Scotland.

---

Arriving in Scotland in summer was a bit of a shock to the system. After 9 months of tropical weather in Sri Lanka, and a week of heat wave in London, we were greeted by a temperature of 15 degrees at best. The hardy locals were dressed in shorts and t-shirts as “its summer, so why not?” We were not so convinced and managed to bundle up in polar fleeces, ski jackets, thermals, beanies, etc, etc.

Our tour of Scotland started in Edinburgh and ended in Glasgow and covered tourist attractions and family history sites (both our families have Scottish ancestry). We traveled with Murray’s parents and investigated the places where our ancestors lived, worked, and were eventually buried.

As every good tourist should, we looked around Edinburgh Castle, they were setting up for the tattoo in August. Murray and I also shopped till we dropped down the Royal Mile. Then we started on the family history side of things. Murray’s father’s family are from this region, in particular Penicuik, which is just out of Edinburgh. We visited some old family houses, a distant relative and the Mauricewood Pit disaster memorial site.

After a couple of days in Edinburgh we traveled to Inverness. On the way we stopped in at Alva, where Murray’s mother’s family are from and looked at a few sights and found some family graves from the 1700s.

Next we headed up through Crieff to Weem. This is where the Menzies Castle is. One of my middle names is Menzies, as well as my father’s and grandfather’s middle name. Originally it was my great grandmother’s maiden name. So needless to say, I went to claim land rights and see if I could live in the castle. We were welcomed, but still had to pay the entrance fee, much to Murray’s displeasure “But we’re family?!” Unfortunately, for the life of me, I couldn’t remember my great grandmother’s first name, but managed to get a text back from Mum and Dad at 2.30am NZ time explaining that the property taxes would be quite high and maybe I should reconsider, thanks guys!!

After Inverness we headed down to spot the Loch Ness Monster, and then to Fort William to climb Ben Nevis. We started early up Ben Nevis, and managed to get to the summit in 3 hours at a leisurely pace (the locals informed us it would take twice the time). At the top we found a rock carried all the way from Everest after Edmond Hillary’s 1953 expedition. We decided that as kiwis we must have some Sir Edmond Hillary genes to climb soo much faster than the other tourists.

After Fort William we passed through Balachulish - where Murray’s family used to own slate mines, Appin - the home of Alan Breck Stewart (one of Murray’s famous ancestors who features in the Robert Louis Stevenson book ‘Kidnapped’), and stopped off at Glencoe - the site of the infamous massacre of the Macdonalds by the Campbells.

Once we arrived in Glasgow we attempted to find some more of Miriam’s family history sites. We found the entrance to Moore Street where my Mums family are from… unfortunately the whole entire block had been demolished. We managed to find Green Street where more of Mums relatives are from, but the numbering had changed, so no luck there either. My fathers great Aunties worked at a shop in London Street, we found the place, and it still exists, and is now a motor mechanics shop 😊

We both loved Scotland and it made us feel very Scottish! Although we were very glad our ancestors had the sense to move to the warmer climates in New Zealand 😊

---

Photos

Penicuik.
This house is where Murray’s grandfather lived before immigrating to NZ when he was 10 years old.

Hawthorn Bank.
Home of Murray’s great-great grandparents (Burts).

9 Melvile Terrace.
Where Murray’s other great-great grandparents lived (David Breck & Jane Graham).

Edinburgh Castle.
Set up ready for the tattoo in August. Note I am wearing Murray’s family tartan not mine, it was that cold!!

Arthurs Seat was climbed.
Man it was windy.

Castle Menzies.
Prounced in a way that I hope I will never hear again, Mengers :-(

At the summit of Ben Nevis.
Note the view . . . ?

On the way down Ben Nevis.
We didn’t see the lake on the way up.

Balachulish.
The slate mines, that Murray’s family owned.

Some Scottish country side.
Note the right tartan scarf this time :)

Comments

[Joanne wood]

Wow, you look very settled in the Highlands!
Hi Guys, the photos are fantastic , you both looking great, and obviously life is treating you well! Edinburgh, isn't it amazing, and glad to hear you shopped till you dropped, and by the way the weather is not much better here. Take care Hugs Jo