Nigel's Photo Blog

                                        (Above image is a capture of a busker at Clydebank.) Today, taking advantage of the fourth consecutive day of an unusual run of dry and sunny days I undertook a five mile hike from Clydebank to Maryhill, Glasgow, along the banks of the Forth & Clyde Canal. Background information on the canal The Forth & Clyde Canal was completed in 1790, linking the east and west coasts of Scotland between Grangemouth and Bowling covering a distance of 35 miles.This was during the early industrial period when roads were poor and railways had yet to dominate the transport scene. For part of it’s route, the canal follows the line of the 2nd century AD Antonine Wall built by the Romans. Along the canal are 39 locks and the 123m long, Kelvin Aqueduct. The canal originally served the iron, chemical, timber, boat building and coal industries. The canal was closed to navigation in 1963 but re-opened in 2001. It is now principally a leisure resource.

Scotland's official tourism body,VisitScotland has reported a near doubling of persons visiting key historic attractions over the past twenty years with actual numbers rising from 2.2M to 3.9M. Top attractions include the following: Stirling Castle Stirling is a large town in central Scotland ( pop 41,000 ) about 38 miles  N.W. of Edinburgh. In course of the last 1000 years the castle has played a critical role in Scotland’s history. Strategic location has witnessed two major battles in medieval times, whilst during the renaissance period the castle housed a Royal Palace and was, effectively, the capital of Scotland for certain periods. Landscape view of Stirling Castle Culloden Battlefield This is the site of the last battle fought on British soil, in 1746. The battle site, which is about 5 miles east of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, now forms part of an excellent visitor experience operated by the National Trust for Scotland. Culloden Battle

During past visits to Edinburgh (Scotland's capital) I have always been intrigued by the massive, 140 ft tall, monument to Viscount Melville which sits in its own square in the heart of the city's financial district. Despite having a good grounding in Scottish/British history I had never before heard of the gentleman. According to recent press reports, there is a clash of views within an expert panel set up by Edinburgh Council to agree wording on a new plaque dedicated to Henry Dundas who became Viscount Melville ( 1742 –1811). The heart of the debate centres on Melville's role as First Lord of the Admiralty during the 18th century when he oversaw expansion of the British Empire albeit at the cost of a delay in the abolition of slavery. (Slavery was allowed in the West Indies colonies and British ships transported slaves.)  Britain abolished slavery in 1833 but some argue the abolition should have occurred earlier and that Melville 'dragged his heels'. Howe

                       (Above image is a capture of Killiecrankie Gorge and River Garry.) This afternoon, I am reporting on a contentious road improvement in central Scotland which objectors say will run directly through key areas of the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie. The matter has yet to be resolved but it seems likely the road improvement will go ahead. Killiecrankie is a small village with a visitor centre which attracts large numbers of tourists due to a combination of scenery and the famous battle. The name translates as 'Aspen Wood'. River Garry   Battle The Battle of Killiecrankie took place a few miles north of Pitlochry in central Scotland in and around the pass of Killiecrankie, a narrow and treacherous valley through which flows the River Garry. This battle has its origins in the enforced abdication in 1688 of the Catholic leaning King James VII of Scotland/King James II of England and his replacement by the Protestants, William and

This evening, I am posting information on a ruin in Kirkcudbright, southern Scotland which is variously known as Maclellan's House, Kirkcudbright Castle or MacLellan's Castle. To the extent that a castle has a purely military function the nomenclature 'castle' is a misnomer because the building was actually a high status dwelling, albeit with defence in mind. Note that, as a defensive measure, window slots at ground floor level (first floor U.S.) are very small with limited provision for doors. The castle was built in the 16th century when the countryside was becoming pacified. It was actually built by Sir Thomas MacLellan in 1582 on the site of the former convent of Greyfriars with such being dissolved in 1560 along with all other Catholic places of worship when Scotland switched to Protestantism. From a structural perspective, the building consists of a modified L-shape with four storeys and two additional attics.It has been a ruin since 1752. As will be e

                                           (Above image is a capture of Broughton House) This evening, I am reporting on a recent visit to Broughton House which is a heritage property situated about 100 miles directly south of Glasgow on the Solway Firth. The property was constructed as two houses in 1734 then converted to a single residence, a town house, in 1740. Following various changes of ownership, Broughton House was acquired in 1901 by successful artist, Edward Hornel (1864-1933) who was brought up in Kirkcudbright but gained fame in Glasgow and was particularly influenced by Japan following a visit there in the 1890s. Hornel resided at the property until his death in 1933 during which time embellishments were undertaken to house his vast library and archive.  A gallery was constructed in 1910, which features an ornate fireplace and Parthenon frieze (inspired by the Elgin Marbles). The gallery is ranked as one of the finest rooms in south-west Scotland. Hornel and h

This evening, I am posting information on Clydesdale horses. Images herein were sourced locally, from a small group of six such animals  owned by Glasgow City Council for educational and display purposes. Clydesdale horses originated in the Lanarkshire area of S.W. Scotland and were bred for their power and stamina. Shoeing in process Frisky horse enjoying a roll in the mud.

Gorbals Boys Public Art, Gorbals, Glasgow This evening, I am posting information on a social-themed public sculpture in the Gorbals district of Glasgow, Scotland. The Gorbals is located close to the south bank of the River Clyde and is within walking distance of central Glasgow. Historically, the Gorbals was associated with high levels of social deprivation but has been transformed in recent years, predominantly via construction of vastly improved housing and other amenities. The sculpture shown here was unveiled in 2008. It is the work of artist, Liz Peden at cost of GBP40,000. The scene is copied from an iconic photograph t aken in the Gorbals by photographer, Oscar Marzaroli in 1963. The work sits at the corner of Cumberland Street and Queen Elizabeth Gardens and is accessible to all. Gorbals Boys Public Art, Gorbals, Glasgow Gorbals Boys Public Art, Gorbals, Glasgow                                           Visitors viewing the art wo

Paps of Jura, Inner Hebrides This evening, I am focusing on a group of three mountains in the southern Inner Hebrides, off Scotland’s West Coast which are collectively known as the Paps of Jura.These three distinctive mountains are: Beinn an Oir, 2576 feet. Beinn Shiantaidh, 2477 feet Beinn a Chaolais, 2407 feet. In common with most of the island of Jura, the mountains are comprised of Dalradian Quartzite. Jura is located N.E.of the ‘whisky island; of Islay and separated from Islay by a small stretch of water. Jura is lightly populated with 200 inhabitants- and 5000 deer. Jura is famous for its sole whisky distillery and being the location where George Orwell retreated to write his famous novel, 1984. The images shown herein were taken from the neighbouring island of Islay.                                             Paps of Jura cropped by low- lying cloud. Paps of Jura, Inner Hebrides Paps of Jura, Inner Hebrides