Tag: Isle of Skye

Scotland’s first Gaelic Poetry Path launches on the Isle of Skye

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, has launched Scotland’s first-ever Gaelic Poetry Path. Slighe nam Bàrd will provide a poetic pathway around the Isle of Skye, aiming to introduce local, national, and international visitors to a taste of Gaelic heritage, song, and poetry. 

From the 21st of March (World Poetry Day), tourists will be able to collect a free Slighe nam Bàrd – Poetry Paths pamphlet and accompanying map from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, located in Sleat in the Isle of Skye.*

The pamphlet will provide a detailed guide around Skye’s stunning landscape, stopping at seven major locations connected to a Gaelic song or poem. A QR code for each location provides a recording of the poem/song to enable people to listen to the Gaelic audio in the environment that inspired the creative piece.

SMO Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye, April 2023

Abigail Burnyeat, Head of Research at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture: “People often come to Skye for its beautiful scenery, but the aim of Slighe nam Bàrd is to showcase the connection between Gaelic culture and Skye’s mesmerising landscape.

“Through Slighe nam Bàrd, tourists will be able to engage with the landscape whilst listening to Gaelic poems and songs that add to our understanding of the locations on the trail, giving people an opportunity to experience for themselves the Gaelic culture and history at the heart of the Isle of Skye.”

Meg Bateman, Professor in Gaelic Language and Culture at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and Bàrd a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich: “Slighe nam Bàrd provides a one-day poetic road-trip around the Isle of Skye, allowing people to engage with local Gaelic poetry whilst immersed in the Skye landscape.

“The pathway consists of seven poems/songs, each one carefully chosen to represent a range of locations, centuries, styles, and subjects to give a full flavour of Skye’s poetic Gaelic landscape.

“From Somhairle MacGill-Eain to Màiri Mhòr nan Òran, the pathway will guide people from the south of the island to the very north, discovering Gaelic poetry along the way.”

Chris Taylor, VisitScotland Regional Destination Development Director, said: “Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s Poetry Path provides a unique way to tell Skye and Scotland’s story and is an immersive entry-point for visitors to experience the Gaelic language.

“We know that visitors, especially international, think Gaelic enhances their holiday. With that in mind, Slighe nam Bàrd may even inspire them to try out a course at Scotland’s National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.

“At VisitScotland we recognise that Gaelic is an integral part of Scotland’s heritage, identity, and culture. It can provide an extra layer to the authentic Scottish experience and to our many visitors.”

The Slighe nam Bàrd project was funded by: the University of the Highlands and Islands KE/ Innovation Challenge Fund.

REVEALED: Skye’s Jurassic dinosaur

A fossil first spotted in Skye over 50 years ago has finally been extracted from the base of the cliff where it was found and, following analysis, formally identified as a Jurassic dinosaur.

The fossil was first discovered in 1973, making it Scotland’s earliest recorded dinosaur find. It was not fully identified at the time and remained uncollected until a team led by Dr Elsa Panciroli returned in 2018 to the location near Elgol, in the south of the island, to undertake its extremely challenging extraction from the rock.

While the Elgol dinosaur is preserved only in fragments compared to some specimens found elsewhere, researchers have identified part of the spine, ribs and a hip bones, making it the most complete dinosaur skeleton found to date in Scotland.

Close study of these bones has led researchers to believe that it is an ornithopod dinosaur, a group of which includes notable later dinosaurs such as Iguanodon, Parasaurolophus and Edmontosaurus.

The Elgol dinosaur dates to around 166 million years ago, in the Middle Jurassic, making it one of the earliest known ornithipod body fossils, as that group of dinosaurs became far more prominent in the later Cretaceous period.  Analysis of the bone structure indicates that the animal, which would have been roughly the size of a pony, was at least 8 years old.

The new description of the Elgol dinosaur is published in the Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Lead author, Dr Elsa Panciroli, NERC Independent Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland said: ““This was a really challenging extraction, in fact we’d previously felt was too difficult to collect the fossil, but I thought it was really important to study it.

“I was able to persuade the team to give it a try. It took a lot of hard work from a lot of people, but we did it: finally we can confirm and publish Scotland’s first recorded and most complete dinosaur, and that makes it all worthwhile.”

The difficult excavation was made possible with the support of a specialist team from Research Casting International, based in Canada. A local crew from Elgol’s Bella Jane Boat Trips piloted the rigid inflatable boat and dingy to the shore at the foot of the cliff, where the specimen was loaded and taken back to port.

Dr Stig Walsh from National Museums Scotland said: “This is a wonderful addition to the rapidly growing set of Jurassic finds from the Isle of Skye which are enabling us to learn more and more about the rich ecosystem of the time.

“We’ve known there were dinosaurs there for a while, most obviously from the famous footprints at An Corran, Brother’s Point and Duntulm and from individual bones, but it’s exciting to see a more complete, if still partial, skeleton. We’re delighted to add it to the other amazing finds now in the National Collection”.  

Other recent Jurassic discoveries from Skye include the description of adult and juvenile mammals of the same species, Krusatodon, which revealed that these mammals grew more slowly than mammals today, and the world’s largest Jurassic pterosaur fossil, Dearc sgiathanach.

Professor Susie Maidment of the Natural History Museum and the University of Birmingham, said: “The Elgol dinosaur was a challenge to collect, and has proven perhaps an even bigger challenge to identify. Some aspects of the bones indicate that the specimen may be an ornithopod, a group of plant-eating dinosaurs that are best known from the Cretaceous.

“This specimen, however, would already have been a fossil by the time that the better-known ornithopods like Iguanodon and Hypsilophodon were walking the Earth. Recent research on the fossils of Elgol has revealed a diverse ecosystem of extraordinarily preserved Middle Jurassic animals, and I’m sure there are more exciting discoveries to come.”  

The other authors on the paper were Professor Roger Benson (American Museum of Natural History), Professor Richard Butler (University of Birmingham), Brett Crawford (Research Casting International – RCI), Matt Fear (RCI), Dr Nick Fraser (National Museums Scotland) and Dr Gregory Funston (Royal Ontario Museum).

Professor Rob Ellam FRSE, Editor of Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh said: “First of all, I would like to congratulate Dr Panciroli and her international team of co-authors.

“Having this exceptional piece of work on the Elgol dinosaur – both Scotland’s earliest and most complete dinosaur fossil – in the pages of Transactions is a highlight for the journal. 

“It is a privilege to be able to publish in EESTRSE a world-class study led from Scotland which illustrates why the Scottish palaeontological community is held in such high esteem.”  

Step into Lord of the Rings’ Middle Earth on a Rabbie’s Tour

With the long-awaited Lord of the Ring’s prequel, The Rings of Power, transporting viewers back to Middle Earth on screen this autumn, Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com) is offering fans the chance to step into J. R. R. Tolkien’s beloved land and truly experience Middle Earth.

Inspired by Tolkien’s masterpiece The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, during the Second Age of Middle Earth. Peace reigns over Middle Earth, but darkness lurks on the horizon with the rising of the Dark Lord Sauron, the forging of the Rings of Power and the ever-growing rift between the races of elves and men.

A Land of Legends and Myths

J. R. R. Tolkien’s legendary work of fiction relies heavily on the seascape. The sea evokes feelings of loss, exile, longing and the immortal elves cross the western sea to the Undying lands at the trilogy’s end. Tolkien’s experience of the Cornwall Sea and the legend of lost lands under the sea inspired the great writer’s incredible imagination.

Head into the land of folklore with Rabbie’s five-day Devon and Cornwall tour. Explore ancient castle ruins and centuries old cathedrals and uncover the Arthurian legend that defines Cornwall.

Reach and trek along Land’s End and travel to the tidal island of St. Michael’s Mount. Experience a land written by legends and made by natural beauty on Rabbie’s five-day Devon and Cornwall tour, which departs from London three times per week with costs starting from £329 per person.

The Misty Mountains in the Misty Isle

The Lord of the Rings is famous for its beautiful realm of Middle Earth. From the stunning city of Gondor to the sleepy and hidden village of the Shire, to the dark lands of Mordor and the heights of the Misty Mountains. In Scotland the ‘Misty Isle’, travelers can walk into the mountains of Middle Earth and be inspired by the crumbling castles, dark lochs and haunting myths.

Travel into the land of legends, landscapes, and landmarks with Rabbie’s 3-day The Isle of Skye tour. Learn of bloody battles on Scottish soil and step into the past to explore centuries-old castles.

Keep an eye out for Britain’s most famous monster at Loch Ness and journey along the ‘Winged Isle’ of Skye. At the Old Man of Storr, where rocks spike out of the ground like daggers, learn of the legend Five Sisters of Kintail, and the local wizard who sought to preserve their beauty for eternity.

Rabbie’s three-day Isle of Skye departs from Edinburgh seven days a week with costs starting from £189 per person.

For more information about Rabbie’s and its tour offering, visit www.rabbies.com.

Breathtaking film with a powerful message for Scottish bikers: ‘Take your time to take it all in’

Bikers from Evolution Women’s Motorcycle Club rolled out the red carpet and declared ‘Action!’ on the latest film from motorcycle safety campaign Live Fast Die Old, by The Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland.

Part of the campaign’s Breathtaking Roads series, the stunning new film highlights the thrill of riding while also reminding motorcyclists to enjoy Scotland’s roads safely.

Shot on the scenic Isle of Skye, the short film uses striking slo-mo footage to highlight the importance of considering the entire picture and every potential hazard before making the decision to overtake. It urges motorcyclists exploring Scotland’s roads to ‘take your time to take it all in’.

Despite accounting for less than 1% of all road traffic in Scotland motorcyclists are over represented in reported casualties. In 2020, there were 418 reported motorcyclist casualties on Scotland’s roads. Of these, 16 were fatalities (17% of all road deaths) and 242 resulted in serious injury.1

Loss of control is the most commonly reported contributory factor for motorcyclists, involved in 19% of all accidents. Bends and overtaking continue to be among the riskiest manoeuvres, with bends being a factor in 22% of all reported injury accidents, and overtaking in 10%.

Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth, said: “We’re seeing lots of bikers on the roads with many taking advantage of the longer days and enjoying the incredible scenery Scotland has to offer.

“The Live Fast Die Old campaign celebrates biking, but we know motorcyclists face significant risks on our roads and we want to ensure they practise safe riding habits – especially when overtaking and going round bends which can be particularly risky manoeuvres.

“I’d urge any motorcyclists exploring Scotland’s breathtaking roads this season to take their time, adjust their speed and consider their surroundings before overtaking. Enjoy the ride – but get home in one piece.”

The new film coincides with Police Scotland’s motorcycle safety campaign.

Fellow biker and deputy head of road policing, Superintendent Stewart Mackie, said: “We speak to bikers and other road users all year round but as the better weather arrives, there is a real focus on motorbike safety and educating all drivers.

“Motorcyclists are more vulnerable than other road users. My plea to other riders is a straightforward one – get home safe.

“I have bitter experience of attending fatal collisions over the years and we must all be cautious on bends, especially left hand bends and think twice before every single overtake.

“I understand the pleasure of being on a bike and exploring Scotland but there’s nothing more important than returning home to your loved ones safe and well.”

Previous films in the Breathtaking Roads series were popular with Scotland’s biking community and showcased stunning routes in coastal, forest and mountain regions of Scotland, while focusing on key manoeuvres such as overtaking, cornering and riding as a group.

Scottish biker Jayne Tollan, Chairwoman of Evolution Women’s Motorcycle Club, said: “We’re really excited to support the launch of the new Live Fast Die Old film and get behind its main message.

“As bikers we can be vulnerable on the road, especially when we’re overtaking, so it’s important we remember to take our time and take in everything that’s happening around us before making the move.

“We all love riding in Scotland – so let’s do it safely.”

The campaign will run across social media and digital channels, with posters displayed at key locations targeting motorcyclists across Scotland, including dealers, petrol stations, garages and cafes along Scotland’s most popular biker routes.

The dedicated Live Fast Die Old website and Facebook page offer rich and engaging content for motorcyclists, with films and blogs from Scottish bikers sharing their first-hand experience and tips with peers, as well as route inspiration and best practice advice.

The Live Fast Die Old campaign is looking for bikers across Scotland to get involved by sharing their experience, advice, top routes and ride-out tips with other bikers. If you’d like to be part of the campaign, follow Live Fast Die Old on Facebook or get in touch at roadsafety@smarts.agency.

To watch the latest Breathtaking Roads film and join the conversation, visit the Live Fast Die Old website (livefastdieold.scot) / or Facebook page facebook.com/livefastdieoldscotland.