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 the church manse in Colinton located South West of the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland. Robert Louis Stevenson spent the summers of his childhood at the manse when his grandfather was the village's Parish Minister; the philanthropist James Gillespie; and architects Sir Robert Rowand Anderson and John James Burnet also lived in this Scottish village.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of a car, cottage, houses and shops in Tarland located five miles North West of Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Melgum Lodge near Tarland was originally built as a hunting lodge for the physician to Queen Victoria who frequently stayed in the vicinity at Balmoral Castle.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Port Bannatyne, Isle of Bute, Scotland. This Scottish village started in 1801 with the building of a small harbour on Kames Bay. Lord Bannatyne of Kames Castle, at the head of the bay, planned the village in an attempt to rival Rothesay. Initially known as Kamesburgh, by the mid 19th century, steamers were calling there regularly. In 1860 the Marquess of Bute purchased this part of the island and renamed the village Port Bannatyne in honour of the long historical association of the Bannatyne family with the area. Boat building became an important local industry.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Burntisland, Fife, Scotland. This Scottish town developed as a seaport, being second only to Leith in the Firth of Forth, and shipbuilding became an important industry in the town. In 1633 one of the barges, the Blessing of Burntisland, carrying Charles I and his entourage's baggage from Burntisland to Leith sank with the loss of Charles' treasure. In 1601, King James VI chose the town as an alternative site for the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland travel video of Edinburgh Castle from ancestry, genealogy history visit and trip to the medieval Grassmarket in Edinburgh. The Grassmarket is located directly south-east of Edinburgh Castle with the castle dominating views northwards from the space. The Grassmarket was, from 1477 to 1911, one of Edinburgh's main markets for horse and cattle. It was also a setting for public executions. A popular story in Edinburgh is that of Maggie Dickson, a fishwife from Musselburgh who was hanged in the Grassmarket in 1728 for murdering her own baby. After the hanging, her body was taken back to Musselburgh in a coffin. However, on the way there she awoke. Under Scots Law she had served her punishment. Only later were the words "until dead" added to the sentence of hanging. It was also to some extent seen as divine intervention, and so she was allowed to go free. In later life, and legend, she was thereafter referred to as Half-Hangit Maggie.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Sumburgh Airport twelve miles South of Lerwick, Shetland Islands, Scotland. Sumburgh Links was surveyed and the grass strips laid out by Captain E. E. Fresson in 1936: the Airport was opened on the 3rd of June of that year with the inaugural flight from Aberdeen by the De Havilland Dragon Rapide G-ACPN piloted by Fresson himself.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Meigle, Perthshire, Scotland. Nearby Belmont Castle, constructed from the 15th century, originally as a residence of the Bishops of Dunkeld, was the residence of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, born 1836, died 1908, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1905 to 1908. He is buried in the village churchyard.
Old photograph of a car on the road to Loch a' Chà irn Bhà in located North of Ullapool, Scotland. Gaelic for White Cairn Loch this is a sea inlet off Eddrachillis Bay on the North West coast of the Western Scottish Highlands. It was the site of the World War Two midget submarine training base, Port HHZ. The base was heavily involved in the training for the X-Craft operations, Operation Source, to sink the German battleship Tirpitz. From July 1943, the craft worked up from HMS Bonaventure at Port HHZ. Commander in Chief Naval Home Command allowed capital ships of his fleet to act as target ships at Port HHZ. The Boom Defence organisation were also heavily involved in surrounding these ships with nets and providing net defences and equipment for the trials. HMS Titania sailed for and arrived at Port HHZ on 30 August 1943 to act as depot ship to the submarines taking part, and the submarines HMS Thrasher, Truculent, Stubborn, Syrtis, Sceptre and Sea Nymph arrived between 31 August and 1 September. Special security measures at Port HHZ were also increased from 1 September. No leave was allowed, and only specially selected officers and ratings were permitted to leave the area. All ships present were retained in the port until the completion of the operation.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland wee video of photographs of a Dolphin by the old Pile Lighthouse in the Firth of Tay on a visit to Tayport, Fife, Scotland. Shot these photos from about half a mile away, hopefully the dolphins will come closer to shore next time I am in the area. The lighthouse with lantern on small, square wooden building atop wooden piles is one of the few surviving pile lighthouses in Britain. It was built in 1848. and has been Inactive since about 1960.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland travel video of a yacht returning to harbour on the coast of the Firth of Tay on ancestry, genealogy, history visit and trip to Tayport, Fife.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of a Red Admiral butterfly by the coast of the Firth of Tay on a visit to Tayport, Fife, Scotland. This butterfly is unmistakable, with the velvety black wings intersected by striking red bands and is a frequent visitor to the British Isles.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland wee video of photographs of an afternoon visit to the Firth of Forth by South Queensferry, near Edinburgh, Scotland. Includes the Forth Railway Bridge, Forth Road Bridge and Queen Elizabeth cruise ship the luxury liner, named in 2010 by Her Majesty the Queen. A small selection of my personal photographs shot on small group tours of Scotland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Cessnock Castle near Galston, East Ayrshire, Scotland. This Scottish castle dates from the 15th century, and was a stronghold of the Campbell Clan. The castle was converted to a mansion house much later in its history. Mary Queen of Scots is said to have come to the castle after her defeat at the battle of Langside (the site of which is also said to be haunted). One of her ladies in waiting died during her brief stay and she is said to haunt the castle. The ghost of John Knox is also said to wander the castle preaching sermons.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Portessie located East of Buckie on the Moray Firth, Scotland. This is a small fishing village east of Buckie, on the north east coast. It is commonly nicknamed " the Sloch ", due to the name of the original settlement being Rottenslough. The village is sandwiched between Buckie and Findochty To the south of the village is a small community called Rathven which is home to two graveyards.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages in Saline, Fife, Scotland. This Scottish village was a weaving centre, Saline was not much redeveloped during the 19th and 20th centuries as the expansion of industrial mining in west Fife largely passed it by. As a result, Saline contains a sizable number of listed buildings, mostly 18th century weavers' cottages.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.re of the
Tour Scotland video shot while driving behind a vintage Austin 7 convertible sports car on the A93 old military road North to visit Glenshee, Perthshire, Scotland. The A93 road, part of General Wade's military road from Perth to Fort George, runs north through the glen and on into Glen Beag, where it crosses the Cairnwell Passthe highest public road in the UK. The Glenshee Ski Centre sits at the head of the Cairnwell Pass and is Scotland's biggest with 21 lifts spread over 4 mountains. Glen Shee is known as the glen of the fairies it takes its name from the Gaelic " sith " meaning fairy and the old meeting place at the standing stone behind the present day church is called Dun Shith or Hill of the Fairies.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages in Aberargie village South of Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. Aberargie is recorded in the Pictish Chronicle as part of Nechtan's land grant in 460 AD, and may have been in existence for much longer. Aberargies' place in most history books is as a small part of the bigger Parish of Abernethy, but there was at one time a thriving community, based on the utilisation of the River Farg to power water mills for various purposes from sawing timber to the milling of flax and meal.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Cabrach, Moray, Scotland. This Scottish name means " antler place " in Scottish Gaelic. The forces of Huntly and Errol mustered in Cabrach before the battle of Glenlivet in 1594. This battle is often seen as a religious conflict, and was fought by the Catholic forces of George Gordon, 1st Marquess of Huntly and Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, who were victorious over the Protestant forces of Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll. When the decree of 12 November 1593 came out, by which Catholics were ordered to give up their faith or leave the country, Huntly refused to obey. His continued resistance culminated in the Battle of Glenlivet, where, accompanied by the Earl of Erroll, he engaged Argyll's army above Allt a' Choileachain. The Earl of Huntly's forces consisted of 2,000 Highlanders from Clan Gordon, Clan Hay, Clan Comyn, Clan Cameron, Clan Cumming. The Earl of Argyll's forces consisted of 10,000 Highlanders from Clan Campbell, Clan Murray, Clan Stewart, Clan Forbes, Clan Macgillivray, Clan Maclean, Clan Grant, and the Chattan Confederation of Clan Mackintosh. Huntly's retainers prepared for battle by confession and communion. Mass was said at Auchindoun for them by Father James Gordon, before they set out on their march through Glenrinnes. Their weapons were sprinkled with holy water, and a cross placed on their armour symbolised that they fought in defence of the Cross of Christ. The Earl of Huntly's force of 2,000 men routed the Earl of Argyll's force of 10,000. Huntly's victory was a dramatic victory of horse and artillery over irregular infantry.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of a crofter making Tweed on Island Of Harris, Scotland. For centuries the islanders of Lewis and Harris, the Uists, Benbecula and Barra have woven cloth by hand calling it Clò Mór in the original Gaelic or The big cloth. As the Industrial Revolution reached Scotland, mainland manufacturers turned to mechanisation but the Outer Hebrides retained their traditional processes.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of fishing boats in Ballintore in Easter Ross, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. This Scottish village has a large harbour, built around 1890. On the sea front there is a plaque in commemoration of John Ross, a Scots Missionary, born 1842, died 1915, who was responsible for translation of the Bible into Korean. John received his education at Fearn School, Glasgow University and Theological Hall, Edinburgh. In 1872 he was sent by the Scottish United Presbyterian Mission to Northeast China, known at that time as Manchuria. While in China, John met traders from Korea one day, and decided to make a Korean translation of the New Testament, which was completed in 1887 and brought to Korea. John returned to Scotland in 1910, but continued to help the Scotland China Society. He died in Edinburgh and is buried in Newington Cemetery.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Dochgarroch Lock at the head of Loch Ness, Highlands, Scotland. Dochgarroch is located at the start of the Caledonian Canal. The canal connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William in the Highlands. The canal was constructed in the early nineteenth century by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford, and is a sister canal of the Göta Canal in Sweden, also constructed by Telford.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Nethy Bridge, Scotland. Known locally as simply as " Nethy " the village has, since Victorian times been a tourist destination noted for its quiet and secluded location at the edge of the Abernethy Forest. It is situated in the heart of Strathspey in the Highlands of Scotland between Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey.
Old photograph of Stevenston in North Ayrshire, Scotland. This Scottish town is named after Stephan Loccard or Lockhart, whose father obtained a grant of land from Richard de Morville, Lord of Cunninghame and Constable of Scotland, around 1170. The town is first mentioned in a charter of 1240. The town has a link with Robert Burns as Mayville House was the birthplace in 1768 of Miss Lesley Baillie. Robert Burns met her in 1792 and described her to a friend as " the most beautiful, most elegant woman in the world ". She inspired one or two of his love poems, in which she is described as Bonnie Lesley.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the church and cemetery in Kildermorie in Easter, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. Kildermorie, at the head of Strathruisdale, was formerly a village of which there is little trace today. The site was cleared in the Highland Clearances of 1792. Kil refers to church, so the translation is Church of Morie.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of the third day of the search for a body in the River Tay on visit to Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. A Police canoe just below the harbour searching for the missing 16 year old boy named Mateusz Wilamowski from Poland who was swept into the River Tay in Perth.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of crofters taking home Peat on ponies on the Island of Barra, Scotland. The Clan MacNeil has strong ties to the Isle of Barra and claims descent from the O'Neills of Ulster. The name Barra is thought to take its name either from Saint Finbarr, the founder of Cork in Ireland, or from Saint Barr, the great grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages, the legendary 4th century king of Ireland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the Blacksmith and cottages in Lyne of Skene, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This is a small Scottish farming community in North East Scotland some seven miles west of Aberdeen. Nearby are the Loch of Skene and Skene House.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of shops and people in Tighnabruaich, Kyles of Bute, Argyll, Scotland. This Scottish village is just an hour and a half west of Glasgow, and is located along the east coast of Loch Fyne and stretching into the Kyles of Bute.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of a Scottish shepherd sheep shearing on visit to Ashintully Estate, Strathardle, near Kirkmichael, Perthshire, Scotland. Sheep shearing is the process by which the woollen fleece of a sheep is cut off. The person who removes the sheep's wool is called a shearer. Typically each adult sheep is shorn once each year, a sheep may be said to have been " shorn " or " sheared ", depending upon dialect. The annual shearing most often occurs in a shearing shed, a facility especially designed to process often hundreds and sometimes more than 3,000 sheep per day.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of a Scottish Sheep Dog Trial on visit to Ashintully Estate, Strathardle, near Kirkmichael, Perthshire, Scotland. This event was held midway between the towns of Blairgowrie and Pitlochry. The first Scottish sheepdog trial was held at the Carnworth Agricultural Society Show in Lanarkshire around 1874. A Sheepdog trial is a competitive dog sport in which herding dog breeds move sheep around a field, fences, gates, or enclosures as directed by their handlers. Such events are particularly associated with hill farming areas, where sheep range widely on largely unfenced land.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of a Scottish shepherd in the Cairngorms of Scotland. The surname Shepherd has an ancient history in both England and Scotland. The many variations in England include Sheppard, Shephard, Shepperd, Shepard, Shipman and Shippard. The Scots have these as well as Sheepheard, and Shippert.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of a Scottish hill walking guide in the Cairngorms of Scotland. The idea of undertaking a walk through the countryside for pleasure developed in the 18th century, and arose because of changing attitudes to the landscape and nature, associated with the Romantic movement. In earlier times walking generally indicated poverty and was also associated with vagrancy.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Dalbeattie in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. This Scottish town is famed for its granite industry and for being the home town of William McMaster Murdoch First Officer of the RMS Titanic. William was the fourth son of Captain Samuel Murdoch, a master mariner, and Jane Muirhead, six of whose children survived infancy. They were a long and notable line of Scottish seafarers who sailed the world's oceans as early as the 19th century; his father and grandfather were both sea captains as were four of his grandfather's brothers.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
