A touch of the tropics close to the far south-western tip of Scotland. Logan Botanic Garden lies in the Rhinns of Galloway some 14 miles south of Stranraer and is one of the gardens of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. More pics and info: https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/logan/botanicgarden/index.html
Starting with the first video I made for my channel last year, A brief history of Kenmure Castle.
Kenmure Castle is a ruin that sits on a large, natural ledge overlooking Loch Ken in the Glenkens. There has been a Castle there since at least the 1100s, and it was once a thriving place that was a handy stopping off place on the Pilgrim route to St Ninians cave at Whithorn for nobles.
Galloway History, like most History, hasn't really celebrated its women traditionally, so I like to make an effort to tell some of their stories.
Mary Gordon was a strong character who was left a financial mess to deal with after her husband's death in extremely awkward circumstances.
This is her story.
Galloway history has many interesting and colourful characters, but chief among these is Billy Marshall, traveller King, leveller, soldier, smuggler and (possibly) one of the longest lived men in history. His grave in Kirkcudbright claims he was 120 years old when he died.
This is a brief telling of his long story.
Galloway is very rural, but it also has a fascinating industrial history.
The most dramatic site is the abandoned lead mine at Carsphairn, set in deep, remote hills where both Lead, Iron and Gold were found.
The Solway Coast of Galloway is long, rugged and treacherous. Many ships have met their end between it and Northern Ireland , but the greatest tragedy, the largest loss of life in peacetime UK waters, happened to The Princess Victoria. During the Great Storm of 1953, she left Stranraer for the last time.
This is part one of her story, part 2 will pop up for you at the end.
Here's a bit of a Ghost Story today.
Between Dalry and New Galloway there's a standing stone reputed to mark the battlefield where a king was killed.
It used to be believed that the King's Ghost haunted the area...
The Beeching Report Cuts were felt all across the UK, but Galloway has never really recovered from the loss of its train line from Dumfries to Portpatrick.
I've done a number of videos on our lost Railways, but this one about Castle Douglas is probably the best place to start!
Spare a thought for poor Annie Hannah, whose murder lead to the last public execution of a woman in Scotland. Its too easy to forget the victim in such sordid stories. You can find her in the Kirkyard in Dalry. She's buried with her mother under a broken headstone.
This is the tale of her murder.
The next part of the Buchanites' story will drop later today.
Meanwhile, here's part one again just in case you missed it.
The Buchanites Part One: The Woman Clothed in Sun
The Buchanites were a Christian Sect led by the charismatic Elspeth Buchan in the late 18th and early 19th Century Scotland.
This is Loch Skerrow Halt in its heyday. One of the most remote stations in Galloway, it closed with the rest of the line because of the Beeching Report Cuts.
You can hike out to its remains from Loch Stroan, takes over an hour, but its a worthwhile journey.
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One of the enduring mysteries of Northern Britain is that of British Prehistoric Rock Art. These panels are at Drumtroddan in Galloway, with views to the nearby stone row, the Isle of Man and the Galloway Hills. #StandingStoneSunday#Scotland#History#Galloway
A few pictures from a trip to Woodhead Lead Mines near Carsphairn in Galloway, Scotland. Plus a view of the River Ken near Earlstoun Power Station, Dalry.
The Buchanites Part One: The Woman Clothed in Sun
The Buchanites were a Christian Sect led by the charismatic Elspeth Buchan in the late 18th and early 19th Century Scotland.
The Buchanites Part Two : Flight into the Wilderness
In the second part of our wee series on the Buchanites, Elspeth encounters some serious opposition to her beliefs. After meeting Hugh White, Elspeth stayed with him in Irvine, and he let her speak to his congregation. Very quickly, Elspeth's beliefs were stirring up animosity and wrath among the people of the Northern Ayrshire town.
Some deer pics from my annual pilgrimage to the Red Deer Range on the Queen's Way. They weren't very interested in our apples and carrots this time, we only had these two takers as all the others were swarming round the Ranger. He obviously had much better food!