Photos and the City

Tag: my british summer

  • Blackness Castle

    blackness castle, scotland, outlander, tv show, lothian

    Blackness Castle

    After one palace there is always another castle, especially when you´re in Scotland!

    Blackness Castle looks across the River Forth to the naval dockyards of Rosyth, and along it to the Forth rail and two road bridges. The castle is first mentioned in 1449, although there had been a port at nearby Blackness serving the royal burgh of Linlithgow since the thirteenth century. (Undiscovered Scotland)

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    Built in the 1440s, probably on the site of a former fort, it was the main port for Linlithgow and also served as a prison. Even so, Blackness Castle was one of the most advanced artillery fortifications of its time in Scotland it felt to Cromwell´s army in 1650. A few years after the siege the castle was repaired and again served as a prison and a minor garrison.

    On the screen

    Today Blackness Castle is one of the many movies and tv shows locations in Scotland, recently used for “Outlander” by Starz, “Mary Queen Of Scots”, “Outlaw King”, “Hamlet”, “Ivanhoe” and many more.

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    View of the Forth Bridge crossing River Forth.

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    The ship that never sailed

    The Inner Courtyard is mostly formed by natural rocks and the peculiar form of Blackness Castle, looking like a ship pointing out into the River Forth.

    blackness castle, scotland, outlander, tv show, lothian

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  • Linlithgow Palace

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    It was about time to leave Western Scotland and cross over to the Eastern side, to my second to last Scottish home. But as always I fit in some stops along the way. The first one, the very impressive ruin of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    Situated between the town of Linlithgow and Loch Linlithgow the Palace was the perfect stopping point between Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, it was favoured residence of the Stewart kings and queens from James I.

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    In September 1745, when Bonnie Prince Charlie visited the Palace on is march down south this fountain was made to flow with wine in his honour, shortly after that in 1746 the Government troops destroyed most of the Palace buildings.

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    A royal manor house probably existed on this site from the mid-twelfth century, when Kind David I founded the burgh. Linlithgow’s position made it an ideal site for a military base, and in 1302 the English king set about transforming it into a secure stronghold built mostly of earth and wood. (Marie-Stuart.co.uk)

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    1424 a disastrous fire destroyed most of the town and the royal manor. James I, immediately started to rebuild the church of St. Michael and Linlithgow Palace as a grand residence for Scottish royalty. The following kinds made significant additions.

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    After the Union of the Crowns in 1603, the Royal Court became largely based in England and Linlithgow was used very little. Parts of the Palace started to collapse. King James then had it renovated and rebuilt.

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian, Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian, Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

    Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian, Linlithgow Palace, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots, ruins, UK, West Lothian,

  • The Gardeners Cottages

    My winter minibreak in England is over, so let´s head back to last summer. During my days at Loch Lomond, I stayed in the smallest of the Gardeners Cottages near Bellanoch adjoint to a walled garden.

    The Gardeners Cottages

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    Once the home of the gardeners who planted and tended the ground of Arden House, the Gardeners Cottages form a row, their backs against the wall of a Victorian walled garden. And today they are very cosy and comfortable holiday cottages!

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    Arden House must have been a grand estate once, along the driveway to the cottages are many other stunning buildings and cottages, a coach house and I think one sees a little bit of the former big house, now divided into flats and apartments.

    Once called Bannachra Estate until the Glasgow merchant George Buchanan bought it in 1770.

    The Buchanan family sold Arden and Bannachra to the Lumsdens in 1864. The Lumsden family, perhaps best known latterly for their connection with Burmah Oil, continued in residence at Arden House until the 1980’s when it was sold and converted to flats. (The Vale of Leven)

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    I tried to find out a little bit more about the history of the estate and found some stories about big parties around Christmas for all the children from the surrounding areas.

    The Walled Garden

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    My days at Loch Lomond were quite wet but the walled garden must be a beautiful place to relax and slow down during drier days. Such a beautiful place!

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    Loch Lomond

    And there is even more! A little pathway brings you to the shores of Loch Lomond and a little private beach.

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    Disclaimer: I paid my stay at the Gardeners Cottages, as I also paid for every other stay during my time in the UK, but felt so in love with the place that I wanted to share it!