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scotianostra · 6 months

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On November 8th 1752, Seumas a' Ghlinne / James of the Glen was hung at Cnap Chaolis Mhic Pharaig, near Ballachulish.

If you’ve read the books or watched the film(s), Kidnapped, you will roughly know the story of the Appin murder, the shooting in the back of government agent Colin Campbell of Glenure – the ‘Red Fox’ in Kidnapped. He was assassinated in a ruthless ambush by an unknown hand in the Wood of Lettermore near Ballachulish by the side of Loch Linnhe in Argyll. Two days later James Stewart from Glenduror known in gaelic as Seumas a Ghlinne was taken in custody as an accessory to murder. The murder was assumed to have been committed by his foster son Allan Breac Stewart.

It has been claimed that on the day he was shot Campbell was about to indulge in a spot of “ethnic cleansing” by evicting Stewart families from their houses on the Ardsheal estate and replacing them with Campbells. That claim has never been proved but post-Culloden, anti-Campbell sentiment was rife in the west Highlands. The Campbells, living in the heart of clan country, were however loyal to the Hanoverian monarchy and deeply unpopular among those who had fought with Charles Edward Stewart, the Bonnie Prince himself. They had also been seen to “do the bidding of their English masters” at the Massacre of Glencoe 60 years earlier.

James Stewart was taken for trial to the Campbell stronghold of Inveraray Castle. The trial was a travesty. Eleven of the 15 jurors were Campbells and the presiding judge was the Duke of Argyll, the clan chief. Not surprisingly Stewart was sentenced to die.

It is said that on the day of the hanging, the real man who fired the shot had to be held down at a house in Ballachulish to prevent him giving himself up.

In 2001, nearly 250 years after the incident, an 89-year-old descendant of the Stewarts of Appin, Anda Penman, claimed it was time to break the family silence. She said the murder was planned by four young Stewart lairds and that the gun was fired by the best shot among the four, Donald Stewart of Ballachulish, who had been elected assassin. Penman died soon afterwards and no member of the Stewart family has substantiated herstory.

For eighteen months the body of James of the Glen was left to hang on the gibbet at an elevated and highly visible spot on the south end of the Ballachulish Ferry. Battered by the winds and rain of the west Highlands, Stewart’s’ body rapidly disintegrated.

When only his skeleton remained it was held together by chains and wires. Guarded night and day, the grisly spectacle served as a stark warning to the restless Highland clans that this was the fate awaiting anyone who harboured murderous thoughts.

Back in 1754 the sight of the remains of James Stewart was too much for a local half-wit known as “Daft Macphee”. It is said he uprooted the gallows and threw it into Loch Linnhe and that it then floated into Loch Etive before coming to rest further south near Bonawe. The wooden gibbet was used as a bridge across a stream and the bones of James of the Glen were carefully gathered and buried - by none other than young Donald Stewart of Ballachulish.

The inscription on the Stewart Monument which is a granite block crowned by a quartzite boulder reads:

James Stewart

James of the Glens

Executed here November 1752

For a crime of which he was not guilty

#Scotland #scottish #history #Jacobites #injustice #Miscarriage of justice

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maximumwobblerbanditdonut · 7 months

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1. East-Northeast Face of Stob Dear from Kingshouse.

Jake Norton’s photos of the Munros in the Scottish Highlands🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Jake Norton certainly travelled from Colorado 🇺🇸 to Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 first to climb and know the energy of the Scottish Highlands, not to meet SH.

2. Glencoe sunset.

3. Three Sisters of Glencoe from Altnafeadh.

4. Climber on the Rannoch Wall.

5. Hills and dales from the summit of Stob Dearg.

6. Looking NNE from Stob Dearg to Ben Nevis (on left) and the high peaks.

7. Autumn color at Loch Achtriochtan.

8. Cottage on the River Coupall below the peaks of Buachaille Etive Mòr.

From Kinlochleven the penultimate stop on the West Highland Way and an important tourism destination in the Highlands.

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bcacstuff · 2 years

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Live IG Waypoints cover reveal August 7 2022

Transcription, long version:

After welcoming, explaining what Waypoints is; his new book, new memoir, really excited to share this very personal journey with you all. He was aware the cover already has been shared (😂) before he managed to reveal it, some people did get hold of it. But if you haven't seen it, I'm about to show you.

Very briefly, just to tell you about it. The book will be coming out in October (25), you can pre-order, we've got a bunch of signed copies, it was a fun experience, it's basically a memoirs with a difference, I recount 'My journey', ‘My Scottish journey’ is the name, the title, Waypoints, my Scottish journey. From my birth upbringing in rural Scotland, to deciding to become an actor, and then obviously my career so far. Meanwhile I also go on this 96 mile hike, let’s say 100 miles on the West Highland Way in Scotland just around the end of October last year. And then I decided to climb Ben Nevis as well. In pretty much the beginning of winter which was probably not the best idea.

Still welcoming viewers, shout out to his publisher Radar books, and also to Voracious Books, thanking them for their guidance to create his first solo endeavor. Clanlands and the Almanac was a great experience working with my fond, angry, bearded co-star Graham McTavish, but this was really a personal experience. It’s a lot harder when you’re on your own, because you really have to write a lot more and trying to remember all the things.

Finally getting to reveal the cover, while telling Mr. Cree, yes my solo endeavor. Here it is, I hope you likes it, uh.. it's back to front because I got my phone back to front. I promise you the actual book wont be back to front.

Picture of me on the. front of course, because just to remind you who I am (!) and what I look like…. 😳 This is actually a photo taken on the shores of Loch Lomond. That is where part of the journey took me. Probably the second day you go on the shores of Loch Lomond. If you don’t know the West Highland Way is a walk from pretty much my home in Glasgow, 100 miles up through the highlands, you go pass loch Lomond as you go up Crianlarich go through Glencoe, you go up the Devils Staircase and ultimately you end up at Fort William up in the Highlands of Scotland. It’s a beautiful walk.

Describing the picture on the cover now, obviously having a wee dram here…. Been writing something, points out there’s a map which I clearly could have used along the walkway. Showing the back, we only just decided on the back. Here's the picture, I took this photo while I was on the walk. That is the West Highland Way. If you look closely enough, this is Glencoe, this is the old military road. You can just see over here (points to a building in the distance), this is the King House Hotel. Actually an interesting base, we filmed OL up here. If you have seen the last season, S6,, the very first flash back. The scene where Jamie is carrying rocks. And you can see the Buachaille Etive Mòr (pointing on the left side of the back cover). But I took this photo just as it got dark, I think on my 3rd day. Pretty exhausted, and actually by the time I got to the hotel I stayed that night (pointing again at the King House Hotel) it was pitch black.

There’s a little excerpt here on the back, he’s reading it to his viewers:

Far ahead Behind the rolling hills, I see the ghostly traces of the highland mountain ranges, they dare me on. I falter my footsteps slow. It strikes me that my journey is almost over, I don’t want it to end. So given that I’m completely alone, I throw my arms out in celebration and gratitude. “Scotland” I yell, simply because I want to hear my own voice across this great Glenn. The hills echo me back.

Explains it isn’t actually the book he’s showing, but a dummy, cause they don’t actually have the books yet because they’re not being published until October when you can get your hands on it, please pre-order. It’s been such fun, really rewarding, he’s really proud of it, he hopes you like it.

Showing the book, well actually the cover, from all sides, the front, the back the spine. Insert on the inside with his biography and what the book is about as well.

Asking for questions:

Obviously has a little dram to celebrate, cheers…slainte. He doesn’t recommend to drink and write, he may have done that a little bit.

Q: Will there be an audiobook?

Very good question (of course 🙄), yes indeed… which you can, he thinks pre-order now, and I will read my own words. I will be recording the audiobook quite soon (so hasn’t done it yet!) I may throw in some extra stuff in there while recording. Talking about recording the Clanlands 'when Graham and I had a really good time recording that’ (smiling at the memory…) A lot of things that didn’t quite make the book. It’s gonna take me a few days to record it, it’s a sizable book, obviously not as big as Diana Gabaldon’s books.

Q: Where did the idea come to write about your journey?

Really good question.The west highland way is a walk, journey, that I always wanted to do. As I said it goes almost from my home, it goes right through the lowlands and the highlands of Scotland. And you know, I’ve been to Glencoe, which is part of the walk, so many times, we shot there on OL. Actually the last day of shooting of S6, we were here in Glencoe and I went for a run with one of the other cast members and we ran along the west highland way.for about 40 minutes or something.I remember when I was running I was thinking I must do this sometime. I’m not getting any younger, I need to give this a go. So I decided to do it. However, maybe in winter is not the best time. And actually I only had a week to complete the whole walk, and go up to Ben Nevis and get back to my home to get to Edinburgh and London, because I was at that time promoting the Clanlands book for which we were doing a live evening event. Actually the Edinburgh dates, I just came back from this. It was a pretty mad few weeks, promoting Clanlands but also completing the walk. A lot of fun really rewarding.

Q: Only in English?

I’m not sure actually. I know Clanlands is doing really well, it’s in a number of other languages, the publishers keep getting up with this. So hopefully, I would love to see this in other languages. But at the moment it is English of course. Keep your eyes peeled, hopefully there will be other languages there as well.

Q: Where do you we go to pre-order?

That’s a very good question. www.waypointsbook.com. I will put the link up in a story soon as I finish this. We deliver on all major book stores. Big distributors as well. You can get them in the US, UK.

Q: Will you do a book tour?

We are definitely looking at dates. I really would love to meet some of you guys to sign some books. So yes, but I can’t tell you where. Obviously we’re still shooting S7 of OL, we are pretty busy on that. Obviously at the moment we’re on a hiatus, but in October we’ll be back at work. So yes, I hope to do a couple of events in the UK and possibly in America as well. So watch this space.

Please come to Florida! I try. Please come to LA. I will, I will….

Q: Any camping under the stars?

Yes! Yes there was camping under the stars. You learn more about it in the books. Mmmmm…. Yes interesting…. Something I wanted to do, I really wanted to do this (Sirene on the background, that’s the Police, I believe… coming for me). Yes I really wanted to camp under the stars, something that I really enjoy. Uhm, maybe didn’t quite prepare enough, but you learn all about it in the book. Please don’t take this as a guide to do the west highland way, don’t do what I did.

Q: Are you planning to visit Mexico?

Slightly off topic there, but I am, quite soon actually. So I’m looking forward to that.

Q: Did I invite Graham to camp?

(Laughs) Graham refuses to camp, Graham will never camp. Hence the reason why we are always staying in very fancy hotels and then I have to pay the bill.

But uhm, it was really nice to do this on my own actually. Really great way to reflect. Not only I guess on the journey of walking the west highland way. Seeing the landscape of Scotland. It is beautiful even in the hight of winter. But also to reflect on my career. You know I have been an actor now for a couple of decades. And I feel like it’s been an incredible journey, it’s been a real roller coaster.Especially getting OL, and uhm meeting all you guys, it’s just been really rewarding. This was really an opportunity for me, to also be, I guess, a bit more open about my life, about who I am. How I got here. So yeah, uh… huh it’s tough and I’m nervous about it, cause I hope you guys like it. But yeah… it is my journey I guess, telling how I got to be here.

Q: Would you come to Belgium?

I love to come to Belgium.

Q: Look forward to see in October in London.

Yes! We do have two dates. I think they have been already announced. Edinburgh, at the McEwan Hall and also there is a live event in London at the Barbican, which we’re doing through Fane. Everyone that attends that in person or online, I believe gets a signed copy. I look forward to see you all there. I’m not quite sure what the actual event is going to be like, we’re still working on that. But I’m hoping we can do a talk through the walk. Maybe show you some slides on the insights into that walk. But also talk about the process of writing the book and take the photo and the whole journey. It really has been a rewarding one, a challenging one, it’s been a lot of work, but very rewarding. So I can’t wait to join me on those two dates. If you haven’t check them out, I think Fane, search on Sam Heughan or Waypoints, you will find the event details there.

Q: Pictures in the book?

Yes! Great question, thank you. Yes there are pictures. We have two segments, there’ll be a segment from my personal life. Sort of my career, like looking back you know where I started (laughs), maybe some pics of me as a young man, ahem as a boy. Some pictures from my first productions as an actor. And then we have a second section which documents the walk. And see some of the characters I met along the way (looks mysteriously). Yeah, there’s plenty to look at as well. Uhm.. it feels similar in some ways I guess to Clanlands in certain ways. In the way I tried to start each chapter. Each chapter is pretty much a day of the hike of the walk, but also it captionates a certain part or certain chapter in my career. Well, so… it’s cool. It’s been a great deal of work, I’m so pleased. Actually really want to thanks Radar. Briony (red. publisher at Radar Books) thank you so much, thanks veracious because they’ve been very patient in working with someone who is, I guess, a newbe at this. Also kinda busy, it’s been pretty tough when working on OL and also try and fit in time to do this. We got there.

Q: Any life lessons during the journey?

Plenty! Plenty! Preparation is key. But no you’ll find out. I think again, just reflecting on my journey, my life, my career. I’ve been very fortunate to get this far. There’s hopefully a lot of insights in this book as well. So I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Q: Come to Brasil Comic Con.

I would love to. We love to do a lot, we’d love to, I think we working on to do maybe New York. You’ll hear more, we try to do as much as we can. Also filming at the moment is busy, when we’re not on a hiatus on a holiday, but it’s been pretty intense.

Q: Audiobooks also for long trips in the car

Exactly, just don’t follow my directions.

Q: The hardest hike?

I give you a little insight. Part of it, it isn’t the hardest part of it, but it was an interesting part, was here in Glencoe actually. Up here somewhere, there’s a place called the Devils Staircase. I think they named it that because it is pretty steep, pretty challenging. I can’t remember what day I got there, maybe day 4, day 5. It’s a great wee hike, get’s you quite high up, and you get some amazing views across Glencoe. And then it’s quite a nice descent, I think Kinlochleven. Really nice descent, beautiful views if you got the weather and there are no midgets. So, yes, word of advice.

Q: Favorite piece of advice in life?

Let me check this book… let’s see… oh yeah I forgot this is a dummy book. Oh well, you have to read it yourself.

Q: What is harder, writing a book or climbing Glencoe?

Well, both at the same time! Cause I did, I tried to take as many notes as possible. Actually the way I did this was with voice notes. I think I recorded over 300 voice notes while hiking. It’s the easiest way, and then you get to transcribe them at home. Did tried to write a little bit as well but everything got very wet. It’s pretty difficult when you’re actually on the hike. And sweat as well and mud, and of course whisky too. So uhm, yeah but voice notes were brilliant and a really great way to go back and reflect. And obviously taking photographs, I took so many photographs. You may have seen on my Waypoints Wednesdays. I tried to include as many Waypoints Wednesdays photo’s without giving away too much. So you can go back to my Instagram and look at them. But the photo’s in here will be ones you haven’t seen before.

Q: You have a Devils Backbone in Texas.

Oh I should try that.

Q: Has my mom read the book?

She has, she read the book. I do talk about her, I talk about my family a bit in here. Uhm, and yeah, I think it’s uh…it was tough because I’ve always tried to protect them, my family, and uhm… hmmm nnnnot uhm…. I guess… have them…uuuhhh… I don’t know, try to protect them. Because it can be quite uhm… not intrusive but it’s difficult and… and… uh, she was very proud. She’s been very very proud from the beginning. And I’m sure she’ll be asking for lots of signed copies. I keep having to give her copies of Clanlands for her friends. I just wished they’d ordered them but I got to do it. So I’m really proud. She will get the first copy of Waypoints and I will sign it to her. So thank you Chrissie (his mom) because she gave me a great start in life and you’ll find all in here.

Q: Can we buy your book from India?

Oooh, I’ve no idea. You can give it a go. I’ll include the link, waypointsbook.com. I include it in my stories when I save this video. And actually I’ll include this on other social platforms as well. And an interesting side point, I’ll put it on Twitter, but actually gonna doing some TikTok hopefully, working on getting an account for that. So we look forward to seeing you there as well, that’ll be fun, a new adventure.

Q: When are you going to come to Naples?

I’m not sure, I mean when you’re inviting me..

Q: What am I doing in the US?

Uuuhhh… what am I doing in the US? It’s a good question. Well… hopefully revealing the cover of the book. But uhm, yeah I’m off to Mexico pretty soon and then we’ll have to be back in the UK to keep filming S7. So just a very quick summer break.

Q: Did you cook while you hiked, what was the meal?

(Laughs) I did, breakfast was the best part. Porridge, cooked porridge, coffee, maybe a little bit of cinnamon on the porridge, peanut butter, you can’t beat it, you know it’s good. Did bring up a lot of those meals you can eat up as well, you have to read the book. I don’t want to give away too much because… yeah.. it didn’t go.. it didn’t go quite to plan

Thanking the viewers, I hope you like it, I give you another close up. Not quite sure what I’m looking at there. Probably the rest of the walk, do I have to really walk this far??? Can I not just sit here and drink a whisky.

Well I did it. And we’ve done it. The book is here. The book will be in your hands very soon. Can’t wait for you guys to read this with me or, indeed listen to the audible as well. Be a lot of fun.

Thank you so much, thank you all for your support. I really appreciate it, I’ve seen all your posts, and your collages and making up your own covers and stuff. I just love that. Have a great Sunday! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I’m gonna finish this wee dram, start reading this book.. I know it’s a dummy one… uhm, and enjoy the rest of your weekend! Thank you for tuning in, those in the UK, those in Europe, everywhere else, America, I really can’t thank you enough. I hope you like it.

Cheers to you guys... bye bye

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mightywellfan · 5 months

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Dunstaffnage Castle

Dunstaffnage Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Caisteal Dhùn Stadhainis) is a partially ruined castle in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. It lies 3 miles (5 km) NNE of Oban, situated on a platform of conglomerate rock on a promontory at the south-west of the entrance to Loch Etive, and is surrounded on three sides by the sea. The castle and the nearby chapel ruin have been a Historic Scotland property since 1958. Both are Scheduled Ancient Monuments.

The castle dates back to the 13th century, making it one of Scotland's oldest stone castles, in a local group which includes Castle Sween and Castle Tioram. Guarding a strategic location, it was built by the MacDougall lords of Lorn, and has been held since the 15th century by the Clan Campbell. To this day there is a hereditary Captain of Dunstaffnage, although they no longer reside at the castle. Dunstaffnage is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, and is open to the public, although the 16th century gatehouse is retained as the private property of the Captain. The prefix dun in the name means "fort" in Gaelic, while the rest of the name derives from Norse stafr-nis, "headland of the staff"

#scotland #visit scotland #castles of scotland #oban

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ancestorsalive · 2 years

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Driving Glen Etive Scotland all the way to to Loch Etive

#youtube #Ancestors Alive!#Memory & Spirit of Place #Scotland #Highlands #Glen Etive #Loch Etive #Ancestor Travels

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lalulutres · 2 years

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A highland storm over Loch Etive, Scotland

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saskia-stefan-unterwegs · 10 months

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12.07.23 - Schottland - on the way

Irgendwie hat uns die Isle of Mull nicht haben wollen, und hat uns mit starken Regen begrüßt, was uns dazu bewogen hat, um zu kehren und die Insel wieder zu verlassen. Aktuell sitzen wir auf der Fähre nach Oban (siehe Karte) und schauen 👀 mal was der Tag so bringt. Ziel -> Glen Etive = Drehort von einigen Szenen des James Bond Filmes - Skyfall und Braveheart.

Boahh was ein Tag ! Warum? Wir sind den ganzen Tag, naja zu 80% von Schauer zu Schauer gefahren…Gefühlt andauernd Wasser von oben. Somit konnten wir die Umrundung von Loch Lomond nicht so richtig genießen und waren am Ende froh, als wir am Ziel angekommen waren. Unsere Unterkunft ist echt schräg, d.h. sie liegt mitten in einem Park auf einem Privatgrundstück in einem privaten Gebäude, in dem nur noch eine alte Frau lebt… Ich schätze sie (Jaqueline) auf mindestens 80 Jahre alt und das Haus hat unzählige Zimmer. Sie erzählte mir, dass sie das Haus erst vor 2 Jahren erworben hat.

#schottland

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sonicdrum · 2 years

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loch etive 9/3/22

#photography #landscape

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logi1974 · 2 years

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Laird Hasenbär in Schottland - Tag 5 Teil 1

Lairds and Ladies!

Heute verlassen wir Falkirk und fahren in Richtung Westen in den Ort Fort William.

Unsere Unterkunft war in Ordnung und für den Preis von umgerechnet etwa 80 Euro pro Nacht kann man durchaus von preis-wert sprechen.

Das Haus, in dem sich die Appartements befinden, wurde 1900 gebaut.

Die ganze Gegend dort besteht aus Häusern, die alle um die Jahrhundertwende erbaut wurden.

Aber es gibt auch ganz andere Wohnsituationen, beispielsweise auf dem Schlossgelände des Callendar House. Dort wurden Wohnsilos errichtet, da fällt einem aber nichts mehr zu ein ...

Ich möchte da nicht tot überm Gartenzaun (den es da natürlich gar nicht gibt) hängen und frage mich, was haben die Stadtplaner da wohl genommen?

Welche Drogen da auch immer im Spiel gewesen sein mögen - ich will die auf gar keinen Fall haben.

Bevor es für uns weiter geht, haben wir dort noch extra - bei dem tollen Wetter heute - eine Runde gedreht. Aber so richtig freundlich sieht es dort auch nicht bei Sonnenschein aus.

Und ein Volk läuft da rum, da werden aber alle Klischees bedient ...

Für uns geht es zunächst durch die Trossachs. Das Wetter ist blendend und es ist wirklich heiß - man glaubt es kaum, aber ich kann es beweisen:

„Trossachs“ ist ein Wort für eine ganz besondere Gegend. Es bezieht sich auf das romantische Gebiet mit Seen, zerklüfteten Hügeln, verschlafenen Wäldern und gastfreundlichen Dörfern, das sich östlich von Loch Lomond und westlich von Stirling erstreckt. Gerne spricht man hier von „Die Highlands in Miniatur“.

Auch Sir Walter Scott hat die kleinen, wilden Täler der Gegend besucht und war so begeistert, dass er hier sein berühmtes Gedicht “Das Fräulein vom See” (The Lady of the Lake) (1810) über ein Mädchen, das hier lebte, schrieb. Es wurde ein Riesenerfolg und der erste internationale Beststeller.

Das Dampfschiff Sir Walter Scott, das Besucher seit fast einem Jahrhundert über den Loch Katrine im Nationalpark befördert, wurde nach dem Schriftsteller benannt.

Mit Wordsworth, Coleridge und zahlreichen anderen berühmten Künstlern, die diese Gegend besuchten, wurden die Trossachs zum Paradies für alle, die nach romantischer Schönheit suchten.

In der Region Argyll And Bute, wo der See liegt, ist der Loch Awe mit seinen knapp 38qkm einer der größten Seen. Sein Wasser speist praktisch das bekannte Kraftwerk Cruachan Power Station.

Nahe der Power Station liegt der Ort Loch Awe und dort das schöne Kilchurn Castle. Hier ist das nordöstliche Ende des Sees.

Kilchurn Castle erzählt von der Expansion des Campbell-Clans und dessen starke Frauen. Zwei Frauen entschieden das Schicksal dieser Burg.

Eine soll den Aufbau geleitet haben, die andere schickte die Burg ungewollt in die Bedeutungslosigkeit. Dazwischen lagen rund 200 Jahre, in der Kilchurn Castle eine wichtige Rolle bei der Ausdehnung der Campbells von Glenorchy spielte.

Margaret war laut Legende die erste. Sie lebte als eine von vier Ehefrauen des Colin Campbell, Spitzname „Cailean Dubh na Roimhe“ – der „Schwarze Colin Roms“.

Colin war Kreuzfahrer, also viel unterwegs. Darum beaufsichtigte seine Frau Margaret den Bau von Kilchurn Castle als Sitz über die Ländereien am Glen Orchy, die Colin geerbt hatte.

Besucher, die oben auf der Burg stehen, begreifen schnell, weshalb Margaret und ihr Mann Kilchurn Castle genau an diesem Platz erbauten: Nach Westen hin sieht man fast das gesamte Loch Awe entlang.

Mit 41 Kilometern immerhin der längste Süßwassersee Schottlands. Richtung Nordosten erstreckt sich Glen Strae, im Osten schließlich Glen Orchy.

Kilchurn beherrschte damit den Knotenpunkt vieler Verbindungen auf dem Weg zur Küste. Auch für die Verteidigung war der Platz bestens geeignet.

Heute steht Kilchurn Castle auf einer Landzunge, die in das Loch Awe ragt und die nur bei Hochwasser unpassierbar wird. Doch der See senkte sich erst im 19. Jahrhundert ab, als der Ablauf zum Glen Etive verbreitert wurde. Davor stand Kilchurn also auf einer Insel.

Zu Beginn war Kilchurn Castle auch ein „Towerhaus“, also ein Wohnturm – ähnlich wie heute noch Castle Stalker. Über die nächsten 200 Jahre aber wurden immer weitere Elemente angebaut. Auch Grey Colin Campbell, der in der zweiten Hälfte des 16. Jahrhunderts Laird of Glenorchy war, erweiterte Kilchurn noch um Rundtürme und weitere Elemente.

Kate Ruthven, Frau von Grey Colin Campbell war entscheidend daran beteiligt, dass Kilchurn langsam in der Bedeutungslosigkeit versank. Die Familie Ruthven stammt aus Perthshire, also weit östlich von Loch Awe.

Durch sie knüpfte auch Colin rege Kontakte in den Osten und in die schottischen Lowlands hinein. Darum zog es die Familie Campbell of Glenorchy also weiter in diese Richtung. So erwarb man große Teile von Breadalbane, dem Land der MacNabs bei Loch Tay und Killin.

Dort, am östlichsten Ende des Reiches an der Spitze Loch Tays baute die Campbell of Glenorchy-Familie ihren neuen Sitz: Balloch Castle, heute Taymouth Castle. Und aus den Glenorchys wurde später das Geschlecht der Campbells of Breadalbane.

Kilchurn Castle bekam zunächst Burg-Verwalter: die MacGregors, ein benachbarter Clan. Das ging allerdings nicht lange gut. Noch während der Lebzeit von Grey Colin kam es zu einer Blutfehde zwischen beiden Clans, die Colin gewann – er richtete persönlich das Oberhaupt der MacGregors hin.

Die Nachfahren Grey Colins erhielten die Burg weiter. 1685 wurde Kilchurn sogar das einzige Mal in ihrem Dasein belagert: Innen die Campbells von Breadalbane, außen die Campbells von Argyll. Eine interne Clanfehde.

Dank der strategischen Lage war die Burg für Regierungstruppen während der Jakobitenaufstände eine gute Unterkunft. So ließ der Earl of Breadalbane das Kilchurn Castle um Baracken erweitern, was der Burg ihre heutige Form bescherte. Vergeblich versuchte der Earl jedoch das Kilchurn Castle an die Regierung zu verkaufen. Nach der Schlacht bei Culloden und dem Bau von Befestigungen wie Fort William, hatte die aber kein Interesse daran. Und so ließen die Breadalbanes Kilchurn Castle verfallen.

Derzeit kann das Castle nur von Außen ansehen. Im Burghof sollte man auf das seltsame runde Podest im Gras achten. Dabei handelt es sich um einen der Turmsockel der Burg, der durch einen Blitzeinschlag weggesprengt wurde und in den Hof gefallen ist.Ansonsten sollte man sich auch die Zeit nehmen und einmal um die Castle herumgehen, um ihre Höhe und Wehrhaftigkeit zu sehen.

Parken kann man auf einem befestigten Parkplatz nahe der Straße. Es gibt Dixi-Klos, Picknickbänke und dergleichen mehr.

Von hier aus geht es zu Fuß weiter über einen Weg, der unter der Eisenbahnbrück hindurch führt.

NICHT über die Bahnschienen gehen, das ist gefährlich und verboten! Zudem bietet die Brücke durchaus ein nettes Fotomotiv ab.

Unter der Eisenbahnbrücke treffen sich die Kanufahrer und lassen ihre Kanus zu Wasser.

Insgesamt ist sind es ungefähr ein Kilometer zu Fuß, ehe man am Eingang der Burg steht. Der Weg ist gut befestigt, aber es lohnen sich dennoch gute Schuhe, da sich nach Regen viele Pfützen bilden.

Das gesamte Gebiet ist extrem sumpfig, davon zeugen schon die Pflanzen, die dort wachsen. Besonderes Augenmerk gilt dem Boden kurz vor dem Castle. Hier befinden sich die Reste einer ehemaligen Brücke.

Der Boden ist durch eingerammte Baumstämme befestigt worden, die dem archäologisch geschultem Blick (nämlich meinem) direkt auffallen.

Die Besichtigung ist kostenlos! Der Parkplatz ebenfalls!

Wir fahren weiter in die Küstenstadt Oban. Oban ist zweifellos die wichtigste Stadt an der Westküste zwischen Fort William und Helensburgh.

Der Ort liegt in der Region Argyll und gilt als Hauptfährhafen zu den Hebriden. Die Stadt selbst ist ein sehr beliebtes Touristenziel. In den Sommermonaten ist extrem viel los, aber auch in der Nebensaison ist Oban sehr belebt.

Das liegt nicht nur an den Touristen, die in Oban selbst sind, sondern an den vielen Tagesausflüglern, die Oban als Fährhafen nutzen. Oban eignet sich vorzüglich als Startpunkt zur Erkundung der Region und der westlichen Highlands.

Die Oban Whisky Distillery befindet sich direkt im Ortskern des Ortes am Hafen. Gegründet wurde die Distillery im Jahr 1794 von den Brüdern John, James und Hugh Stevenson.

Damit ist sie sogar älter als der Ort Oban selbst, welcher sich erst später um die Distillery bzw. den Hafen herum entwickelte.

Dieser Umstand sorgte sicherlich dafür, dass sich die Brennerei nicht wesentlich verändern konnte und sie zu den kleinsten Brennereien in Schottland gehört. Die Brennerei durchlief nach ihrer Gründung einige Besitzerwechsel.

Eigentümer waren u. a. Peter Curnstie (1866), Walter Higgin (1883), Alexander Edward (1898), Dewar's (1923) und die Distillers Company (1925) welche später über die United Distillers in der heutigen Diageo aufging.

Von 1931 bis 1937 ruhte der Betrieb, ebenso von 1969 bis 1972 als man ein neues Still-Haus baute. 1989 wurde ein neues Besucherzentrum eingeweiht.

Das leicht getorfte Malz wird von den Roseisle Maltings geliefert, gelagert wird vor Ort in Bourbon- und Sherry Fässern. Abgefüllt wird in der zentralen Diageo Anlage bei Leven.

Der Gesamtausstoß an Alkohol ist nicht sehr hoch und die Produktlinie relativ übersichtlich. Hauptprodukt ist der 14-jährige Single Malt und seit 2014 gibt es einen so genannten Non Age Statement Whisky, den Little Bay.

Gerne hätten wir die Distillery besichtigt, allerdings bildete sich in kürzester Zeit eine lange Schlange, die alle eine Tour machen wollten. Hinzu kam, dass keiner eine Maske trug. Nööö, dann ohne uns.

Dafür gingen wir dann lieber in den Ort und suchten uns ein nettes Lokal mit Außensitzplätzen. Jetzt haben wir einen Sonnenbrand, aber das Essen war wirklich lecker und für 8,99 £ überraschend günstig.

Erstaunt waren wir auch, wie viele deutsche Stimmen im Ort zu hören waren.

Zuerst sprachen wir mit einer jungen Dame am Nebentisch auf Englisch, bis sich dann heraus stellte, dass sie auch Deutsche ist. Lustig!

Nach dem Lunch machten wir uns wieder auf den Weg in Richtung Fort William ...

#Falkirk #Trossachs #Loch Awe #Oban #Schottland

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