mcleanscotland  are local Scots who pride ourselves on showing you the nooks & crannies other tours companies pass on by.   We can show you those hidden gems even Scots do not know! Mclean Scotland will try and keep this section up to date as much as our travelling around Scotland allows!  If you see an old story, it may just be we liked it so much, we have let it stay.

SCOTTISH NEWS AND VIEWS from mcleanscotland

mcleanscotlands Scottish news and views  what better way to start the page than with a brilliant Scottish view! above photograph shows the Queens View in Perthshire.

Tennent's Lager was today taken over by Irish Company C&C in a deal worth £180 million. The deal includes the Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow and distribution rights for brands including Becks and Stella Artois. It is thought that the brewery’s 300 staff will transfer to C&C as part of the agreement. C&C are responsible for the production of Magners Cider as well as Irish brand Bulmers. It is reported that the company hopes to use their new acquisition as a platform for developing Magners in Scotland. Tennent’s lager accounts for 55 per cent of lager volumes sold in Scottish pubs and clubs and 30 per cent of volumes in off licences and supermarkets.

PAGE TWO HERE  with more RECENT news and views - updated 5 September 2009

A SCOTTISH SONG OR TWO

SCOTTISH REGIMENTS - before Blair did away with them!  

THE MACLEAN KILTIES                                                                  

THE LIVERPOOL SCOTTISH REGIMENT

Master heavies gather for world championship event at INVERNESS

SCOTTISH FACTS                                                                           

FOR OUR CANADIAN FRIENDS a good page linking both countries together

SCOTTISH BOOKS as recommended by Paul McLean       

a wee bit o HISTORY

A strange story - get the imagination going!

“I am not an Englishman, I was never an Englishman, and I don't ever want to be one. I am a Scotsman! I was a Scotsman and I will always be one.” Sean Connery.  (well come back and live here Sean! Paul)
 

Just Be Thankful   Four old Scotsmen were out golfing - as they had been doing for over 50 years. "These hills are getting steeper as the years go by," one complained. "These fairways seem to be getting longer too," said one of the others. "The sand traps seem to be bigger than I remember them too," said the third senior. After hearing enough from his old friends, the oldest and the wisest of the four of them (at 87 years old), piped up and said, "Just be thankful we're still on the right side of the grass!" 

In the recent heat wave in Scotland - July -  some farmers began feeding their chickens crushed ice - to keep them from laying boiled eggs...
 

Scottish Pistol Found at Jamestown   Archaeologists working at Jamestown, Virginia, have uncovered a perfectly preserved early 17th-century pistol, which probably belonged to one of the first settlers to arrive there in 1607. The historic former British colony is known as the birthplace of the United States and the weapon was recovered from a well along with a number of other artefacts. The "snaphaunce" pistol was probably made by a manufacturer in the Scottish Lowlands. Its lock is encrusted but it has a brass barrel common on a lot of Scottish-made pistols. Under 40 of this type of pistol have survived and are held mainly abroad as they were often given as gifts by mercenaries to foreign dignitaries. The team excavating the area have been working there for twelve years on a 22.5 acre site, where three boats carrying 107 colonists landed on 14 May, 1607, during the reign of King James VI. They began construction of what would become Britain's first permanent settlement in the New World. The Queen and the US president, George Bush, have been invited to next year's 400th anniversary celebrations of the Jamestown settlement.

AUGUST - MULL LITTLE THEATRE, DERVAIG   A tiny cowshed auditorium … it's 40 years since Barrie and Marianne Hesketh, two professional actors decided to open a professional theatre in the old byre beside their guesthouse at Dervaig. Now it's time for Mull Theatre Company to move to a new base in Aros Forest near Tobermory; some time in September, this tiny 42-seat theatre, with a stage so small that it can barely hold more three actors will meet its end, a shame!

the silver arrow - The Queen's Scottish bodyguard have agreed to surrender custody of the priceless relic, which they won at a competition in Selkirk in 1818. It has remained ever since at the headquarters of the Royal Company of Archers in Edinburgh. The 350-year-old silver arrow will be taken from Edinburgh to Selkirk under police escort on Tuesday, 29 August. It will be met by a welcoming party of local dignitaries and a fanfare from local bands. In his role as Knight of the Thistle, Sir David Steel will hand over the arrow to Selkirk's current sheriff, Kevin Drummond, long after what locals describe as an "accident of history". The Selkirk office of sheriff is the oldest in Scotland, dating continuously from 1185. Sir Walter Scott delivered the arrow into the hands of the Royal Company of Archers in 1818, and it is therefore appropriate that the present sheriff receives it back. After the ceremony, the 10in silver arrow will go on display in Selkirk.  The Royal Company of Archers is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, a role it has performed since 1822 and the reign of King George IV, when the company provided a personal bodyguard to the King on his visit to Scotland. The company was formed in 1676 as a private archery club, which it still is today. The main duties of the company are ceremonial, and include attending the Sovereign at various functions in Scotland, including the Order of the Thistle investitures at The High Kirk of Edinburgh (St Giles Cathedral), investitures at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the presentation of new colours to Scottish regiments. The Royal Company of Archers has its base in Edinburgh at Archers Hall (built 1776 and recently refurbished). The Hall serves as a venue for various dinners and meetings of the company. Members of the Royal Company must be Scots or have strong Scottish connections. Membership is by election; the present membership totals around 530. The structure of the organisation is divided between officers (including a Secretary, currently David Younger) and members. By seniority the officers comprise one Captain-General, four Captains, four Lieutenants, four Ensigns and twelve Brigadiers. Sir Angus Ogilvy was a member of the company. The uniform consists of a dark-green tunic, shoulder-wings and gauntleted cuffs and trousers trimmed with black and crimson; a bow-case worn as a sash, of the same colour as the coat, black waistbelt with sword, and Balmoral bonnet with thistle ornament and eagle's feathers. The number of feathers denotes the rank.

THE Stornoway Sabbath is to suffer another blow with a second Sunday air service to the Isle of Lewis. Highland Airways will begin operating a new service from Stornoway to Inverness from Sunday, September 10. The flight means the island now has connections to Inverness and Edinburgh on the Sabbath. Lewis has had Sunday flights since 2002, when British Airways began connections to Edinburgh in the face of bitter protests from locals and churches. And the first scheduled ferry services began this year, allowing people to travel from Lewis to the UK mainland on Sundays, with the new connection linking Leverburgh in the south of Harris to the Isle of Berneray, which is linked to North Uist by causeway. Travellers are then able to connect to the ferry from Lochmaddy in North Uist to Uig in Skye and then to the mainland. The new ferry service was greeted by a silent protest as locals decided that a demonstration would itself be a breach of their day of rest. Island pubs now open on Sundays and a single Stornoway shop, which doubles as a filling-station, is also open.

canna belive it!   THEY have led soldiers into battle and frightened the enemy with their noise, while becoming one of Scotland's most enduring musical icons. But the skirl of the traditional Scottish bagpipes is now under threat - from health and safety inspectors. As well as wearing ear protectors, the guidelines insist that pipers should only play for a maximum of 24 minutes a day outside, and only 15 in practice rooms. The guidelines are based on a study carried out by the Army Medical Directorate Environmental Health Team and obtained by Scotland on Sunday under Freedom of Information legislation. The report into the effects of bagpipe-playing says pipers risk damaging their hearing after just 24 minutes playing outside or 15 minutes in the practice rooms typically used for piping by the military. If a musician plays outside for 24 minutes then he would have reached his daily "noise ration" for the whole day. The report says: "Pipers, buglers and drummers can easily exceed allowable daily noise exposure limits in the course of their normal practice. "All pipers and drummers should be classified as 'at risk of hearing damage' and subject to annual testing," the report says. Former servicemen said the guidelines would hit daily practice. General Sir Michael Gow, formerly of the Scots Guards, said: "I have never heard such a silly idea in my life. It's the whole health and safety culture gone mad. Whoever comes up with these ideas shouldn't be paid and certainly shouldn't be listened to."  Bill Lark, a veteran Black Watch piper who led his comrades into action against the Japanese in 1944, was also unimpressed. "I think these warnings are just ridiculous. I have been playing the pipes since I started learning with the Boys' Brigade at the age of 12. I'm now 85. I still play and there's nothing wrong with my hearing. "The pipes should be played loudly, that's how they inspire soldiers and scare the enemy." Roddy MacLeod, the principal of the National Piping Centre in Glasgow and three times winner of the Glenfiddich Piping Championship, said: "If you are practising to become a serious piper, you cannot do so within these kinds of limits. You need at least an hour a day on the bagpipes. 15 or 24 minutes just isn't long enough for practice."

PIPING AT PITLOCHRY The British Championships were held in Pitlochry, Perthshire on Saturday 24 June. Over 3000 pipes and drums were present in over 126 bands from around the world, including: Australia, Canada, Holland, Switzerland, Ireland and of course Scotland.  With more than (an estimated) 15,000 onlookers it was a wonderful scene.  Paul was at the event and took loads of photos.  The day was changeable with sunshine and the occasional drizzle. Look out for the diary of the day ... watch this space

PAUL'S TRIP TO ORKNEY:  Paul was on tour from 19 June for a week, he was guiding a wee group up in Inverness and Orkney.  The weather was mixed, the tour was superb and the people were fabulous also! Look out for some photos soon of Orkney and whisky tastings!

THE population of the Highlands and Islands increased by double the Scottish rate in the past year. Statistics released by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) yesterday showed population up by 2,590 - to reach 460,540. The Highlands and Islands is now the only region in the UK where over 80 per cent of its potential workforce is employed. www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/census/censushm/index.html  www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

King Arthur and his knights The traditional setting for Arthur and his court at Camelot is in either Cornwall or Wales. A number of authors down through the ages have suggested that Arthur - this most English of heroes - was in fact from Scotland. In the 6th century Scotland was tribal the people living in and around Edinburgh known as the Votadini - or Gododdin. In literature, Adomnan's Life of St Columba. written in the 7th century tells the story of St Columba - an Irish monk who built the monastery on Iona. This book mentions a 6th century prince, Arturius, the son of Aidan who died fighting the Miathi Picts.Further support of Arthur's nationality is suggested by looking closely at the locations of the 12 battles the warrior is said to have fought. Most of the battle locations have Arthurian names: Arthur's Craigs in the west of Lanark; Arthurshiels Farm, north of Biggar; Loch Arthur in Dumfries, and so on to Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
Lancelot, the son of King Ban of Benwick - or Bannock. Others have him as the son of King Lot of the Lothians. Sir Galahad too is given a Scottish pedigree by a number of medieval writers. Guinevere also has her place in Scottish mythology. Outside Meigle, in Perthshire, a Pictish standing stone is said to depict Guinevere's death. She is shown being pulled apart by dogs, punishment for her infidelity.There has long been a Scottish connection with Merlin, who is said to have lived in the Caledonian forest. If the recent Holy Grail stories from the Da Vinci Code are anywhere near correct (?) it gives even more credence that the "quest" did indeed wind itself up here!  Decide for yourself, with a look at the evidence:
Placenames: From Edinburgh's Arthur's Seat and Stirling's Round Table to Falkirk's Arthur's Oven, hills, wells, waterfalls and glens are named after Arthur. This must surely point to his being a Scot?

Stone of Destiny: Jacob's Pillow?
There is a strong oral tradition in Irish that tells of the meeting between Moses and Gathelus, a Greek architect and husband of Scota, one of Pharaoh's daughters. Nennius (yes, him again.) writes of Gathelus's 42-year journey from Egypt to Ireland, bringing the stone with him. (A journey described in the Declaration of Arbroath.) Later, when the Irish king Fergus travelled from Ireland to Argyll to help the Scots fight the Picts he took the stone with him, where it remained until it was snatched by Edward I. It remained in London until it was returned in 1996.

18 June 2006.   IT WAS to be a 120ft high memorial. A 30ft family of "emigrants" cast in bronze would sit on a 90ft plinth to remind the world of the Clearances, in which thousands of Scots were shipped out of their home country for uncertain lives abroad. A state-of-the-art visitor centre would cater for the thousands of overseas tourists attracted to the Sutherland village of Helmsdale in search of their roots. The project has been cancelled by Scottish multi-millionaire because of a lack of financial support.
Dennis MacLeod, "We are not going ahead with the big statue or the centre in Helmsdale. With a few exceptions, I found myself a lone figure." The big sculpture was meant to be a counterpoint to the infamous statue of the Duke of Sutherland, which towers above the village of Golspie and the Duke's Dunrobin Castle 17 miles to the south. It was the duke's notorious land agents who were the leading figures in clearing the Sutherland glens of their 19th-century population to make way for sheep farms, then the route to prosperity. The project was to include a 30ft high statue, four bronze figures on a spiral plinth, consisting of a father gazing out to sea, his wife looking back up the empty glen and their two children. Located on top of Creag Bun-Ullidh, at a height of 600ft above sea level, the complete structure would have been 120ft. At the foot of the hill was to have been a museum, Clearances archive and a Hall of Fame.   I passed the wee one on the 19th June, it looks good!

DATELINE 14 JUNE 2006  Oldest football going on World Cup tour  A FOOTBALL the size of a softball and recognised as the world's oldest of its kind is leaving its home in Scotland to be part of a World Cup exhibition in Germany.  The Smith Art Gallery and Museum Stirling are making final preparations to transport the relic to a Museum in Hamburg. (the world cup is being hosted by Germany) The ball, which is at least 436 years old, will be the centrepiece of a wide-ranging international football display. "The Germans have decided, from all the evidence, that our ball is the oldest football in the world and it will be the centrepiece of this huge exhibition," said Michael McGinnes, the Stirling museum's manager.

RELATED STORY: "The English are quick to claim they invented football. This book proves they didn't. Alas it is small consolation, considering we aren't in Germany to compete for the World Cup." - Alan Duncan of the Tartan Army SCOTLAND may not be at the World Cup, but the country can at least lay claim to having invented football, following the translation of a book written almost 400 years ago. In 1633, more than 200 years before the Football Association was formed in England, David Wedderburn, a poet and teacher at Aberdeen Grammar School, described a match in his pocket-sized tome Vocabula.

so there!  away the lads of the tartan army!  (myself - Paul - being a member)

ANOTHER RELATED STORY ...mcleanscotland sponsor a football team in Perth - news soon.
 

DATELINE 14 JUNE 2006.  AN EXHIBITION featuring some of Leonardo da Vinci's finest drawings opened at Aberdeen Art Gallery yesterday. The works are on loan from the Royal Collection as part of the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations, and Deirdre Grant, the cultural services promotions officer at the gallery, said: "We are thrilled to be hosting these magnificent works by Leonardo da Vinci. The exhibition runs until 28 August.   WHAT? NO HOLY GRAIL CUP THEN?
 

DATELINE 2 JUNE 2006    THE priest of Rosslyn Chapel has resigned amid widespread speculation that he is no longer prepared to tolerate the worldwide hype generated by The Da Vinci Code. The Rev Michael Fass, who has previously spoken out against the "sensational speculation" surrounding the chapel, will leave his post in July. It is understood Mr Fass, 61, has told friends all the fuss over the phenomenon of The Da Vinci Code had made his position unbearable. They say the Episcopalian priest found his work among the 300-strong congregation in the village of Roslin was being undermined and the chapel was becoming a "Disneyland" for fans of the novel. The chapel, also known as St Matthew's Collegiate Church, has seen a rising congregation under Rev Fass and a busy schedule of baptisms and weddings. It is open to visitors seven days a week; they are asked not to enter only when marriages are taking place. Since 2003, when the book was first published, the number of people visiting the church has rocketed from 9,500 a year to 117,000. Following the recent release of the film starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, which climaxes with scenes shot at the 15th-century chapel, numbers are expected to rise further.
 

Anger as Sunday golf allowed on Old Course              2 JUNE 2006
GOLFERS have been accused of breaking a centuries-old tradition by playing St Andrews' famous Old Course on a Sunday. Play has been banned on the Sabbath since the course was gifted to the town in the 16th century. Exceptions are made only for major tournaments such as the Open and the Dunhill Cup. But the Royal & Ancient broke with that tradition last week and held its Gold Medal tournament on a Sunday for the first time. Tournaments are also scheduled to be held on the next two Sundays. It sparked an angry reaction from local people, with some claiming golfers reacted aggressively to them walking across the fairways last Sunday. A spokesman for St Andrews Links Trust insisted that it was only in "exceptional circumstances" that any play was permitted on the Old Course on a Sunday.
 

2 June 2006                Highland games go heavyweight
TIPPING the scales at more than 2,000 stones, some of the world's biggest and best athletes ever to wear a kilt are lining up to compete this summer in Scotland's biggest Highland games. The two-day City of Inverness Highland Games will feature 1,500-2,000 competitors, including 100 in the Masters World Championships, which will be held outside the US for the first time. The Masters is the official world championships for heavy athletes aged 40 and over and it is hoped it will now become a regular feature of the Scottish Highland games circuit every five years. It is a major coup for the Inverness games, which next year will also host the World Highland Games Championships as part of the 2007 Year of Highland Culture. Bill "Angus Billy" Scrugg, based in Colorado, has confirmed that athletes from 11 countries will compete in the Masters, including about ten from Scotland.  The games will also include track and field events, piping and dancing contests as well as Scotland's biggest clan gathering, with over 30 clan societies taking part. Gerry Reynolds, Highland Council's events officer, said the event celebrates the Highland's past and present and is for both locals and visitors. "Anybody who says the games are just for tourists doesn't understand Highland games," he said. "We have 1,500-2,000 local competitors, pipers, dancers, athletes and community groups taking part. It's the best party in the Highlands"

JOIN the INTERNATIONAL CLAN GATHERING AT CULLODEN 2007
We are offering an exclusive coach tour to coincide with this fantastic event! Not only that - how about:
The European Pipe Band Championships, a Military Tattoo and the Heavy World Championship Games included!  A tour not to be missed. there are limited seats on this tour so be quick to book yours ... see our tour online  www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/highland2007.asp

SCOTTISH MEDALS IN THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2006    THE 18th Commonwealth Games, which close today, have been a triumph: for Melbourne; for the Commonwealth Games movement; and for Scotland. Thanks to boxer Kenny Anderson's gold and badminton player Susan Hughes' bronze medals yesterday, 29 medals had been won by the penultimate day of competition, to ensure that, whatever happens on the final day, the team can tonight celebrate its third-best medal count, and its best on foreign soil; and they can do what they've been doing since day one, which is to wear their Scottish uniform with passion and pride. Full medal winners

Glasgow report 26.03.06    Archaeologists claim to have unearthed Glasgow's oldest building. The ruins of a Bishops palace in the east end of the city is believed to date back to 1323. Until now it was generally thought the Provan Hall was the oldest, built 1460 - 1480. The team found coins dating 13th and 14th century also pottery same circa. The team discovered a moat wall and evidence of a substantial building.

SMOKING BAN hits Scotland 26th March 2006 all the details here.

DA VINCI CODE  we now have a mclean scotland tour for this

PASSPORT to SCOTLAND a totally new concept in Scottish travel for us, watch this space for details.  Highlands, Lowlands and Central areas, all the Isles and everything you will need to visit our country.  We are trying to make it an easy method for you to book your tour.

MCLEANSCOTLAND ARE SUPPORTING THE BID "For Glasgow to achieve this would be an amazing boost to the economy, the people, tourism and sport in Scotland. We wish the team every success and send our best wishes to all involved".  Paul McLean and Liz Gillespie.  GLASGOW 2014 BID

We have new tours online for WINTER BREAKS and ADD ON tours.  Have YOU seen them yet?