The Clansman Centre - Highlands - Scotland/UK

The Clansman Centre - Highlands - Scotland/UK
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Originally uploaded by { Planet Adventure }.

In Fort Augustus right next to the Caledonian Canal you will find the Clansman Centre, little on the outside prepares you for what to expect when you get inside.

As you enter the doorway there is a grand wee gift shop with many hand made items and tasteful reproductions of traditional items and jewellery, and some fine reproduction weaponry, which begins to give you an idea of what is to come.

It’s when you stoop under the low lintel into the back room that you realise this is no normal gift shop. Met by your kilted clansman, your eyes slowly adjust to the gloom and what you have before you is a 17th century turf house, the typical abode of the local population 400 years ago.

This is no museum though, and it doesn’t take long before you are finding out all you wanted to know about highland life at the height of the clan times, (and a great deal you didn’t). There is a lot to learn about the domestic life, diet, dress and custom of these proud warrior people.

Find out more here

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Urquhart Castle - Scotland/UK

Urquhart Castle - Scotland/UK
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Originally uploaded by { Planet Adventure }.

Pt: Foi construido principalmente como um posto de controle, e atualmente serve como base para aqueles que buscam pelo famoso Monstro do Lago Ness, pois a vista deste ponto permite enchergar desde Inverness ate Forte Augustus

En: It was built principally as an observation post, and is now a haunt of would-be spotters of the famous Loch Ness Monster as it commands a view almost from Inverness to Fort Augustus

The earliest history of the castle goes back to the time of St. Columba, when the castle may have been mentioned in Adamnan's Life of Columba: it is probably the site called Airchartdan, visited by Columba in the latter half of the sixth century during one of his visits to King Brude son of Maelchon of the northern Picts. Columba took the opportunity to convert his host Emchath and his son Virolec to Christianity. Unfortunately, Adamnan’s text gives no specific link to the castle and the location of the episode is described as being the agrum of Airchartdan. This probably means the estate and certainly does not refer to the settlement in which Columba stayed. In view of the use of the term agrum, it would be as easy to see Drumnadrochit as the location of Emchath's residence as there is no mention of a fortified structure. However, one of the radiocarbon dates obtained by the late Professor Leslie Alcock in his 1983 excavations within the castle was in the range 460-660 AD. It is thus probable that there was a fortified settlement on Strone Point during the time that Columba visited the area, and it is reasonable to assume that this would have been the home of Emchath. No other noble is mentioned in this episode, so it is probable that Columba stayed at Urquhart Castle on his way to visit Brude at Craig Phadraig, Inverness.

See the whole article here

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Edinburgh Castle's prototype - Scotland

Edinburgh Castle's prototype
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Originally uploaded by { Planet Adventure }.

Edinburgh Castle is an ancient fortress which from its lofty position dominates views of the city of Edinburgh, and is Scotland's most famous landmark.