Scotlandscalling

Circus Lane just after sunrise.

I had a dream that I was on Corstorphine Hill with a bunch of photographers trying to catch the sunrise from the Rest and Be Thankful looking back over Edinburgh, them with their fabcy cameras, me cutting about with my phone!

Edinburgh Castle.

Cambuskenneth Abbey Bell Tower.

Cambuskenneth Abbey was founded in about 1140 by King David I to serve Stirling Castle, which stands a short distance to the west.

As I pointed out yesterday, this is sucha historic gem of a site to visit, as well as the links to Sir William Wallace and King James III, King Robert the Bruce held parliaments here twice, in 1314, and 1326. The Bell Tower is unique in Scotland. It’s an excellent example of 1200s architecture, with good lancet windows and ornamental arcades.

Wallace Monument from Cambuskenneth Abbey, Stirling.

Pics from July 17th 2018. This is a really interesting site with some fantastic history.

The Abbey, of which only the Bell Tower remains in full. dates back to at least the 12th century. I will post more of the Abbey later, but the real history, and legend is in the grounds.

The tomb you see in the foreground of the first pic is that of King James III and his wife Queen Margaret of Denmark. Following the excavation of their remains in the 1860s, Queen Victoria paid for the ornate tomb and monument that marks their grave.

Almond Castle.

I visited this castle a few times, this was July 2017 on a beautiful day.

Also called Haining Castle, it was built circa 1470 it was occupied by the Crawford family. through marriage it passed to the Livingstons ,and was home to the younger son of Alexander, Lord of Callendar and Earl of Linlithgow.

The castle is a short walk from the Union Canal at Muiravonside Church and not far from Avon Aqueduct, which is also worth a wee visit, it is the second largest in Britain.

With ongoing development in the area there have been murmurings of restoration work at the castle, I doubt it will happen, but would at least like to see some work carried out to save it for the future history lovers like myself.

Almond Castle is fenced off, but there are gaps to get through, but you do so at your own risk.

Eilean Donan Castle in the Highlands region

The Blue Men of the Minch 🌊🧜‍♂️

Known as the Blue Men of the Minch, or Storm Kelpies, these supernatural sea dwellers were said to resemble ordinary men apart from their vivid blue skin and grey faces. They lived in underwater caves beneath the Minch and possessed the terrifying ability to summon violent storms capable of sinking even the strongest vessels.

Unlike many sea monsters, the Blue Men did not always attack without warning. According to Scottish folklore, their chief would rise from the waves and challenge a ship's captain to a battle of poetry. He would recite the first two lines of a verse, and the captain had to answer immediately with a perfectly rhyming response. If the skipper hesitated or failed to complete the rhyme, the Blue Men would unleash a storm and drag the ship beneath the sea.

Their origins remain a mystery. Some traditions claim they were fallen angels condemned to the sea. Others suggest they were inspired by the ancient Picts, whose blue painted bodies may have given rise to the legend. Another theory links them to North African people brought north by Viking raiders, whose appearance evolved into folklore over time.