Edinburgh's Coast - EAST LOTHIAN Episode 2
Unique Scotland
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 second Episode, we will start where we left off in the previous Episode having just left the village of Direlton with a view of the small hill, Berwick Law, up ahead on the right hand side. We will drive down to North Berwick and look at the fabulous Sea Bird...
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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....
Unique Scotland
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...
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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.
Unique Scotland
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...
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Edinburgh's Coast - EAST LOTHIAN Episode 1
Unique Scotland
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...
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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.
Unique Scotland
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...
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LETTER FROM SCOTLAND - May 24 - News, views and gossip from all over Scotland. Donald Trump's office replies to my call for lifting ban on Haggis importation to America
Unique Scotland
Political Scandals in the Scottish Government, attempted fraud and an escaped Macaque monkey in the Highlands makes up todays letter from Scotland in this May edition. But it is not all monkey business, there are serious issues and you will hear of Donald Trump’s office replying to Exclusive Scottish Visits’ suggestion to ease the importation of Haggis to America. Unique Scotland still awaits a response from President Biden. You will hear about the tiny Scottish island that ordered more easter eggs than the whole population and is it possible that Dunvegan castle that has stood on...
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Edinburgh City (E3) The Castle - An Iconic symbol of Edinburgh, Scotland's capital city, with sieges, ghosts and host to the Scottish Crown Jewels
Unique Scotland
EDINBURGH CASTLE EDINBURGH CASTLE is an almost impregnable fortress perched upon an extinct volcano, right in the middle of Scotland’s Capital city, Edinburgh. This podcast is the third in a four part series where I’ve already covered the Old and the New Towns and, in this Podcast, I will be taking you on a tour with me to the top of Edinburgh Castle, an incredible fortification that has been subject to 23 sieges in its 1000 year history, the most besieged castle in Europe. I'm also pleased to be joined by Lieutenant Colonel David Jack, the Royal Scots Regimental Secretary who will explain...
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Edinburgh City (E2) The New Town - Ghosts, Witches and skeleton are some of the strange finds when visiting the New Town
Unique Scotland
This Podcast is the 2nd in a 4 Part series on Edinburgh city. Ghosts, witches and skeletons all revealed while building Edinburgh’s New Town would have been the Newspaper Headlines in 1780. And it is strange that the people of Edinburgh still use the name, ‘the New Town’ when it was built so long ago! This is a story which follows on from my previous Podcast on the Old Town which had become overcrowded, filthy and disease ridden and something had to give. Effectively, the rich moved out and many would have left Scotland altogether had it not been for the foresight of the City Fathers who...
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Edinburgh City (E1) - The Old Town - Would you give your house keys to a liar and a thief? Many of the rich in Edinburgh's Old Town did just that!
Unique Scotland
This Podcast is the first in a 4 Part series on Edinburgh City, the Capital of Scotland. It will look at Edinburgh from its early beginnings right up to today with stories of gentlemen by day and thieves by night. It will highlight some of the most prominent buildings on the Royal Mile and, when talking about St Giles Cathedral, you will hear a desperate story of some of the inhabitants who were buried in the old Graveyard. Who was Deacon Brodie and why was Robert Louis Stevenson so intrigued by this man. Who was Rizzio, secretary to Mary Queen of Scots and who was Clarinda whose...
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LETTER FROM SCOTLAND - Feb 24 - News, views and gossip from all over Scotland. A funny and slightly controversial commentary
Unique Scotland
LETTER FROM SCOTLAND is a light-hearted look at what makes the news in Scotland. It is an insight as to what makes this 'wee' country with a big heart tick. Some of the news is political commentary and other news is local gossip without taking it all too seriously. In today's LETTER FROM SCOTLAND, you will discover how Scotland's national dish, the Haggis, could impact the forthcoming US Presidential elections. And what has TONG, a tiny Hebridean island, got to do with the ex-President Trump? Political chat is about the Covid enquiry and also reports on a slight disagreement (spat)...
info_outlineDiscover 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.