The Crinan Canal For Me!

Great what day time TV throws up!

Just watching an old episode of Coast featuring the Caledonian and Crinan Canals and this wonderful bit of music appeared in the background. A quick Google for "Crinan Canal For Me" found the old footage. I have no idea of the source but the guy singing it is John Grieve who I believe played Dan McPhail, the engineer on the Vital Spark of Para Handy fame.

Maybe we need some Crinan Canal For Me! T-shirts for 2014

Great piece of retro video promotion!


 

St Andrews Day Choral Event in Glasgow

Glasgow Chamber Choir 20th Anniversary Concert

Saturday 30th November 

7pm at St Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland Road Glasgow

I am no aficionado but a year ago I was asked if I wished to attend a performance of the Glasgow Chamber Choir at the chapel in Glasgow University. It was well out of my AC/DC based comfort zone but thought what the hell! 

What transpired was actually a revelation. The venue was stunning in itself - having failed miserably to get near the qualifications required for access to that particular educational establishment - but it was the whole atmosphere and ambiance that took me away. Granted musically I found it challenging but I got the passion, the emotion and while I can't say I rushed out to buy a host of choral pieces I understood its attractions. In short it was actually a superb experience.

So delighted to promote this weekend's concert in Glasgow.

As Glasgow Chamber Choir begins a year of celebrations for its 20th Birthday, this gala concert marks two other significant anniversaries: the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten and 850 years since the foundation of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. 

Britten has long been acknowledged as Britain's predominant twentieth-century composer, and this year gives us a chance to perform AMDG, a suite of poems by Gerard Manley Hopkins. Extracts from mass settings by composers based at Notre Dame complete this celebratory programme for which past members of the group return to mark 20 exciting years of music making.

The programme features Christopher Nickol on organ and conducted by Michael Bawtree

Benjamin Britten | Ad majorem Dei gloriam

Lois Vierne | Messe Solennelle

Michael Tippett | Spiritual from 'A Child of Our Time'

Yves Castagnet | Messe 'Salve Regina'

Tickets are priced at £10 and are available at the door.

Find out more online at the Glasgow Chamber Choir website

News From Glencoe Mountain

Free Zibobs at Glencoe for the 2013/2014 ski season

Free Zibobs will be available at the plateau cafe all season - these will be perfect for children of all ages and I'm sure adults will have great fun on them as well.

We are also in the process of planning the UK's first ever Zibob race, scheduled to happen in the last weekend of March - Find out about Zibobs.

Early Bird Season Passes

Early bird season passes are now available to buy - click here then e-mail your passport photo to admin@glencoemountain.co.uk

Bike Tracks

Both our bike tracks remain open until the 1st of November (weather permitting) so come and have some fun on your bike before the snow arrives. Day tickets are just £25.

The weather for the weekend is looking pretty good with sunshine and light winds forecast for Saturday and sunshine and moderate winds on Sunday.

Accommodation

We still have lots of availability for cheap accommodation in Nov and Dec - click here to book. or call 01855 851226

Golf Breaks in East Lothian

Are you planning your golf trip for 2014? Well having just spent a couple of days at Ducks at Kilspindie there is clearly worse places to visit than East Lothian host to the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield and the Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield.

 I stayed and dined at the excellent Ducks Restaurant with Rooms and they have got some great packages available on line for 2013.

The wee video below was produced by David Whyte for GoGol TV and highlights just a few of the great golfing reasons for visiting East Lothian


 

Ducks Open Championship Music Festival

Open Championship golf visitors can soak up the atmosphere with some wonderful live music and great food every night at Ducks at Kilspindie near the Muirfield Course.

Owner Malcolm Duck has arranged live music from Tuesday through to Thursday in  the hotel featuring

• Marcus Bonfanti – Guitar/Vocals
• Paddy Milner – Keys/Vocals
• Scott Wiber – Bass Alex Reeves – Drums

In addition there is a special wine promotion featuring Ernie Els wines and a VIP Seafood Bar.

Limited Access only call 0774 0676 113 for details

Read More at Ducks Website

The Open in the Square

The Open Championship and the famous Claret Jug will come to the centre of Edinburgh at a special event celebrating the return of golf’s oldest Major Championship to the region.

The Open in the Square takes place in St Andrew Square from Thursday 11 – Saturday 13 July, the week before the Championship is held at Muirfield in East Lothian.

The Open in the Square event will run in St Andrew Square from 11am to 7pm on Thursday, 11 July, Friday, 12 July, and Saturday, 13 July and will be free and open to the public.

The public will have the opportunity to try golf, to receive some tips from PGA golf professionals, to play some of the great Open courses on EA Sports games consoles and to get their picture taken with the Claret Jug.

The event will also feature a golf simulator, a large screen showing some of the great moments from The Open Championship and artificial practice putting greens.

Live Music in Troon

Enjoy Cruises on Glasgow's River Clyde

We came across Clyde Cruises almost by accident recently and then met up with the team marketing them at a travel show recently where they were introducing their products to the trade.

If you're planning a trip or a short break to Glasgow in the near future you should have a look at what's on offer. The range of boats and cruises on offer through Clyde Cruises give the visitor a number of options from simple hop on, hop off trips down the Clyde to extended short breaks through the Crinan Canal for example.

The company also offer high quality private charters accommodating up to 200 and more for weddings, functions, product launches and corporate functions.

Click on the PDF library below to get an idea of what is on offer for 2013 or visit The Clyde Cruises website where you can book online.

Scotland and The 2014 and 2015 Six Nations

Didn't realise that they put two years out at a time but here's the dates you need to go and book your Edinburgh Hotel accommodation before the hotels get to know that the dates have been released!

Dates are out for RBS 6 Nations 2014.
Scotland open up away to Ireland on Sun 2 Feb. They’re home to England on Sat 8 Feb, away to Italy on Sat 22 Feb, home to France on Sat 8 Mar and away to Wales on Sat 15 Mar.

In 2015, it’s France (away, Sat 7 Feb), Wales (home, Sun 15 Feb), Italy (home, Sat 28 Feb), England (away, Sat 14 Mar), Ireland (home, Sat 21 Mar). Initial thoughts?

Winton House Family Open Day

Looking for something to do with the kid's next weekend?

Well, you are now cordially invited to Winton's Family Spring Open Day on Sunday 7th of April (12 noon – 4.30pm). Funds from the event are going to Maggie’s Centres, the Scottish cancer care charity, and Scotland’s Gardens.

Morag Morrison, Deputy General Manager, tells us what's planned for the day, “After last year’s success, we’re having another crafts fair with stalls for locally made arts, crafts, clothing, farm produce and plants.

“There will be lots of entertainment for families and children: face painting, a bouncy castle, obstacle courses, Winton Combat Challenge (see article below) and a few surprises still to be announced! Café Winton will be providing delicious home made soup, sandwiches and cakes, and we’ll also have an East Lothian favourite, the not-to-be-missed Lucas ice cream van.

“Visitors will also be able to go on guided historical tours of the House.”

Picnics are welcome (hope the weather's as good as last year!) and you'll enjoy walking through the walled and terraced gardens, or trying out the miles of Winton Walks.

Read more at Winton's own blog.

Shetland Woollies Goes Viral

Shetland Ponies Show Why Scotland's For Them! 

Some great images have been going worldwide over the past few days showing some natty Shetland cardigans on some rather unsuspecting Shetland Ponies!

Posing in their winter woollies, the ponies were marking the Year of Natural Scotland by sporting some rather plush knitwear that wouldn't seem out of place in any trendy city hangout. Or indeed in the Great British Bake Off...

We have been assured that no animals were harmed in the making of this PR stunt and both Fivla and Vitamin (yes for that is what they are called!) didn’t seem to mind all the attention their custom made attire brought them.

The Shetland Pony ambassadors from thephotos come courtesy of Thordale Shetland Stud Centre, and are wearing jumpers made of Shetland wool created by local Shetland knitter Doreen Brown, of Shetland Collection.

What next?

The Edinburgh Zoo Pandas in Kilts? Otters in wet suits? Or Scottish Deer in full camouflage gear?

For more information about visiting The Shetlands or how about booking a lighthouse stay on the islands.

A Bit of Scottish History and Heritage for 2013?

Brave was not our favourite Scottish featuring movie of 2012 - Skyfall and Angel's Share being much more our thing - but with their multi million pound spend VisitScotland did produce some interesting little print pieces based around the movie. So if your looking for some ideas here's the Brave Itineraries for you to have a browse through.

Planning a Golf Holiday in Scotland for 2013?

You may be excused for thinking that the only thing happening in Scottish golf terms over the next few years is The Ryder Cup 2014!

Well that's more than eighteen months away and there's a whole host of golf courses that can be played ahead of then across the whole of Scotland.

Scotland's For Me will be featuring lots of golf options through 2013 and we thought we'd start the New year by building a new bookshelf of golf promo materials in the blog. So here's a nice wee reference area for you featuring some of the best information in print on golf in Scotland.