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.
Tour Scotland travel photograph of a sheep below The Quiraing on ancestry visit to Isle of Skye, Scotland. The Quiraing is a mountain range on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It known for the scenery of its rugged terrain, punctuated by outcroppings of basalt. It is at the north end of the Trotternish Ridge where many elements of the distinctive landscape have earned particular names. The Needle is a jagged 120 foot high landmark pinnacle, a remnant of landslipping. Northwest of it is The Table, a flat and swarded summit with vistas of the Torridon Hills and the mountains of Wester Ross. Southwest is the Prison, a pyramidal rocky peak which can look like a medieval keep when viewed from the right angle.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of Phyllis Dare in Pitlochry in Highland Perthshire, Scotland. Phyllis Dare born on 15 August 1890, Chelsea, London, England, was an English singer and actress, famous for her performances in Edwardian musical comedy and other musical theatre in the first half of the 20th century. She first performed on stage at the age of nine, in the Christmas pantomime Babes in the Wood in 1899. Later that year, she appeared as Little Christina in Ib and Little Christina. She soon played Mab in the Seymour Hicks musical Bluebell in Fairyland, and at the age of 15, she took over the starring role of Angela in The Catch of the Season. In 1909, Dare created the role of Eileen Cavanagh in the hit musical The Arcadians at the Original Shaftesbury Theatre. She began to develop a relationship with the composer Paul Rubens. He had written the music for The Sunshine Girl and The Dairymaids, and they became acquainted. He would write the music for her next series of shows, including The Girl from Utah at the Adelphi. He also dedicated his most famous song, " I Love the Moon " to her. During the run of Tina, Dare became engaged to Rubens. Their engagement ended when Rubens became very ill with consumption. He died in 1917 at the age of 41. Dare retired to Brighton, England, at the age of 61, where she died at the age of 84.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of the Gibson family from Govan, Glasgow, Scotland. The Scottish Gibson’s are a branch of the clan Buchanan. First records of their name date from 1335, when a John Gibson surrendered the Castle of Rothesay. A Thomas Gibson held land in Dumfries in 1425. In Ireland bearers of the name are usually descendants of the Scottish Gibson’s who settled in Ulster in the seventeenth century.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old travel Blog photograph of a high waterfall and adjoining precipice at the head of Benlister Glen near Lamlash village on the Isle of Arran, in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland. In general the Highland Clearances on Arran seem to have been less brutal than in many other places in Scotland, but when the crofters in Glen Sannox had to make way for large scale sheep farming, many of them saw no other option than to emigrate, and they departed from Lamlash. A plaque in the village recalls their departure and their new life as settlers in Canada with the following words: Erected on behalf of Arran clearance descendants across North America to their brave forefathers who departed from their beloved island home to Canada during the clearance years 1829 to 1840. Here at Lamlash on April 25th 1829 part of the clearance when embarking on the brig Caledonia the Reverend A Mackay preached, " Casting all your care upon him: for he careth for you. " The Caledonia arrived at Quebec City June 25th 1829. The group was the first of more than 300 Arran colonists of Megantic County, Province of Quebec, Canada. The largest group, more than 400, had as their destination the seaport town of Dalhousie, New Brunswick to be pioneer settlers of the Restigouche-Bay Chaleur District. " Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is highland ". A chlann eilean mo ghaoil bithibh dileas d'a cheile. 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 statue of William Wallace on the Wallace Monument on ancestry visit to Stirling, Scotland. The National Wallace Monument is a tower standing on the summit of Abbey Craig, a hilltop near Stirling. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish hero. Wallace led the Scottish rebellion against Edward I and inflicted a famous defeat on the English army at Stirling Bridge. He is remembered as a patriot and national hero. William Wallace was born in the 1270s in Elderslie in Renfrewshire into a gentry family. Very little is known about his early years and there are significant periods of his life for which there are no reliable sources. In 1296, Edward I of England had taken advantage of a succession crisis in Scotland and imposed himself as ruler with an English administration. Within months, Scottish unrest was widespread. In May 1297, Wallace attacked the town of Lanark, killing the English sheriff and unrest quickly became full-blown rebellion. Men flocked to join Wallace and he began to drive the English out of Fife and Perthshire. In September 1297, Wallace defeated a much larger English force at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. This and subsequent military successes severely weakened the English hold on Scotland. Wallace then launched raids into England. In late 1297 or early 1298 he was knighted and appointed 'guardian of the kingdom' in the name of John Balliol, the deposed king of Scotland. The shock of the defeat at Stirling rallied the English around Edward, who marched north with an army. Wallace's strategy was to avoid confrontation and gradually withdraw. He destroyed the countryside as he went, forcing Edward to march deeper and deeper into Scotland. In July 1298, the Scottish and English armies met near Falkirk, and the Scots were defeated. Wallace escaped and little is known of his movements, but at some stage he resigned the guardianship and was succeeded by Robert Bruce and John Comyn. Wallace then went abroad, notably to France, to seek support for the Scottish cause. He returned to Scotland in 1303. In his absence Robert Bruce had accepted a truce with Edward I and, in 1304, John Comyn came to terms with the English as well. Wallace was excluded from these terms and the English king offered a large sum of money to anyone who killed or captured him. Wallace was seized in or near Glasgow in August 1305, and transported to London. He was charged and tried with treason, which he denied, saying he had never sworn allegiance to the English king. His execution was held on 23 August, where he was hung, drawn and quartered. His head was placed on London Bridge, and his limbs displayed in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
