Steamship marks 125 years sailing on scenic Scottish loch
Departing with a long blast from the ship's steam whistle, the excited cheers of young voices marked the start of a weekend-long Steamboat Festival at Trossachs Pier.
The festival is the centrepiece of a special anniversary year for the Steamship Sir Walter Scott, which was crowned Flagship of the Year 2025 by National Historic Ships UK in April.
READ MORE:
Historic steamship gears up for 125th anniversary celebration
Historic ship begins 125th season on scenic Scottish loch
SS Sir Walter Scott returns to Loch Katrine
An actor portraying Sir Walter Scott joined the celebrations, honouring the poet whose 1810 masterpiece 'The Lady of the Lake' made him and Loch Katrine, where the poem is set, famous.
Built in 1899 at Denny's Shipyard in Dumbarton on the Clyde, Steamship Sir Walter Scott was commissioned to replace the ageing and smaller Rob Roy steamer and help satisfy the huge demand for sailings from the large numbers of visitors flocking to the Trossachs.
Tributes were also paid to Captain John MacKinnon, who steered the maiden voyage in 1900. A larger-than-life figure, Captain MacKinnon and his family played a defining role in the first half of the Steamer's life. He remained at the helm until his death, when his son Donald took over as captain. During both World Wars, John and Donald's daughters also cared for the ship.
Highlights of this weekend's Steamboat Festival at Trossachs Pier include pirate-themed cruises aboard the Rob Roy Smuggler, complete with storytelling, face painting, and a treasure hunt, alongside a flotilla of classic and model steamboats sailing on the loch. There will also be live music, traditional games, appearances from costumed performers, local food and drink tastings, craft stalls, and fascinating heritage exhibitions.
In a tribute to the vessel's enduring legacy, 125 local schoolchildren from local schools joined the cruise, recreating the historic maiden journey. (Image: Paul Saunders)
James Fraser, CEO and Lead Trustee of Steamship Sir Walter Scott said: "To see 125 schoolchildren aboard this morning's voyage, representing the future, on a vessel that has been sailing since their great-great-grandparents' time, was truly emotional.
"This Steamer is more than a boat: she symbolises the Trossachs' unrivalled cultural heritage in Scotland. She was saved for the nation by incredible public support, and today she sails on, restored, celebrated, and loved.
"As we mark 125 years, we do so with gratitude and pride. We invite everyone to join us at Loch Katrine this weekend to celebrate a remarkable past and a bright future for this Scottish treasure."
The Steamboat Festival runs across the weekend, with Steamship Sir Walter Scott sailing three times a day in her anniversary year until October 26th.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
5 hours ago
- Scotsman
Passengers warned of strikes at Glasgow Airport this summer over union's dispute with 5 companies
Five companies have been given a fortnight to address Unite's demands or strike action could be called at Glasgow Airport for this summer. Sign up for the latest news and analysis about Scottish transport Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Holidaymakers have been issued a fresh warning of the potential for strike action at Glasgow Airport over the summer, as a leading union confirmed more than 800 workers from five companies were involved in pay disputes. Unite said workers at Glasgow Airport Ltd, ICTS Central Search, Swissport, Menzies Aviation and Falck could be balloted for walkouts. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Crew arrive at Glasgow airport. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images | AFP via Getty Images The union said if there was no successful resolution to the disputes in the coming days, it would move towards holding votes on industrial action within two weeks. Unite warned strikes could 'ground planes and passengers'. Pat McIlvogue, Unite industrial officer, said walkouts could be held from the middle of July. More than 100 Swissport workers are locked in a dispute about rotas and work-life balance, according to Unite. The union said the company 'is demanding that workers at extreme short notice have to work shifts at various times and for various durations, which is directly impacting on their personal lives'. Unite said some Swissport staff were 'struggling with chronic fatigue'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A further 250 ICTS Central Search workers, who deal with passengers directly in the security search area and process them for flights, are involved in a dispute over under-staffing, working conditions and pay. A total of 120 workers employed by Glasgow Airport Limited have rejected a basic 3.6 per cent pay increase, with staff including airport ambassadors, airside support officers, engineers and managers involved. The same 3.6 per cent pay increase was rejected by 50 Falck firefighters who perform fire safety functions at the airport. Meanwhile 300 Menzies Aviation workers, including dispatchers, allocators, airside agents and controllers, have rejected a basic uplift worth around 4.25 per cent. The union recently announced a series of what it said were wage wins for 100 North Air workers across Scottish airports, and more than 140 staff based at Glasgow Airport employed by ABM and OCS. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'Hundreds of workers at Glasgow Airport are heading towards summer strike action which would ground planes and passengers. The companies involved are all highly profitable and can easily afford to give our members better pay and working conditions. 'The truth is that they are denying fair pay increases to cynically boost their profits.' Unite had previously indicated that strikes could also hit Edinburgh Airport this summer. The union said last month around 300 workers based at Scotland's busiest airport had separately rejected a pay rise worth around 4 per cent. The departures area at Edinburgh Airport. The Scotsman understands talks took place on Friday, but a breakthrough at Edinburgh is yet to be reached. It is understood there has been at least one instance in the past of pay deals being negotiated separately with companies operating out of Edinburgh and Glasgow airports. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr McIlvogue said: 'Unite is in dispute with companies at Glasgow Airport, which could ultimately bring hundreds of workers out on strike. The companies can resolve these disputes with Unite before that situation happens by addressing the legitimate concerns and pay aspirations of our members. 'If the companies refuse to work with Unite to resolve these disputes, then we will have no option but to open strike ballots. This could mean strike action happening from the middle of July.' A spokesman for Glasgow Airport said: "We have ongoing dialogue with Unite regarding a pay deal for our direct workforce."
Daily Record
6 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scottish travel vlogger left surprised in viral review of India's 'worst airline'
Hugh has travelled across India, visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kerala and Bengaluru - to name a few. A Scottish travel vlogger has flown on India's ' worst-rated airline' and has urged people to ignore one thing - and that's its low rating. Going viral in one of his latest videos, the Scotsman told his followers that he is 'catching a one-hour flight with India's worst-rated airline, which is IndiGo". Revealing it "ranks 103 out of 109 in the world", showing a screenshot of AirHelp's website ranking, he says that this is "pretty bad, but I want to see how bad they really are". Hugh, or HughAbroad as he's known, has amassed millions of followers across his social media platforms—including TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram — and consistently gets millions of views on each video on TikTok alone. Heading to Bengaluru, formerly called Bangalore, he said the plane ticket cost him 3,760 Indian rupees, which is the equivalent of £34 or $44. He revealed that for this price, you get 20kg of luggage and a chicken sandwich on board. With his window seat secured, he checked in and dropped off his bags - all of which was an easy process with no issues. When it came to boarding the plane, the Scots traveller was left shocked, wondering why it's ranked so low. 'Usually with these cheap airlines you go on the tarmac and up the stairs but here there's a tunnel straight in," he noted. Filming his seating area, he said: "Spotless. Really, really clean and the leg room is pretty good. There's literally no rubbish at all down here, just the usual magazine and safety instructions. The seat is relatively comfortable as well." Giving it the thumbs up, he said: "Pretty good so far. I don't see why this is rated the worst airline in India - no complaints.' After taking off, he gave an update and still didn't see any issues. "Only seven minutes after the estimated departure time, we have taken off. Impressive." "So far IndiGo, so good," he added, noting that despite coming in at 103rd place, it was on time and that the plane was clean, the seat went back: "What's not to like? Also very, very, affordable.' Speaking about his Chicken Junglee sandwich, he said that the "bread is very fresh, fluffy and inside that chicken is pretty moist with the mayonnaise". He rated the sandwich seven out of 10. 'So far, this has been the best experience I could've ever imagined, nothing has gone wrong" he said. Within an hour, he landed and praised the airline yet again. He concluded his airline review by saying: "That honestly was an absolute fantastic experience and if anyone tells you anything negative about IndiGo, they are lying. I'm rating that at 10 out of 10 - flawless honestly for a budget airline that was spot on." Speaking to the Daily Record, Hugh said: "I was shocked at how low IndiGo was on the rankings, as it's one of the best budget airline experiences I've had. On time, clean, spacious and affordable. I think the rankings need to be taken with a pinch of salt, to be honest." According to the Hindustan Times: "IndiGo has been ranked among the 'world's worst airlines' in the 2024 AirHelp Score report, securing 103rd place out of 109 with a score of 4.80. The low rating is attributed to underwhelming customer satisfaction and poor handling of flight disruption claims. "Responding to the ranking, IndiGo criticised the methodology, saying the survey does not disclose the sample size from India, casting doubt on the survey's credibility. "Conducted by AirHelp, an EU-based claim processing agency, the survey evaluates airlines globally on punctuality, quality of service, and handling of compensation claims. These criteria, weighed equally, form the overall score. The analysis covers data from January to October, incorporating on-time performance, customer claims processing, and feedback from passengers across 54 countries on food, comfort, and service." Hugh has travelled across India, visiting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kerala and Bengaluru - to name a few.
Daily Record
8 hours ago
- Daily Record
BBC The One Show fans distracted by Lulu's appearance as she makes candid confession
Lulu appeared on The One Show on Friday evening to discuss her upcoming tour and new memoir BBC viewers were rather taken aback by Lulu's appearance as she discussed her deeply personal project, which led her to seek therapy. The famous Scottish singer, 76, was a guest on Friday's (June 6) episode of The One Show, chatting about her impending tour and fresh memoir. Her new memoir, If Only You Knew, delves into her past and the singer, born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie also known as Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, said it has felt like 'being let out of jail'. Chatting with presenters Alex Jones and Roman Kemp, she confessed finding the process of writing 'difficult', being called to share aspects of herself she previously kept 'assumed' and unspoken. The renowned performer acknowledged: "People think they know Lulu but no one knows you. I've always been very careful, very private and chatty but I keep a lot of things to myself. Now I'm talking about everything and this is because the landscape has changed.", reports Bristol Live. She elaborated on the shift in cultural dynamics: "When I was younger everything was a secret and there was a lot of shame because you didn't talk about things but today people talk about things and I think it's healthy. I've had an amazing life but there are certain things in my life that I've never discussed." In a moment of raw honesty, Lulu revealed: "I had to go to therapy because it was difficult not to unravel the things that I've been told not to say and the things I was assumed of. Once you've spoken about the things you're assumed of." She stated: "I have mental health issues, I've come through a lot, my family and it's things that I didn't want to talk about but I reveal it in the book, which is kind of like being let out of jail." While the singer opened up about her struggles, viewers at home couldn't help but notice her remarkably youthful looks, quickly taking to social media to voice their thoughts. One audience member noted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter: "Lulu looks great for 76 #TheOneShow." Another viewer expressed: "#TheOneShow Lulu looks amazing! She looks so young. Love her! ." A different spectator shared their mixed feelings: "Lulu looking good but not my fave singer #TheOneShow."
