St. Moritz - Switzerland

St. Moritz - Switzerland
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St. Moritz (German: Sankt Moritz, Romansh: Sogn Murezzi) is a popular resort town in the Engadine valley in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. Popular pastimes include skiing and hiking, and nearby there is also the world famous Cresta Run toboggan course.

The year round population is 5,600 with some 3,000 seasonal employees. This population supports hotels and rental units with a total of 13,000 beds.

St. Moritz has been the host city for the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics. It also hosted the 1934, 1974 and 2003 Alpine Skiing World Championships. It is one of three cities, the others being Innsbruck, Austria and Lake Placid, New York in the United States, that have hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice.

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Eilean Donan Castle - Scotland/UK

Eilean Donan Castle - Scotland/UK
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Pt: O nome Eilean Donan vem do Gaelic (lingua originalmente falada na Escocia) e significa "Ilha de Donan", um santo do seculo 7 que segundo a estoria, viveu aqui como um heremita religioso.

En: Eilean Donan (Scottish Gaelic for Island of Donan), is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge and lies about half a mile from the village of Dornie.

Eilean Donan castle is the famous castle situated on the island. The original castle was built in 1220 for Alexander II as a defence against the Vikings. By the late 13th century it had become a stronghold of the Mackenzies of Kintail (later the Earls of Seaforth). In 1511, the MacRaes, as protectors of the MacKenzies, became the hereditary Constables of the Castle.

In 1539 Iain Dubh Matheson, chief of the Clan Matheson died whilst defending the Castle on Eilean Donan island against the Clan MacDonald of Sleat on behalf of the Clan MacRae and Clan MacKenzie.

In April 1719 the castle was occupied by Spanish troops attempting to start another Jacobite Rising. The castle was recaptured, and then demolished, by three Royal Navy frigates on 10–13 May 1719. The Spanish troops were defeated a month later at the Battle of Glen Shiel.

The castle was restored in the years between 1912 and 1932 by Lt. Col. John MacRae-Gilstrap. The restoration included the construction of an arched bridge to give easier access to the castle. In 1983 The Conchra Charitable Trust was formed by the MacRae family to care for the Castle.

It is now one of the most photographed monuments in Scotland and a popular venue for weddings and film locations. It has appeared in such films as Highlander (1985), Loch Ness (1995) and The World is not Enough (1999).

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Loch Carron - Scotland/UK

Loch Carron - Scotland/UK
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Loch Carron is an arm of the sea on the west coast of Ross and Cromarty in Scottish Highlands.

Chanonry Point Lighthouse - Scotland/UK

Chanonry Point Lighthouse
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Pt: O farol foi inaugurado em 1846, descubra mais sobre este lugar acessando este site

En: The lighthouse, first lit in 1846, more information can be found here

Chanonry Point lies at the end of Chanonry Ness, a spit of land extending into the Moray Firth between Fortrose and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle, Scotland.

Chanonry Point is reputed to be one of the best spots in the UK to view Bottlenose dolphin from the land [1] . The dolphins are often visible off Chanonry point, particularly at high tide when they play and fish in the turbulence created by converging currents. Other wildlife, including porpoise and grey seals can also regularly be spotted.

Chanonry Point is home to two camping and caravan sites towards the north whilst much of the land towards the extremity of point is taken up by Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club. A lighthouse situated at the tip of the point was designed by Alan Stevenson and was first lit in 1846[2]. The lighthouse has been fully automated since 1984 and is now privately owned.

The death of Coinneach Odhar, more commonly known as the Brahan Seer, is commemorated by a memorial stone on the spot where he is reputed to have been brutally executed.

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Inverness Castle - Inverness - Scotland/UK

Inverness Castle - Inverness - Scotland/UK
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A succession of castles have stood on this site since 1057.

The first Inverness Castle was partially destroyed by King Robert I and a replacement castle was sacked in the 15th century.

In 1548 another castle with tower was completed by George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly (1514-1562). He was constable of the castle until 1562. The castle was later taken by the Clan Munro and Clan Fraser who supported Mary Queen of Scotts in 1562.

Inverness Castle 1562, Robert Mor Munro 15th chief of the Clan Munro was a staunch supporter of Mary Queen of Scots and he consequently was treated favourably by her son James VI. Robert Mor Munro was also a faithful friend of Mary Queen of Scots. Buchanan states, that when the unfortunate princess went to Inverness in 1562; "as soon as they heard of their sovereign's danger, a great number of the most eminent Scots poured in around her, especially the Clan Fraser and Clan Munro, who were esteemed the most "valiant of the clans inhabiting those countries in the north". These two clans took Inverness Castle for the Queen, which had refused her admission. The Queen later hanged the governor, a Gordon who had refused her admission.[1]

During the Civil War later occupiers of the castle had held out against a siege by James Graham the 1st Marquess of Montrose in 1645.

Inverness Castle 1649, Later during the Civil War the Clan Munro and Clan Fraser again took Inverness Castle. This time they were also joined by Clan Urquhart and Clan MacKenzie who they had recently made peace with. They were all opposed to the authority of the current parliament. They assaulted the town and took the castle. They then expelled the garrison and raised the fortifications. However on the approach of the parlimentry forces led by General David Leslie all of the clans retreated back into Ross-shire. During that year several skirmishes took place between these parties.

In 1715 the Clan MacKay took the side of King George I and defend Inverness Castle against the Jacobites.

In 1725 the Castle was extended and reinforced by General George Wade after the initial early Jacobite Uprisings.

Invernes Castle 1745, In 1745 when the second major Jacobite Uprisings began Inverness Castle was held by General Sir John Cope however it fell to the Jacobite rebel leader bonnie Prince Charlie who levelled it using explosive charges.

The castle features on the reverse of the Royal Bank of Scotland £50 note introduced in 2005.

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Inverness City - Capital of the Highlands - Scotland/UK

Inverness City - Capital of the Highlands - Scotland/UK
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Inverness was granted city status by the Queen in December 2000, and celebrated its new status officially in March 2001. This city status was granted, however, without definition of either boundaries or representative corporate body. The right to speak for the city is assumed by the Highland Council, in association with a local enterprise company[2].

In 2001, the population of the city, or the urban area centred on the former burgh, was 51,832, and is expected to double over the next 30 years. Recently, Inverness was named the fastest growing city in Western Europe, with many new housing estates being built around the city. A large number of Polish immigrants have recently caused a considerable increase to the Invernesian population and helped contribute to the local economy. Tourism is important to the city's economy, as are administration and healthcare.

The city is the self-proclaimed "Capital of the Highlands". It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area and for the Inverness committee area of the Highland Council. Between 1975 and 1996, as a town without even the status of a local government burgh, it was the administrative centre of the Highland region and the Inverness district of the region.

The district was created, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, by combining the royal burgh and the district of the county with the Aird district of the county. The rest of the county was divided between other districts of the Highland region and the Western Isles islands council area.

The area of the district became the Inverness committee area of the Highland Council, which was created as a unitary council when districts were abolished under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.

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The Loch Ness - Waiting for "Nessie" - Scotland/UK

The Loch Ness - Waiting for "Nessie" - Scotland/UK
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Loch Ness (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Nis) is a large, deep freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands (57°18′N 4°27′W) extending for approximately 37 km (23 miles) southwest of Inverness. The Loch's surface is 15.8 metres above sea level.

Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the legendary Loch Ness Monster ("Nessie"), although it is scenic in its own right. Boat cruises operate from various locations along its shores giving tourists the chance to look for the monster.

Loch Ness is the largest body of water on the geologic fault known as the Great Glen, which runs from Inverness in the north to Fort William in the south. The Caledonian Canal, which links the sea at either end of the Great Glen, uses Loch Ness for part of its route.

The loch is one of a series of interconnected, murky bodies of water in Scotland. Quite large, Loch Ness has exceptionally low water visibility due to a high peat content in the surrounding soil. It is the second deepest loch in Scotland, and the UK.
Loch Ness, with Urquhart Castle in the foreground.
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Loch Ness, with Urquhart Castle in the foreground.

Loch Ness is the second largest Scottish loch by surface area at 56.4 km2 (21.8 sq mi) but due to its extreme depth is the largest by volume. The loch contains more fresh water than all that in England and Wales combined. At its deepest part, 226 m (740 feet), London's BT Tower at 189 m (620 feet) would be completely submerged.

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