Situated above the bay from it which it takes its name, Culzean Castle (pronounced Cull-ain) was built for the Earl of Cassillis by Robert Adam, the greatest architect Scotland has produced, between 1777 and the year of his death, 1792. Culzean is a castle built...
A mere three miles long by one and a half wide – composed of Torridonian sandstone, curiously unrelated geologically to neighbouring Mull – Iona is richer in Christian association than any other Scottish Island. In 563AD St Columba left Ireland with 12 companions to come...
The River Tummel ruins in and out of the narrow strip of the loch of the same name before uniting with the River Garry just south of the Pass of Killiecrankie. Until 1950 the river then continued its flow through the town of Pitlochry to...
The island of Islay’s prosperity derives from whisky: roughly 4 million gallons proof are produced here each year, and distilling employs about 200 people. At one time the islanders were rewarded with duty free Scotch themselves, with unfortunate results. Drunk with due care and attention, however, Islay malts are...
Speculation continues concerning the derivation of the name Gigha (pronounced ‘gee-a’, with a hard ‘g’), but one suggestion is that it comes from old Norse and means ‘Island of God’. To discover for yourself if this is appropriate means taking the ferry from the Kintyre mainland across the Sound...
The modern fame of this “ancient city by an ancient sea” is a holiday resort on the Firth of Clyde. Come the height of summer, the sprinkling of bathers seen here braving the waters will be augmented by families on the fortnights holiday and also...
Until 1830 this island was called Lamlash, which is now the name of the town on the Island of Arran which it faces. Before that it was Eilean Molaise, after St Mo Las, the 17th century Columban monk who lived here, supposedly until he reached...
Just a word of warning to all those thinking of visiting Ireland and Scotland in 2018. The hotels that we use at Ireland and Scotland Luxury Tours are not large. They are very carefully chosen for location , ambience , and authenticity. The better rooms with views can...
The association of Glamis with Shakespeare’s Macbeth is historically vague; the present structure dates mainly from the last quarter of the 17th century, by which time the Englishman who wrote the greatest Scottish play was long dead. However, a building of some sort was on...
The importance of St Andrews in medieval Scottish history can be gauged from the rise and fall of its cathedral, the oldest in Scotland; it was begun in 1161 by Bishop Arnold, consecrated in the presence of Robert the Bruce in 1318, and effectively finished...