Nigel's Photo Blog

 Introduction This evening, I am posting information on the so-called Giants' Grave feature which sits above Whiting Bay in the S.E.of the Isle of Arran which in turn lies off Scotland's west coast.  Information on the Giants' Graves To the casual visitor the site appears to be no more than a disorganised collection of large rocks sitting on the landscape.However, this appearance is due to the passage of time (about 5000 years) combined with looting.  In fact the rock s are the remains of two   Neolithic   chambered tombs.They are situated within 40 metres of each other, and stand on a ridge 120 metres above the sea in a clearing in a forest, overlooking   Whiting Bay. The Giants' Grave North site is a cairn which has been much robbed, but with edges still well-defined. The main axis of the cairn is north–south, the north end being wider with a concave facade.The chamber is 6 metres long, and around 1 metre wide. [ It was excavated in 1902, and among the artifacts re

 Lamlash Stone Circle Introduction This evening, I am posting information on a prehistoric (possibly Neolithic,from around 3000 BC) stone circle near the village of Lamlash on the Isle of Arran off Scotland’s west coast. Outlier rock with circle in distance Information on the stone circle There are numerous prehistoric sites on Arran led by Machrie Moor and Giants’ Graves thus indicating a sizeable and well-organized population during the Neolithic period. This Lamlash site is situated on the A841, 1.5 miles south of Brodick and 1.5 miles NNW of Lamlash.There are parking spaces on opposite side of the road. This ring now consists of three large and one smaller boulder of local granite but originally the ring may have extended to seven stones with diameter extending to twenty-two feet. At S.E. stands a huge fallen boulder comprised of conglomerate which stands four feet high and is located sixty-four feet to the south. In 1861 the centre of the ring was excavated to re

 Introduction Welcome to the British Isles, a group of islands with a long history and ideally suited for touring. Tour group at Castle Combe, England   Custom Tours of Britain The British Isles comprise England, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the island of Ireland . These islands have been occupied continuously for about 9000 years which has resulted in a physical and cultural legacy manifested in such iconic features as Stonehenge, Maiden Castle, Roman Bath, the Tower of London , Stirling Castle , quaint Cotswolds villages and modern architecture.  Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall, Wales   Tell me more about a Custom Tour of Britain There is something for everyone. The following is a summary. Landscapes and landforms: Scottish Highlands , Lake District , Welsh mountains . Prehistory: Stonehenge and stone circles, Iron Age forts , brochs and crannogs. British Gardens : Hundreds to choose from in a tradition dating back 2000 years. British Battlefields:

 Tonight, I am reporting on the Titan Crane which is located in Glasgow’s Clydebank district.    This magnificent structure dates from 1907 and was once part of the famous John Brown shipbuilding works on the River Clyde. After a long and illustrious history dating back to the mid 19th century, shipbuilding went into prolonged decline and the yards were finally demolished in 2002. However, the Titan Crane was allocated a Category ‘A’ heritage rating (highest possible) and has been transformed into a tourist attraction in context of an initiative to regenerate the Clydebank area. A lift takes visitors to the top of the crane where there is information and a film on the proud shipbuilding tradition of the Clyde, not to mention the stunning views of Glasgow to the east and Erskine Bridge to the west.Visibility at time of visit was about average. Famous ships built at the John Brown yard include: Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Royal Yacht Britannia , QE2, Lusitania and HMS Hood. H

Tonight, I am reporting on the Finnieston Crane which is now an important Glasgow (Scotland) landmark.This is illustrated in the far left of the image below. This now Category ‘A’ listed magnificent piece of engineering dates from 1932 when it was constructed by Cowans Sheldon & Company of Carlisle , England at cost about GBP52,000. During Glasgow’s heyday as major ship builder the crane was used to lift heavy items into new build ships and also items such as locomotives onto ships for export. The crane is of the cantilever category and extends to 195 feet in height. The name Finnieston is a misnomer as the crane is actually sited on Stobcross Quay. The crane is now rarely used for lifting but forms an integral part of the Glasgow skyline. More information For more information on Glasgow, other Scottish cities and Scotland from a visitor perspective please refer Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This publication is also available via Kindle.  

Video clip of Borve Castle This evening, I am providing information on one of Scotland’s more remote and lesser known castles, Borve on Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides. The castle is located between Borgh and Torlum, close to the Borve Guest House. Now well inland, the castle was originally built on a rock surrounded by sea but has become landlocked due to drainage and land reclamation. Summary facts concerning Borve Castle: The name ‘Borve’ is common in the Hebrides and is derived from the Old Norse for ‘fort’. In the past has been known as Caisteal Borve and Castle Wearie. Whilst no official records exist it is believed that the castle was built by Lady Amy MacRui, wife of John of Islay between 1344 and 1363. Originally, a large, oblong tower house extending to three stories measuring 60ft by 36 ft and with walls 5ft-9ft thick. Was the stronghold of the MacDonalds of Benbecula (‘Lairds of Benbecula’) and remained occupied until early 17th century. More information Pleas

 Today, I undertook a 5 mile (approx) circular hike starting and finishing Barrhead (near Glasgow). This entailed traversing steep and sometimes muddy ground whilst reaching a peak height of about 600 feet. Visibility was surprising good for the time of year-until the rain arrived during the last half hour or so. Here is the story: First, a steep climb up to Fereneze Golf Course which sits at about 600 feet above sea level.This is a  moorland course with breathtaking views over the Clyde valley and beyond.Image below shows golfers with Glasgow and Campsie Fells in distance. Next, I came across a herd of Highland Cows. Normally, these are passive-and photogenic-animals.I actually found a golf ball in their field so maybe they are having a few rounds on the quiet! Next, a trip back in time- maybe 5000 years or so- to a period when local peoples were carving cup and ring marks on rocky outcrops smoothed by the departed glaciers. The purpose of these carvings is open to question.It was pr

 Callanish II   The Isle of Lewis is well endowed with prehistoric stone circles. Via a separate blog post I have covered the principal site known as ‘ Callanish I’   so this evening I am covering two smaller circles in the vicinity of Callanish I which are known as ‘Callanish II’ and ‘Callanish III’.   In Gaelic, Callanish II is known as Cnoc Ceann a’Gharaidh . Principle features of this ring are: Located 100 yards from water (Loch Roag) and placed on a ridge. Probably originated as a timber circle some 32 feet in diameter. The timber circle was replaced by a circle of tall stones in an ellipse 71ft N-S by 62 ft. with highest stone at N.E. Later a cairn measuring 28ft across was added just east of the centre of the ring.   Callanish II   In Gaelic, Callanish III translates as Cnoc Fillibhir . Key aspects are: Located on a ridge and thus conspicuous on the landscape. Consists of concentric ellipses with the outer one about 45ft SSE-NNW by 43ft. Eight ston

 Cille Bhara, Barra, Scotland This evening, I am posting information on the historic religious site of Cille Bhara on the island of Barra off the West of Scotland. This may translate from Gaelic as ‘Church of St. Barr’s Island’. Roman Catholicism is the main religion on Barra and represents a direct line of continuity from the original Celtic Church. The site in its present form may date from around the 12th century albeit with an earlier heritage stretching back to the 7th century, a feature quite common in Scotland. Features here are: A main church with two chapels on the east side. One of the chapels, St. Mary’s has been re-roofed and now houses some late medieval carved tombstones and a copy of a runic stone. Base of altar in east end of the main church. A very historic site which should be included in tours of the Outer Hebrides. Cille Bhara, Barra, Outer Hebrides    Cille Bhara, Barra, Outer Hebrides, Scotland Cille Bhara, Barra, Outer Hebrides, Scotland More inf

 Aberlady Church, East Lothian, Scotland This evening, I am posting information on the historic church at Aberlady , a village, near Haddington , on the southern coastline of the Firth of Forth which is about forty five minutes east of Edinburgh . Another aspect of the church At Aberlady, Christianity can be traced back to the 6th-7th centuries. There is tangible evidence from the 8th century in the form of the Aberlady Cross (on which more below). The Culdees  (indigenous Celtic Church of Scotland) were active there in the 11th-12th centuries and were probably connected to the Culdee Monastery at Dunkeld in central Scotland. In the 13th century, a Carmelite Monastery existed towards the east of Aberlady. In the 15th century, the tower of the current church was built, a robust structure 60 ft high with 4′ thick walls, with dual spiritual and defensive roles. A chancel was added to the tower in 1509. Additional aisles were added in the 16th and 17th centuries. In

   Tonight, I am reporting on Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire, N.E. Scotland. This castle was long associated with the Irvines who gained favour with the Royalty by being on the right side in the wars of the 1400s and 1500s. The current castle started  life as just a Tower House albeit 70 ft high and with walls 12 ft thick. However, loyalty to the Crown worked in reverse in the various conflicts of the 1600s and 1700s leaving the family essentially on the losing side resulting in ransacking of the castle and loss of the family’s wealth. The Irvines did keep the castle but lost their wealth and influence.  The castle is now owned by heritage organisation, The National Trust for Scotland and is open to the public. Check website for details.

 Mute Swan at Rouken Glen This morning, I was fortunate to be presented with a couple of good avian photo opportunities. Firstly, an up close and personal image of a Mute Swan (above). This is a large bird (up to 5 feet high) which can turn aggressive when annoyed, particularly by dogs. This breed tends to mate for life with pairs producing 5-8 eggs each year. They occupy fresh water of all kinds and sheltered sea coasts. There is a widely held belief that all swans in U.K. belong to the king.This is true in part. There are three types of swans of which the mute variety is one. It is only the unmarked mute swans which 'belong' to the monarch of the day in a tradition dating back hundreds of years. This ownership rule had nothing to do with conservation but to ensure aristocrats and others did not encroach on supplies of this formerly high status bird for the royal table.However, the ownership edict has ensured that mute swans probably hold the record as the country's longes

 Slice of Clootie Dumpling as purchased today from local butcher Today, I purchased slices of clootie dumpling (as illustrated above) from our local butcher.This has prompted me to explain the background and uses of the word 'clootie'. First, a clootie is a strip or piece of cloth or leather, a rag or item of clothing,traditionally used to make clootie dumplings. The term clootie can also refer to fabric used in the patching of clothes or the making of clootie mats. Clootie Dumplings Second, a traditional clootie dumpling is made from flour, breadcrumbs, dried fruit (currants,sultanas, raisins), suet, sugar and spices with some milk to bind it. Ingredients are mixed into a dough then wrapped in a floured cloth (the clootie), placed in a large pan of boiling water and simmered for a couple of hours before being lifted out and dried in an oven. The finished article has similarities with a fruit cake. Finally,clootie wells are wells or springs in Celtic areas where pilgrims leave