Window on Eastern Scotland's surprises...

~ from seasides to graveyards and souvenirs ~

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If you have never heard of this happy character, that's OK. 

Tom Gilzean became well-known in Edinburgh as a generous and energetic fund raiser, After he died at 99 in 2019 the locals wanted to remember him. And what better way than this?

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It's Day One, on our short and snappy visit to Scotland's Capital.

Despite the fairly tight time-frame (we are heading much further north on this trip) there is also a good bit of reflection and nostlagia for us both.

Gordon spent a couple of years here, in Edinburgh, with his family as a child, and we have visited several times since then. Unlike many capitals, the city does not appear to have changed very much over the centuries. Those solid stony buildings remain, ever the same.

That said, we cannot resist another visit to this place that has stood here for so many centuries,.

In the Old Town, known (despite its title) for its smart restaurants, trendy cafes and colour - a well-known person from another era gets a mention.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 22, 1859. A bronze statue of Sherlock Holmes, portrayed as if in meditation on the death of his author, stands near the pub.

However, Edinburgh's most popular attractions (for those visitors with little time, anyway) happens along the Royal Mile beginning at Grassmarket and finishing (of course) at Edinburgh Castle.

And no, in case you are wondering, they didn't put this sign up-front and centre on the Royal Mile, just for Gordon's visit, but we still couldn't resist snapping the sign.

The restaurant's distinctly European-style street-side dining gave us a surprise, and especially the Scottish name on the sign described 'Italian' cuisine. 

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Instead of dining, we keep walking (and walking!) along 'The Mile' (which FYI is actually .98 miles).

And while the ambience (and, on this day, the weather) was delightful, the rolls of tartan, and bits and bobs of tourist-alia did wear a bit thin after the first half hour. After all, there are only so many postcards and badges with Scottish thistles on them, or fluffy orange 'heeland koos', that will fit in a suitcase.

But it wasn't all like that. Many sturdy buildings have been here for centuries, even managing to withstand wartime attacks.

In Edinburgh, church spires have a couple of purposes, if nothing else than serving as a place for pigeons to settle, or for becoming a very visible marker amongst the crowds: 'Meet me at St Giles Cathedral, the church with the holes in its spire' for instance.

Of course there are the ubiquitous sighteeing bus tours...

...but step away from the main thoroughfare and there is, finally, silence.

Back on the 'Mile', we stop for a moment to enjoy watching and listening to a true bagpiper. This instrument's raw and, in some cases deafening, sound is not loved by everyone, yet in an outdoor space like this, it is ideal.

Finally, after walking up Lawnmarket, we reach Edinburgh Castle Esplanade. This forecourt is, perhaps, the biggest surprise of our trip. 

Many of us have settled down around the TV to watch the annual Royal   Edinburgh Military Tattoo  . We have been in awe about the huge space that fills and refills with marching soldiers in full dress uniform, others on horseback, and dozens of colourful events and activity.

When we visit this, it seems impossible that all these events fit into such a small space. Disbelievingly, we asked several people, selling icecream or answering questions (like ours!) and it was the same: YES this is where you see the Edinburgh Tattoo.

These stands are truly where the crowds sit.

While the 'Mile' is fascinating, we have much more to see in our race around Edinburgh. As we leave the cobbled street, via a narrow lane, our eyes need to adjust to the panorama laid out below.

'The Mound' is a landmark that everyone knows in Edinburgh. It connects the Old Town with the New Town, passing over the main rail-lines, and the location of the prestigious Academy of Art and National Gallery of Scotland.

Finally, after a busy afternoon, our bags bulging with souvenirs that we just could not resist (bravely planning to use them as gifts for those at home - yet knowing that we might be unable to bear to lose them!) we head for our 'Edinburgh home'.

On this trip, we had decided to look for cosy, relatively low-cost accommodation. After all, most of our travel-time is usually taken up with out-and-about discoveries, so we were not after 'super-glam' accommodation.

However, we somehow hit the great combo of a comfortable house, to the south-west of the city in Currie, with stunning views right across the countryside towards the Forth Bridge

This property had everything we needed, as well as beautiful gardens, and plenty of rural fresh air. It certainly made a relaxing finish to our short stay here in Edinburgh.

If you are looking for a rural self-catering cottage, after staying here for several nights, we would certainly recommend Midkinleith Farm Holiday Cottage, just twenty minutes by car from the city centre. 

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Note: This video includes a section on Gordon' ancestors who lived in Ayrshire on the south-west coast from 1175 onwards.

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On the road again...

Edinburgh had given us much-needed time to relax, an opportunity to catch up with good friends, eat well, and inhale the gentle Scottish air. However, soon it was time to move on, heading north now, on an ancestral pilgrimage of our own.

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(But first, the horses...)

Whoops! Despite what they look like, these are The Kelpies, near Falkirk, and next to the M9 Motorway,

Designed to reflect mythological beasts, possessing the strength and endurance of ten horses, these stainless steel Kelpies represent the lineage of the heavy horse of Scottish industry and economy, pulling wagons, ploughs, barges, and coalships. They have become a drawcard for visitors heading north.

Built of structural steel with a stainless steel cladding, The Kelpies are 30 metres high and weigh 300 tonnes each.

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Perth and beyond

Our destination now is to head for a part of Scotland that we have not visited before. We have travelled, several times, to the rocky areas of western Scotland. However, as both of us have discovered ancestral links in the north-east, south of Inverness, we are keen to see it for ourselves. 

Will the land be similar to the stony bays and mountains of Skye and Iona, for instance?

Perhaps we might even come upon the grave of an ancestor or two?

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Perth & Kinross

Very soon we learn that one thing is certain. We have not yet left these hairy orange creatures behind!

Unfortunately, we pass by too early to see these beauties.

The city of Perth, on the banks of the River Tay, turns out to be a bright and bustling place, much like any busy large town. Its population is around 50,000, home to the ancient Scone Palace. 

Find out more...

There's a good feel' to the place, at least on this sunny morning when we visited. Winter would bring a chillier side to it, though, as temperatures can drop to freezing in mid-winter.

We are on a mission, though, to reach our accommodation tonight, so we decide to leave this lovely city, and head on north asap.

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Finally heading north...

Driving in Scotland is much more relaxing, especially as we travel further north. We by-pass Dundee and Aberdeen heading for our destination, of Macduff, 129 miles away, which sounds very do-able, until we realise that it translates as 207 kilometres!

And that much of this distance is to be on narrow back roads, too. And it is already well-past lunchtime!!

Nevertheless, the long drive does give us a chance to relax and enjoy some of the greenest pastures anywhere in the world. More than once we compare this with western Scotland, and realise why our ancestors would have felt terribly sad at leaving such beautiful countryside, knowing that almost certainly they would never be able to return.

Better still, though, the traffic has almost disappeared, and it turns into a very relaxing drive, despite the distance.

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Magical Macduff

Finally, after cutting across on many backroads, we arrive at our 'home' for the next few days. And yes, this was our harbour view across the road from our accommodation.

Macduff was one of the last 'royal burghs' to be reorganised in 1975. Like most coastal towns, fishing is popular, as these boat (above) suggest.

Banff is a twin town from Macduff, accessed by a seven-arch bridge over the Deveron River and it is here that we had dinner. This is possibly the oldest building, continuously in use, that we have ever eaten in. At around 450 years old, the locals are rightly very proud of it, keeping it immaculately.

Up some narrow stairs from the street, we were early for dinner, but...

...this hearty meal, soon had us feeling relaxed and very well-fed.

Outside the Hotel where we ate, is proud proof of the ancient heritage of this building.

After dinner, it's back 'home' to the other side of the valley, where the sun's final rays light up this church that has overlooked MacDuff for over two centuries. 

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Cullen - food and family history

Next morning, after breakfast in our room, we are eager to see what lies ahead. Will we finally crack some precious ancestral secrets?

Cullen, a small town just over seven miles from Macduff, and is known for something that sounds a little (um!) unpleasant.

Despite its rather strange name, Cullen Skink is simply a thick Scottish soup that evolved from this town. It is made using smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. Authentic Cullen skink mayuse  finnan haddie (a traditional Scottish smoked haddock dish, originating from Findon (or Finnan) near Aberdeen.

But, on this trip I have a pursuit that is much more 'grave'.

Having dabbled with Ancestry details for decades, I have found out that my Great Great-Grandfather left on a ship headed to Sydney, Australia. Family gossip had always suggested that they had been farmers who had been stripped of their landrights and therefore had no real option but to travel 'to the colonies' in Australia, in the 1850s.

The lairds (lords) were blamed for their deeds, however in the Information Centre, in Cullen, I was firmly told that no, this part of Scotland did not have this sort of tension. The very helpful lady in charge there, suggested that they might even have been fishermen, which made sense, given that the great North Sea was at their feet!

With this in mind, we drove a few blocks and found the Cullen Old Kirk. Sadly it is in quite a bit of disrepair, and a sign on the gate told us that it was being sold - or maybe worse.

Unfortunately the gravestone (above) does not belong to one of my ancestors, even though I know from my research that the name McKenzie was common in this area. I would have liked it to 'meet' my family, but the cemetery has dozens of graves, and many of the headstones are almost illegible after so many years of battering from the elements.

Read more about the Kirk HERE>>>

The hilly town of Cullen with a population of just over 1300, is busy when we visit.

Itis aiso well known for the impressive Cullen Viaduct. Originally an eight-arched stone railway bridge, it was opened in 1896. This major landmark still stretches across the Burn of Cullen, but is now a recreational path.

It's June, when we visit, and already a chilly day so, after we have wandered the town and picked up some souvenirs, there was really only one sensible thing to do. 

I am lucky to have an almost faultless nose for choosing a good cafe. The New Denver was one of them, just fairly new in town, but already bustling with customers. We settled in and warmed our cold hands. 

Read more...

Then, of course, we visited this place, which almost had to be explained. Luckily there were pictures. Seems that these are the Scottish words for the ones we are used to.

Work it out for yourself.

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Portgordon fun

Unfortunately this township does not actually belong to Gordon, but we let him have a moment of supposed fame.

Actually it is a village in nearby Moray. It is close to Buckie, another fishing village. In fact this whole coastline has a rich history of the coastal aspect of this area, and it may well be where my ancestors  worked - and later left, possibly searching for gold in Australia.

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Portsoy pussy and paint

After a busy day we turned back, heading 'home' to Macduff,  but along the way we fell in love with Portsoy, a quiet seafront village. Even our new pussycat friend seemed chilled and happy to spend some time with us.

After three hundred years of pulling pints, this seafront property, The Shore Inn, also is and ideal as a meal stop.

Nearby, this gallery adds a burst of colour to the surroundings.

While our time in this part of the world had been far too short, it has also been very satisfying, setting foot on land that almost certainly others have done for centuries..

And, no, I did not unearth any further information about my forebears. I am sure there is much there that we would have discovered, given enough time...but the good thing about travel is that we still have another excuse to visit here again!

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On the road again...

Too soon our Eastern Scotland trip  is over. Pausing at Culloden. a field of bloodshed centuries ago, we then connected here with Inverness, heading on towards Loch Ness, and more - already mentioned on this website.

In just a few days, we have explored so much, learning about one of the more gentle and stunningly beautiful parts of rural Scotland.

My ancestors travelled the world to reach the antipodes, maybe chasing excitement, gold, or just an adventure in Australia's mid-1800s.

Now, we have done similarly, in order to learn about theirs. I doubt that my great-great-grandfather and his brothers ever returned for a sight of Cullen and its surroundings, so we have done the only thing we could.  

I have promised to share with others the delights of this lovely and unspoiled part of Scotland.

(Oh, and if you even have just a drop of Scottish blood in your heritage, feel very, very proud. Scotland has a brave history and endless beautiful places to visit)

Sally and Gordon Hammond, and daughter Megan, travelled in Scotland at their own cost. All observations are their own.

Text and photos: @Sally Hammond

Video: @ Gordon Hammond