Our trip to Scotland was somewhat last minute, though there was certainly a lot of chatter about wanting to go there following the interview at Manchester.
We made the formal decision to go on Monday, October 17, and found ourselves on a train bound for Edinburgh the very next day. Upon arrival, we immediately fell in love. Edinburgh is awesome – all of the conveniences of a modern city coupled with the rugged beauty of a medieval one. We stayed in the old city near Grassmarket, a really cool area just down the hill from the Royal Mile. We did only a little exploring our first night because we arrived after dark (and it was cold!), but we had two more full days in Edinburgh after we did some further exploration (more on that in a minute).
We decided to split our time in Scotland between independent travel and an organised three-day “Skye High” trip with Haggis Adventures. Our tour departed Edinburgh the morning after we arrived, stopping first in Stirling at the towering William Wallace Memorial. As luck would have it, the weather was perfect (though chilly), which allowed for fantastic views after a short hike up to the monuments base. We didn’t go inside, but we’re told that the monument is home to William Wallace’s claymore (i.e. broadsword). Interesting fact – though he is portrayed as a first-class swordsman in Braveheart, the real William Wallace was actually an expert archer. (And, from what our local guide told us, a bit of a nutcase.) This was but one of the historical inaccuracies we were to learn about one of my favourite movies…
After Stirling, we made our way to stunningly rugged Glencoe, the hallowed ground upon which the Clan Campbell became the most hated in all of Scotland. The ancient Highlanders had a tradition of hospitality which ensured that any person in need of food or shelter who presented his/herself on the doorstep of another – even that of their sworn enemy – would have their needs tended to as a genuine gesture of goodwill. Thus, when a large company of military troops arrived in Glencoe and sought shelter with Clan MacDonald in early 1692, they were welcomed into the homes of the villagers for several weeks. Then, early in the morning on February 13, 1692, Robert Campbell, who had led the company to Glencoe, gave the order that all members of Clan MacDonald should be slaughtered – women, children, and men – whilst they slept. As the massacre began, some of villagers awoke and fled into the mountains, but as it was winter, they did not last long. The homes of Clan MacDonald were set ablaze, and by the end of the massacre, 78 people were dead, slaughtered by those whom they had sheltered and fed in good faith. This cruel betrayal of an ancient pact has forever sullied the name of Campbell, and for good reason.
So, you may ask, why did this happen? Well, at this time in Scotland’s history, William of Orange (whom we will also discuss when I post about Ireland), became the king of England and told the Highlander clans who had been involved in the Jacobite Uprising that he would spare them if they swore an oath to him – in a designated location – before January 1, 1692. When Alasdair Maclain of Clan MacDonald went to make such a pledge, however, he was deliberately sent to the wrong place and was not able to meet the assigned deadline. This was all a set-up, of course, as members of Clan Campbell serving in the military saw an opportunity to exact revenge for an alleged cattle theft from one of their clan members which purportedly involved members of Clan MacDonald.
Sad, but true. As we continued our travels through the Highlands, we often spotted signs which stated that Cambell’s were not welcome, and in one place we saw a noose which bore a sign stating that it was reserved for any Campbell’s who dared to set foot on their land. “Never trust a Campbell!” our tour guide would repeatedly growl. (Interestingly enough, we were told of a Kiwi newscaster by the name of Campbell who, furious that he was denied a bed in a Highlands hotel based on his name, launched a lawsuit claiming discrimination and LOST. I’ve been trying to find an article about it to post, but haven’t yet.) Additionally, whilst signs around the Highlands which once stated “No English, Hawkers, or Campbell’s” have mostly been pushed to remove their anti-English sentiments, nothing has been done to remove any obvious threats towards Clan Campbell.)
Glencoe is also where my mother’s maiden name (Henderson) comes from, so whilst her family immigrated to Canada from Ireland, they probably came from Scotland initially.
Much more on Scotland to come.
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