For my third installment on the theme of artists and artisans, I’m introducing some of  my favourite artists whom I have been following on social media for a few years now. They range across a variety of media, but perhaps unsurprisingly for a Scottish Blue Badge guide, all of these artists are Scottish. Indeed they are all based on the west coast of Scotland—two in the county of Argyll and two on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. 

Sam McDonald is fascinated by the beams of light that penetrate the water and illuminate aspects of the fish who seem to be oblivious to his presence. It is this regular interaction with the marine environment which has given Sam the insight to create such beautiful pieces by mixing resin and traditional metal working techniques, patination, and pewter, gold leaf, brass, and other metals. 

Until last week, I understood over-tourism to be an urban problem, limited to cities like Edinburgh, Rome, Paris, New York, Sydney, or Barcelona. I was forced to re-evaluate in the most unlikely of locations—a beautiful beach on the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, about as far away from the likes of a global metropolis as you could possibly imagine.

Over eons, Scotland was situated at the intersection of colliding continents, creating an unrivalled geological diversity that is reflected in the stone of our buildings. Before the advent of transport links, materials were sourced locally, giving rise to regional variations that are very much a part of today’s landscape…Stone-built buildings were substantial and able to withstand the test of time, leaving us a rich, architectural heritage.

The mission was to provide free, global care for cancer patients with the help of great architecture. Maggie understood the impact environment and design can have on someone dealing with cancer. She knew —from the point of view of both patient and family—the need for “thoughtful lighting, a view out to trees, birds and sky” and the opportunity “to relax and talk away from home cares.”  She knew how the “kitchen table” is often at the centre of people’s lives.

Scotland is home to a pilgrimage route that is up there in terms of importance with the better known routes to the popular disciple destinations of Rome (St Peter) and Santiago de Compostela (St James the Great). Why ? Well, the town of Kilrymont, or St Andrews as it was renamed, was home to some of the relics (bones) of St Andrew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and brother of St Peter.

With over 2500 miles of single-track routes in the Highlands alone, it’s easy to find yourself in a tricky situation if you haven’t done your research into how to navigate them. However, they are also an integral part of the wonderful experience that exploring Scotland can become if you just follow some simple etiquette and basic rules.

This is Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve where the landscape changes before your eyes. Unspoilt, peaceful, and beautiful, the reserve has the full spectrum of coastal habitats, from constantly moving sand at the edge of the sea to the colourful dune heathland. 

2021 is Scotland’s “Year of Coasts and Waters,” and when it comes to spectacular beaches, visitors to Scotland are spoilt for choice. Mainland Scotland has over 6,000 miles of coastline. When you include the islands, this increases to well over 11,000, so the diversity of beaches should come as no surprise. Everyone will have their own particular favourites, and I’m happy to share mine. Controversial? Perhaps. Come visit and decide for yourself!

Iona is a small island lying off the west coast of Scotland. Measuring just four miles in length and one mile at its widest point, this is a special place. A spiritual place. A liminal place where the veil between the spiritual and the material world is thin—a threshold.

Europe Day is a bittersweet day for me. I am of the generation that had the opportunity to study and work in Europe. I had the freedom to go where I pleased for as long as I pleased, which—unless they already live there and have applied for settled status—UK citizens will no longer have. 

Louisa Jordan’s working career was mainly in care and nursing on the East and West of Scotland. She later enlisted with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Service in December 1914, after the start of the First World War.  She joined the first Serbian unit and looked after war wounded soldiers until the outbreak of a typhus epidemic in 1915, when she took charge of a typhus ward in Serbia.  

At the beginning of my journey my name is Abhain Dubh meaning “black river” in Scottish Gaelic. I tumble down the mountain to Duchray Water and then into Loch Chon, much appreciated for its sheltered water after my hurtle down the hillside. I can relax in this magical place and enjoy the playfulness…

Shortbread is synonymous with Scotland, and no self-respecting shortbread tin would be without a striking image of the country. If you’re thinking of visiting friends on New Year’s Eve and want to take a home-made gift, or if you simply want to treat yourself or your family, the recipes below are quick and easy and could be just what you’re looking for!

Maybe it’s the climate with long, cold, dark nights. Maybe it’s just the psyche of the people. Whatever the reason, we Scots are never slow to turn a celebration into a party. The winter months in Scotland are scattered with festivities—Halloween, Guy Fawkes (or Bonfire) Night, St Andrew’s Day, Burns Night, not to mention Christmas! But when it comes to celebrations, aboon them a’ (above them all), is Hogmanay.

As you travel around Scotland you may spot a very strange sight that is likely to stop you in your tracks: hundreds of strips of cloth—or cloots as they’re known in Scotland—tied to the branches of trees. These are called Clootie Wells and are places of pilgrimage that link us to Celtic ancestors over countless generations. 

From the stories and legends evolved a unique set of superstitions that existed to give protection to people and the things they held dear. We might scoff at them today, but imagine a time, not so long ago, when life was so hard and tenuous that your very survival might depend on a good harvest or an easy childbirth. It’s easier to understand how these beliefs could become so deep-rooted and firmly held.   

Is there anything in my life that I have been complicit in that, looking back through a 21st-century lens, would be seen as abhorrent? Indeed there is.

 People from across Scotland and the rest of the UK, Europe and increasingly the wider world, are prepared to pay thousands of pounds per day for the experience of participating in a grouse shoot on a Highland estate. For some it’s the thrill of the chase, the opportunity to test their skills and to enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded friends in an iconic setting. For others, it’s the opportunity to join in a ritual which for so long has been the preserve of the elite, the landed gentry.