logo
Flora MacDonald's dog to become a tour guide at Inverness Castle

Flora MacDonald's dog to become a tour guide at Inverness Castle

BBC News01-05-2025

A dog that forms part of a statue to Flora MacDonald is the inspiration for a guide to show young visitors around Inverness Castle when it opens as a tourist attraction.MacDonald famously helped Bonnie Prince Charlie evade capture after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.Inverness Castle Experience is bringing the border collie to life in cartoon form as guide through the castle's exhibitions.There is no historical record of the dog's name and a schools competition has been launched to find one.
The statue stands near the front of Inverness Castle.The former sheriff court and prison is being redeveloped as a visitor attraction at a cost of about £30m and is due to open later this year.The project has received funding from the £315m Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, external.The castle will have an interactive "journey" taking visitors through the history of the Highlands.
Culloden on 16 April 1746 saw forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie defeated by the Duke of Cumberland's government army.Fought near Inverness, it involved the deaths of about 1,600 men - 1,500 of them Jacobites.After the battle the prince and a number of his supporters went on the run across the Highlands and Hebrides.MacDonald, who was living in Benbecula, was among those who helped the prince evade capture by government redcoat soldiers.She suggested he be disguised as her serving maid for the crossing to Skye, where he was given shelter before continuing his escape to France.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Coffee horsebox to bring much-needed refreshments for Harry Potter tourists at Glencoe
Coffee horsebox to bring much-needed refreshments for Harry Potter tourists at Glencoe

Press and Journal

time07-05-2025

  • Press and Journal

Coffee horsebox to bring much-needed refreshments for Harry Potter tourists at Glencoe

If you are looking for a tasty treat at Glenfinnan, then a newly permitted horsebox coffee shop might meet your caffeine needs. The retrospective application was lodged by Acharacle-based Iain Gillies of A Taste of Freedom Foods to continue operating the Glenfinnan Coffee Company. Iain, along with his brother James, hopes to continue the business from the car park at St Mary and St Finnan Catholic Church. Glenfinnan Coffee Company offers a 'decent coffee' Glenfinnan Coffee Company has been granted planning permission. Image: Glenfinnan Coffee Company/ Highland Council. There are 10 car parking places to allow people to stop and enjoy a cup of strong coffee. The area around Glenfinnan and the West Highland Railway attracts thousands of visitors every day because of its connections to the Battle of Culloden, the TV series Outlander, and, of course, the Harry Potter films that are 'set' in the area. With that huge influx of visitors, it has been difficult at times to find parking or somewhere to eat. Iain and James set up the business in 2022 after living abroad for years in various countries. Being back in their natural environment felt great, but something was missing: 'a decent coffee.' They bought a horsebox coffee wagon from a friend in London. They tweaked it for a pop-up in the Highlands and experimented with various coffees to find the perfect flavours. The result: 'An authentic Highland coffee experience'. Glenfinnan Coffee Company has been granted planning permission. Image: Glenfinnan Coffee Company/ Highland Council. But they had been operating at Glenfinnan without the necessary planning permission. In November, Mr Gillies asked Highland Council for permission to continue. He told planners: 'I would like to continue with my mobile coffee horsebox business. It has been running through the summer months since 2022. 'In May, I had a telephone conversation with a member of the planning department in Inverness, and he recommended applying for planning permission.' The application has now been approved. Other planning applications lodged in Fort William A retrospective application for the extension of decking and glazed balustrade was lodged for land at Glenancross at Askival, Cambusdarach Planning applications that have been decided Highland Council has said that a screening application is required for the Coire Glas Hydro Pump Storage Scheme. The application covers construction work to accommodate the installation of 4o0kv electricity lines from Coire Glas to the National Grid. Extension above a garage to form a short-term letting unit on land west of West Tirindrish, Spean Bridge was withdrawn. Have you signed up for our Oban and Hebrides newsletter? Every week our Oban-based reporter Louise Glen curates the best news in the area. Sign up here for local news straight to your inbox. And if you'd like to join the conversation on West Coast Chat on Facebook, we'd love to hear from you.

Flora MacDonald's dog to become a tour guide at Inverness Castle
Flora MacDonald's dog to become a tour guide at Inverness Castle

BBC News

time01-05-2025

  • BBC News

Flora MacDonald's dog to become a tour guide at Inverness Castle

A dog that forms part of a statue to Flora MacDonald is the inspiration for a guide to show young visitors around Inverness Castle when it opens as a tourist famously helped Bonnie Prince Charlie evade capture after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden in Castle Experience is bringing the border collie to life in cartoon form as guide through the castle's is no historical record of the dog's name and a schools competition has been launched to find one. The statue stands near the front of Inverness former sheriff court and prison is being redeveloped as a visitor attraction at a cost of about £30m and is due to open later this project has received funding from the £315m Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, castle will have an interactive "journey" taking visitors through the history of the Highlands. Culloden on 16 April 1746 saw forces loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie defeated by the Duke of Cumberland's government near Inverness, it involved the deaths of about 1,600 men - 1,500 of them the battle the prince and a number of his supporters went on the run across the Highlands and who was living in Benbecula, was among those who helped the prince evade capture by government redcoat suggested he be disguised as her serving maid for the crossing to Skye, where he was given shelter before continuing his escape to France.

Little-known Scottish tourist attraction in running to be crowned best in UK – and it's not in Glasgow or Edinburgh
Little-known Scottish tourist attraction in running to be crowned best in UK – and it's not in Glasgow or Edinburgh

Scottish Sun

time30-04-2025

  • Scottish Sun

Little-known Scottish tourist attraction in running to be crowned best in UK – and it's not in Glasgow or Edinburgh

Read on for the full list of venues GREAT SCOT Little-known Scottish tourist attraction in running to be crowned best in UK – and it's not in Glasgow or Edinburgh A LITTLE-KNOWN Scottish tourist attraction is in the running to be crowned the best museum in the UK. Five attractions across the country have been shortlisted for the Art Fund Museum Of The Year Award 2025. Advertisement 5 The Perth Museum has been shortlisted for the top award Credit: PA 5 The museum is the new home of the Stone of Scone, more commonly known as the Stone of Destiny Credit: PA 5 The Stone of Destiny was used during King Charles' coronation Credit: Culture Perth & Kinross/Rob McDougall And there is a chance to win a £120,000 prize. The Perth Museum is the only Scottish site to be shortlisted along with four other venues for a top award. It opened its doors in March last year following a £26.5million redevelopment project. When the transformation project was first announced, Culture Perth and Kinross also revealed that the museum and art gallery would be split into two separate attractions. Advertisement Following the multi-million redevelopment project, Perth Museum is now located in Perth's former city hall, with the space transformed by the architecture firm Mecanoo. It looks at 10,000 years of Scottish and world history through a local lens. The museum is the new home of the Stone of Scone, more commonly known as the Stone of Destiny. It was previously kept at Edinburgh Castle, and was used during the coronation of Scottish Monarchs. The Stone of Destiny was used during King Charles' coronation. Advertisement Another one of its main attractions is a permanent exhibition of Bonnie Prince Charlie's sword. The solid silver broadsword belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie who was officially known as Prince Charles Edward Stuart - the grandson of James II, who was King of England in 1685. Science and Industry museum manchester While it was previously part of a private collection, it is the first time the sword has been on display to the public. Other objects of interest include a 3,000-year-old Carpow Logboat. Advertisement The museum will also feature a cafe, a gift shop and learning and event spaces. Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham, Chapter in Cardiff, Compton Verney in Warwickshire, Golden Thread Gallery in Belfast have also been nominated for the top award. The winner will be announced on June 26 at a ceremony in Liverpool, which will be the first time the award has been presented outside London. The four losing finalists will receive £15,000 each. Advertisement 5 Following the multi-million redevelopment project, Perth Museum is now located in Perth's former city hall Credit: PA 5 Another one of its main attractions is a permanent exhibition of Bonnie Prince Charlie's sword Credit: PA Beamish, The Living Museum of the North is an open air museum, looking at life in the north east of England in the 1820s, 1900s, 1940s and 1950s, while Chapter is a Welsh arts centre made up of a gallery, artist studios, theatres, cinemas, a cafe bar, and community garden. Compton Verney is an art gallery with six installations and the Golden Thread Gallery is a Northern Irish contemporary art gallery. Advertisement Art Fund director Jenny Waldman, who will chair the judging panel, said: "This year's finalists are inspiring examples of museums at their best - deeply connected to their local communities, responsive to the world around them, and alive with energy and ideas. "Each one offers a distinctive experience, showing the endless creativity and care that goes into making museums inspiring and exciting spaces for everyone. "Art Fund is proud to celebrate their work and support their ambition through Art Fund Museum of the Year. "We hope people across the UK will be inspired to visit these remarkable places and museums in their local area to discover the powerful role they can play in our lives." Advertisement The award aims to recognise inspiring projects and activity from autumn 2023 through to winter 2024, looking at the overall achievements of the organisation, impactful projects, staff and volunteers, and community engagement. The prize is funded by Art Fund members who buy a National Art Pass.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store