Unique Scotland

John Harbour
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John Harbour, from www.exclusivescottishvisits.co.uk, is your trusted, expert guide on the Unique Scotland podcast. These carefully crafted, impeccably researched programmes connect you with this small but beautiful land. You'll be introduced to the land itself, the people, and discover what makes them tick. John then takes you on virtual tours of every part of Scotland, from the Borders, to the Lowlands and then onto the Highlands and Islands. The craggy mountains as well as the beautiful white sandy beaches. Along the way, John covers the customs, traditions and culture, including the Clans - perhaps yours - and the part they played in the bloody Clan Wars. New episodes are regularly added so please 'Subscribe' and visit www.exclusivescottishvisits.co.uk to find out more.

  1. EPISODE 1

    Scotland The People - The Scots are a hardy race, having suffered continuous invasion over the centuries. That's what makes them great....

    Scotland, this small nation of 5 million people is an incredible success story. No invader has ever defeated the Scots and, in more peaceful times, these people have shown to the world what an incredible nation of inventors, mathematicians, designers they are. This Podcast talks about the Scottish People, where they originate from, what are their historic roots and what has shaped their lives over thousands of years and also, what shapes their lives today. The Scots have always been a fierce proud race and this Podcast will give you an insight into where this total self-belief came from and why Scotland makes Britain Great.

    29 min

  2. EPISODE 1

    Scotland The Country - What makes up this small but beautiful land

    Scotland the Country will give you an insight into this small but amazing country that you've probably never had before. You'll be told of it's earliest beginnings, how the land formed millions of years ago and how the land took the shape that we see today. It will tell you about the different parts of Scotland and how the landscape has shaped the lives of the people who live there and also why people live in the places that they do. Scotland's beauty comes from the photogenic mountainous west coast with heather glens and deep lochs bordering the fierce Atlantic Ocean. On the east coast there are more rounded hills with salmon laden rivers leading down to the relatively benign North Sea that has kept fishermen busy for thousands of years… and all this in a Podcast – now you have to listen.

    24 min

  3. EPISODE 1

    Edinburgh's Coast - EAST LOTHIAN Episode 1 - Golden sandy beaches, medieval castles, gourmet restaurants, fabulous coastal and upland walks.

    Discover the extraordinary secrets of an incredible coastline to the East of Edinburgh in the County of EAST LOTHIAN. It is an area of regal beauty with golden sandy beaches, medieval castles, the largest concentration of championship links golf courses in the world, gourmet restaurants and fabulous coastal and upland walks. In this first Episode, we start in the town of Musselburgh where the Romans left their mark in the first century, to Carbery Hill, the battleground where Mary Queen of Scots lost her Crown. We will see the site of the battle of Prestonpans and hear the true story of how the battle unfolded from Dr Arran Johnston, the Director of Scottish Battlefields. We will pass through Longniddry and hear about Gosford House, a fabulous mansion in the centre of a 5000 acre estate. Then, onto my own village of Aberlady, where Robert Clark, the General Manager of the newly refurbished boutique hotel, the Leddie, will give us his take on the area. From there to the wonderful village of Gullane, voted one of the best places to live in the United Kingdom. With lovely restaurants, cafes, art galleries, ice cream parlours, three golf courses and a wonderful mile-long golden sandy beach, what is there not to love. Then onto our final destination of Dirleton with it's own golden sands and a medieval castle right in the middle of the village.  At the end of the Podcasts, you will hear from a young lady, Lisa Gillen, who surprised John at Culloden Battlefield and also two of John's guests, who were just coming to the end of their tour, to get their take on Scotland.

    57 min

  4. EPISODE 2

    The Scottish Borders (E2) - An exquisite part of Scotland with so much to offer. Ruined Border Abbey, Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford House and the banditry of the Reivers....

    SCOTTISH BORDERS – PART 2 So many people who rush to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland miss the amazing beauty of the Lowlands, and the Borders area of Scotland in particular. This Podcast takes up where we left off in Part 1 and we start at the incredible Jedburgh abbey with a walk around the town to see the Old Castle jail before heading off to Mary Queen of Scott's house where you'll hear of her ill health after visiting her lover, Bothwell. Then we'll drive to another lovely ruin at Melrose and I'll let you know a little more about the lives of the monks who lived in these places to give you an insight into Monastic life. And what does Melrose Abbey have to do with the heart of our greatest king,  Robert the Bruce? We'll also look at the towns of Selkirk and Galashiels that have so much to offer and we will then head over to have a look at Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott the most celebrated Scottish author of his generation. Before we end, I'll tell you about the Border Reivers, renegades and outlaws, who controlled the Border area for hundreds of year. You will also hear from previous Guests, the Wood family, and an incredible chance meeting with a close relative they never knew existed. This will have quite an effect on you. You will also hear from another of my guests, the celebrated American author Mary Anne Edwards, who writes the Detective series 'Charlie McClung' and it was apt that we finished our tour at Abbotsford House where Mary Ann could study Sir Walter Scott, our own celebrated author. You can find her 'Charlie McClung' series of books on Amazon.

    48 min

  5. EPISODE 4

    Edinburgh City (E4) The Royal Mile - An incredible street one mile long from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace with incrdible buildings with more incredible histories.

    Let me take you on a tour down one of the most famous streets in Edinburgh, the Royal Mile, popping into all the Places that tourists tend not to go, the alleyways or Closes as we call them in Scotland. It gives a fascinating insight into medieval Edinburgh with murder, ghosts, crime and disease emanating from every crevice of the ancient stone walls that remain today. I'll touch upon the reason for Old Edinburgh being so tightly packed together and why it was so easy for disease to spread. Fortunately we still have one of the 16th Century buildings standing on the Royal Mile, Gledstanes land, beautifully restored by the National Trust for Scotland and wedged between two famous closes, James Court and Lady Stair's Close. We will hear from Will Evans, one of the managers at the property. You will hear about the more famous characters of Edinburgh such as Adam Smith, David Hume and Patrick Gedes as well as the infamous characters such as Deacon Brodie. With over 80 Closes to choose from, I will give you a flavour of life in a few of them from both a rich and a poor person's perspective. Old Edinburgh is a place where hundreds of witches were burned to death, only a stone's throw from one of the most prestigious restaurants in the city. We will be heading back, in some cases, to the 16th century, venturing into the darker recesses of Old Edinburgh where, I think, even angels might fear to tread. Come and join me on this journey into Edinburgh city's past and meet some of the characters that lived there in the 16th and 17th centuries.

    53 min

  6. EPISODE 5

    Scotland's NC500 (Part 5) - Durness to Corrishalloch Gorge

    Scotland's North Coast 500 was opened in 2015 and this 516 mile route has become a very popular travel destination. This, Part 5, of our tour will take us from Durness in North West Sutherland down through an extraordinary Geopark where geologists from all over the world come to visit. We will drive on to Laxford bridge and onto a 'destitution' road. We'll cross the incredible Kylesku bridge before heading to the Assynt and Coigach are. We will pass through the town of Scourie and hear about General Mackay and his part in the Jacobite uprising. At Kylesku bridge you will hear of the wonderful memorial to the midget submariners who trained in this area during the war. We will drive around the northern part of the Assynt and Coigach area taking in the amazing mountains of Quinag, Suilven and Canisp. The 'Cnoc and Lochan' landscape (mountain and small lochs) is breath-taking. From there we will visit the 16th Century Ardrek castle and Calda House that was mysteriously burned down 10 years after its construction. We will drive on to Ullapool, the gateway to the Outer Hebrides before dropping down to see two superb 19th century tropical gardens and then visit the Corrishalloch Gorge which is an outstanding natural 1 mile gorge with crashing waterfalls. Come and join me on another Unique Scotland adventure and see some super photos on my website at www.exclusivescottishvisit.co.uk

    49 min

  7. 14/08/2024

    The Scottish Borders (E1) - Don't let the peace and tranquility of this southern region of Scotland fool you. The Border lands were dangerous in medieval Scotland where only the fittest survived.

    In this Podcast, we are going to travel from Edinburgh down to the Borders passing through some medieval villages on route. We will be travelling on roads built by the Romans in the 1st and 2nd   centurie and we'll be looking at some scintillating castles and other fascinating buildings on our way. You will hear of true Thomas or Thomas the Rhymer whose prophesies were uncannily accurate and also of Maiden Lilliard, the warrior lady who had her legs chopped off during the battle of Ancrum and continued to fight against those who had killed her lover. We will also look into the ruined Border Abbeys at Dryburgh and Kelso and take a look at Roxburgh castle ruins where James 2nd of Scotland was killed by one of his own cannons. The ruins stand in the grounds of the fabulous Floors castle, home to the Duke of Roxburgh. And as dramatic historical events have ebbed and flowed, the gentle waters of the river Tweed, which gave its name to the famous Tweed fabric, continues to meander throughout the Border region although most of the woollen mills have now closed.  If you wish to contribute a small sum towards the creation of my Podcasts, please go to. https://buymeacoffee.com/uniquescotland

    37 min
See All Season 1 (7)

Trailer

About

John Harbour, from www.exclusivescottishvisits.co.uk, is your trusted, expert guide on the Unique Scotland podcast. These carefully crafted, impeccably researched programmes connect you with this small but beautiful land. You'll be introduced to the land itself, the people, and discover what makes them tick. John then takes you on virtual tours of every part of Scotland, from the Borders, to the Lowlands and then onto the Highlands and Islands. The craggy mountains as well as the beautiful white sandy beaches. Along the way, John covers the customs, traditions and culture, including the Clans - perhaps yours - and the part they played in the bloody Clan Wars. New episodes are regularly added so please 'Subscribe' and visit www.exclusivescottishvisits.co.uk to find out more.

Information

  • Creator
    John Harbour
  • Episodes
    49
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 Exclusive Scottish Visits
  • Show Website
    Unique Scotland

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