moir of Stoneywood in support of the 1745 Rising which ended at the Battle of Culloden. Patrick survived the slaughter on the moor of Culloden, evading death and capture he escaped back to Aberdeenshire where he hid in Cluny Castle until able to escape to France where he joined the regiment led by Cameron of Locheil. Patrick eventually judged it safe to return to the Vale of Alford. His family motto was, Marte suo tutus, Safe in his own prowess, and so it proved.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of people on the Braes Road in Tayport, Fife, across from Dundee, Scotland. Brae is the Lowland Scots word for the slope or brow of a hill. The Braes were traditionally the leisure area for the village. They were much enjoyed by both villagers and visitors. Indeed, for generations of Dundonians trying to escape the smoke and grime of the city, the Braes provided the perfect day trip destination, easily accessed by the ferry to Newport on Tay.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of thatched cottages in Scotstounhill, Glasgow, Scotland. Scotstounhill is a small area between south Knightswood and Scotstoun situated in West Glasgow. Housing is mainly in a cottage flat style, although several high rise flats, also known as tower blocks, can be found in the area. Scotstounhill contains a noted bowling club, and is served by Scotstounhill railway station which has frequent services to and from the city centre.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of the Dule Tree by the castle in Inveraray a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Dule or dool trees in Britain were used as gallows for public hangings. They were also used as gibbets for the display of the corpse for a considerable period after such hangings. These " trees of lamentation or grief " were usually growing in prominent positions or at busy thoroughfares, particularly at crossroads, so that justice could be seen to have been done and as a salutary warning to others. Place names such as Gallows Hill, Gallows See, Gallows Fey and Hill of the Gallows, Tom Nan Croiche, record the site of such places of male executions. In Scots, dule or duill, also dole, dowle; dwle, dul, dull, duyl, duile, doile, doill, dewle, deull, and duel. In Middle English, dule, duyl, dulle, deul, dewle and variants of doole, dole, and dool. All these words mean sorrow, grief, or mental distress. It is said that King Malcolm Canmore legislated in 1057 that every barony was to have a tree for hanging convicted men and a pit of water for the execution of convicted women. These baronies belonged to the same order as earls and these earls and barons together formed the order of the three estaits of the Scots Parliament known as the Baronage of Scotland. The barons sat in the Scots Parliament until 1587, when they were relieved from attendance, which was burdensome and costly. The right of pit and gallows was removed in 1747 by the Heritable Jurisdictions Scotland Act 1746, lesser powers continued to the twentieth century. Dule trees were also used by Highland Clan chieftains, who would hang their enemies or any deserter, murderer, etc. from them. Highland clan chiefs also therefore had the power of 'life or death' over their clansmen in times gone by. The high ground on which these trees grew often became known as " gallows hills ".
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
