A Journey Around Scotland
An outlandish tale of Freedom and Whisky, oh and my own Highland ghost!
I have Scottish ancestry on my mother’s side, so my appreciation for men in kilts is genetic. My actual experience of Scotland however consists of fish and chips in Stranraer before catching the ferry to Ireland every summer; and a few wild Hogmanay’s in Edinburgh in my early twenties. I was a Sassenach growing up in Yorkshire and I knew nothing of Scotland’s turbulent history, and I certainly didn’t like whisky!
Then everything changed. Along came the “Outlander” novels by Diana Gabaldon, and the tv show of the same name and I fell in love with Scotland (and a certain lead character in a kilt), and knew immediately that I had to go there. Now to gather my “clan” and start planning a trip. As you know by now, The Fictional Tourist doesn’t necessarily turn to guidebooks when planning a journey, a “total immersion” is required.
“This is how you can travel to Scotland in 2020”
“Where is the coward that would not dare fight for such a land as Scotland?” Sir Walter Scott
FICTIONAL RESEARCH
The Outlander novels are a good starting point for your Scottish immersion. They feature time travel, folklore, whisky drinking, Scottish history and a gorgeous man in a kilt (Jamie Fraser). The first novel begins in 1946 Inverness with an ex-army nurse, Claire Beauchamp-Randall on a second honeymoon after the war. Whilst out walking one day Claire comes across Craigh Na Dun, a mysterious circle of standing stones used for religious or ceremonial purposes in pagan times. She inadvertently touches one of the stones and falls through time into the year 1743; a time of turmoil and rebellion in Highland Scotland, leading up to the Jacobite rebellion and Battle of Culloden. Of course, there is a love story but Diana Gabaldon weaves this through factual aspects of Scottish history and the demise of the Scottish clans.
“Are you hooked yet?”
Check out my other recommendations for your journey to Scotland 2020.
THE WHISKY CLUB
I didn’t actually like whisky. The idea of a whisky club was formed during a conversation with my “clan” of Outlander fanatics one day at work. We commented how romantic it was that Claire and Jamie always sat by a fireside and drank a dram of whisky together. “If only I liked whisky” we all lamented, and somehow this turned into “well let’s form a whisky club and learn how to like whisky.”
“To Freedom and Whisky” is an episode of Outlander, as well as a line from the Robbie Burns poem, “The Author’s Earnest Cry and Prayer”, a satire on the government’s taxation of whisky. This was a perfect name for our little club.
Club rules:
1. You have to be female
2. You have to at least want to try whisky
3. Whisky has to be drunk neat, no ice or mixers
Unfortunately, our inaugural tasting was full of screwed up faces and comments of “this tastes like petrol.” However, as strong independent women, we have persevered and can now almost call ourselves whisky connoisseurs with our seasonal themed dinners and tastings from around the globe.
Slàinte Mhath / Cheers!
DINNER PARTY
Whisky isn’t the obvious choice when matching food with alcohol, but with some research into the flavour profile and aroma of each whisky, the food just has to be paired in a way that neither the whisky nor the food dominates the flavour of the other. As usual I went overboard with my research and the menu grew into a 6-course degustation with whisky pairings; and the invention of the “Lallybroch” cocktail (named after Jamie Fraser’s ancestral home).
Scotland has recipes with fantastic names such as Rumbledethumps, Cranachan and Ecclefechan tart; words which just roll across the tongue and make you break into a Scottish accent! Rumbledethumps is just a cabbage and potato dish but it sounds magical. Ecclefechan is a tiny village in the south of Scotland and gave its name to this rich, fruity tart, perfect for a winter’s eve. Cranachan is a kind of raspberry trifle, known as the king of Scottish dessert. My inability to choose between two beautiful desserts gave rise to rule No. 4. There must always be a double dessert course.
I do think a Scottish dinner party is best planned for winter time to give it that authentic, cosy feeling. Oh, and Six courses and six whiskies will always lead to some Scottish dancing so don’t forget to practice The Highland Fling, so as not to be laughed at by your fellow “clans’ women.”
FAMILY HISTORY
Are you ready for a wee ghost story? Now settle yourself by the fireside and pour yourself a wee dram.
My great-grandmother Ellen was born in Edinburgh and had been a printer’s compositor (books are in my family) before marrying a ‘Sassenach’ who worked on the railways. She had two sisters, Grace and Jessie, and a brother, Charles who was in the Highland Light Infantry and had died in the 1st World War.
Mum had asked me to find out where Charles was buried (Flanders, Belgium) but during this search I came across another brother, William. When I asked mum about him, she said that her grandmother had only ever talked about one brother, she’d not heard of William at all. My interest was piqued, a family mystery perhaps?
William McMurtrie was born on 25th March 1886. He married Martha Neil Kelly, an Irish catholic in 1915. In the 1st World War he was in the Royal Engineers and had served overseas, but was discharged in 1919 with bronchitis. I found his enlistment report which detailed his many tattoos, something I didn’t think too common in 1915. On his left forearm there was a swallow, a heart pierced with a dagger, a butterfly and a Red Indian. On his right upper arm there was the Scottish flag, on his right forearm, a highland dancer, and on the back of his right hand a lady’s head (who I wondered?) I got my only tattoo in Denmark for my 50th Birthday and it was a heart on my left wrist (just like William). I felt an affinity with William and became obsessed with finding him, even talking to him, compelling him to be found when my research ran dry. Then one night William came to find me!
Late one night around Samhain (All Hallows Eve), after coming to another dead end with my research I had gone to the spare room to sleep as my husband was snoring. As soon as I got into bed I felt a rush of cold air enter the room and a short while later it felt like someone was shaking the bed. “Don’t scare me William” I shouted, but was so scared I had to return to the snoring husband. Next morning, I awoke with a tightness in my right shoulder which no amount of stretching would fix. It was time to see my Reiki specialist and card reader, Seraphima.
Seraphima told me that pain on the right side of the body is related to the maternal side; and she could see that William hadn’t “crossed over”. My great grandmother, Ellen even came to visit and said that great uncle William was a “bad, bad man.” Seraphima had a vision that he had gone to Ireland and had possibly been hanged, a fate I later found out had been handed down to some of those involved in the Irish uprising. Sadly, I still don’t know what actually became of William and his wife, Martha, and I’m waiting for the release of the 1921 census records next year to explore further.
William’s last battle cry was when I was re-telling this story at our first “Freedom and Whisky” gathering. A candle holder exploded, shattering glass all over the kitchen floor! I have since performed a cleansing ceremony with white sage, and will await William’s next visit.
"My fascination with men in kilts continues!"
