Scottish Dream Tours

More tea please!

2010-03-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

As promised yesterday, the rest of the tea story. Tea as a drink, has been around for about 5,000 years. The story goes, that the Emperor of China, Shen Nung, discovered tea. It was very common for all water to be boiled before use, and one day when the Emperor was visiting a distance part of his empire, they stopped for a rest. The servants set about boiling water when some leaves from a camellia sinensis plant fell into the pot and became infused. When the servant who first tried the brew, did not drop over dead, the Emperor proclaimed "tea".
Tea was an important drink in the East for thousands of years before it started making its way West. In the early 1600's, the Dutch, who were considered "Kings of the Seas", started bringing back tea with them in their trade with the East. Tea caught on in the Dutch court and in the mid 1600's tea was introduced to New Amsterdam (later new York)in the American Colonies and became very big business.
Tea had also become very fashionable in Russia, traveling across the continent by camel caravan. To this day, Russian Caravan Tea is very popular. Tea was also very fashionable in Portugal. About this time, teas was introduced to Great Britain but was offered as a medicinal drink and did not catch on.
It was only when Charles II married a portuguese princess named Catherine de Broganza that tea caught on in the United Kingdom. Catherine brought a trunk of tea with her as part of her dowry and it soon became all the fashion. Tea at this time was still very expensive and was only popular with the elite, who were the only ones who could afford it. A pound of tea in the United Kingdom cost about $500US.
By the mid 1700's, tea was actually the national beverage of the American Colonies. American had been used to getting their tea from the Dutch becaue theEnglish and Dutch had been in a war. When the war ended, England cut out the middle man and started tea trade with the colonies. When George III took over the throne in 1760, he was amazed at the amount of tea that was being exported to the colonies and decided he needed to capitolize on it as he aquired a huge defecit. In 1773 he raised the tax on tea from 12% to 119%! Not just a little jump, but a huge jump. What resulted was the Boston Tea party, which effectively ended America's love affair with tea and led to the Revolution of 1776.
Tea had however, caught on quite well in Great Britain and by 1797 English tea drinking hits a rate of 2 pounds per capita annually, a rate that increases by five times over the next 10 years. By the mid 1800's, the Ceylon, Darjeeling and Assam regions of India were being cultivated for tea production and for the first time the majority of tea is no longer coming from China. This of course, decreased the cost of tea and it became even more popular and quickly surpassed ale as the national drink.
Today, green tea has become very popular, but no matter wether it is green, oolong or black, the only way it can be classified as tea, is if it comes from the original camellia sinensis plant. We have many different variaties that come from this plant and the differences are dependent on what region and how the plant is cultivated. Difference can also be based on the elevation the plant is grown at, the time of year the plant is grown and picked, and the location of the leaf on the plant itself.
We also have today many herbal infusions but these are not tea. You can only call it tea, if it comes from the camellia sinensis plant. And yes, all tea has caffeine and this includes green tea. And yes, black tea is as beneficial as green tea because once again, they come from the same plant.
Most tea in the States today is drank iced. You can credit this to Richard Blechynden. He decided that he would reintroduce tea to the American public, but had no idea that there would be a heatwave at the 1904 St. Loius Worlds Fair, where he intended to do this. He thought all was lost, but noticed a really good trade at the lemonade stands and decided to offer ice tea. It was a big hit.
Thomas Sullivan is inadvertenty responisble for the tea bag. He was sending samples to clients in small silk bags and they thought they were suppose to steep the tea in the bag. Thomas Lipton thought it a wonderful way to use the chaff or what was left over after using the best leaves of the plant. Before this, the chaff was discarded. He saw a way to capitolize on this by putting he chaff into tea bags. Today, most tea sold in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the States is sold in tea bags.

Tea, Glorious Tea!

2010-03-11T11:05:00.000-08:00

Only 2 more days and I am off to Ireland! I am so excited and I can't wait to get to Bunratty and have a nice cuppa! Having had a tearoom for so long and also making my own blends of tea for many years has aroused quite a curiosity for tea and all things tea. We always think of tea as being very British, and this is ri...ghtfully so, as they have done more with tea than anywhere else in the world, but Britain actually came quite late to tea. The British Isles of course does have the distinction of drinking more tea than anywhere else in the world.
The British Isles is made up of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. Ireland is a Republic all unto itself, and having worked so hard to get there, they do not like to be included in this category. You will notice that in my posts I always say, The British Isles and Ireland. For clarity we will call Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England the United Kingdom as that is the appropriate title. This land grouping is small enough to fit into the state of Michigan, and yet they drink almost 200,000,000 cups tea daily, for every day of the year!
Ireland, however, holds the distinction of drinking more tea than any other country in the world. They average 7 cups of tea per person per day! I have never been anywhere in Ireland where the first thing that is done after greeting you, is putting the kettle on for tea. What a wonderful way to welcome someone to your home! The Irish are not particularly fond of flavored teas or herbal infusions. Irish Breakfast Tea is primarily Ceylon tea, which is a very small, dark tea leaf and produces a very dark cup of tea which much more resembles coffee. And the Irish want their tea strong!
In both Ireland and the United Kinggom almost all tea is served with milk but much fewer take sugar, only about 30 percent. You generally want to use milk and not cream, as cream masks the taste and milk enhances it.
I started blending tea about 10 years ago, and although there is no possible way that I could be labeled as a master, I have learned a tremendous amount about tea. I started blending tea for my tearoom and wanted blends that would reflect the areas of the British Isles and Ireland that I love so much. My very first blend I called "Wildflower Cottage", which was the name of our tearoom. It is a black tea blend of wild blackberry, rose, jamine and vanilla. The second blend is called "Queens View" after my very favorite view in the Perthshire area of Scotland. It is an assam blend with huckleberries and butterscotch.
It took quite a while for my "Isle of Skye" blend to come about, but in the process I came up with a few more blends. I have "Irish Morning", which is a ceylon tea blend with raspberries, cream and grenadine. "Yorkshire Dales", which is a darjeeling with pear, caramel and cardamom. "Mystic Glen", which is an assam with rhubarb and ginger. "Pembrokeshire Peach", which is black tea blend with peach, apricot and ginger. "Strawberries and Cream", which is funnily enough, strawberries and cream!And finally "Isle of Skye" came together. I wanted it to have an earthy taste and remind me of our ancestral homein Scotland. It eventually turned out as an assam with apples, cinnamon and vanilla!
I drink tea on a daily basis and I am always thrilled when magazines and newspapers come out with "new" ways that tea can be beneficial to you! Things tea blenders have know for years. Tomorrow I wil talk a little more about the origins of tea, its course from China into the Western World, the differing teas, tea leaves, and where they come from.
When I first get to Ireland however, I will raise my first cuppa to all my wonderful readers, who I will be thinking of fondly!

Shannon McDonald Tate

Slieve League Donegal Ireland

2010-03-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

For all of you who love the Cliffs of Moher, please do not get me wrong as I love them as well but they are not nearly as impressive as Slieve League in Northern Ireland! The cliff are not nearly as well known as the Cliffs of Moher and that is part of their attraction. They are not easy to get to either and this leaves a very unspoilt landscape. And the best part of all, a visit to the cliffs will not involve opening your wallet!
The cliffs are about 30 miles from Donegal traveling through Dunkineely, Killybegs, Kilcar and to Teelin where you found a narrow, winding, single lane road with hairpin turns and sheer drops. There is no margin for error and no barriers on the seaward side. Until just recently, the road wound around the cliff side with dramatic rises and falls that would leave even the most stalwart explorer breathless. In the past year the road was leveled out but it is still a one lane road that hugs the cliff side and can be a wee bit dangerous if you are not paying attention. I actually preferred the road more before they leveled it out, but it is much safer now, and now our minibus can even make the climb!
When you get to the car park at Bunglas Point, you can walk across a green meadow which abruptly stops and you will then be rewarded with a cliff side view that has a sheer drop to the Atlantic Ocean below! You can then look across and see the highest point of the cliffs which rise almost 2000 feet out of the ocean! From the car park there is still so much to see by walking the 1 1/2 miles to the cliff top.
As you walk towards the terrifyingly high top of the cliffs, you have spectacular views of the Sligo Mountains and Donegal Bay. A short walk will take you to the right of the cliff face of Bunglas (which literally means, the end of the cliff) which rises over the raging ocean below. There are a number of cairns to see as you travel along the cliff top before you drop down and cross One Mans Pass, which is a narrow ridge that will take you to the summit.
The ruins of a church with some early Christian hermitages lie near the pass. Returning from the summit by foot, one will pass the ruin of a watchtower at the end of Carrigan Head. This watchtower was constructed to defend the northwest coast during the early 19th century when there was the threat of Napoleonic attack. Walking on the eastern side of Slieve League there is a magnificent wilderness of rocks, streams and a deep rugged valley to your left.
No matter if you just want to take in the view from the car park or have a more adventurous view, the cliffs are awesomely spectacular/ If you are lucky enough to be here at sunset, the rock face is streaked with changing shades of red, amber and ochre and is truly stunning!

Carrigaphooca Castle

2010-03-09T14:11:00.000-08:00

Another favorite castle in Ireland is Carrigaphooca Castle. This castle, Caisleán Carraig a' Phúca in Irish, means Castle on the Rock of the Fairy. Carrigaphooca was built in 1436, by Donal McCarthy of Drishane and is a ruined five storey rectangular tower house, situated on a steep-sided rock and overlooking the River Sullane. It is located 3 miles west of Macroom in County Cork, Ireland.
The castle went through some restoration in the 1970's. The ground floor chamber is lit by small off-center windows, and is flanked by a straight mural stairs which rises as a spiral to the 4th floor level. It is a very simple building with a single room on each of its five levels. The windows are very plain in form, small and narrow, and like other early tower houses, there are no fireplaces or chimneys.
The most interesting thing about the castle is that is known locally as one of the most hauinted in Ireland, and of course haunted by a Phooca, which is a ghost or a spirit. As I was doing a haunted tour in Ireland, I tried to learn a bit about the castle but could only find information that said it was haunted by a malicious spirit. I did read one story that said it was haunted by 24 phoocas!
I decided I must investigate and new the best way to see it, would be to add it to an upcoming tour. I think that is why our tours are so popular, we always leave room for a bit of exploring. When we arrived in Macroom, I did something very unmanly and stopped into a local pub to ask directions. The whole pub immediately surrounded me and began to tell me ghost stories of the castle and how to get there. They said that I could not miss seeing the castle, as it sat high upon Fairy Rock.
They were right, as we could not miss seeing it but we had no idea how to get there! We drove all around the castle, seeing it in the ditance but finding no way to get to it. I decided I would do the unmanly thing again and I stopped at a farmhouse to ask how we get to the castle? The owner greeted me warmly and said he would be back to me in just a moment. He returned to the door and handed me a key asked that I be sure to loch up when we left.
As the only way to the castle was through the farmyard and a field, we carefully picked our way through the sheep droppings and made our way to the castle. We had to go up a short flight of stairs so that I could unlock the door. At the top of the stairs we all immediately felt a whoosh of cold air fly by us and the hair on the back of our necks stood up! Might have been that is was October! I unlocked the door and we carefully made our way inside. Wow!
I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to castles and I had the key! We could explore to our hearts content and we undertook to do just that. The lighting was not great on the lower floor and the lower floor was all dirt. Unfortunately it had several grave like holes that had been dug into the floor. Well, after a bit of checking out what looked like graves, I had enough of the ground floor! The feeling was very much like the feeling I get in Leap Castle, which is well known as Ireland's most haunted castle. Only difference was that nobody lived here in this castle and we were all alone!
We had a grand time exploring and scaring each other silly. We all felt that we were being deterred from climbing the stairs but carried on anyway. The views from the top of the castle were incredible and were well worth fighting off all the spirits that hindered our way! What an experience!

Just another day in the life of a small group tour operator.

Shannon McDonald Tate
Scottish Dream Tours

Picture of Carrigaphooca Castle near Macroom, County Cork, Ireland.

Lossiemouth

2010-03-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Another of my favorite coastal villages is Lossiemouth, or just Lossie as the locals say. It is known as the jewel of the Moray Firth. It has also become a favorite of my family and as a srop while on tour with our group tours. The town began as a port at the mouth of the River Lossie to help the town of Elgin in trading. The port is now a busy town itself and a marina has developed in the twin basined harbour.
The first time I was in Lossie, it was a cold brisk March day, but I was immediately enchanted anyway. The area is generally favored by a Gulf Stream that provides for quite mild days but today it was not apparent. Upon arriving from Elgin, our first sight was the wee main street of Lossie that soon gives way to the harbour where we first caught a glimpse of the brilliant white sandy beaches that stretch for miles east and west of town. Further on we saw the spectacular yachting marina and a resident fishing fleet where fishermen continue to bring in their daily catches to the fish market.
To the west, this splendid beachfront stretches for 3 miles, while to the east, this beach characterised by its sand dunes which run parallel to the sea and the river, stretches even further. It is reached by a wooden pedestrian bridge over the river Lossie. The bridge was built originally to encourage day trippers on the old Moray Railway to visit the town in the summer months, as there was once a railway between Elgin and Lossie. The dunes on the beach were made from old railway carriages to protect the seatown from heavy seas.
The second time I was in Lossie was with a group I was leading. Again, it was a cool crisp day but in September this time around. As we crossed the bridge to the beach, one of the ladies on the tour kicked of her shoes and raced in to the firth! I was chilled to the bone just watching her, but it was her first sight of Atlantic waters and she was not going to let the moment pass! The sun was out and dogs were racing up and down the beach while the kite fliers and windsurfers were having the time of their lives!
The third time I was in Lossie, it was a glorious summer day. The sky and the sea were in competition to see who could outshine the other. We were on tour and we had 2 delightful elderly ladies with us. Their names were MaryLou and Yolanda but had become YoYo and LuLu! I had sat with them on a bench overlooking the beach while we had an ice cream. They said it was the perfect place sit because they had a good view of all the eligible men coming from both directions down the beach. They later on decided to write about their exploits while on tour and call it "YoYo and LuLu do Scotland". We had so much fun with them!
There is a lovely bakery in Lossie, a few pubs along with a couple of other good eateries, a fisheries museum, a library and a smattering of other local shops. There are many trails and designated paths so you can enjoy coastal or countryside outings and you can take sea excursions to see dolphins and seals. I have learned over the years, that no matter the weather, Lossie is a perfect little spot to spend an hour, an afternoon or the whole day.

Northeast Coast of Scotland

2010-03-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

I love small coastal villages and those especially on the north coast of Scotland inbetween Inverness and Fraserburgh. My favorite spot in particular is the lovely villages of Cullen, Portknockie and Findochty.
We quite often hire a cottage for a week in Portknockie and just relax, explore and unwind in this heavenly area of northeast Scotland where we always feel like part of the villages themselves. The total population of all 3 villages is around 3800 which is just perfect for me and here you will find the real Scotland. These villages are full of character but they are not dressed up for tourists and do nothing in particular to cater to them as they are delightful all on their own!
Findochty is a true fisherman's village as it is centered on the harbour and sprinkled with an abundance of fisherman's cottages all jostling for position. In the early 1400's the village of Findochty was crowded around the natural harbour known as Crooked Haven. It expanded as a fishing port through the 1700s and 1800s, and by 1850 was home to 140 fishing boats. The late 1800's saw the expansion of nearby Buckie and by the middle of the 1900's most of the fleet was operating from Buckie instead. The end result, was this traditional fishing village became a haven for lesiure sailors and one of the prettiest villages I have ever been in!
Portknockie is inbetween Findochty and Cullen. While Findochty is built around the harbour Portknockie differs in that it lies above on the cliffs. These spectacular cliffs drop dramatically to the shore below. Portknockie's harbour is naturally sheltered by the rocky bluff of Green Castle which was once a Pictish stronghold. With a history going back to 1677, most of the village stands above the harbour is predominatly the smaller fishermen's cottages. Here you will also see the larger captains houses that came about in the propserity of the late 1800's. No pretension here, as Portknockie is very much a residentail community that does not have to rely on tourism to survive but has en easy charm that captivates.
If you walk along the clifftop path that leads around from above the harbour you will find Bow Fiddle Rock. The rock is a wave-cut natural arch which provides a dramatic roosting place for gulls and cormorants. Further on in the walk you get some great views over Cullen Bay to Cullen. You can either walk along the beach or along the cliff which wanders beside Cullen Golf Club. This is a traditional links course which has amazing views over the Moray Firth and if you are lucky, you may see a dolphin or two!
Cullen is a very attractive town built around the Burn of Deskford. I love to wander around the Seatown area where all of the cottages have a wonderful patchwork look. The render between the stones is a differing color of the stones themselves and the effect is quite lovely. Cullen was established in 1189 and has a church that was built in 1236. Its wealth in the 1700s was built on textiles, and threadmaking in particular. The village really came into its own with the herring boom of the early 1800's. Cullen is well known for the traditional Scottish dish "Cullen Skink". This is a chowder like soup of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. "Skink" merely comes from the Gaelic word for "essence". If for nothing else, come for the ice cream, as the shop in town is regarded by many as the best in Scotland!
This area is home to some amazing fish and chips shops that you will find as you wander through these beautiful villages. The local pubs are also a great place for a good meal and catching up with the locals. The best gossip in town can be found of course at wee shops in each village and you will find no lovelier coastline anywhere!

Picture of Bow Fiddle Rock, Portknockie.

The call of Scotland

2010-03-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Hello all.
I am in the beautiful city of Seattle this weekend and the sun is shining and it is a breathtakingly beautiful day! Seattle is one of my favorite places to visit. I travel all over the world and I can easily say that it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. However, as my mother would say. it's not Scotland!
For those of you who have been to Scotland, live in Scotland or have an overwhelming call to visit Scotland, you will know what I am talking about. And Scotland does call. I believe it actually has something to do with the earth itself and a strong connection between our physical bodies. I have been all over Ireland, Wales and most of England but I only get this feeling in Scotland. I think Ireland is absolutely beautiful and I love every moment that I am there. If I could not live in Scotland, Wales would be a very close second but still, they don't call to me quite the same way. I can and do spend days traipsing through the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District and the Cotswolds and there are all magical wonderful places that I love dearly but they do not call to me to come home!
Why is the feeling so strong and where does it come from? I have pondered it many times but have yet to find a real, logical answer that does not involve emotion.

Shannon McDonald Tate
Scottish Dream Tours

Picture is from Glencoe in winter.

Glencoe

2010-02-28T13:28:00.000-08:00

As a McDonald, Glencoe has a very strong connection with my ancestry and the massacre that took place here on 13th February 1692. But today we will talk about Glencoe itself, as it is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland and is without doubt, one of Europe's scenic highlights. At times it is a haunting beauty and earns it's title of "the valley of the weeping" but at all times it is breathtakingly beautiful and serene.
My first sight of Glencoe was in the spring. The bracken fern turns a golden color in the winter and combined with the silver birch and their new purple buds sets up a pallet of remarkable colors. The sky is brilliant blue and lends its color to the ponds that shimmer all along the top of the pass. The ponds are ringed with white sand and the effect is dazzling. Golds, purples, blues, silvers and white all trying to out do each other in there struggle to break free from winter's tight embrace.
The colors change as we pass from spring into summer and the bracken begins to stand up and turn green again as the purple of the heather breaks out of its browned confines. The yellow of the gorse is startling against the crisp green hillsides and the pools of blue darken and lighten as the clouds float lazily by. Could there be anything more spectacular?
I truly did not think so until my first trip through the pass after a light dusting of snow. The sparkling white of the hills with the massive angular peaks breaking through was a contrast of colors that delighted and amazed. The deep dark blue of the ponds in striking contrast with the pure white snow defied description!
Is is any wonder that this area has wrought so much myth, legend and history? It is easy to understand Robert Louis Stevenson's inspiration for Kidnapped as well as a Hollywood background for much of the Highlander series, Braveheart and Rob Roy being filmed here.
With so much of natures abundance in one unspoiled and unforgettable location, one thinks at first that it would be best kept a secret. But the best things in life should be shared and I love sharing my Scotland with you!

Shannon McDonald Tate

Iona Abbey and St. Oran's Chapel

2010-02-26T15:27:00.000-08:00

As I am putting in place the last few details for our upcoming Highlands and Islands tour my thoughts of course turn to some of my very favorite places. The first time I was on the Isle of Iona I felt as if I had just had the wind knocked out of me. The feeling was more intense than I was expecting even though I was expecting to be hit pretty hard. It is one of the most peaceful places on earth and it is easy to understand why St. Columba used it as his base for Christianity in Scotland when arriving in the year 563.
Even more powerful than that was the feeling, I got when I stepped into the wee small chapel next to Iona Abbey. St Oran's Chapel is the oldest intact building within the religious settlement at Iona. It was built in the 1100's by Somerled, Lord of the Isles, as a family burial chapel. It stands in Reilig Odhrain burial grounds where the remains of 48 Scottish Kings were laid to rest along with those of Norway and Ireland. Kings such as Macbeth and Duncan I, as well as later Lords of the Isles. Being a descendant of Somerled makes this a very special place and I love to sit in the chapel and ponder the history of my family.
Looking across the north wall of Reilig Odhrain you can see a medieval roadway leading to the Abbey. After repeated attacks by Norse invaders, little remains of Columba's early Christian monastery today. The present Abbey was built around the year 1200 for Benedictine monks and it was dedicated to St. Columba. After the reformation much of it had fallen into ruins but was restored at the start of the 20th century. In 1938, George Macleod, a minister in Glasgow, founded the Iona Community and the long process of rebuilding was begun. Today Iona Abbey and the surrounding buildings serve as a spiritual center under the jurisdiction of the Church of Scotland.
You can't help but be moved by the Abbey. The atmosphere is filled with the weight of the centuries and the very stones seem to tell the story. There are grander Abbeys to be found in Scotland but none quite so solemn, humble and modestly elegant.

Shannon McDonald Tate

2010-02-25T10:00:00.003-08:00

"Several years ago, when I earned my crust as a policeman, I was chasing a gang of deer poachers across the North Yorkshire moors at dawn as the sun rose from the sea. Just as the diamond tip broke over the hill, the old bobby with me stopped and looked down to the valleys that stretched into the distance. "Look," he said, as if he had seen something for the first time. "God's kingdom, Adam's land - no finer place will you ever find."" ~~ Graham Taylor

James Herriot's Yorkshire

2010-02-25T09:58:00.000-08:00

I have always been an avid reader and as a child found myself entranced by the books of Alf Wight writing as James Herriot. Every few years, I pick up the books again and read all about this country vet and find that my love for these books only grows as I grow older. 'All Creatures Great and Small', 'All Things Bright and Beautiful', 'All Things Wise and Wonderful' and 'The Lord God Made Them All' are still treasured volumes in my personal library.
I was so inspired by his description of the Yorkshire Dales, that I knew some day I would journey to this magical place and become as delighted with the Dales folk and the lovely countryside just as he was. My Yorkshire experience came 60 years after James Herriot's but I was thrilled to find so much of still just as he had written it.

I still remember vividly the first time I saw the centuries-old stone walls crisscrossing the hillsides while sheep grazed in nearby pastures, totally oblivious to the spectacular scenery that they were part of. As we drove up winding country roads and swooped down into enchanted small villages, I felt as if I had gone back in time and I would soon meet James, Siegried or Tristan passing by in an old jalopy.
I could not wait to get to the village of Darrowby(Thirsk in real life) where James, Helen, Tristan and Siegfried lived and also had there vetrinery practice at Skeldale House. 23 Kirkgate is still there and is now the World of James Herriot where you can take a journey back to the 1940's and to the life and times of these country vets.I have now visited these places many times and the magic only continues to grow.
I still take excursions through the Dales searching out new tearooms and adventures and finding new spots to add to our tours. I love to visit Thirsk and Skeldale House, the lovely tearooms and museums in Reeth, the Wensleydale Cheese Factory, Castle Bolton, Castle Howard, Ripley Castle and Skipton Castle. I love the picturesque villages of Hawes, Ripon, Osmotherly, Helmsley, Pickering and Malton. I love the city of York with its Minster, the Shambles and Whipmawhopmagate Road. The Yorkshire area of England is one of the most lovely of the entire country and always holds a very special place in heart.
http://scottishdreamtours.com/york10.html

The Fortingall Yew

2010-02-16T16:20:00.001-08:00

There is a tree growing in Scotland that may be the oldest living organism in the world. It is definitely the oldest in Europe. It is called the Fortingall Yew as it is in the small village of Fortingall in the heart of Perthshire. It stands at the entrance to Glen Lyon, which is my very favorite glen in all of Scotland. The yew tree which grows there has been estimated to be as old as 5,000 years. It's girth at one stage was over 56 feet when measured in 1769.
In the last few hundred years, souvenir hunters began to take large sections of the tree and eventually a wall had to be built round it to protect it. Some of its branches only survive because they are propped up. It is a mystical magical place and I am in awe of it every time I visit.
Next to the Yew is a small church which is not old but has seen a lot of history never-the-less. Fortingall has been a Christian centre from a very early date and Adomnán, Abbot of Iona Abbey from 679 to 704 visited Fortingall where crop marks suggest there was an early monastery close to the site of today's church. A hand bell dating from the 7th century is on view in a niche in the church.
There are other relics in or around the church as well. Outside the church are several gravestones with at least one believed to date back to the 7th century. Near the porch is a stone font from the 8th century which stood inside the old church. On display inside the church are fragments of three Pictish cross slabs dating back to the 9th century. They were discovered during the demolition of the old church in 1901. The stones are thought to be associated with the early monastery on the site, and the rear of one is carved with figures thought to be monks. The incorporation of the carved stones into the structure of the church was a common medieval practice, and while this led to the fragmentation of the stones, it has also meant they were protected from weathering for a number of centuries.
Close by is a unique triangular formation of megalithic stone circles. Legends coming down through the ancient oral tradition, say that Pontius Pilate was born at Fortingall. There are also stories linking Fingal, the ancient Caledonian warrior king, with this same area.

Did you know?

2010-02-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

The Quaich (pronounced "quake") has a rich heritage in Scotland and are a uniquely Scottish invention. This traditional Scottish drinking cup was used to offer a guest a cup of welcome and also as a farewell drink, usually a dram of whisky. Travelers would often carry a quaich with them. Although they were primarily used for whisky and brandy some larger quaichs were used for ale. It is thought that the very first quaich was fashioned from a scallop shell, in which drams of whisky were taken in the Highlands and Islands. Shells were wide and holly and lent themselves to the distinctive shape that has been around for more than four hundred years.
Traditionally quaichs were made of wood and were a shallow cup with a pair of small lug handles on opposite sides of the rim. The centre of the bowl was usually decorated with a silver coin or with coat-of-arms, initials or motto. In the late seventeenth century quaichs began to be made in pewter, silver and gold. Silver quaichs are first mentioned in the 1660s.
The Quaich in 1745 travelled from Edinburgh to Derby with the Scottish Army in Bonnie Prince Charlie's canteen. Its bottom was made of glass so that the drinker could keep watch on his companions. A more romantic Quaich had a double glass bottom in which was kept a lock of hair, so that the owner could drink to his lady love. In modern times, the Quaich has been used as a favour at many Scottish weddings, being presented to all at the top table.

The Quaich has a unique history surrounded with myth and mystique. In ancient time it is believed that the Druids filled the quaich with blood from the heart of sacrificed humans. It has a special place in the heart of all who know something of its history and is a prized possession of many people who have an association with Scotland. It will always be remembered as a visitor's welcome or farewell cup by proud clan chiefs, worthy merchants or humble crofters with its simple but beautiful shape and friendly purpose.

New Tour Concept

2010-02-08T11:29:00.000-08:00

I am so excited about a couple of new tours we are offering for 2010. I have long wanted to do this but wanted to make sure I had all the details set before offering the tours.
For many years my family has visited Scotland on holiday. We rent a cottage for a week in one location to take full advantage of everything that area has to offer. Then we rent a cottage in another location for a week and do the same thing. It is a wonderful time of sharing, eating some meals out and cooking some meals in. We visit our favorite castle and do all of our favorite things.
Well, I have finally duplicated this in a tour. For one week we rent a luxury Highland country house and for one week we rent a luxury Lowland country house. We will take day trips and experience everything these areas have to offer. On returning home from our travels we will have teas and scones in the drawing room. Three to four times a week we will have gourmet meals at home in the formal dining room. The meals will be prepared by myself using my many years of restaurant experience. You are welcome to join me in the kitchen for cooking lessons as well. These evenings will be followed by a musical evening, whisky tasting, games night or murder mystery evening. We will have a few meals out including at the local pub and we will also have a garden barbecue and a garden afternoon tea. We will visit the local theatre and attend a Highland Dinner and Show.
We will stay in large beautiful homes with drawing rooms, formal dining rooms, informal sitting rooms, billiard rooms and music rooms. They are on huge estates with informal and formal gardens, woodlands and forest walks. You will have your own lovely bedroom with your one bathroom, breakfast each morning and everything you need to have a lovely holiday in Scotland.
We are so excited to be offering these two tours and I cannot wait for the dates to arrive. We have a few spots open on each tour.
The first tour is May 30th - June 11th. http://www.scottishdreamtours.com/friends10.html.
The second tour is June 27th to July 10th.http://www.scottishdreamtours.com/friends10too.html

Did you know?

2010-02-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

When St. Andrew, one of the twelve Apostles, was being crucified by the Romans, he is said to have asked to be placed on a cross with a different shape from that of Jesus. His relics (bones) were said to have been brought to Scotland after St. Regulus had a vision telling him to take them to a far-off land. He landed at a place then called Muckros, later called Kilrymont and, later still, renamed St. Andrews.
According to legend, before a battle between a combined army of Picts and Scots and the Anglo-Saxon King of Northumbria at Athelstaneford, a formation of white clouds in the form of the cross of St. Andrew appeared in the blue sky.
The Northumbrians were defeated and St. Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland. The white cross on a blue background later became the Scottish national flag. It is also known as the St. Andrews Cross or the Saltire Cross although the term Saltire actually refers just to the cross rather than the whole flag.
In the 14th century many Scottish foot soldiers had a white cross on their tunics but it was not until the 15th century that the national flag came into widespread use. While the origins may not be completely known, the Scottish flag is regarded as one of the oldest country flags still in existence.

Reflection on the coming year

2010-02-04T21:08:00.000-08:00

As I am getting ready to start our ninth season of tours I have to reflect on how far we have come. My first foray into tours was to allow me to spend more time in Scotland and I really never expected it to grow into the full time business that it has. I was so nervous with my first tour but when I saw others fall in love with Scotland and find the magic and beauty in all the places that were so special to me, I knew that I wanted to do this for as long as possible. I designed tours to just reflect the places I loved to go to and doing the things that I found exciting so I was thrilled that others loved this as well.
From the very first tour, we have used small locally owned restaurants and accommodations. We have visited historic sites that meant something to me and places that stirred my emotions. We have found that others love this as well and made us promise not to change. I am very proud to say that we have people this year who are on their second, third, fourth, fifth and even 6th tour with us! I had no idea we would have so much repeat business. I would like to think that I can take the credit for this but I know it is the countries, people and places that we visit that are responsible.
We generally do not use accommodations that have more than 8 - 12 rooms and try to use only family owned establishments. We occasionally use a castle if it fits our criteria but we want you to experience the real people of Scotland, Ireland and Wales and they generally don't live in castles or mansions. We want you to feel like part of the family and experience how people actually live and this is best done in small, intimate places. We try to use as many different kinds of accomodations as possible so we mix things up with coaching inns, guest houses, country house hotels and farmhouses all in the same tour. One of my favorite places to stay in Wales is in a 400 year old farmhouse! We never use large hotels or chain accommodations where you become just another number and the only people you come into contact with is other tourists.
We love to use unique tearooms and small cozy pubs and restaurants. Our favorite place to eat in Glasgow only has 26 seats! Again we try to use family owned and operated establishments so that you are meeting the real people and eating where the locals eat. We quite often eat out in 400 and 500 year old pubs that are mostly local haunts. We find people love to eat dinner in the homes that we are saying in where the owners are preparing our meal in their kitchen and serving us like guests in their home. We love this too of course.
We try never to have any early morning starts or any late nights. Occasionlly we are on the ferry operators schedule and can't control this. If we put something into an itinerary it will be an actual stop. There are some places that you will have wanted to linger longer but we give enough time to get the full experience. We try as much as possible to make our tours feel like a family outing. We know this is not everybodys preference but that is why there are other tour operators out there offering different experiences. We find that when we love what we do, that others love it too.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Three of my favorite ancient monuments of Scotland

2010-02-03T20:16:00.000-08:00

I think my top three most amazing historic sites in Scotland would have to be the Callanish Standing Stones, Skara Brae and the Sun Honey Stone Circle.
I could not wait to get to the Isle of Lewis and see the stones that I had heard and read about forever. I have been to many stone sites all over the British Isles but Callanish still remains one of my very favorite. I am not sure why I had such an affinity with Callanish before I had even laid eyes on it but I wanted it to be as awesome as I imagined.Callanish is a cross-shaped setting of standing stones erected around 2000 BC and one of the most spectacular megalithic monuments in Scotland.
Within a few miles of Callanish I started to see the stones on the hilltop and a thrill started at the base of my spine and zinged its way up to the top of my head. As I got closer and closer the tingling intensified and I knew that I would be totally awed! I was not disappointed.The stones, of Lewisian gneiss, were buried in about six feet of peat before they were cleared in the year 1857. Prior to this time, nobody even knew they existed!
Upon reaching the monument you see that it is a ring of large stones about 40 feet in diameter that enclose a huge monolith at the centre. Running north from the stone circle are two parallel lines of stones forming an avenue about 80 yards long. There are now 19 stones in the avenue and entering the site from the north you will feel impelled to walk up this avenue to the circle. Also in the middle of the ring is the remains of a chambered cairn which looks to have been added later. Local tradition says that giants who lived on the island refused to be converted to Christianity by Saint Kieran and were turned into stone as a punishment but as with most monuments of this age very little is really know.
Another site that I could not wait to visit was Skara Brae on the main Island in the Orkney Islands. I wanted to see the site as I knew that it is Europe's most complete Neolithic village and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I was still not prepared for what I was about to see! As with Callanish, before the mid 1800's nobody even knew it existed. In the winter of 1850 a great storm hit Orkney and the combination of the wind and the high tides uncovered a stone village that had been hidden for thousands of years.
Skara Brae is believed to be about 5,200 years old. Older than the great pyramids of Egypt! Because of the protection offered by the sand that covered the settlement for 4,000 years, the buildings and their contents are incredibly well-preserved. Not only are the walls of the structures still standing, and alleyways roofed with their original stone slabs, but the interior fittings of each house give an unparalleled glimpse of life as it was in Neolithic Orkney. Each house shares the same basic design - a large square room with a central fireplace, a bed on either side and a shelved dresser on the wall opposite the doorway. It is amazing to see how advanced this civilization was and is still perfectly preserved for us to enjoy!
My third site today is the Sun Honey Stone Circle not far from Aberdeen. What? You have never heard of Sun Honey? Well then, you are in the majority. The area around Aberdeen is resplendent with recumbent stone circles and I was out monument hunting one day and was looking for a particular circle. It was remaining quite elusive and so I stopped to ask for directions. I know, I know...very unmanly of me, but what can I say. Anyway, I was directed to a stone circle that I did not know even existed. It was not the one I was looking for but far beyond anything I had imagined. This 4,000 year old stone circle sits out in the middle of a farm with limited access.
When we arrived, we found a small copse of trees that looked as if they had never been entered and we stepped back in time. We were immediately awed as it did not look as if anybody had been to the site in years and this recumbent stone circle was surrounded by a ring of aging trees.There are nine stones in the circle, plus the recumbent and then two stones that flank its side. The recumbent has fallen over and part of it has broken off. The recumbent stone is marked with approximately 30 cup marks. There are suggestions that these cups held blood from sacrifices made on the recumbent stone or are plans of circular huts, or even mason's marks but this is all purely speculation. What I love best about this stone circle is that it has not been manicured in any way and remains very untouched and magical.
I have quite an imagination and what I like so much about sites like this is so little is known and so my imagination can run wild. These are a very few of my favorite places in Scotland as they do stir my imagination and it thrills me to be able to walk where others walked thousands of years ago.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Big city or small town?

2010-02-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

Having talked about Edinburgh and Glasgow yesterday I wanted to talk about the small places today. Although I love being in the city I am enthralled with small towns and countryside. I love places with pedestrianized main streets where you only need to dodge foot traffic and not have to worry about cars. I especially like main streets with unique small shops, cute bed and breakfasts and local tearooms. You have to have at least one fish and chip shop, one ice cream and candy store, one woollen shop and one souvenir shop.
Places that immediately come to mind are Pitlochry, Callander Portree and Peebles although unfortunately the main street is quite busy with cars. Pitlochry is in the north central area of Scotland and one of my favorites. You have your choice of tearooms and I love to have afternoon tea at the Atholl Palace Hotel. Pitlochry has a lovely theatre and a place called Heathergems where they actually make jewelry from the stems of the heather plant! Pitlochry has plenty of woolen shops, ice cream and fish and chips. You are absolutely spoilt with accommodation choices.
Callander is in the Trossachs region of Scotland and is quite central. Callander is a perfect base for visiting Stirling and Doune Castles and Dunblane Cathedral. It has several woollen shops, tearooms and ice cream shops and just a short hop away from the 400 year old Lion and Unicorn Pub. Callander also has a wonderful Toy Museum and the Rob Roy Macgregor Visitors Centre.
Portree is the main town on Isle of Skye in the Hebridian Islands. Portree has a good selection of accommodation choices, great fish and chips and a wonderful harbour. It is in need of a good tearoom however. Most of the shops of Portree lie above and behind the harbour where you find Somerled Square, home to the mercat cross and war memorial. Much of the shopping is to be found in the roads leading from Somerled Square towards the harbour.
Peebles is in the Borders region of Scotland about 22 miles south of Edinburgh. Peebles was established almost 2,000 years ago by the Romans and so is quite historic. I love the 350 year old Cross Keys Hotel and the 800 year old tower of St. Andrews Church. There is a woolen mill, tearooms and a museum. Nearby is Neidpath Castle and Traquair House, one of the oldest continuously lived in castles in Scotland with its own brewery.
I also love the wee fishing villages of the Kingdom of Fife. I especially love Anstruther where they lay claim to the best fish and chips in Scotland. They also have a 500 year old pub called the Dreel Tavern and a lovely waterfront with a maritime museum. Pittenweem is just up the road and if you are an early riser you will see the boats bringing in their early morning catch. Also worth exploring are Crail, Elie, St. Monans, Upper Largo and Lower Largo.
Places that do qualify for pedestrianized main streets are Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. Although quite remote I love this wee village where everyone is happy to see you and more than willing to help you in any way. For such a small place it is quite bustling with more than enough to see and do. I also love Kirkwall in the Orkneys. The main street is quite lovely and dominated by St. Magnus Cathedral, founded in 1137 by Norse Earl Rognvald Kolson in memory of his uncle Saint Magnus. The Cathedral contains their remains, marvellous medieval grave markers and noted stained glass. There is many quirky craft shops and cafes and tearooms to choose from.
I also love Dumfries in the south and Kirkcudbright just south of there. Fort William at the start of "the Road to the Isles" and Mallaig at the end. I very much like Crieff in central Scotland, most well known for producing Ewen McGregor! I quite like Falkland, Auchtermuchty, Kirriemuir and Aberfeldy for their tearooms. I love Dufftown, Edradour, Fettercairn, Buckie, Macduff, Rothes and Elgin for the whisky. I love the seaside towns of Rothesay, Tobermory, Portnockie, Lossiemouth and Findochty for their harbours.
I know that I have left many out but they will have to wait for another day. I just thought of several more while I was writing this but they will keep. My main point is that no matter where you go in Scotland, you will find a lovely little spot just waiting to be explored. I am sometimes accused on our tours of taking people only to the good places but truth be told, they are all over Scotland!
Shannon McDonald Tate

Glasgow or Edinburgh

2010-02-01T18:12:00.000-08:00

There has long been a wee bit of rivalry between Edinburgh and Glasgow and I am always asked which I prefer. Although I feel more of a kindred spirit with Glasgow the best thing is that I don't have to make a choice! I think of Edinburgh for culture, entertainment and history and Glasgow for architecture, food and fun. Edinburgh more touristy and Glasgow more local. Edinburgh for museums and art, Glasgow for shopping, theatre and music.

Glasgow (pronounced Glaz Go) is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands. The city centre is home to most of Glasgow's main cultural venues including The Theatre Royal, homee of Scottish Opera, The Scottish Ballet, The Pavilion, The King's Theatre, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow Film Theatre, Gallery of Modern Art, Mitchell Library, the Centre for Contemporary Arts, McLellan Galleries and The Lighthouse Museum of Architecture, Design and the City. The city centre is also home to four of Glasgow's higher education institutions: The University of Strathclyde, The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow School of Art and Glasgow Caledonian University.
Glaswegian, otherwise known as the Glasgow patter, is a local variety of Scots. People from the far East (Edinburgh) refer to Glaswegians as "weegies". While Glaswegians reciprocate with "Edinbuggers". Glaswegians tend to be bit more outgoing, friendly and generous and pride themselves rightfully so, on their sense of humor. Edinburgers are a bit more reserved and keep more to themselves but this is partly to do with the overwhelming amount of tourists during the summer months.
Edinburgh (pronounced Ed in Burra) is the capital city of Scotland. It is the second largest city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh is the seat of the Scottish Parliament. The city was one of the major centres of the Enlightenment, led by the University of Edinburgh, earning it the nickname Athens of the North. Edinburgh is well known for the annual Edinburgh Festival, a collection of official and independent festivals held annually over about four weeks from early August. The number of visitors attracted to Edinburgh for the Festival is roughly equal to the population of the city. The most famous of these events are the Edinburgh Fringe (the largest performing arts festival in the world), the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
I love walking about in either city and feel very much at home whether I am shopping on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow or sightseeing on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. As the cities are only about 45 minutes apart by train, you can enjoy the best that both have to offer and never have to make a choice.
Shannon McDonald Tate

More of my favorite castle of Wales

2010-01-31T17:16:00.000-08:00

We will start off today with Cardiff Castle in the center of Wales capitol city, Cardiff. Spanning over 2000 years, the Castle has been a Roman Garrison, a Norman stronghold and in Victorian times a Gothic fairytale fantasy. In the early 19th century the castle was enlarged and refashioned in an early Gothic Revival style for John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute by Henry Holland. But its transformation began in 1868 when 3rd Marquess of Bute commissioned William Burges to undertake a massive rebuilding which turned the castle into a 19th century fantasy of a medieval palace. This relationship culminated in dazzling architectural triumphs of which Cardiff Castle is the greatest of all. Not to be missed in the castle are the Winter and Summer Smoking Rooms, the Chaucer Room, the Arab Room, Lord Bute's Bedroom and the Roof Garden. Each time I am in the castle I wander around in awe at the incredible wealth and beauty it represents. The castle is administered by the Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.
Just a short drive from Cardiff we find Castell Coch. What was created at Cardiff Castle was done on a much smaller scale with the creation of Castell Coch. The castle is a fairy tale come to life and was built reproducing a small medieval Welsh chieftain's stronghold. Another collaboration of the 3rd Marquess of Bute and William Burges it was built in the 1870's and has the most remarkable interior decoration. Burges was given free rein on this castle and the result is a delight! The Drawing Room and Lady Bute's bedroom have ceilings and wall paintings that are almost equal to those at Cardiff Castle. Although the castle was never meant to be a permanent residence, I find that I could move right in tomorrow and be quite happy! The castle is administered by the Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.
Our ninth castle is Bodelwyydan Castle in Denbyshire in the north of Wales and is reputed to be one of the most haunted! The castle has been the subject of two episodes of television's "Most Haunted" and Sci Fi's "Ghost Hunters International". The history of the house and estate dates back to before 1460 but the association with the Williams family only from around 1690. As well as being a historic house and museum, the Castle are resplendent with large areas of formal garden and natural woodland. Bodelwyddan Castle is a regional partner of the National Portrait Gallery, housing many wonderful portraits from the 19th Century collections of the London national museum. In addition, the Castle displays collections of furniture from the Victoria & Albert Museum, and sculpture from the Royal Academy of Arts. The castle is run by a charitable trust and is open to the public.
The 10th castle in this series is Chirk Castle in the Northeast of Wales. As one of Edward I's ring of castles, Chirk has been occupied continuously as a castle and stately home for almost 700 years. It was built in the late 13th century by Roger Mortimer, Justice of North Wales. The castle was sold for 5,000 UK pounds to Sir Thomas Myddelton in 1595 and his descendants continue to live in part of the castle today. The interior of the castle includes the Gothic style Cromwell Hall, with oak panelling and impressive arrays of arms and family heraldry. The neo-classical Grand Staircase is a hugely impressive feature, hollowed out of a circular tower and hanging in the gallery a fine collection of family portraits. The state dining room boasts a ceiling with fine plasterwork and mythical images as well as exquisite period furnishings. One of the most impressive of the older sections is Adam's Tower, which housed a former dungeon where French prisoners from Agincourt were locked up. The castle is managed by the National Trust and is open to the public.
Another National Trust Property is castle number eleven, Powis Castle. Powis is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country mansion located near the town of Welshpool in Mid Wales. The residence of the Earl of Powis is known for its extensive, attractive formal gardens, terraces, parkland, deerpark and landscaped estate. The 1660's State Bedroom still survives and is the only one in Britain where a balustrade still rails off the bed alcove from the rest of the room. Such a design derives from the days when the English gentry wished to emulate the elaborate etiquette that regulated the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. A visit to the castle by Charles II is still part of the family tradition. The window latches in the shape of the Prince of Wales's feathers commemorate the visit of the future King Edward VII. His son and daughter-in-law (later King George V and Queen Mary, visited in 1909.
The last castle in this series is The Hall at Abbey-Cwm-Hir near Llandrindod Wells in mid Wales. Built in 1834 by Thomas Wilson the great Victorian improver, the house was doubled in size by the Philips family in 1869, who then added the snooker room in 1894. The architects were Poundley and Walker of Liverpool. Paul and Victoria Humpherston bought the Hall in late 1997 and spent 9 years restoring it to a building of Gothic splendour; boasting stunning interiors and fascinating collections. They have also restored 12 acres of Victorian gardens in a beautiful setting above the ruins of the 12th C Abbey of the Long Valley. The Hall has appeared on many television documentaries on historic houses including "Discovering Welsh Houses" and "How the other Half Lives". The Hall is very much a family home and guided tours of the 52 rooms are conducted by a family member. Tours must be booked in advance.
Remember that this is not a complete list of castles in Wales or a complete list of my favorite Welsh castle. Happy castle hunting!

Shannon McDonald Tate.

Some of my favorite castles of Wales

2010-01-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to try something almost impossible and that is to name only twelve of my favorite castles in Wales. I will list six today and six tomorrow. Wales has more castle per square mile than anywhere else in the British Isles. I cannot conceive of a list that does not include Edwards I's mighty four. Nor can I think of leaving out the fairytale castle designed for the Marquess of Bute. Then there are the castles that are not just castles but also stately homes like Chirk. This listing is in no particular order and is not a full list of my favorite castles. I am only listing castles and no other historic sites. I will start in the North with the mighty four - Harlech, Conwy, Caernarfon and Beaumaris.
Even after seven hundred years, Harlech's might and defensive stength are still evident. As it is situated almost in the center of town, every time I am there I think what it must be like to have a castle in your backyard as many towns folk do! The castle is designed on a concentric plan with a small but powerful inner ward dominated by an impressive twin-towered gatehouse and four round corner towers. Designed by Master James of St. George, the castle combines a marvellous sense of majesty with great beauty of line and form and was part of King Edward I's second campaign of castle bulding in North Wales. It was part of a ring of castles stretching from Aberystwyth around to Flint insuring Edward there would be no resitance to his rule. The views from the top of the castle are breathtaking. The castle is owned by Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.
Next of the mighty four is Conwy Castle, also designed by Master James of St. George and part of Edwards ring of castles. The castle is built on a rocky outcrop controlling the crossing of the river Conwy and has been called "one of the greatest fortresses of medieval Europe." It is easily as impressive as Harlech but unlike Harlech, Conwy Castle and town are surrounded by a well-preserved wall lending an additional sense of strength to the site. The eight great towers and connecting walls are all intact, forming a rectangle as opposed to the concentric layouts of Edward's other castles in Wales. The castle is well preserved and offers spectacular views of the town, surrounding coastline and countryside. The castle is owned by Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.
Our third of Edwards mighty four is Caernarfon which is architecturally one of the most impressive of all of the castles in Wales although its defensive capabilities were not as overt as the other three. The castle was designed to echo the walls of Constantinople, the imperial power of Rome and the dream castle of Welsh myth and legend. After all these years Caernarfon's immense strength remains unchanged. Edward intended this castle to be a royal residence and seat of government for North Wales. The castle's symbolic status was emphasized when Edward made sure that his son, the first English Prince of Wales, was born here in 1284. In 1969, the castle gained worldwide fame as the setting for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales. The castle is owned by Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.
The fourth of the mighty four, Beaumaris, was begun in 1295 and was the last and largest of the castles to be built by Edward I in Wales. Regarded by many as the finest of all the great Edwardian castles in Wales, the brilliant Master James of St George brought all his experience and inspiration to bear when building this castle, the biggest and most ambitious venture he ever undertook. In pure architectural terms, it is the most technically perfect castle in Britain. The castle has a perfectly symmetrical concentric 'walls within walls' design, involving no less than four successive lines of fortifications. The castle is owned by Welsh Historic Trust and open to the public.
My fifth castle is the mighty castle of Pembroke in the southwest. Spectacularly set on the banks of the river estuary, this mighty fortress is largely intact. With its endless passages, tunnels and stairways the castle is great fun to explore. Once the seat of a succession of major barons who played leading roles in shaping Britain's history, this historic showpiece is the birthplace of Henry Tudor, father to the infamous Henry VIII and grandfather of Elizabeth I. The fine series of round towers and the remarkable gatehouse made the defences of the outer ward almost impregnable. The main gatehouse, with its two portcullises, stout doors, three machicolations in the vaulting and its series of arrowslits, is one of the finest and earliest of its kind. The castle is owned by Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.
The sixth castle for today is in the southwest. Raglan Castle, with its great multi-angular towers and Tudor styling, is unlike any other castle in Wales. The main stone used in construction of the castle is a pale, almost yellowish sandstone from Redbrook on the Wye river. The other sandstone is local Old Red Sandstone which is red, brown or purplish in color and used in the Tudor work. From a distance, Raglan seemed to have a reddish cast, although on approaching the gatehouse, the castle's yellow sandstone becomes obvious. Raglan Castle is one of the last true castles ever to be built in Wales. Construction of the castle began in the 1430s by Sir William ap Thomas. William was a Welsh knight and was responsible for building the Great Tower at Raglan, which became known as the Yellow Tower of Gwent. The castle is owned by Welsh Historic Trust and is open to the public.

Tomorrows list will include castles of less might with their primary function being comfort rather than defense although some of them were built with defense in mind as well.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Wales Castle, Pub and Tearoom Discovery Tour

More family adventures...

2010-01-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

I said yesterday that today I will talk about my family trip to the Yorkshire Dales. We love many areas of Great Britain, but for us, there is no place like Scotland. I was talking yesterday about my niece Callyn who is now fifteen but was only about seven years old on her first trip to England. My sister Pam and three daughters Hayley, Kelsey and Callyn along with Cameron, my mother, a family friend and myself had spent two weeks in Scotland sightseeing and castle hunting. Knowing that everybody planned to be in the UK for three weeks, I planned a one week outing in the Yorkshire Dales as it is one of my very favorite places on earth.
We were traveling in two cars and had just crossed the border when I looked behind me and saw that my sister had pulled her car over. i was pretty sure why she had pulled over because as soon as my car crossed the border everybody in my car had tears in their eyes. I went back to my sister's car where everybody except Callyn was sobbing. She was so worried and wanted to know what was happening? I asked her if she had seen the big boulder with "England" written on it? She said yes and asked me what that meant. I told her that it meant that we had just crossed the border out of Scotland and into England. She immediately broke into tears and asked me why?
I now had two full carloads of sobbing people and a whole week planned in the Yorkshire Dales. Well of course after we got there everybody had a wonderful time and fell in love with Yorkshire as much as I had. They made me promise that in the future if they gave up any of their Scotland time it had to be at the beginning of the trip. They wanted to make sure that Scotland was the last sight they saw before going home.
We had many adventures in the Dales and in the city of York. York itself is completely walled with four main gates into the city. You can walk most of the walls. The city is dominated by York Minster, a Gothic cathedral that is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. Built over the span of 200 years, the cathedral is about one tenth of a mile long and went through five different architects. York has many other historic buildings and a small street with a mishmash of 15th century buildings called "The Shambles".
The rest of the dales is full of rolling hills, delightful villages, wonderful tearooms and warm, friendly Dales folk at every turn. For those who loved the stories of the country vet James Herriot there is much to see and do along with Wallace's (of Wallace and Gromit) favorite cheese factory, The Wensleydale Cheese Factory. There is also a plethora of castles, abbeys, cathedrals and historic sites. The Yorkshire Dales for me is one of the most magical and mystical places on earth and impossible to describe in just a few words.

Shannon McDonald Tate

York, Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District

Remembering Scotland

2010-01-27T18:45:00.000-08:00

After reading Mario's blog yesterday I was remembering my first trip to Scotland as well. As I blogged about earlier, I was a late in coming to Scotland. It was definitely on my list but there were so many other places I wanted to see as well. I had no idea that Scotland was going to affect me the way it did. I was told by several members of my family that I would be overwhelmed but it still did not prepare me.
On my first trip I prepared very heavily and I rented a cottage in central Scotland for several weeks so that family members could come and go as they were able. I wanted to make sure that I found someplace very central so that we could make day trips from a good location. Much to my surprise upon arriving to the cottage we were informed that the tower in the next field marked that exact center of Scotland! Over the years we have rented several cottage but that first month in central Scotland made the area very much home.
For the first week we were at the cottage it was just my mother and I. We were spending seven weeks and so we really made ourselves at home. As the Lion and Unicorn pub was just up the road we knew we had to try it for dinner. The pub is almost 400 years old and is often in the top ten. We of course have returned several times over the years. We also fell on love with Doune and Doune Castle, Stirling and Stirling Castle and the lovely wee village of Callander.
I was remembering a trip that my brother Cameron joined us as well as my sister Pamela and her daughters Hayley, Kelsey and Callyn Rose and of course mom. On the first trip that Callyn was on we went to Loch Ness as it was high on the girls list. I think Callyn was six at the time. We hired a boat captained by John Minshull. We had the whole boat to ourselves and John had Callyn piloting the boat all around the loch. The most amazing thing about this was that we were at Loch Ness six years later with the girls and Callyn was twelve years old then. John immediately recognized her and said he hadn't seen her since she was half that size? What an amazing memory! Callyn once again piloted us around Loch Ness.
We went for a ride on the Jacobite Steam Train that is also known as the Harry Potter Express as it is used in filming the movies. I booked a car for us but war really not thinking about Harry Potter. Once we were on the train we had many little faces pressed upon the windows to see into our car as it was where most of the filming took place. I had no idea, I just stumbles upon in. A year later we were at Loch Shiel taking a boat trip on the Loch and found that we had missed the Potter kids by two days as they had been filming on the loch and had used that boat. I think with the girls we have been to almost all of the Harry Potter film locations. We have had many adventures that happened purely by chance. I had booked us a journey on the Strathspey Steam Railway one day and found ourselves in a rail car that had been retired in 1954 and had been renovated and just returned to service that day! Tomorrow I will have to share the story of when I tried to take the girls across the border and into England!
The adventures continue to happen and that is why I love taking people to Scotland and to the rest of the British Isles. Either family members or people who have joined our tours. We started our tours to resemble our family holidays and as it is so popular we continue on today was we started out 9 year ago.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Highlands and Islands of Scotland

2010-01-26T20:32:00.000-08:00

We have 2 spots left on our Spring Highlands and Islands Tour of Scotland from May 1st - 15th. Our fall Highlands tour has been sold out for almost a year but the spring tour has been quite stubborn with the last 2 spots. This is one of my favorite tours to do primarily because the history is so amazing.
We start out the tour in one of my favorite towns in Scotland, Oban. Oban is a lovely little seaside village which is a perfect jumping off place for an islands tour. While in Oban we take a short ferry ride across Firth of Lorne to the Island of Mull. On Mull we visit Duart Castle before continuing on to Iona. Duart has been the ancestral home of the Clan Maclean for over 400 years.
There is probably nowhere in Scotland that is more lovely and spiritual than Iona Abbey on the Isle of Iona. lona Abbey is a celebrated Christian centre and the burial place of 48 early Scottish kings. The Abbey and Nunnery grounds house one of the most comprehensive collections of Christian carved stones in Scotland, ranging in age from 600AD to the 1600s. The abbey itself is over 800 years old!
We then journey through Glencoe, the site of the 1692 massacre of the McDonald Clan before a visit to Fort William. From Fort William we are off to the Isle of Skye, my ancestral home. We visit the grave site of Flora Macdonald as well as Dunvegan Castle and Portree. After 2 days on Skye we cross the water to the Islands of Harris on Lewis.
Once on Lewis we visit the Callanish Standing Stones. The stones have to be seen to be understood. I have visited the site on numerous occasions and they still install awe every time. The stones are of Lewisian gneiss and are 4500 - 5000 years old! The stones are a complex arrangement of some 50 stones. At their heart is a circle of 13 stones between 8 and 13 feet tall, surrounding the tallest stone on the site. This stone is 16 feet high and weighs in at about 5.5 tonnes. Some time later a stone tomb was added to the centre of the circle.
After leaving Lewis behind we are back to the mainland for a visit to one of my favorite fishing villages, Ullapool. We then head north through some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever seen. Majestic peaks, pristine lochs and breathtaking coast lines until we find ourselves in Thurso. While in Thurso we take the ferry to the Orkneys where we visit Skara Brae, a stone age village. Older than the pyramids. A sand storm left the village covered for over 4000 years leaving the buildings and their contents incredibly well preserved. Not only are the walls of the structures still standing, and alleyways roofed with their original stone slabs, but the interior fittings of each house give an unparalleled glimpse of life as it was in Neolithic Orkney.
Then we are back to the mainland to visit one of my very favorite castle, the Castle of Mey. Queen Elizabeth's mother decided to rescue this castle after the death of her husband King George XI. After a loving restoration the castle is a perfect seaside home that was a favorite of the Queen Mum's and a favorite of everyone who walks in the door.
We now head south to Inverness for a day and then to my favorite place in Scotland, Pitlochry. Queen Victoria call Pitlochry, the loveliest spa village in all of Europe. We visit castles, take afternoon tea and visit the theatre while hear before we spend our last 2 days in Glasgow.
Although most well known as an industrial city, there is so much more to Glasgow. Named the European city of Architecture and Design in 1999 it more than lives up to its reputation. An 800 year old cathedral, 500 year old Lord Provost's house and the second best shopping in the UK make this a very enjoyable city and one of my favorites.
These are just a few of the highlights on this wonderful 15 day tour. Join us for an unforgettable journey to my ancestors and to history that you could only dream about.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Robert Burns

2010-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

Today marks the anniversary of Robert Burns birth in Alloway, Scotland in 1759. Also referred to as Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite son, the Ploughman Poet and the Bard of Ayrshire, there is no other person in history, past or present who's birthday is celebrated the world over as is Scotland's National Bard. Burns Suppers will be celebrated in thousands of locals this evening in the time honoured fashion which includes the eating of a traditional Scottish meal, the celebration of the haggis, the drinking of Scotch whisky and the recitation of works by, about, and in the spirit of the Bard.
At the age of fifteen, he fell in love and shortly thereafter he wrote his first poem, primarily in the Auld Scots Dialect. The collection was an immediate success and he was celebrated throughout England and Scotland as a great "peasant-poet." He is also well known for over three hundred songs he wrote which celebrate love, friendship, work, and drink with often hilarious and tender sympathy including, "My Love is Like a Red Red Rose", "Ae Fond Kiss" and "Auld Land Syne."
Over his very brief life, Robert fathered fourteen children and not all to his wife Jean Armour, the love of his life and affectionately called "Bonny Jean". Burns died in Dumfries at the age of 37, on the morning of 21st July 1796. The funeral took place on Monday 25th July 1796, also the day that his son Maxwell was born. Over 30,000 people paid their respects.
In Dumfries you can visit his grave site at St. Michaels Kirkyard. You can also visit Burns' House where he lived with his beloved Jean Armour. The poet's autograph is scratched in the window with a diamond ring, and you can see the room where he died. In Dumfries you can also visit the Burns Centre and stop by the Globe Inn which was one of Burns' favorite haunts. Have a "wee dram" and visit the site of the first Burns Suppers in 1819 in this 400 year old inn where every corner is steeped in the history of Robert Burns.
Not far from Dumfries you can visit Burns' farm at Ellisland where he tried his hand at farming. “Typically, Burns chose this place more for its romantic, idyllic setting than the quality of the soil,” says Les Byers, the curator of Ellisland Farm.
In Alloway you can also visit Burns Cottage and Museum, a two roomed thatched cottage his father built and where Burns was born. Just down the road in Mauchline there is the red brick Burns House where the poet lived from 1788 with his wife Jean Armour. It was about this time that his poems were first published. A prized copy of the Kilmarnock edition survives along with personal artefacts, letters and manuscripts.

Some more of my favorite castles in Scotland

2010-01-24T14:55:00.000-08:00

As promised today, castles seven through twelve. Remember, this is by no means a complete list of my favorite castles or neccesarily my top twelve. When we are conducting our tours, I like to include a really good mix of castles to give a full example of all the types of castles you will find in Scotland and this list reflects that.
First on todays list is Elcho Castle just outside of Perth in central Scotland. There are several castles in the area that are very similar but this castle captivated me from the moment I walked in. The castle is not one of Scotland's most well known or visited castles and that may be part of the attraction. Elcho is a 16th century z-plan tower house that although in ruins is very well preserved and gives great insight into how its residents lived. It is fully open to the public and is a great castle to go exploring in. The castle has one of the largest and grandest staricases anywhere in Scotland and you can still see decorative plasterwork in many areas. Elcho is owned by Historic Scotland and open in the summer months.
Second our our list today is Kilravock Castle just a short ways outside of Nairn in the north. This castle also operates as a bed and breakfast and I have had the pleasure of staying here a few times. Kilravock is the ancestral home of the Clan Rose and although the castle was built in 1460, six generations of the family lived on the grounds before that time. This is not a luxury hotel as many of them have turned into but an actual castle where you stay in the original rooms. You can even stay in the room at the top of the tower that dates back over 500 years ago! The room just below it is where Mary Queen of Scots stayed when she visited the castle and it has been preserved in that era. For a true castle experience, this is one of the best. Kilravock is open as a bed and breakfast and also for tours by appointment where you can hear tales of the past, see the room that Mary Queen of Scots slept in, view the bowl that was used by Bonnie Prince Charlie during his visit in 1746, inspect the dungeon and view historical artefacts from the battles of Culloden and Bannockburn.
Our third castle listing is Thirlestane Castle in the Borders region of Scotland at Lauder. Thirlestane's history goes back to the 13th century but it was rebuilt as the Maitland family home in 1590. In 1670 the Duke of Lauderdale greatly enhanced it in the Scottish Baronial style. He introduced the two front towers and the grand staircase and oversaw the transformation of the interior, the most remarkable feature of which is the rich plasterwork of the State Rooms. in 1840 it was extended and refurbished with the addition of two new wings and now resembles a palace more than a castle and it is truly stunning. I love ceilings and the ceilings in the drawing room and dining room are breathtaking! You can also view the Duke's grand bedchamber and the room where Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed. The castle also offers self catering accommodation. The castle is privately owned and open May through September.
Our fourth offering today is Braemar Castle in the Grampian Mountains at the start of Royal Deeside. Braemar is an early 17th century castle and is the ancestral home and seat of Clan Farquharson. The building is a five storey L-plan castle with a star-shaped curtain wall of six sharp-angled salients and three storey angle turrets. What it lacks in size it more than makes up for in charm and style. The castle was gifted to the community of Braemar by the Farquharsons and reopended in 2009 following a short restoration. There is now 12 fully furnished rooms on show filled with personal memorabilia of the family spanning over 250 years of the Farquharson family The Hanoverian troops garrisoned here after the Battle of Culloden ensured their place in history by graffiti-ing the wood panelling. The castle in open to the public.
Our fifth castle is Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull and home to Clan Maclean. This castle is well know as the film location for Sean Connery's Entrapment. While taking the ferry from Oban to Mull the castle sitting on its crag is visible long before the fery docks. For me, the biggest delight of the castle is that on almost any day, you can see Lord Lachlan walking the grounds, greeting people to the castle or playing with his grandchildren. Although the seat of the Clan Maclean for over 400 years, it is also very much a family home. In 1350 Lachlan Lubanach, the 5th Chief, married Mary Macdonald, the daughter of the Lord of the Isles and she was given Duart as her dowry. After extensive restoration the castle is open to the public. Visitors may walk through the dungeons and state rooms at their leisure, ending on the top of the keep where it is easy to appreciate the strategic site of the castle.
Our final castle is Ballindalloch Castle in the heart of the Speyside region of Scotland. Ballindalloch is one of the most beautiful and renowned castles in Scotland and know as the Pearl of the North. Ballindalloch is one of the few privately owned castles to have been lived in continuously by its original family, the Macpherson-Grants who have resided here since 1546. The Castle is very much a lived-in family home and is filled with family memorabilia, as well as a fine collection of 17th century Spanish paintings collected by Sir John Macpherson-Grant in the mid 19th century. From the moment you walk in the door you feel as if you could move right in. The Castle was originally built in the traditional Z plan, but has been much altered and enlarged over the centuries. Ballindalloch Castle exemplifies the transition from the fortified tower house necessary in 16th century Scotland to the elegant and comfortable country house so beloved of the Victorians in the Highlands. Ballindalloch is privately owned and open to the public.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Some of my favorite castles of Scotland

2010-01-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

As you can probably guess by now, I love castles! Today I'm going to list 12 of my favorite castles in Scotland. This was much harder than I thought it would be as I have so many favorites. These castles are not in any particular order and are not necessarily my top 12. I am going to present to you a mix of ruins, complete castles, fortifications, some open to the public and some inhabited. I did not include abbeys, cathedrals or any other type of historic sites. A castle is defined as private fortified residence of a lord or noble. What is the difference between a castle and a palace or mansion house? Palaces and mansions are stately homes, while a castle is built for fortification. Castles of course can also be stately homes but their main purpose is to protect and defend.

I am going to start appropriately enough with the first castle I ever visited in Scotland, Doune Castle. Doune is a 14th century stronghold in the central area of Scotland near Stirling. It is best known as the setting for the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail but that is not why I like it. Most castles over the years go through many changes and updates but Doune has remained relatively unchanged in almost 700 years and gives a wonderful insight into castle life in medieval times. You can easily see where the family would have lived and the area of the castle for soldiers and servants. The kitchen with an oven large enough to walk into is one of my favorites. I have been to Doune numerous times and it still holds the same delight that it did for me on my first visit. Doune is owned by Historic Scotland and open to the public.

Next on the list is Caerlaverock Castle in the south of Scotland on the Solway Firth and was home to the Maxwell Clan. Caerlaverock is a 13th century moated castle built in a triangular plan with an immense twin tower gate house and imposing corner towers. I know of no other castle in Scotland with this shape. Although in ruins, there is enough of the castle left not only to marvel at its mighty presence but also to imagine its grandeur defined by the ornamental stonework that still dominates the interior of the castle. This castle is owned by Historic Scotland and open to the public.

Third on the list is the Castle of Mey. Constructed on a z-plan, the castle was built between 1566 and 1572 with corbelled turrets and jutting towers very typical of that period of the 16th century. I love anything to do with the Queen Mum who passed away in 2002 at the age of 101. In 1952 following the death of her husband, King George the VI, she heard that the castle was to be abandoned and decided to save it. She fell in love with its isolated charm as so many others have since. And isolated it is, as it is the most northerly inhabited castle on the British mainland. The Queen Mother renovated and restored it and for almost half a century she spent many happy summers here. As you walk in the front door you can almost see her standing on the stairway welcoming you in. This castle is privately owned and open to the public.

Fourth on the list is Glamis Castle as is only fitting since we have been talking about the Queen Mother who grew up in this castle. Glamis is the ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore and has been their home for over 600 years. Glamis is a fairytale castle but also has the reputation as the most haunted castle in Scotland! The castle has seen many additions, alterations and reconstructions as each generation of the Strathmore family attempted to make their mark. The end result is a romantic stronghold complete with turrets, towers and castellations. In the great hall, two small chairs flank the fireplace and were favorite seats of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Princess Margaret was born here in the apartment that was designed for the future Queen Mum and King George by her parents. This castle is privately owned and open to the public.

For our fifth castle we go back to ruins with Dunnottar Castle. This dramatic cliff top fortress is in a truly spectacular setting. Just outside of Stonehaven which is about 15 miles south of Aberdeen on the east coast, visiting this castle is not for everybody. After traveling the footpath from the car park you are met by a steep pathway with numerous steps that will take you down to the water only to be met by another set of steps that you must climb to the top of the cliff to visit the castle. The climb is well worth the effort if for nothing else but the views. The site of Dunnottar goes back in history thousands of yeas and the present castle played host to William Wallace, Mary Queen of Scots, the Marquis of Montrose and the future King Charles II. Most famously though, it was at Dunnottar Castle that a small garrison held out against the might of Cromwell's army for eight months and saved the Scottish Crown Jewels from destruction. Dunnottar is privately owned and open to the public.

Our sixth castle is Crathes, a delightful fairytale castle with glorious formal gardens. Not far from Dunnottar in Aberdeenshire, this beautiful 16th century castle is one of the best preserved castles in Scotland and home to the Burnetts of Leys for over 350 years. With its portraits, oak ceilings, heraldic shields, Elizabethan fireplace and Jacobean painted ceilings, this castle interior is splendid! One of the most historic objects in the castle is the Horn of Leys, a jewelled ivory horn given by Robert the Bruce to the Burnetts in 1323 when he granted them the Lands of Leys. Crathes is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and is open to the public.

Tomorrow, castles seven through twelve. I have tried to provide what we do on our tours which is a mix of castles of differing ages, uses and construction.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Castles, Castles, Castles

2010-01-22T15:05:00.000-08:00

I love castles! At this point I don't think I could comprise a full list of castles I have visited as the list is quite long. I do have my favorites though, including ones I love to visit again and again. I was remembering a story today of several years ago when I was on a castle hunt in Scotland with my sister and 3 nieces. I have a castle map which lists all the castles in Scotland....over 2,000 of them! The list includes ancient castles, new castles, castle ruins, fairytale castles and castles that are private homes. I try never to trespass onto anybodies private land but this particular map just listed the castle and not their condition. As we drove up the road to the castle there was a wee bridge that crossed a burn that went around the castle. At this point, I realized we were at a private home and I attempted to turn the car around by backing off the bridge and alongside the burn. Unfortunately I immediately sank to my axles in the bog! We tried everything to get the car out including my pushing while my sister drove. I asked her to give it a little gas but my sister never did anything by halves and I received a wave of mud that covered me from my toes to my nose. At about this time the Laird arrived home with his wife. They both seemed to be in their 70's and had just returned home from church. He told me in a very gruff voice that he would go up to the house, change and then come back down with the range rover. He came back down in a range rover that seemed to be as old as he was and proceeded to chain my car to the rover. I could see that he had done this before and at this time I could also detect a little twinkle in his eye but never a smile...just like my grandfather. We pulled the car out and in the same gruff voice he said "well, you're already here so you may as well come on up the house and have a look". I had just discovered a new way to get myself into private castles!
Another time my mother, sister, 3 nieces, Mario and myself were visiting a castle called Duffus Castle which is a ruins of a castle in the north of Scotland. We had been discussing the name of the castle with many jokes before we arrived. I had been there before but nobody else had. There was about a half inch of snow on the ground and the castle sits up on a small hill. I told everybody that there was a walkway that went around the hill and you could easily access the castle from the back. I then began climbing up the side of the hill as I will always take a short cuts if I can. I heard a holler and looked behind me to see my sister go down. Then they all started going down like dominoes much to the delight of the people who were watching us from up at the castle. I was the only one not to fall. We were all laughing hysterically when my sister said "now we know where the name came from...all those people up there are thinking what doofus' we are for not taking the path to the castle."
On one of my very first castle hunts my brother Cameron and I were exploring Blair Castle in the central Highlands. This is a fully furnished castle owned by the 11th Duke of Atholl. There are guides all over the castle wearing the Murray tartan trews(trousers) with a green sweater. We always like to explore from top to bottom and learn as much as possible about castle and historic sites. This is much easier to do in an uninhabited castle of course but that never stops us. We were on a mission when we walked by a doorway as a man was just coming out dressed in the same trews and sweater. We talked with him for a moment and then hurried on our way. A few rooms later on we came to a room with family portraits and much to our surprise, there he was, the 11th Duke of Atholl staring back at us form a portrait. We just blew off the owner of the castle thinking he was a guide! We learned that day to always check to see if the family flag is flying which lets you know the family is in residence.
Tomorrow I will talk about my favorite castles of Scotland and why they are on my favorites list.

Many happy travels,

Shannon McDonald Tate

Scotland - Differences between Highlanders and Lowlanders

2010-01-21T22:14:00.000-08:00

I am often asked why someone can't find a tartan or plaid for their "clan" which of course leads to a discussion on the differences between Highlanders and Lowlanders. A task I find easily undertaken as my mother's family were Highlanders and my father's family Lowlanders which allows me a somewhat unprejudiced view. Most things that people in North America associate with Scotland such as clans, tartan, bagpipes, speaking Gaelic etc is not really a Scottish way of life but a Highland way of life. Prior to the 19th century there was a clearly defined line between the Highlands and Lowlands marked by difference of race, religion, and customs that can still be observaed today.
Lowlanders did not have a clan structure as they considered Highlanders to be feudal, uncivilized heathens who were fiercely clannish. They perceived the Highlanders as a self-sufficient and independent breed that eyed the rest of the country with suspicion. Lowlanders wore trousers as they would not be caught dead in a kilt and bagpipes was only so much noise. Highlanders of Western Scotland and the adjacent islands were of Celtic origin and the Gaels of the Highland clans were originally of the same Celtic stock as that of the native Irish prior to being conquered by England. The term "Scots" is in direct reference to the Highlanders and not to the whole of Scotland. Unlike the Highlander, the Lowlander were a mix of Romans, Frisian, Angles, Saxons, Danes, Norwegians, Normans, and Flemings just as the Englishman immediately to the south of them were.
So why do we think of these things as being Scottish rather than the Highland way of life? On April 16th 1746 the last battle to be fought on British soil was held at Culloden Moor just outside of Inverness. The battle was over in an hour and effectively ended the Jacobite movement to restore a Stewart to the Scottish Throne. The goal of the government forces led by the Duke of Cumberland also know as Butcher Cumberland was to get the unruly Highlanders under control and return Scotland to full British Rule. Approximately 2,000 Jacobites lay dead on the field of Culloden but that was nothing compared to what Butcher Cumberland ordered the government forces to do following the battle. Indiscriminate killing went on for days, with all men bearing arms hanged on location and their women raped and children killed so that they would not grow up to bear arms. Families fled from their scorched hovels and were left to starve. In total, over 20,000 head of livestock, sheep, and goats were driven off and sold at Fort Augustus, where the soldiers split the profits.
In the years following Culloden there were laws put into place that outlawed the wearing of tartan and kilts, playing bagpipes, Highland dancing and speaking Gaelic. The estates of those lords and clan chiefs who had supported the Jacobite rebellion were stripped from them and then sold with the profits used to further trade and agriculture in Scotland. This eventually led to the period of time called the Highland Clearances from the 18th century and into the first part of the 19th century when thousands of Highlanders were displaced so that the more profitable venture of raising sheep could transpire. This lead to the complete collapse of the clan structure.
It was not until later in the 19th century when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert began spending so much time at their Highland home of Balmoral that all things "Scottish" were back in fashion. The wearing of the kilt was again very popular but not the same kilt that would have been worn by the Highlanders. Everybody in Scotland wanted to belong to a clan and have a clan tartan so many Lowland families commissioned tartans. Tartan had become so popular that many States in the US and Providences in Canada have also commissioned their own tartans. Bagpipes were once again very popular along with Highland dancing. Everybody wanted to be "Scottish"! This popularity continues right up to today and everybody likes to be able to find a little Scots background.
I guess that is why I love doing what I do so much. It is great fun to help others find their Scottish connection or if they do not have one, to be able to share mine with them.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Grandfather, Scotland and our ancestry

2010-01-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

My grandfather's name was Angus McDonald which is about as Scottish as you can get. Living close to my grandparents resulted in growing up very Scottish but I never realized how much so until I started spending so much time in Scotland. The many things that I viewed as peculiarities of my grandfather proved to be just Scottish! From the way my grandfather spoke to the foods we ate and the customs and traditions we observed. It was very important to my mother to continue these traditions and customs during our upbringing. I still remember so vividly my first day in Scotland and feeling that everything finally made sense. I had an immediate connection that is just as strong today if not stronger.
I had long heard the stories that my family were descendants of Somerled who was the very first Lord of the Isles in the 12th century. It was his grandson Donald who started the McDonald Clan which was the largest and most powerful clan in the Highlands. Having the name McDonald of course suggests that I must have come from the original McDonald line but I always had some loose ends in my ancestral search. Last year I did some DNA testing and was thrilled to learn that yes, we were indeed descendants of Somerled! I am a 26th direct generational descendant of Somerled. My cousin Richard who's surname is McDonald is a direct paternal descendant of Somerled. I can now trace both sides of my family back to 12th century Scotland.
I have always been proud of my Scottish ancestry but having the data to back up the stories that have been passed down through the generations is like icing on the cake.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Scottish Dream Tours

2010-01-19T13:49:00.001-08:00

It has been almost 9 years since I offered my first tour and many people want to know how and why I started offering tours. As I have posted earlier, my mother and I ran a wee Scottish Tearoom for several years. We would always close in April and take 6 -7 weeks to go to Scotland each year. Upon our return we would have an armchair tour of Scotland at the tearoom and talk about our trip and our favorite places in Scotland. At one of our armchair tours I was asked why I didn't take an actual tour to Scotland and I thought, what a wonderful idea! As with everything I do, I immediately jumped in with both feet and was offering my first tour to Scotland just a few months later. I never intended to offer a full tour schedule at that time. I thought if I offered a tour in the fall, I could go to Scotland twice a year and would not have to wait a whole year to go again! In my family, I was a late comer to Scotland. I always new I would eventually go but it was never at the top of my list. My sister Pamela had been urging me to go for several years. When I finally arrived in Scotland I could not believe that I waited so long to go and knew that I never wanted to go anyplace else! Until I started doing tours it was very hard to give up any of my Scotland time. I eventually started taking in Ireland, Wales and areas of England as well.
Even prior to my first tour I had been thinking along those lines but had not really made a firm decision. There were many things that prompted this. I remember being in the Borders area of Scotland visiting one of my favorite abbeys and watching a tour bus pull in. Only about 15 of the 60 people on board got off the bus and took a picture. I asked one of the tourers why nobody else was getting off and he said that they only had a few minutes and it took too long to get on and off the bus. I know not all tour groups operate this way but I was so dismayed that this was how all of these people would see one of my favorite places! Another time, my family and I had just pulled into a hotel in the Highlands at about 10:30pm when a tour bus pulled in behind us. My brother Cameron and I ran into several bewildered ladies wandering about the hotel looking for their rooms. We spent about an hour helping people get to their rooms and helping them with their luggage. They also had an early start in the morning and would need to have their luggage outside their door at 6:30am with breakfast at 7:00! Once again I was so dismayed that people were experiencing my beloved Scotland this way. My first thought was...I could do this much better...and so I did.
I knew immediately that we would have no early mornings and no really long days. I also knew that I wanted to offer small, family accommodations and restaurants that would give the real flavor of the country. I also know that if I was going to put something into the itinerary, we were going to properly visit it! My only concern was how was I going to economically provide this with only 8 - 10 people on each tour. I did not want to use any chain hotels or large places that would offer price breaks nor did I want to limit people on their menu choices. I also wanted to make sure there was a very limited amount of extra costs but I knew there was no way I could offer all this at the prices that the major tour companies could. I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for! Our tours encompass places I like to go, things I like to do and what I would hope for in a tour and I think we have managed this very, very well. I think our large number of return customers is the best endorsement of this.

Shannon McDonald Tate
Scottish Dream Tours

2011 Tour Schedule

2010-01-18T14:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, we have finally posted our 2011 tour schedule! I have found it very hard to contemplate 2011 when I have not yet adjusted to it being 2010. We have the usual suspects in our tour line up for the coming year. We start off our schedule with our St. Patrick's Ireland Discovery Tour in March. This is a very fun tour to do as the Irish really know how to celebrate and the music pubs are at their very best. We then have our Wales Discovery Tour at the end of April and into May. I could easily live in Wales with its many contrasting terrains and splendid castles. We then have our spring Highlands and Islands Tour in May. The Highlands and Islands tours are very popular and so we offer 2 of them a year with a second one in September. You will never see more spectacular scenery anywhere! At the end of May and into June we have added our Cotswolds, Devon and Cornwall Tour. The Cotswolds region of England is one of my favorites and you have not lived until you have had a Devonshire Cream Tea! Next in June we have the first of our Luxury House Friends and Family Tours. I am so excited about theses tours and can't wait until June 2010 when we offer our very first one! We offer a second of these tours at the end of September and into October. At the end of June and into July we have our York, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District Tour. The Yorkshire Dales is one of my most favorite places on earth and I love doing this tour! In July we offer our Ireland Discovery Tour. We are so happy to include the beautiful Northern Ireland region into this tour. At the end of August and into September we have our Whisky, Pub, Castle and Tearoom Tour. This tour covers many of my favorite places in Scotland and is one I really like leading. In October we have our Scotland and Ireland Discovery with a week in each country. And rounding out our schedule at the end of October we have our Haunted Scotland Tour.

For a full schedule of 2011 tours click here.

Afternoon Teas, High Teas and Cream Teas

2010-01-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Although tea as a beverage has been around for thousands of years the idea of having tea as a meal has only been around since the mid 1800’s. The idea has been credited to Anna the 7th Duchess of Bedford. Before the industrial revolution at the turn of the 19th century most of the commoners of the British Isles were farm workers and accustomed to just 2 meals a day…breakfast just after sunup and dinner just before sundown. Anna, who you may have guessed, was neither a commoner nor a farm worker, felt that 2 meals a day was not quite enough. Even the elite were quite used to having a very late dinner and Anna just could not wait as she quite often experienced a sinking feeling in her stomach in the afternoon. She discovered that if she had a pot of tea along with some sandwiches and a plate of cakes and scones brought to her chambers this would tide her over until dinner. As Anna thought this idea should be shared, she immediately told all her friends and afternoon tea became all the rage. Ladies were encourage to use their best china and linen when inviting friends to tea and to be creative with sandwich fillings and sweets. Anna at one time was a hand maid of Queen Victoria and the Queen was enamored of the idea and so it gained further popularity.

It was not until a few decades later in the 1890’s that tea became popular with the general population. Mostly because before this time it was not acceptable for woman to go out and dine on their own and they were often left to amuse themselves in hotel lobbies while their husbands did business. The hoteliers got very smart and set about offering a light repast for woman to enjoy in the lobby. This was a very grand affair with china, linen and lovely three tiered stands with an abundance of sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and small sweets. Tea was served on a low tea table and everyone wanted to be part of the afternoon tea crowd. Afternoon tea is still served all over the British Isles from around 2 – 5:00 in the afternoon as a light repast. This elegant affair can be called an afternoon tea, a sweet tea or a low tea.

As the industrial revolution got into full steam people were moving out of the farm land and into the cities. They were no longer working from sunup to sundown and the work day had settled into 8 hour shifts. It was at this time that the common working man decided that he wanted to get in on having a third meal everyday as well. Queen Victoria is credited with the idea of high tea which was the working man’s third meal he would have after returning home from work. High tea is served around 5:30 or 6:00 and gets its name from the table from which it is eaten. When tea became a popular meal in the home it was no longer taken from a low tea table but generally in the dining room at a high table. Thus the term “high tea”. High tea is still the main meal of the day in the British Isle and generally consists of meat and potatoes(often fish and chips) bread and butter and sweets. This working man’s meal can be called a high tea, a meat tea or a full tea.

As tearooms became fashionable they would offer an afternoon tea but would also offer a menu for lunch time foods. For people who just wanted to stop for a quick bite, cream teas were added to the menu. A cream tea is a plate of scones with cream for the scones and tea. As cream tea became more popular different area of England would offer their own version such as a Devon Cream Tea or a Dorset Cream Tea. Many tearooms also offer a glass of champagne with their afternoon tea.

We are so excited that tearooms have had a resurgence in recent years and we are adding a few more of our favorite Scottish tearooms. Miss Bentley’s in Edinburgh, Sir Walter Scott Tearooms in Edinburgh, Bradford’s in Glasgow, The Willow Tearooms in Glasgow, Angus Tearoom in Kirriemuir, Moon and Sixpense in Aberfeldy, Trumperton Forge in Letham, Gordon’s Tearoom in Braemar, The Tea Room in Stirling, Tannochbrae Tearoom in Auchtermuchty just to name a few.

Tea and Tearooms

2010-01-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

I have often been asked the nature of tearooms in our tours. There are some very good reasons for using tearooms in our tours but I would guess the main reason is that you have to eat somewhere anyway! I grew up with the tradition of having Afternoon Tea ( why I am not sure but in the States this is called high tea) each day upon returning home from school. Afternoon tea is the tradition of having a light repast in the afternoon to carry you over until a later dinner. This is served with proper tea cups and good linen. Afternoon tea foods include finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and wee small sweets such as millionaire’s shortbread, fairy cakes, lemon curd tarts, jam tarts, strawberry meringues and other assorted goodies. As an adult, my mother and I owned a wee Scottish Tearoom that we ran with my sister Pamela and brother Cameron along with other family members as needed. It was while running this tearoom that Scottish Dream Tours was born. Although we no longer run the tearoom we still enjoy the experience of tea and so I try to incorporate tea and the tea time ritual into our tours as much as possible. We try to include luncheon teas, cream teas and afternoon teas as well as high teas(I will explain the differences in a later post) into most of our itineraries. Some of my favorite places for tea include The Bridge Tea Rooms in Bradford-Upon-Avon. Badgers Hall in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds. Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry, Scotland. The Kilkenny Ormond in Kilkenny, Ireland. Cupan Tae in Kenmare, Ireland. Samling Hotel Windermere, Lake District. Ashmount Country House Haworth, Yorkshire. Betty’s Tea Rooms York and Harrogate, Yorkshire. Bro Meigan Boncath, Wales. I could list many many more but as you can tell, we like our tea!

My favorite tearoom tours are listed below.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Castles, Pubs and Tearooms Tour of Wales

York, Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District

Scotland, Ireland and Wales Pub, Castle and Tearoom Tour

Whisky, Pubs, Tearooms and Castles of Scotland

Ireland

2010-01-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

I was just reminiscing about my first trip to Ireland and being so amazed at how green it was. I have always know it as the Emerald Isle and had seen many pictures but I was still not prepared for the abundance and varied colors of green. I have since learned that it is impossible to try and explain this to someone who has not experienced it, since after all “green is green” right? Even though I grew up in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, I had not yet experienced Irish green.

My mother and I rented a cottage for a week while we did ancestral research of her grandmother Mary Mahoney. We had a bit of a problem finding the cottage as it was more remote than I first thought. I stopped as a house to ask for directions and was greeted by a tiny little elderly woman who was busy baking bread. Although it was a brisk day, all of the windows were open and the wind was swirling flour all around her while her hair swirled round her head. When I asked her for directions she said “Oh, you must be the tourists” as indeed we were. She pointed us up the road just a short ways(in Ireland, a short ways can mean anything from 1 -5 miles).

After settling in, I went up to the little shop for a few groceries and found out that the woman baked bread for this little shop. It was at that time that I also discovered Irish Butter. Again, I am sure that you can say that “butter is butter”. But this would be said only by someone who has never experienced Irish butter! And the bread was to die for. We decided the we could live the whole week off of homemade bread, Irish butter and jam. This began my love affair with Ireland. Since then I have been to Ireland more times than I can count. Although I have no family left in Ireland, I have been adopted by a few families.

Ireland for me is all about the people, green hills, sparkling locks and a history that goes back thousands of years. I am awed by the historic sites that you can visit and find yourself immersed in an ancient world that was only in my dreams before. One of my favorites is the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery outside of Sligo in the northwest of Ireland. Carrowmore is the second largest cemetery of megalithic tombs in Europe and is among Ireland’s oldest. Archaeologists have found over 65 tombs, stone circles, passage graves and standing stones. The site is thought to date back to 4000BC. Another favorite site is Newgrange burial tomb. Newgrange is older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt, having survived over five thousand years. Almost 300 feet in diameter and 30 feet in height and covering an area of almost one acre, the main burial mound of Newgrange is surrounded by the remains of three smaller passage graves. It is situated on a low hill and commands breathtaking views of the Boyne Valley in the east of Ireland and just a short distance from the Hill of Tara. Tara was once the ancient seat of power in Ireland with 142 kings reigning here in historic times. Saint Patrick is said to have come to Tara to confront the ancient religion of the pagans at its most powerful site.

Ireland is also well know for its pub culture and Irish music nights. My favorite areas for these are in Sligo, Galway and Ennis where the music culture is still thriving. Ireland is also well know for its coastline and amazing cliffs including the Cliffs of Moher and Slieve League which is the highest cliff base in Europe. Equally stunning is the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland offers some of the most spectacular coastal drives to be found anywhere on the Island.

Please join us for a spectacular journey to the home of my ancestors. A journey you will never forget.

Shannon McDonald Tate

St. Patrick’s Castles, Pub and Tearoom Discovery Tour

An Irish, Scottish and Welsh Castles, Pubs and Tearooms Affair

Fall Ireland Discovery Tour

Wales

2010-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

I still remember my first trip to Wales and how excited I was! Fortunately that excitement has never died. As an avid castle hunter I was thrilled with a country that had more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe! And what spectacular castles they are.

Between the years of 1276 and 1295 Edward I had 17 castles built or repaired in the north of Wales in order to bring Wales under English rule. The list includes Aberystwyth, Beaumaris, Builth, Caernarfon, Conwy, Flint, Harlech, Rhuddlan, Castell y Bere, Criccieth, Dolwyddelan, Caergwrle, Chirk, Denbigh, Hawarden, Holt and Ruthin. Many of these castle are enormous in size including the four greats of Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Harlech and Conwy just to name some of my favorites of the north while in the south we have Pembroke, Cardiff, Coch, Caerphilly, Raglan, Chepstow, Carreg Cennen and Kidwelly just to name a few. The history is as amazing as the castles and the two combined make Wales a brilliant find for any history buff.

But Wales is not just castles. With the great surge of coal production, the country became a vast network of narrow gauge railways which makes for a wonderful way to see the countryside. Wales also has spectacular beaches, majestic peaks and a beautiful coastline. To protect the environment certain parts of Wales have been designated as “National Parks” or as “Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty” which ensures many areas of unspoiled scenery and are the jewels in the outdoor crown.

Wales also has Cardiff, the capitol city. Within city centre you’ll find unique attractions, outdoor entertainment and quality shopping. Innovative architecture sits alongside historic buildings including Cardiff Castle which has been the site of continual occupancy for over 2000 years. The castle is also home to Medieval Banquets that showcase the best of young talent in the city. I can’t think of a better way to get the flavor of this amazing country than on a small group tour that highlights the best of what is on offer.

Shannon McDonald Tate

Wales Tour Itinerary

York, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District

2010-01-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

From the first moment I read James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small I knew that I must visit the Yorkshire Dales and what a surprise!! Everything was exactly the same as he had described in his books oh so many years ago. The lovely hills and dales with delightful villages nestled here and there against the hill side. I can’t get enough of it and it always beckons to me. Warm, friendly dales folk and more tearooms than anyone could every imagine. Amazing delights such as Reivaulx Abbey, Mt. Grace Priory, Fountains Abbey, Wensleydale Cheese Factory(favorite of Wallace and Gromit), Ripon Cathedral, North Yorkshire Railway and Castle Howard all amongst the spectacular splendor of the Yorkshire countryside. It almost has a magical quality about it that has to be experienced to be believed!

Although I love the countryside and small villages a trip to North England would not be complete without visiting the city of York. Renowned for its amazing architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets and the majestic York Minster, the walled city of York offers something for everybody. Take afternoon tea at Betty’s, time out to enjoy some of the country’s most talented street entertainers or simply watch the world go by while sipping a drink by the river.

There are many beautiful places throughout the English countryside but very few that can rival the Lake District. Once again a magical place that survives today due to the diligence of Beatrix Potter. As the creator of Peter Rabbit and her many friends of the forest and woods, Beatrix was intent on maintaining her beloved Lake District and keeping it always as a place of enjoyment for years to come. We visit the Beatrix Potter Gallery and her home at Hill Top as well as Williams Wordsworths Rydal Mount just short drive from Ambleside on Lake Windermere. We must of course pay homage to the Bronte sisters in Haworth as well.

Join us for a trip that you will remember and cherish always.

Shannon McDonald Tate

York, The Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District

2010-01-18T10:16:00.000-08:00

The first month of 2010 is well under way and I am still thinking in 2009! I am very excited about 2010 though because I am finally offering 2 tours that I have only dreamed about until now. It has always been my dream to offer a tour where we would stay in one location for a week and then a second location for a week. Well this dream is now a reality! These tours will include large country house mansions that offer luxury while at the same time keep the family outing experience that we are so well known for. I wanted to be able to include an itinerary that would allow for returning in the evening for a gourmet dinner in the formal dining room followed by a musical evening, games night, whisky tasting etc. We will also spend a few evenings out for dinner but since giving up my wee Scottish Tearoom I have missed being able to prepare wonderful meals that so reflected my upbringing and this affords me that opportunity to do so. Several evenings each week we will have three course gourmet dinners that offer the best in local produce, meats and seafood. My upbringing also including having tea every afternoon upon returning from school and we will have tea in the drawing room following outings where we are dining in. Fresh hot scones from the oven with jam and cream, shortbread and lovely teacakes! As with our regular tours our itinerary will be full of castle and historic sites as well as visiting the countryside and nature at its very best.

Please view the itineraries for these amazing new tours here.

Shannon McDonald Tate

When the Highlands meets the Lowlands Luxury Gourmet House Tour.

Heart of Scotland Luxury Gourmet House Tour