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 travel Blog photograph of a Masonic Lodge in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Masonry was introduced into Aberdeen shortly after the Mason craftsmen obtained their Seal of Cause, but little was heard of the Mysteries of Masonry until some time after the Reformation, when a regular lodge was formed in connection with the Masons' Craft Society about 1670. At the outset, Freemasonry was simply an adjunct of the original association of Craft Masons.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of passengers aboard the Steamship Nineveh in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The Steamship Nineveh was owned by The Aberdeen Line, a shipping company founded in 1825 by George Thompson of Aberdeen to take sailing vessels to the St. Lawrence river, which flows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, carrying some passengers and returning with cargoes of timber. The business flourished and grew to 12 sailing vessels by 1837, travelling to South America, the Pacific, West Indies and the Mediterranean. In 1842 the line included a regular schedule from London to Australia. The Aberdeen Line’s best known ship was the clipper Thermopylae, launched in 1868, and constructed with the Aberdeen Bow, designed for greater speed and seaworthiness. The clipper set new records for voyages to and from Australia and the Far East. In 1872, her nearest rival, Cutty Sark, lost by seven days in a race from Shanghai to London. Thermopylae was acknowledged to be the fastest sailing ship afloat. The arrival of the steamship signalled the end of the sailing era, but enabled the line to introduce a regular service between London and Australia in 1882 and by 1899 all the vessels were able to carry frozen produce.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of a vintage car and people on West Esplanade Road in Helensburgh a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. This Scottish town is located on the north shore of the Firth of Clyde and the eastern shore of the entrance to the Gareloch. In 1752 Sir James Colquhoun, died 1786, chief of the Clan Colquhoun of Luss, bought the land which was to become Helensburgh; at that time it was known by such names as Malig, Millig or Milligs. In 1776 he placed an advertisement in a Glasgow newspaper seeking to feu the land, and in particular he stated that " bonnet makers, stocking, linen and woolen weavers will meet with encouragement ". However his efforts were unsuccessful, partly because roads were rudimentary and also because the shore at Helensburgh made it unattractive to shipping, it was shallow, dotted with large rocks and subject to a prevailing onshore wind. No precise date is known for the change of name to Helensburgh. However it was probably around 1785 when Sir James decided to name the town after his wife, Lady Helen Sutherland, born 1717, died 1791; she was the granddaughter of the 16th Earl of Sutherland. 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.
Old travel Blog photograph of a Tram and people in Cherrybank, Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. In 1834, John Moncrieff was born to Agnes and Thomas Moncrieff, at Cherrybank, Perth. He attended the village school until he was 13 years old, when he got his first job at the Perth Ink Works in 1847, owned by John Todd & Co. He continued his education at night school. In 1855, at the age of 21, he was appointed manager of Todd’s glassworks, where he remained until John Todd’s death in 1865. Following the death of John Todd, he decided to set up his own glassworks, initially naming it the North British Glass and Ink Works, which he opened in 1868 at 189 South Street, Perth. The company remained at South Street until 1881 when a new facility was set up on two acres of land at St. Catherine’s Road.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of the winding road around Loch Affric, Scotland. Loch Affric is one of two large lochs within Glen Affric in the Highlands, further up the glen to the south west of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin. The River Affric is the main inflow and outflow for both lochs. A number of smaller lochs surround Loch Affric. At the southwestern end sits Loch Coulavie located at the base An Tudair Beag and a slightly higher elevation. Also at the south western end, the River Affric flows into the tiny loch of Loch na Camaig. At the north eastern side, Loch Pollan Fearna drains into Loch Affric. Much of the area around the loch is mountainous. To the north, is Sgùrr na Lapaich and An Tudair, outlying Munro Tops of Mam Sodhail. To the south lie the Corbetts of Aonach Shasuinn and Carn a' Choire Ghairbh.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
