Scotland Thread

[sayjann]

The start of the grouse shooting season, often referred to as The Glorious Twelfth, has been put back a day because it has fallen on a Sunday.

 

Shooting parties will have to wait until 13 August this year before heading onto Scotland's grouse moors, due to a Scottish custom.

 

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is an offence to shoot grouse on a Sunday.

 

In Scotland there are no statutory restrictions.

 

i admit i found this story strange when i first saw it...

if no statutory restrictions about a Sunday then why postpone the event for a day?.

[Flashermac]

Nobody was sober.

[The_Munchmaster]

....i admit i found this story strange when i first saw it..if no statutory restrictions about a Sunday then why postpone the event for a day?.

 

I believe it's do with religious tradition, i.e., Sunday, or the Sabbath was observed many moons ago in Scotland as the Lords day (it still is in the Outer Hebridies - try getting a drink there on a Sunday) and it was reserved for going to church, praying, etc and working, playing, etc., were not allowed. You might be surprised to hear that this is how I was brought up, i.e., no TV, no playing, no shopping, etc., on a Sunday, only church, sunday school and prayers and of course food!

[Mekong]

Come on Munchie even us Sassanack's also observe the Sabbath, it is still unlawful to kill a Scotsman armed with a bow and arrow in york on a sunday, monday-saturday is hunting season mind you.

[The_Munchmaster]

53 out of 107.

 

Whisky distilleries that I've visited that is.

 

AFAIK there are 107 working whisky distilleries in Scotland and I visited my 53rd (Glenkinchie) today.

 

75 out of 105 now.

 

I've revised the number of working distilleries down to 105 as 2 of previous total are actually closed.

 

Alt-a-Bhainne, Mortlach and Kininvie are the latest I visited today.

 

Note to self: Need to spend more time drinking the product.

[The_Munchmaster]

75 out of 105 now.

 

78 out of 98 now. Visited Speyside on Thursday and Royal Lochnagar and Fettercairn on Friday. Reduced the number of working distilleries to 98 as 7 of the previous total were grain distilleries and I'm only interested in malt whisky distilleries. So only 20 left, but they're spread all over the place so may take quite a few years to visit them all.

[The_Munchmaster]

539 year old house!

 

Edinburgh's Moubray House to be gifted to Historic Scotland

 

One of Edinburgh's oldest houses is to be gifted to Historic Scotland by its American owner under a unique agreement.

 

Moubray House was built in 1477

 

Moubray House on the Royal Mile will be handed over within the next 10 years so it can be opened up to the public.

 

Its most famous former resident is Robinson Crusoe author Daniel Defoe.

 

The A-listed tenement, which was built by Robert Moubray in 1477 and stands next to John Knox House, will be run as a new visitor facility.

 

It was bought by American Debra Stonecipher five years ago, after she fell in love with it while retracing her Scottish roots with her grandmother.

 

She has spent the last two years completing renovations, which have restored many original features.

 

The building reflects the fashions of interior design, from its Scottish Renaissance board-and-beam painted ceiling to its later plaster ceiling moulded with exotic fruits and flowers.

 

The property is now estimated to be worth £1.5m.

 

'Privilege and joy'

 

Ms Stonecipher said: "It has been a privilege and joy to be able to live in, and to restore, a house that captures over 500 years of Edinburgh's history and culture here on the Royal Mile.

 

"I am thrilled to have come home to my Scottish roots, and now to give, in my grandmother's name, this very special and cherished house back to the people of Scotland for all time."

 

Elizabeth McCrone, from Historic Scotland, said Moubray would be "a fantastic addition" to the agency's estate.

 

"This house provides us with a snapshot of how properties in Edinburgh's Old Town were built and evolved over the centuries," she said.

 

"The agency looks forward to welcoming the house into the estate and offering a new visitor experience in the city."

[The_Munchmaster]

I suppose this should really be in the Sports forum but he is Scottish.

 

Anyway, well done Andy, way to go. Let's hope this is the first of many.

 

Andy Murray beats Novak Djokovic to win US Open

 

Andy Murray ended Britain's 76-year wait for a male Grand Slam singles champion with an epic victory over Novak Djokovic in the US Open final.

 

 

Murray, 25, emulated Fred Perry's 1936 achievement, winning 7-6 (12-10) 7-5 2-6 3-6 6-2 in four hours 54 minutes in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

 

Murray also reached the Wimbledon final and won Olympic gold this summer.

 

"When I realised I had won, I was a little bit shocked, I was very relieved and I was very emotional," said Murray.

 

Despite his other successes, this result will arguably have a greater impact on his career and the future of tennis in the United Kingdom.

 

Murray - the new world number three - lost his first four Grand Slam finals to share an Open-era record with coach Ivan Lendl, but like the Czech he has triumphed at the fifth time of asking.

 

And while it is a dream of Murray's to win Wimbledon, the British number one has long been tipped to make his breakthrough at Flushing Meadows in the final major of the year.

 

He was the boys' singles champion there in 2004, hard courts are his favourite surface and he enjoys the atmosphere in New York.

 

Murray is unlikely to ever forget the atmosphere inside the world's biggest tennis arena as he celebrated his success, which arrived in his 28th appearance at a Grand Slam tournament.

[sayjann]

i watched the bloody thing last night and i got really pissed off.

started around 9pm in the UK and Murray raced into a 2 set lead but then lost the next 2 and the match finally ended in Murray's victory after almost 5 hours.

i was as exhausted as both players but what a great match.

 

but something for Mr.Munchmaster about Scotland.

a friend of mine is planning to drive with her family the length of the UK and has asked people for the best places to drive.

i love Scotland as a place to visit and i suggested the drive along the Glencoe valley.

sorry can't remember the names of the places at either end but i drove it in drizzling rain/mist and with the hills on either side made it a fantastic drive.

took an American friend of mine who has Scottish blood on the same road and he was just speechless on the drive.

[The_Munchmaster]

Murray vows to drive the English out of Scotland

 

TENNIS champion Andy Murray is using his fame to unite Scotland against the English, it has emerged.

 

The 25-year-old Scot is the first British person to win a Grand Slam title in 76 years, making him a huge celebrity in his home country where he is known as ‘Braveracket’.

 

Murray said: “This victory is sweet, but it is nothing compared to the taste of freedom.

 

“What you have seen here today is just a small example of what a Scot can achieve if he is bold, carries a metal implement and has vengeance in his heart.

 

“There is one true monarch of Scotland – the rightful king Sean Connery. With the English fled or dismembered and Sean on the throne, we may set about building a strong, free, golf and tennis-based country.â€

 

Murray’s victory was greeted with cries of ‘Freedom!’ from his legions of face-painted Scottish followers – mostly wild-haired men and women clutching emaciated babes – thousands of whom had gathered outside the Arthur Ashe stadium but were refused admission on grounds of having lice.

 

Andy Murray is a direct descendant of the outlaw tennis player William Murray, who in 1291 offered to beat any English man in straight sets. But although unassailable on the court, William Murray perished when troops set fire to his bothy.

 

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace said: “This is a great day for British sport. However treason cannot be tolerated, and will be repaid with death.

 

“Murray can pledge loyalty to the Queen and live out his days as a wealthy Lord with rich lands and many sons, or we’ll have his head on a stick.â€