Scotland Magazine July/August 2021

It’s been a long, hard lockdown. We’ve done what we can to get through it – we’ve reconnected with nature, we’ve exercised outdoors and we’ve learned to appreciate what’s in our own backyard. But now it’s time to spread our wings a little, to travel to the places that have been calling us, and it’s time to go inside. This issue, to celebrate the fact that many of our finest houses and most romantic castles are opening their doors to the public again, we’ve selected six of our favourite stately homes, where you can expect a warm reception, in Roll out the red carpet (p24). No longer must these properties be admired from their exquisite grounds or via photographs, now you can step inside the interiors and be transported to another…

Anyone who has visited the Harris Distillery recently can attest that the staff uniform is super stylish, with beautiful jackets made of the distillery’s very own tweed. The tweed was the result of a local competition run with Harris Tweed Hebrides, the Harris Tweed Authority and the islands’ education services, in which local children were asked to design a new Isle of Harris Distillery tweed while learning more about the history of the fabric that is synonymous with the island. The winner of the competition was 14-year-old Scott Murray from Sir E. Scott School, and his winning tweed was woven in consultation with Scottish designer Judy R Clark to create a unique cloth. Now you can buy one of the jackets, which include teal velvet collars embroidered with rose gold threads and whose…

Brora Distillery, whose doors have remained closed for 38 years, has finally reopened after a three-year restoration project under its new owner, whisky giant Diageo. Originally opened in 1819, Brora Distillery (called Clynelish for much of its history), closed shop in 1983, and has lay silent ever since. Despite its closure, in recent years, its historic single malt bottlings have gained legendary status for their exceptional quality and in 2019 a bottle of Brora 1972 Limited Edition 40-Year-Old sold for a staggering £54,450. Brora-local, Master Distiller Stewart Bowman, son of the last exciseman at Brora, had the honour of reopening the Brora gates and filling the first cask of Brora spirit in decades. Bowman said: “In 1983 my father wrote in an old distillery ledger ‘Commencement of Brora Distillery silent season (undetermined period)’. Growing…

The Royal Celtic Society has said it will offer a bursary of £500 per year to a student in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s traditional music department. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers the UK’s only Bachelor of Music degree dedicated to traditional music, with students studying Gaelic and Scots song, the fiddle, bagpipes and more. The bursary will begin in the 2021/2022 academic year and though it will be available to students in all traditional music disciplines, the intention is that it will be especially focused on students of song. Alan Hay, Chairman of the Royal Celtic Society, said: “It is a great privilege for us to work with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. “The Royal Celtic Society’s charitable purpose covers the full spectrum of Scotland’s cultural heritage, including language, literature, music and…

Globally important peatlands and ancient woods in Dumfries and Galloway will be restored, native woodlands established, and nature-based tourism opportunities created thanks to the biggest community land buyout ever in Scotland. The Langholm Initiative charity has bought 5,200 acres of land and six residential properties for £3.8m from the Buccleuch family, meaning the community now owns the land for the first time in its history. Work will now begin on creating the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve to help tackle climate breakdown, restore nature, and support community regeneration. The buyout was funded thanks to a £1m grant from the Scottish Land Fund, plus finance from South of Scotland Enterprise, the John Muir Trust, The Carman Family Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and the Bently Foundation. The target was finally reached with additional support from charities…

A new hotel group hopes to further develop some of the Highlands’ most loved hotels into sustainable businesses that will both create local careers and provide amazing places for people to stay as they travel the North Coast 500. Hotels that have recently been bought by Highland Coast Hotels include Kylesku Hotel, a popular destination seafood restaurant and inn, the Royal Golf Hotel Dornoch, the Royal Marine Hotel in Brora, and Newton Lodge. David Whitehead, Chairman of the hotel group, who previously headed up the North Highlands Initiative, assures visitors that the hotels will retain their own character and “independent spirit” and “sit in the heart of the community”. Roddy Watt, CEO of Highland Coast Hotels, added: “We envisage that our substantial investment in the next few years will support sustainable growth in…