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Scotland's Claims to Fame

VisitScotlandNikkiRVisitScotlandNikkiR Moderator, VisitScotland Staff ✩
in General Discussion
I live in the village of Strontian where the element Strontium was first discovered in the lead mines in 1790. This is the only place in the UK to have an element named after the place it was first discovered. The village has one more footnote in history. In 1843, a local landowner,Sir James Riddle, refused permission to build a Free Presbyterian Church in the area. The congregation clubbed together to purchase a suitable vessel on Clyde, had it converted into a church they then towed it up the west coast of Scotland to a mooring nearby on Loch Sunart, where it became known as the Floating Church. This served the community until the 1870s.

What famous facts can you tell me about an area in Scotland?

Comments

  • Samantha_GrantSamantha_Grant VisitScotland Ambassador ✭✭✭✭
    Lucky you - Strontian is beautiful. I stayed there last weekend at the Strontian Hotel.  Wonderful place. I'll be blogging about it soon and referencing the element fact.  :) @VisitScotlandNikkiR

    Hmmm famous fact. How about the highest village in Scotland not being in the Highlands where most people, quite rightly would expect it to be.  Wanlockhead in Dumfries and Galloway holds that crown and talking of crowns, there's gold in them there hills.  Some of the purest gold to be found in Europe.  It's said to form part of the Scottish crown. 

    I'm a Scottish travel blogger and freelance writer with an extensive knowledge of travelling in Scotland.  I'm always on the road exploring my wonderful country.  I love remote places, history and the great outdoors. 




  • VisitScotlandNikkiRVisitScotlandNikkiR Moderator, VisitScotland Staff ✩
    @Samantha_Grant thanks for that, I didn't know that fact. Glad you enjoyed your trip to Strontian, if you are here again pop into the icentre in the village and say hello  :)
  • VisitScotlandNikkiVisitScotlandNikki Administrator, VisitScotland Staff ✪
    Great topic idea @VisitScotlandNikkiR!

    Have you seen our video - finger on the creative pulse? It's got lots of amazing Scottish inventions!


  • FishjaggerFishjagger Member ✭✭
    edited July 2016
    Claim to fame - the fastest town in Scotland?...20 odd miles east of Inverness?...

    Nairn!
  • FishjaggerFishjagger Member ✭✭
    edited July 2016
    The Cuillin mountain range on the Isle of Skye are named after the mythical Irish warrior Cu Chuillain who finished the last of his martial warrior arts training near Ord, Sleat, overlooking the Cuillin mountain range.
  • Samantha_GrantSamantha_Grant VisitScotland Ambassador ✭✭✭✭
    Ha ha my husband's from Nairn and that joke drives him mad.  He prounces it Nurn anyway which doesn't sound quite so fast.  :D @Fishjagger
    I'm a Scottish travel blogger and freelance writer with an extensive knowledge of travelling in Scotland.  I'm always on the road exploring my wonderful country.  I love remote places, history and the great outdoors. 




  • ArgyllCoffeeGodArgyllCoffeeGod Member ✭✭
    A film starring Hollywood star Harvey Keitel was shot in Dunoon in 1988.  It was called "Down where the Buffalo Go".
    Befuddled, bemused & occasionally talking sense.
  • VisitScotlandNikkiRVisitScotlandNikkiR Moderator, VisitScotland Staff ✩
    @ArgyllCoffeeGod I've not heard of that film ,must look it up.
  • ArgyllCoffeeGodArgyllCoffeeGod Member ✭✭
    @VisitScotlandNikkiR It was actually a made for TV effort and you are not missing too much!

    Befuddled, bemused & occasionally talking sense.
  • ScotlandsashScotlandsash Member ✭
    edited August 2016
    Lets not forget our National Bard, Robert Burns :wink: Born in Alloway, just 2 miles south of Ayr. Also, John Loudon McAdam, the inventor of tarmac who was born in Lady Cathcart House in Ayr. The site of the first road is highly debated with the people of Ayrshire as to where it is located. 
  • SkiwomanSkiwoman Member ✭
    I was in Scotland in April.It was a thrill to see the beach at St Andrews where Chariots of Fire was filmed
  • ElaineRElaineR VisitScotland Contributor ✭✭✭
    @skiwoman @visitscotlandNikkiR I recently visited Saddell Bay on the Kintyre peninsula where the video for the song Mull of Kintyre by Wings was filmed - Saddell Castle in my photo is visible in the background on the video  - here's a link to the video

    http://www.mullofkintyre.org/mullofkintyre.html


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