Young Squirrel On Winter Sunday Visit To My Cottage Garden Scone Perth Perthshire Scotland

Tour Scotland 4K Winter Sunday wildlife camera nature travel video of the sight and sounds of a young Grey Squirrel spotted today eating on an afternoon visit and trip to my cottage garden in Scone by Perth, Perthshire, Britain, United Kingdom. As its name suggests, this squirrel typically has a grey coat with white undersides, though the coat colour can also be quite brown at times. Grey squirrels are mainly herbivorous, eating acorns, hazel nuts, berries, fungi, buds and shoots, and even bark. The grey squirrel was introduced to Great Britain in the middle of the 19th century. There is now an estimated population of 2 million making them much more common than the native red squirrel. They arrived in England from North America and are now one of Britain's most well known and frequently seen mammals, with an estimated population of 2 million. It is a myth that grey squirrels chase red squirrels away. Greys are just more adaptable to new surroundings. Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing. By the meteorological calendar, the first day of Winter is always 1st December in Scotland; ending on 28th of February. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Winter Gatehouse Falkland Palace With Bagpipes Musicc On Outlander History Visit To Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland Winter 4K travel video, with Scottish bagpipes music, of the gatehouse of the Palace in Falkland village on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to Fife, Britain, United Kingdom. There are painted decorations on three heraldric panels on the exterior of the gatehouse including Lion of Scotland Coat of Arms and the Coat of Arms of Stuart of Bute Armorial device shield supported by angels. One of the first scenes for Outlander was filmed in the picturesque town of Falkland, which substituted for 1940s Inverness. Before Falkland Palace was built a hunting lodge existed on the site in the 12th century. This lodge was expanded in the 13th century and became a castle which was owned by the Earls of Fife, the famous Clan MacDuff. The castle was built here because the area could be easily defended as it was on a slight hill. The fortalice and much of associated hunting lodge were destroyed by the English in 1337, but the tower was rebuilt. In 1371 Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, took control of Falkland. Albany was the most powerful man in the kingdom, a ruler in all but name. In 1402 he imprisoned his nephew and heir to the throne, the Duke of Rothesay, at Falkland. It was not a gilded cage, as rumour suggests that Albany had the Duke chained in a cellar and starved to death. When Albany finally fell from power in 1424 Falkland was seized by the crown. King James II converted the keep into a suite of comfortable apartments for his wife, Mary of Gueldres. James III expanded the complex of buildings, and was given to writing poetry on retreats to the palace. The present palatial grandeur of Falkland was down to King James V, who called in masons from Europe to transform the earlier buildings into a Renaissance palace in the French style. James, when a young man was imprisoned here by his chief aide, Archibald 6th Earl of Douglas. The young king managed a daring escape, dressed as a groom. James died at Falkland, following his defeat against the English at the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542. When Mary's son James went south to take the English throne in 1603 Falkland became less important as a royal retreat. King Charles I and II each visited, but only briefly. In 1654 soldiers commanded by Oliver Cromwell burned the Great Hall and inflicted heavy damage to the rest of the palace buildings. It was left to the 3rd Marquis of Bute, Hereditary Keeper of the Palace, to restore Falkland in the late 19th century. The surrounding land eventually became the Palace gardens. Falkland Palace provided the young Mary Queen of Scots with the opportunity to indulge her passion for sport and the outdoors, fostering a strong attachment to this royal residence. By the meteorological calendar, the first day of #Winter is always 1st December in Scotland; ending on 28th of February. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Greyfriars Bobby Skye Terrier Statue And Gravestone On History Visit To Edinburgh Scotland

Tour Scotland 4K travel video, with Scottish Music, of Greyfriars Bobby, the famous Skye Terrier Statue and Gravestone on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to the top of Candlemaker Row in Edinburgh, Britain, United Kingdom. This Scottish dog who became known in 19th century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray, known as Auld Jock, until he died himself on 14th January 1872. A year later, Lady Burdett-Coutts had a statue and fountain erected at the southern end of the George IV Bridge to commemorate him. A red granite stone was erected on Bobby's grave by The Dog Aid Society of Scotland, and unveiled by the Duke of Gloucester on 13 May 1981. Greyfriars Bobby, born May 4, 1855, died January 14, 1872, was a Skye Terrier who became known in 19th century Edinburgh for spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner until he died himself on 14 January 1872. John Gray who died on 15 February 1858 was commonly known in popular culture as Old John, Scots: Auld Jock, was a gardener who came to Edinburgh in 1850 with his wife Jess and son John. He avoided working in a workhouse by joining the Edinburgh City Police as a nightwatchman. Around this time he looked after Greyfriars Bobby. Bobby would follow John Gray whilst he was at work. According to records, policemen were obliged to have watchdogs with them. John Traill claimed that John Gray was a farmer who regularly visited his coffee house at the one o'clock gun, though this might have been embellished as Traill didn't own the coffee house until four years after John Gray died. Gray reportedly died of tuberculosis on 15 February 1858 and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard. The monument statue is Edinburgh's smallest listed structure. Greyfriars Bobby is the title of a 1912 novel by Eleanor Atkinson based on the true story of the dog Greyfriars Bobby. The novel has been adapted into two films: Challenge to Lassie and Greyfriars Bobby. Both films starred Donald Crisp. The 1961 Walt Disney film Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog was also based on this book. This novel is written from the point-of-view of the dog, Bobby, and uses Scottish dialogue as the novel is set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Blackbirds And Small Birds On Winter Saturday Visit Cottage Garden Scone Perth Perthshire Scotland

Tour Scotland 4K Winter Saturd wildlife nature camera travel video of the sight and sounds of Blackbirds and small birds spotted eating on a morning visit and trip to my cottage garden in Scone by Perth, Perthshire, Britain, United Kingdom. As the name suggests, male blackbirds are entirely black in colour. Males have a bright yellow bill and distinctive yellow eye ring. This widespread bird is a common visitor to United Kingdom gardens, and has adapted well to suburban areas, it’s often possible to get quite close. It can also be found in woodland and grassland areas, but you’re much less likely to see it on areas of higher ground and in some parts of Scotland, Common and widespread across Britain, the blackbird population is currently stable, although it has seen periods of decline in the past. One of the biggest threats is lack of food availability, particularly when the weather is cold and dry. If you were to believe various myths and folktales, you’d find this solitary, territorial bird to be imbued with evil and supernatural powers. Welsh poet R. S. Thomas observed that there was “ a suggestion of dark Places ” about the blackbird that was at odds with its beautiful song. In the story of the life of Saint Benedict, the Devil was said to have come to tempt the saint in the form of a blackbird. The English nursery rhyme “ Sing a Song of Sixpence ” involves blackbirds “ baked in a pie ” which reanimate and sing when the pie is opened. One then flies out and pecks off the nose of a maid. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing. By the meteorological calendar, the first day of Winter is always 1st December in Scotland; ending on 28th of February. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Winter Sunset By Coastal Walking Path On History Visit To Cellardyke East Neuk Of Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland short 4K Winter travel video clip of the sight of sunset and sound the waves by the coastal walking path on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to the coast of Cellardyke by the Firth of Forth, East Neuk of Fife, Britain, United Kingdom. I was raised in this old fishing village on the East coast and attended Cellardyke Primary School and Waid Academy in Anstruther. Cellardyke was formerly known as Nether Kilrenny, Scots for Lower Kilrenny, or Sillerdyke, and Skinfast Haven, a name which can still be found on maps today. The modern name of the town is thought to have evolved from Sillerdykes, a reference to the sun glinting off fish scales encrusted on fishing nets left to dry in the sun on the dykes, or walls, around the harbour. The village is now a tourist destination situated on the Fife Coastal Walking Path which passes through Cellardyke, it is a Scottish long distance walking footpath that runs from Kincardine to Newburgh. It runs for 117 miles along the coastline of Fife and passes through many seaside towns and villages including Anstruther, Cellardyke, Crail, Elie, Lower Largo, Pittenweem and St Monans. The path would take around one week to walk completely from end to end. By the meteorological calendar, the first day of Winter is always 1st December in Scotland; ending on 28th of February. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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