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The Rampant Scotland Newsletter - your weekly insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing you news, events plus a Scottish magazine section. Printed with 100% recycled electrons.Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in the Archive> and the Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here>.
The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that format there is now a regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site and also "Scottie's Diary" on an intermittent basis, To receive this, kust send an e-mail to Scottie with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
Current Affairs
Historical Affairs - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
Entertainment
Scots Abroad
Sport
Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
Scotland Battered by 85 mph Winds
Gales with gusts of 85mph accompanied by torrential rain swept across Scotland on Tuesday evening and through the night, causing widespread damage to buildings and trees and disrupting transport the following day. Major bridges were closed, numerous roads were blocked by fallen trees, roofs were damaged and some schools forced to close as the 12-hour storm affected the country, particularly in the central belt. At the peak of the storm, 22,000 homes were without electricity. The Forth Road Bridge is sometimes closed to high-sided vehicles when there are strong winds but on this occasion the crossing was closed to all traffic at 9.30am on Wednesday morning because the winds had damaged an overhead gantry. That led to five-mile tail-backs on both sides of the Kincardine Bridge, further up the river - showing what could happen if the Forth Road Bridge has to be closed in the future due to corrosion in its support cables. The Forth Road Bridge remained closed for over 8 hours. The last time the bridge closed to all traffic was Hogmanay 2006/07. The Erskine Bridge on the lower reaches of the river Clyde and the Tay Bridge at Dundee were also shut, while the Friarton Bridge further up the Tay at Perth was closed to high-side vehicles for a time. The high winds blew the roof off the derelict Great Eastern Hotel in Glasgow's Duke Street - hopefully hastening a decision on its future. Further north, the rain fell as snow in the Highlands, causing the closure of some roads due to drifting. The funicular railway at Cairn Gorm had to be closed as winds in a narrow mouth to a tunnel were recorded at 140 mph.
Blueprint for Scotland
The Scottish Government's finance secretary John Swinney outlined this week the major capital development projects which it proposes should take place in Scotland over the next 20 years. Infrastructure schemes include the new Forth Road Bridge (see illustration) and expansion of the airports at Edinburgh and Glasgow. The national electricity grid will be upgraded to bring renewable energy generated in the north of the country to the population centres further south. Many of the projects in the "consultation document" are already firm commitments, but the finer detail needs to be discussed. The document also identifies the Rosyth International Container Terminal and the Scapa Flow Container Transhipment Facility as developments of national interest. Other transport commitments such as the upgrading of the A9 road from Perth to Inverness will be taken forward under other powers in conjunction with local councils.
Sports Agency on the Move
Sportscotland, the country's national sports agency, has been under threat of being abolished by the Scottish Government in recent months. But after a major amount of lobbying by various interested parties, the sports minister announced this week that it was to continue. However, it will merge with the Scottish Institute of Sport as part of a "radical overhaul" of how sport is delivered. Sportscotland will move from its present HQ in Edinburgh to the new indoor arena in the east end of Glasgow. The City Council there had pressed hard for this further devolution of government agencies from the Capital. The sports minister said that the move would have a "crucial role" in supporting the country's aspirations for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow in 2014. The relocation process will begin as soon as possible after months of uncertainty. There will also be a network of "de-centralised delivery hubs" which will provide expertise and advice to local authorities and Scottish governing bodies of sport. The former Scottish Institute of Sport will continue to be given the lead role in delivering high performance sport and will remain in Stirling.
City Streets Closed for Five Months
The work to realign utility services in anticipation of Edinburgh's new tramway system really gets under way next month. Drivers are being warned of road closures starting then which will last for five months. All traffic leaving the west end of Princes Street will be forced to turn left up Lothian Road and on to the West Approach Road and traffic heading towards the city centre from the west will be directed along minor roads. Princes Street itself will be reduced to one lane in each direction and later road works will result in its complete closure for a spell. Other roads in the city centre are also affected. Some of the work being undertaken will remove barriers and traffic islands put in place in 2005 as part of a disastrous "traffic management" scheme in the Capital.
Discounted Highland Air Fares
A trial scheme, introduced by the Scottish Executive in May 2006, gave residents of Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Islay, Jura, Caithness and north-west Sutherland a 40% discount on the price of core air fares. Nine out of ten eligible residents in those areas signed up for the scheme, which was due to end in March. However, the current administration has begun the formal moves to obtain approval for the arrangements to be continued for another three years. The air discount scheme (ADS) exists to reduce the cost of lifeline links to remote and rural areas. Since being introduced, the frequency and capacity of the services has been boosted.
Hydro Tunnel Breaks Through
15 months ago, a 220-metre (720 feet) long boring machine - dubbed Eliza Jane - began to cut through the rock above Loch Ness to create a tunnel as part of a £140 million hydro-electric scheme. This week the engineers were celebrating as the machine broke through at the other end of the five mile long tunnel at Glendoe, near Fort William. When complete, the system will generate up to 100 megawatts of electricity. A new dam is being built at the head of Glen Tarff on the western edge of the Monadhliath Mountains, east of Fort Augustus. A system of tunnels will take the water to a generating station buried in the rock 2,000 feet below. It is the first large-scale hydro-electric project in Scotland since 1957.
Scotland's £950 Million Winners
The National Lottery began 13 years ago and since then it has created 204 millionaires in Scotland. In total, Scots have won £950 million in prize money. Of course, Scots tend to buy more lottery tickets per head than in many other parts of the country. The odds are against winning a big prize or even one of the smaller consolation prizes however - only one in 9,423 of those buying a ticket will win any prize at all. Glasgow postal region ranks third amongst UK towns and cities for the biggest payout, totalling £261 million. Newcastle and Birmingham in England had marginally larger wins.
Car Sales Exceed £2 Billion
Despite concerns about financial credit squeezes and soaring fuel costs, Scottish motorists splashed out more than £2 billion on new cars last year - an increase of over 3% over the previous year. 200,803 new cars were driven off garage forecourts in 2007, up from 194,866 in 2006. Half of all the cars were sold in Glasgow and Strathclyde. December sales of new cars were up by 4.95%. The top-selling car was the compact Vauxhall Corsa, with 11,527 sales. That helped Vauxhall win the contest to be the best selling manufacturer, with 14.9% of the market.
Picture of Vauxhall Corsa via Wikipedia.
Six Week Wait for Passports
Travellers have been warned that they could face a six-week wait for a new biometric passport which incorporate a chip storing physical details of the holder's face. Those applying for a passport for the first time will require to attend one of 69 offices for an interview and there will be enhanced background checks. Anyone planning to leave Britain - and who needs a new or renewed passport - is being encouraged to leave plenty time when applying for it.
"Best Skiing for Years"
The country may have been battered by high winds and temperatures may have been below average for some time, but Scotland's five ski centres have been enjoying what they describe as the "best skiing in years". Fresh snow this week has improved runs so that most have a full cover of snow. The cold weather and snow will help the under-pressure finances of the ski resorts, which have suffered in recent years from mild winters and a lack of snow.
Wi-fi for Underground System
All fifteen of the stations on the circular underground train system around Glasgow are being fitted with mobile phone and wi-fi equipment to allow passengers to connect their phones and mobile on-line computers to 2G and 3G networks while waiting for their trains.
Awards for Castle Restaurants
Having been to the catering facilities at both Blair Castle in Perthshire and Glamis Castle in Angus on a number of occasions, it was no surprise to me to see that they had been received the recognition of the EatScotland food quality assurance scheme. It assesses the presentation, quality and service of food in every kind of eating establishment in Scotland and warrants those that meet the correct standards with the EatScotland logo of approval. The Tullibardine Restaurant at Blair Castle was described as modern, contemporary yet welcoming, and highly praised for its standard of locally sourced food and well trained and attentive staff. The Victorian Kitchen at Glamis Castle, famed for its traditional Scottish delicacies was particularly commended for its high merit food, use of good quality local produce, dutiful staff and altogether pleasurable experience. These establishments don't provide gourmet food, but good wholesome food, often home made or supplied by the smaller local suppliers. They are both managed by catering company Prestige Scotland a dedicated Scottish catering with its Head Office based in Edinburgh.
Christmas Tree Caber for New York
A charity in Glasgow has come up with a novel use for the Christmas tree which has stood in the city's George Square over the festive season. The charity, which helps the disadvantaged into work by learning woodworking skills, is going to take the 60 foot high tree and turn it into a caber for Highland Games which will measure nearly 25 feet - which will be the longest in the world. It will then be presented to New York State for use in Highland Games there. The original idea had been to donate it to New York City - but they don't hold such events! The tree was actually blown down in the storm that hit Scotland on Tuesday night, but hopefully that will not upset the plan.
New Golf Course Taking Shape
These days, farmers are often encouraged to "diversify" in order to increase their income and become less dependent on subsidies from European farm support schemes. Kingsfield Farm near Linlithgow, just off the motorway and only ten miles from Edinburgh's airport, has been in the same family for five generations. It has already diversified by creating the Kingsfield Golf Driving Range and now work is well under way to build a new nine-hole golf course - ideal for those who have limited time and don't want to commit to a full 18-hole course. The aim is to offer accessible, family-friendly golf for all ages on a pay-as-you-play basis. Not quite the same scale as Donald Trump's plans for the Aberdeenshire coast - but a lot less controversial and so the project got planning permission with ease. Almost half a million tonnes of earth have been moved since construction began on the 76 acre site back in August 2007 and the contours of the course are taking shape and seeding and tree/shrub planting will begin in the spring. It is hoped that the new course will open in August this year. There is also a state-of-the-art short-game practice area and putting areas. After that, there are plans for a three-hole beginner course to attract more of the younger players.
Scotland's Weather in December
The Meteorological Office has published their overall figures for the weather experienced in Scotland during December and it shows that mean temperatures were 0.4C degrees above the 1961-1990 average and rainfall was close to average. Sunshine ranged from close to average in the south to exceptionally above average over northern Scotland. Overall, the figures showed a total of 42.2 hours of sunshine, which is 142% of the 1961-1990 average and the 2nd sunniest December in the series. The sunniest December was in 2001, which recorded 43.7 hours.
Weather in Scotland This Week
Elsewhere in this newsletter are reports on the gales swept across the country on Tuesday evening and night. Earlier in the week, maximum temperatures had ranged between 6 and 8C (43/46F) with an ever-changing mix of sun, cloud, showers and heavier spells of rain. After the gales and heavy rain of Tuesday and Wednesday, the rain continued in many places on Thursday, with temperatures edging down to a daily maximum of 3/5C (37/41F). Clearer skies on Friday meant a good amount of wintry sun but temperatures plunged overnight and struggled to recover on Saturday. Edinburgh did have some sunshine but a maximum temperature of just 2C (36F) while Glasgow was shrouded in mist and struggled to reach above freezing point.
The picture shows the Forth Road Bridge during a break in the rain on Thursday.
This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna include the sun setting below the horizon - in a blaze of gloriously coloured skies (see thumbnail); a dead tree trunk covered in fungi; a rainbow with a backdrop of the Campsie Hills, north of Glasgow; storm damage caused by the hurricane-force winds on Tuesday night; a Bluetit on the branches of a hawthorn tree.
See This Week's Colour Supplement.
Secrets of Whithorn Priory Uncovered
New research techniques have allowed Historic Scotland to identify six individual bishops who died at Whithorn Priory in Galloway, south-west Scotland between 1200 and 1360 and reveal details of their daily lives. The bones of the bishops were uncovered during excavations at the site between 1957 and 1967. Radiocarbon dating carried out in recent years has helped to identify four of them and DNA analysis has shown that they all probably came from southern Scotland or neighbouring Cumbria. At that time Whithorn was part of the archdiocese of York in England. Dietary evidence shows the bishops enjoyed high quality meat and fish - including large sea fish such as cod. The excavations 50 years ago turned up a gilded and enamelled crozier head that dates from about 1175, brocade threads from vestments, gilded sequins from a head-dress, silver altar vessels, a chalice, a wooden crozier, a platter and a pontifical ring. The finds made during the excavation are all in the collections of National Museums Scotland.
Picture of Whithorn via Wikipedia.
Council Takes Over Historic Mausoleum
The Hamilton Mausoleum near Strathclyde Park in South Lanarkshire was begun in 1842 by the 10th Duke of Hamilton as a burial place for his family. It is a prominent landmark in the area and a popular tourist attraction - guarded by two lions, one sleeping, one awake. Now, after a major restoration involving re-roofing the building and restoration of the stonework, the local council has agreed a 99-year lease on the building to ensure that it can carry out maintenance work on the building in the future. The mausoleum sits in the Dalzell Estate in Hamilton, which is already owned by the council. In addition, Historic Scotland has agreed to give a grant of almost £90,000 for work on buildings in the wider estate.
Next Week in Scottish History
Highland 2007 Ends With a Bang
A huge firework display, launched from the Kessock Bridge (seen here) near Inverness, will mark the end of "Highland 2007", a year-long celebration of the arts, heritage and life in the north of Scotland. The £300,000 "Highland Lights" display, by the French company responsible for the fireworks at the Olympics and the World Cup, has led to some controversy - not an infrequent occurrence over the life of the year-long event. The organisation contributed £5 million to the redevelopment of Eden Court Theatre in Inverness - and then saw the costs spiral to £21 million, which the chair of Highland Council's arts and culture committee branded as a waste of money. He was forced to resign. £3.75 million was put towards the cost of the new Culloden Battlefield Centre. The opening date for that, scheduled for early in 2007 slipped to almost the end. On the other hand, hundreds of communities throughout the Highlands have benefited, either through the staging of local events or improvements to village halls and other facilities. That will be a physical legacy that wouldn't have happened without the impetus of the year of culture. It is also claimed that it has produced a sense of pride that the area can host international events.
Further Finance for Lead Mining Museum
The Museum of Scottish Lead Mining, at Wanlockhead in South Lanarkshire, is off the main tourist routes and has sometimes struggled to remain viable, with little financial help from central funding. It was recently rescued from threatened closure by a £37,000 government rescue package and has now been awarded a further £40,000 to develop the miners' library. Such institutions were important aids in providing education for miners and their families and often made the difference which allowed some to go on to further education and avoid having to follow in their father's footsteps down the mines.
Top Scottish Chefs Take the Helm
Michelin-starred Martin Wishart has been invited to take part in a celebration of Scottish food and drink during 21-27 January 2008 in Singapore (pictured here). He will be working with two other Scottish award winning chefs - Raymond Capaldi of Fenix, Melbourne and Joseph Martin, Pan Pacific Singapore. The event, entitled Bravehearts’ Cuisine, will be held at the Pan Pacific hotel and the chefs have created several special menus which will be available to diners at the Pan Pacific’s global kitchen restaurant. They will also hold gourmet cookery master classes and cook at the high profile Braveheart’s Charity Cuisine ball in association with "Glasgow: Scotland with style" on 25 January (the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns). The event has been scheduled to coincide with the arrival in port of the Glasgow: Scotland with style yacht, which is participating in the Clipper 07-08 Round The World Yacht Race - and is currently the overall race leader.
Scottish Culture Around the World
The main focus of the Scottish Snippets is news items, usually about Scotland. But the "Scots Abroad" section, invites folk to write in about Scottish-related events in their part of the world. It allows publicity for them and an appreciation by others of just how much Scottish culture is perpetuated in every corner of the globe.
Burns Supper in Buenos Aires
The Highland Heritage Society of Buenos Aires & Scotland in Argentina is arranging for Scots and their friends to gather to remember the life and works of Scotland's National Bard in a celebration that promises Scottish Country Dancing, singing (Auld Lang Syne), reciting (The Selkirk Grace, the Address to the Haggis, Scotch Drink) and toasts to the immortal memory of Robert Burns and "to the lassies." Home-made haggis and a delicious Atholl Brose will be served. The Venue is the Club del Progreso Sarmiento 1334 Buenos Aires and the date is January 26, 2008 at 9pm. For more information, see Highland Heritage Society of Buenos Aires & Scotland.
Vancouver, British Columbia Burns' Events
There's not one, but at least six Burns events this year in and around Vancouver to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Scottish bard. The Vancouver Scottish Dance Society Burns Dinner is being held on 19 January at the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street. On the same day, Greighlan Crossing & the White Spot Pipe Bands Burns Dinner is being hosted at North Delta Recreation Centre, 11415 - 84th Avenue, Delta. Simon Fraser University Pipe Band Burns Dinner is a grand affair at Executive Plaza Hotel, Coquitlam, B.C. on Friday, January 25th. Clan MacLeod Society Burns Luncheon is at Richmond Curling Club on Sunday, January 20th. Vancouver Police Pipe Band Burns Dinner is at Engineers Hall, 4333 Ledger Avenue, Burnaby, B.C. on Saturday, February 2nd, 2008. Finally, on Saturday, February 9th is Maple Ridge Pipe Band's 41st Burns Dinner at the Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street.
Burns Celebration Event in Toronto, Ontario
The Halton/ Peel Burns Club and the Robert Burns Society of Doon are jointly sponsoring a different kind of celebration of the Bard’s birthday and it is NOT another Burns Supper! It is being held on Sunday 27th. January at The Royal Botanical Gardens, on Plains Rd. West, Burlington, Ontario, with doors open at 2:00 pm. Live music will greet everyone in the enclosed Arboretum Atrium outside the Ballroom, where the main event will take place. At 2:30 pm the formal entertainment will commence in the Ballroom, with artists and musicians playing, singing, reciting and dramatising the works and music of Robert Burns. When the formal programme finishes around 5:00pm, everyone will retire to the Atrium and the musical entertainment will continue. When the tables are set, the piper will lead guests back into the ballroom. The haggis ceremony will follow and dinner in the Scottish style will be served- with no distracting speeches! And haggis is optional!
Scottish Cup - 4th Round - 12 January 2008
Celtic 3 Stirling Albion 0
Falkirk 2 Aberdeen 2
Hamilton 0 Brechin City 0
Heart of Midlothian 2 Motherwell 2
Hibernian 3 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0
Greenock Morton 2 Gretna 2
Queen of the South 4 Linlithgow 0
St Mirren 3 Dumbarton 0
Rangers v East Stirling is scheduled for Sunday.Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 12 January 2008
Alloa 2 Berwick Rangers 1
Irn-Bru Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 12 January 2008
Montrose 0 East Fife 1
Forfar v Arbroath and Elgin and Albion Rovers were postponed due to frozen pitch.Weather Affects Weekend Football
The clear skies and temperatures below freezing led to the cancellation of a number of football matches, including seven fourth-round Scottish Cup ties and two league matches. Under soil heating is only mandatory in the Scottish Premier League and the cup matches involved a number of lower league grounds. The matches have been rescheduled for either Tuesday 15 January or 22 January. Matches affected were:
Airdrie United v Kilmarnock
Clyde v Dundee United
Cove Rangers v Ross County
Huntly v Dundee
Livingston v Cowdenbeath
Partick Thistle v Dunfermline
St Johnstone v Raith RoversLeague Tables
Due to the Scottish Cup games on Saturday, there have been few league matches and league positions are little changed from last Saturday.
Expansion Plan for Ibrox
Rangers Football Club revealed this week their latest plans to expand and upgrade their Ibrox Stadium and the surrounding area. The club had been given planning permission for adding a major casino and hotel complex but that plan fell through when it was decided that the super casino project would go to Manchester instead. Now Rangers are looking at a number of strategies to enhance the present facilities. One plan includes the total rebuilding of Ibrox Stadium (while retaining the present red brick facade), which would increase the present 50,411 seats to a 70,000 capacity arena. That would make it the largest in Scotland - currently Celtic's stadium at Parkhead holds that title. The options also include a hotel, retail outlets and housing. During any rebuild, the club would play its home matches at Hampden.
Motherwell's Tribute to Phil O'Donnell
When Motherwell's popular captain Phil O'Donnell collapsed and died during the match on 29 December, it sent shock-waves through Scottish football. Clubs paid their respects at the start of matches in the following days, and some matches were postponed. Now Motherwell Football Club itself, after consultation with O'Donnell's family, has announced that their main stand will be renamed after the captain for the start of next season. The club's owner, John Boyle, said the club were keen to recognise the outstanding contribution O'Donnell had made to the Fir Park club. In the fourth-round Scottish Cup tie against Hearts on Saturday, the Motherwell players wore strips with O'Donnell's autograph embroidered on the front.
New Marathon Sponsor
The Edinburgh Marathon has struggled in recent years to cope with the soaring costs of the traffic management required to stage the £500,000 event. Now Scottish root vegetable and packing company Albert Bartlett has come forward with a sponsorship deal which should help the marathon to run. The company's reputation for providing high quality, naturally-grown produce for a healthier lifestyle makes them an ideal sponsor for such a great sporting charity event - which will now be known as the Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon. Already, over 7,000 participants have entered for this year's race on 25 May.
New Manager for Hibernian
Hibs have been looking for a new manager since last month after John Collins resigned, claiming frustration at the lack of funds for new players. Now the club has appointed Mixu Paatelainen from Finland as their new manager. He is no stranger to the club, as he was a successful striker for them from 1998-2001 and 2002-2003. Paatelainen has won 70 international caps for Finland and was manager of a Finnish club before being approached by the Hibernian board.