Scotbytes Scotland Blog

Easdale Island Scotland - Centre of the World

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 15:03:08 +0000

Easdale Island will be the centre of the world when the World Stone Skimming Championships 2008 will be held on Sunday 28 September. Easdale, the smallest permanently inhabited island of the Inner Hebrides, is one of the Slate Islands in the Firth of Lorn, 10 miles south of Oban (as the crow flies - see map). Easdale was once the centre of the British Slate industry with more than 500 people working in the quarries. The slate was exported around the world until the 1950s when production halted. A ferry sails from Easdale to Ellenabeich on the nearby island of Seil, which is separated from Easdale by only a narrow channel. The island has a population of around 60 and no roads!

Since 1997 the World Stone Skimming Championships take place on the island and because of the former slate quarrying, there is enough material around to be used for these championships. The organisation of the Stone Skimming Championships have their own website with information and photo's. A quote from their website:

The championships are held every year. Anyone of any age and any level of skill can enter. Each competitor is allowed 3 skims using specially selected Easdale slate skimming stones. For a skim to qualify the stone must bounce at least three times - it is then judged on the distance achieved before it sinks. Registration for the championships takes place at Easdale Island Community Hall from 11am on the day itself.

Easdale island

White Tailed Sea Eagles Released in Scotland

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:26:24 +0000

RSPB Scotland reports today that Scotland is well on the way to being fully re-populated with it's largest bird of prey, with 15 white tailed sea eagles being released this week in Fife. The 15 white tailed sea eagles are to be released from a secret location in Fife in a bid to reintroduce the species to the east of Scotland. The white tailed sea eagles were already resident in Wester parts of Scotland such as Mull, Rum and Wester Ross.

The white tailed sea eagle is a large bird of prey and is related to other raptors such as hawks, kites and harriers. The eagle is a large bird, 70-90 cm long with a 250-300 cm wingspan. This large eagle breeds in northern Europe and northern Asia. The largest population in Europe is found along the coast of Norway. A quote from the RSPB website:

East Scotland Sea Eagles (ESSE) is a five year partnership project between RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to reintroduce sea eagles to Eastern Scotland, building on successful reintroductions in the West Coast. This is the second year that chicks have been collected from nests in Norway, reared in specially constructed aviaries in Fife, and then released into the wild. In 2007, the first year of the project, 15 chicks were released and travelled widely all over the East of Scotland. Bird F, known as 'Fifer', even made it over to the sea eagle haven of Loch Frisa on Mull over the winter, before returning close to its 'birthplace' near Perth. This years chicks will also be radio tagged, so that their progress can be tracked over coming months and years, until the birds reach breeding age in 3-5 years time.

More information on this majestic bird is available on the RSPB Website

Piping Live Festival 2008 - Glasgow

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:37:29 +0000

The 2008 Piping Live Festival in Glasgow, the fifth, started last Monday 11th August and finishes on Saturday 16th August with the World Pipe Band Championship on Glasgow Green, where the expected audience will be around 40,000! The Piping Live Festival will take place in several venues all over Glasgow and include the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, The National Piping Centre which serves as a national and international centre of excellence for the great Highland Bagpipe and its music, and George Square at the heart of the city which is the main open-air stage of Piping Live!

Some of the artist are Edinburgh-born Steven Blake who has been a music scholar at Stewart Melville�s College for seven years, the first piper to receive such a scholarship, Rough Tides, which is a new band from Glasgow who are playing Irish/Scottish traditional music and Fergus Muirhead who played at every Piping Live Festival. He is also greatly in demand as a speaker at burns Suppers all over Europe. Some of the other artist are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Skipinnish and a great number of pipers and pipe band.

Some concerts have to be booked in advance while others are free. For a complete overview of venues, artists and bookings hake a look at the official Piping Live Festival Website

Wet Wetter Wettest Flooding

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:08:11 +0000

August, the traditional summer month, began in many parts of Scotland with heavy rain, causing flooding in some areas. Kilbirnie in Ayrshire was one of the worst effected towns, but Callander and Stirling were hit as well while parts of Dumfries and Galloway had problems with the heavy rainfall too. BBC Scotland has reported a lot about the heavy rainfall. On the first of August BBC Scotland reported: "A major clean-up operation is under way in the North Ayrshire town of Kilbirnie after torrential rain caused a river to burst its banks. At the height of the alert on Friday morning, more than 30 firefighters were deployed to areas badly affected by flood water from the River Garnock. Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said in some parts the water had been more than one metre deep."

Later that week, on Thursday, there was even more misery to report: "Several days of heavy rain have continued to cause flooding problems across many areas of Scotland. People living near a Renfrewshire dam were warned of the risk of flooding for the second time this week. Police said once water levels at the dam, near Lochwinnoch, had been reduced it was expected to be demolished. In Edinburgh, the visitor attraction Dynamic Earth was forced to shut for several hours after rain caused "cosmetic damage"." Continue reading.... To make things worse the BBC reported last Friday that Scotland can expect more flooding in the future: "More floods and landslides could hit areas of Scotland in the future, according to an environmental charity. WWF Scotland has analysed Met Office data and found that last month was almost 1.5C warmer than the long-term average. It said July was very warm, a bit wetter and less sunny than usual. June was slightly warmer and quite a bit wetter than average. May was the warmest May ever in the Scottish records, which go back to 1914. WWF Scotland director, Richard Dixon, said: "We are now seeing floods and landslides closing road and railways. "This is just the kind of impact we will expect to see more of as the climate changes further."

What Holiday-makers from the UK like to do in Scotland

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:49:55 +0000

I found an interesting survey today which was held by VisitScotland and Hollywood star Billy Boyd. People from the UK were asked to give their top 10 things to see and do in Scotland to find out what people chose as their perfect day in Scotland. Those surveyed were given a list of 108,000 possible activities in Scotland, which is a huge list to choose from. The results are interesting and show remarkable differences between several groups in the UK. The top ten results are:

Mancunians are the most inclined to seek out Scotland�s world famous Loch Ness Monster. Liverpudlians are keen sleuths searching Scotland�s famous landmarks for the Da Vinci Code and the Holy Grail. Sphering (going downhill in a huge transparent balloon) is one of the most popular activities for Cumbrians. Liverpudlians will go furthest to enjoy Scotland�s national drink (they included sailing to Britain�s remotest mainland pub, The Old Forge Inn, in their top 10). Holiday-makers from the Midlands and the North East of England are most likely to in creep through the spooky underground crypts and dungeons in Edinburgh. Londoners like to be spoilt with luxury experiences on a visit to Scotland. Adventure sports feature frequently in top ten things to see and two for visitors from most UK regions - supporting Scotland�s positioning as European Capital of Adventure. Paddling with a porpoise (small dolphin) is listed among the activities that people in Yorkshire like to take part in. The survey revealed that the top activity for people from across the UK to do in Scotland was dolphin watching in the Moray Firth in North East Scotland � not surprising give wildlife features so highly on popular TV programmes such as BBC�s SpringWatch. Taking a trip in a Loch Lomond Sea Plane, was voted a close second in overall UK results.

The first picture shows Chanonry Point on the Black Isle close to Inverness. This is a famous place to spot Dolphins from very close by. The picture was taken from Fort George (below), another great tourist attraction in this part of Scotland.

Fort George north-east of Inverness. This is a large 18th century fortress with perhaps the mightiest artillery fortifications in Europe. It was built to pacify the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745.

Official Launch of Jura Ferry

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:52:51 +0000

After 30 years the Isle of Jura in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, has it's own direct link with the mainland. Until recently the islanders and visitors had to travel to Kennacraig and Islay first before they could get to Jura. The new service cuts two hours off the journey which makes it much more attractive for daytrippers to visit the Isle of Jura. The journey time between Craighouse on Jura and Tayvallich on the mainland is less than one hour. The passenger service itself is run by Islay Sea Safari since the 16th of June using a 36ft Rigid Inflatable Boat. The new ferry service will not run all year round but will be operational from the 16th of June to the 29th of September. The route is from the Stone Pier in Small Isles Bay at Craighouse (picture), Isle of jura to the pontoons owned by the Tayvallich Bay Association at Tayvallich. The three-year summer pilot is subsidised by Argyll and Bute Council and implemented by the Jura Initiative at the Edge group as well as the Jura Development Trust. The Press and Journal published an article today about the official launch. A quote from the article:

The new passenger ferry service has attracted funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for major infrastructure improvements at Craighouse, which have just been completed. Councillor Duncan MacIntyre, Argyll and Bute Council's roads and transportation spokesman, said: 'These improvements at Craighouse are to be welcomed with open arms.' The service runs every day, apart from Tuesday, until September 29, with four crossings each day, two in each direction, at a cost of �30 for a return trip. Next summer and the year after the service will run from April to September. HIE development manager Colin Mclean said: 'The project aims to boost the level of economic activity and visitor spend on Jura as well as enhance the sustainability of local businesses.' Isle of Jura Development Trust development officer Elaine Campbell said: 'We are delighted to have this project finally realised and fully support the benefits it will bring to the island.'

Europe's Biggest Windfarm in Scotland

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:57:37 +0000

In a few years time, planning is 2011, Scotland will have the biggest windfarm in Europe. The Scottish government approved the plans for a 152-turbine windfarm which will be located on either side of the M74 motorway near Abington in South Lanarkshire. The new windfarm will be built in clusters of turbines on either side of the M74 motorway. It will have a total capacity of up to 548 Megawatts (MW) and will be capable of powering up to 320,000 homes. Scotland has very ambitious targets when it comes to generating renewable energy. Their target is to generate 50% of the total electricity demands from renewable sources. A quote from BBC Scotland:

Plans to build Europe's largest onshore wind farm in South Lanarkshire have been approved by Scottish ministers. At present, the largest wind farm in Scotland is currently being built on Eaglesham Moor to the south of Glasgow. Details of the Clyde wind farm were announced by First Minister Alex Salmond at the World Renewable Energy Congress in Glasgow. The approval for the development between Biggar and Moffat follows a public inquiry which was concluded in 2006. Approval for the project was welcomed by WWF Scotland director, Dr Richard Dixon. "The Clyde wind farm is a good proposal because it is close to major centres of population, who will use the power it generates, and away from Scotland's most valuable landscapes," he said.

Islay Panorama Pictures

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:10:28 +0000

The Isle of Islay really is my favourite Scottish Island and this has got nothing to do with the eight whisky distilleries on the island. I must admit though that it was the whisky that got me there in the first place, through a bottle of Laphroaig whisky. Becoming a Friend of Laphroaig started of a passion for the island that's getting stronger with every visit and after a few visit's to Islay you will find out that there is much more than "just distilleries". There are some very nice villages on the island as well and with the right conditions they offer unique opportunities for some fabulous pictures. This year we, my wife and I, spent another three weeks on Islay and the weather has been absolutely brilliant as you can see in the panorama pictures which I took in the second week of May. These three pictures can be seen in their full size when you click on them or on the Islay Info website for which I'm the webmaster as well. The page on which you can find more and larger images is the Islay Panorama Images page. I hope you like them!

Port Charlotte - Isle of Islay

Portnahaven - Isle of Islay

Port Ellen - Isle of Islay

Summer 2008 Events in Scotland

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:34:16 +0000

When you have decided to plan a holiday in Scotland and have done all the necessary arrangements of booking flights or ferries, finding accommodation and finalizing your itinerary, you probably would like to know what events are taking place in the area where you are going to? To find out what's going on in your area you should really take a look at the website of Event Scotland. The following quote will explain who they are and what their objectives are:

EventScotland is Scotland's dedicated national events organisation responsible for attracting, creating and developing sporting and cultural events throughout the country. Established in 2003, EventScotland co-ordinates the delivery of the Major Events Strategy, launched in November 2002 by the Scottish Executive.

On their website you will find a comprehensive event calendar with search options for specific regions and periods. There is also a Newsfeed to stay up to date and you will find regular news updates through downloadable PDF files. Following is an overview of a few interesting events that take place in Scotland this summer: Continue reading..... Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 3 - 25 August: Fringe 2008 features 31,320 performances of 2,088 shows in 247 venues. The festival is best described as follows: "Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for several simultaneous arts and cultural festivals which take place during August each year in Edinburgh, Scotland". The atmosphere in the city is fantastic and performers can be seen live on the streets. More information is available from the website www.eif.co.uk. Simulteaniously the Edinburgh Tattoo will be held on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade from 1st - 23rd August.

Rat Race Urban Adventure, Edinburgh, 19-20 July: Now entering its 5th year the Edinburgh Rat Race prepares for another year of spectacular urban adventure. This is the original Rat Race with many racers returning for a second or third helping as the action is so good. With bands, the big screen, the party tents and the atmosphere of Princes Street Gardens adventure village, racers will wonder in awe at Edinburgh Castle from the start line and then burst onto the streets in anticipation ofthe finest adventure the Scottish capital can offer.

Piping Live, Glasgow, 11-17 August: The Cream of piping talent from around the globe is set to descend upon the streets of Glasgow once again as Piping Live! The Glasgow International Piping Festival announces its return to the city in August. Piping Live! will celebrate its fifth birthday in style with the addition of some brand new and exciting events for 2008. Piping Live! 2008 will also see the return of some of the festival�s most popular concerts including The International Piping Concert on Friday 15 August at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, The National Youth Pipe Band Concert at George Square andthe Gaelic Piping Night on Wednesday 13 August at St Andrews in the Square.

Hydro Connect, Inverary Castle, 29-31 August: Hydro Connect is described as a truly boutique affair celebrating the last weekend of summer. Connect is held in the stunning grounds of Inveraray Castle near Loch Fyne, Argyll where revelers can expect the finest food and drink sourced from across Argyll, along with all the attractions that made Connect 2007 the special event it was.

Belladrum Tartan Hearts Festival, Beauly nr Inverness, 8-9 August: Now in its fifth year, the festival has firmly established itself as a must see in the Scottish events calendar. The event attracts a wide range of ages with its eclectic mix of rock, celtic, roots, world and other forms of music and entertainment.

Glenmorangie to Invest �45 million

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:15:50 +0000

The Glenmorangie Company Unveils Plans for the Future with Multi-Million Pound Investment

The Glenmorangie Company has today (1st July 2008) unveiled proposals for a major investment programme worth �45 million, which will see the Company focus on building its highly successful, iconic premium single malt Scotch whisky brands � Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. This strategy is in response to rapidly growing demand for these brands.

The investment programme, to be rolled out over a two-year period, will include the relocation of its headquarters to Edinburgh and the construction of a bespoke, state-of-the-art, bottling facility in the Lothians area. The new bottling plant will provide the capacity for a significant increase in production of both single malts to meet the demand for premium single malt whisky in growing markets such as Asia, Continental Europe and the USA.

The Company�s flagship distillery is also set to benefit. The business plans include a multi-million pound investment in Glenmorangie�s Distillery in Tain, Ross-shire. In addition to the increase in distilling capacity, new whisky cask warehouses will be built and the popular Visitor Centre will be restyled, enhancing its attraction as a tourist destination. It was at the Tain distillery that the world-renowned single malt Glenmorangie was first created in 1843. Continue reading..... Further development is also planned at the Company�s Ardbeg Distillery on Islay, off the west coast of Scotland. The Distillery and Visitor Centre will be further upgraded and new cask warehousing will be built.

Chief Executive of The Glenmorangie Company, Paul Neep, said: 'Our strategy is to focus on our premium single malt whisky brands to take full advantage of the rapid growth of single malts across the world. This plan represents significant capital investment by the Company in Scotland. The brands will also be supported by increased marketing investment in their key markets across the world. 'We believe that these proposals will deliver long-term additional growth for both the Company and also, importantly, for the local and wider Scottish economies.' In order to concentrate on these future activities, The Glenmorangie Company proposes to implement a phased withdrawal from the bottling and sale of blended Scotch whisky.

The focus on premium single malt production will involve the sale of the existing Broxburn facilities. The Glenmorangie Company has signed a Heads of Terms agreement with Diageo for the sale of the 33-acre site. Glenmorangie will continue to operate from the Broxburn site over the next two years until it relocates to its new bottling facility. In addition, the Glen Moray Distillery at Elgin � whose whisky is predominantly used in the Company�s blended Scotch � will be sold as a going concern.

The Company intends to consult fully on the plans to effect the transition of its business and will commence a consultation with staff and Trade Union representatives. It is anticipated that a number of jobs may be affected. Details of any changes required will become clearer during this consultation process.

The Glenmorangie brand is already outpacing the overall category growth for single malt whiskies. The new Glenmorangie range was successfully introduced in September 2007 to great acclaim. Ardbeg has also been growing well ahead of the market rate and was recently named �World Whisky of the Year � 2008�.