Rampant Scotland Directory! The Rampant Scotland Newsletter was published regularly for many years and built up a large following both via the Web version and by an email version sent direct to subscribers. It provided an insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing news, events and photographs plus a Scottish magazine section.
Unfortunately, I am no longer able to create this, but to help to fill the void, an irregular publication of "Scottie's Diary" is being produced on a range of subjects - see the index below.
If you would like to be advised when further pages are added here or major updates to the pages of Rampant Scotland, just send an email to scottie@rampantscotland.com with "Scottie's Diary" in the subject line.
2010
- Summerlee Heritage Park, Coatbridge rejoices in the title of "Scotland's noisiest nuseum" with working machinery demonstrating how steel and iron were produced as well as Scotland's only working tram way (at least until the new Edinburgh tram system gets up and running. The windows media slide show associated with this article includes video clips of the vintage tram car in operation.
- Almond Valley Heritage Centre is largely set up to educate and entertain the younger generation but that doesn't stop septuagenarians like me having a wander round the farm animals, birds and exhibits, including an Anderson shelter that brings back memories of war time. But I did give the "bouncy castle" shaped like a cow, complete with udders, a miss!
2009
- Edinburgh's Winter Wonderland The Capital benefits in all its public events by having the marvellous backdrop of Princes Street Gardens with the castle behind that. That comes into its own in winter when floodlighting and Christmas lights add to the magic. Then there's the 60 feet high illuminated Ferris Wheel and the ice rink and funfair to create that winter wonderland. I wandered around enjoying the sights and taking lots of photos, of course. While some added colour to the diary page, I inevitably had to create another video slide show as well.
- Glasgow Winterfest Scotland's largest city may not have the scenic advantages of Edinburgh but more than makes up for that with an extensive display of Christmas lights in George Square and surrounding streets. Once again, only a Windows Media Video Slide Show could do justice to all those attractive displays!
- Scott Monument, Edinburgh On a recent visit to Edinburgh I climbed to the top (all 287 steps) of the Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens and took a number of pictures from the viewing platforms. That prompted me to look again not just at the history of the monument and also at the life of Sir Walter, a man who not only wrote great novels and poetry but also focused attention on many of the aspects of Scottish culture and history that we take for granted today. Of course, the monument itself and the views from the top allowed me to create a great video slide show as well.
- Five Sisters Zoo - in West Calder, south of Edinburgh in West Lothian, with a wide variety of mammals, birds and reptiles from all over the world, including Fennec Foxes, Crocodiles, Porcupines, Bat Eared Foxes, Ring Tailed Lemurs, various varieties of Owls, Monkeys, Pigs, Goats, Ducks, Parrots and other birds as well as Meerkats, Prairie Dogs, Racoons, Wallabies, Otters and Guanacos.
- Culzean Castle and Country Park - often called the "jewel in the crown" of all the National Trust properties. When asked "What is your favourite place to visit in Scotland?" I invariably reply Culzean. In my view, Culzean isn't just the "jewel in the crown" of the National Trust for Scotland, it is the crowning glory of the heritage organisation and rightly the most visited property in the trust's portfolio. This illustrated feature on the attraction also contains no less than six video slide shows with lots more illustrations.
- Drummond Castle Gardens, Perthshire - an illustrated feature page on why this is one of my favourite places to visit the castle with its Italian Renaissance style garden and its equally superb "kitchen garden". The page includes a Windows Media Presentation to display even more photos of the castle, gardens, flora and wild life.
- 2009 - A Painted Lady Year - Every early summer, Painted Lady butterflies leave North Africa and fly across Europe. Depending on weather and food supplies in North Africa, numbers vary each year. In a few years, clouds of them arrive along the south coast of England and reach as far as Scotland - creating a special "Painted Lady Year". 2009 has been one of those years, and I was able to photograph many hundreds of these lovely insects in Cambo Estate in north Fife last weekend. So I've created a page with lots of illustrations - including a Windows Media Presentation and a short video clip.
- The Gathering 2009 - the gathering of over 125 clans in Edinburgh on 25 July, in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh. The event included Highland games, a parade of the clans up the Royal Mile and a 'pageant' on Edinburgh castle esplanade.
- Heart of Scotland Air Show - an illustrated account of attending the first such air show at the airfield at Scone, near Perth. In addition to the illustrated narrative, there is a "Photo Library" of 60 graphics of aircraft in the flying display and in the static park.
- 21 Century Road to the Isles - come on a virtual tour of some of Scotland's more accessible islands linked by air to Glasgow and other Scottish cities - an illustratd description some of the history and attractions of Benbecula, Barra, Islay, Tiree, Kirkwall in Orkney, Lewis and serving Shetland.
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
