Tag: landmarks

ECHO Trails gets off the ground

Project seeks to showcase east Cowal (Argyll) historic landmarks

The ECHO (East Cowal Heritage Outdoors) Trails project, a network of landmarks and walking trails encompassing the shores of Holy Loch, Loch Eck, Loch Long and Loch Goil, has been officially launched after a two-year delay due to Covid-19.

Representatives from Forestry & Land Scotland, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, the AITC (Argyll & Isles Tourism Co-operative), Dunoon Area Alliance, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Bookpoint Dunoon gathered recently at Historic Kilmun to celebrate the launch.

The ECHO Trails incorporates ten key landmarks around the east Cowal peninsula, including Puck’s Glen, Benmore Botanic Garden and the beach at Ardentinny, as well as a number of places of interest that reflect the rich heritage and notable, historic personalities associated with this small corner of Argyll.

Funding for the project has come from Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, Bookpoint Dunoon, HES and the Culture and Business Fund Scotland.

Jenni Minto, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Argyll and Bute, commented: “Cowal is such a beautiful part of the world, rich in landmarks and history, so anything that can be done to help showcase this should be encouraged and the ECHO trails project does just that!”

Ciorsdan Taylor, AITC Community Engagement Agent for Cowal, commented: “The ECHO Trails are a wonderful way of showcasing the interesting heritage and landmarks we have here in Cowal and there are many of them to see.

“The AITC is very glad to be supporting and promoting this great resource within Cowal and we hope that many visitors to the area and local people will use it for many years to come.”

Dinah McDonald, owner of the Bookpoint bookshop in Dunoon, said: “We are delighted to sponsor this fascinating project which will enable so many more people to explore and appreciate the amazing heritage of this peaceful corner of Argyll.

“Stunning scenery, amazing wildlife and a historical heritage going back over 3000 years, it feels like the heritage of Scotland all in one small area.”

Rob Wilkinson, appointed co-ordinator for the project earlier this year, commented: “The ECHO Trails builds on the great work of Robin Patel carried out before the arrival of the coronavirus and seeks to create an identity for this part of the world in much the same way as the Secret Coast and the Clyde Sea Lochs Trail around Dumbarton and Helensburgh.

“Links have been established with a number of community-focused organisations and individuals and we will soon be appointing a “Friends of the ECHO Trails” committee to determine the future direction of the project. There is so much potential when it comes to building a vibrant community network”.

Amy Eastwood, Head of Grants at HES, said: “We’re pleased to support this project as part of our Organisational Support Fund. The ECHO Trail is a fantastic way to encourage visitors to explore the history and heritage of East Cowal.”

Steve Gillen of Forestry & Land Scotland said: “It’s fantastic  to see this project finally coming to fruition after so much hard work by the ECHO team over the past few years.

“It is a great opportunity to highlight the number and variety of destinations in the area, and to promote and encourage responsible public access across them.”

The ECHO Trails project will be linking up with the Cowal Open Studios network to showcase the work of local artists on the 24th and 25th September at Historic Kilmun to coincide with the COS open studios weekend (23rd to 26th September).

For more information please visit www.echotrails.org. A free app “ECHO Trails” is also available for download.

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Gasworks Station talk and walk

granton:hub is delighted to invite you to an outdoor talk at the Granton Gasworks Train Station to listen to Kenneth Williamson who will outline the significance of this historic listed building.

The Granton Gas Works Station was opened on 27 February, 1903 to take the workers to and from the Gas Works. It closed in 1942. The station is currently going through a complete refurbishment and will become a major enterprise hub managed by WASPS.

The talk will be followed by a walk, taking in further landmarks such as Granton’s Gasometer, Caroline Park House and the listed Madelvic car factory to arrive at Madelvic House, the base of granton:hub, at around 2:45pm for tea/coffee and cake.

Then, between 3-5pm, you will be able to join staff and students from Edinburgh College of Art, to hear more about their project Granton: Cultural Heritage at the Edge: Edinburgh at the Seaside.

This research project was carried out in February by academics and 20 postgraduate students who interviewed the local community on their views of cultural heritage and what it means for Granton.

Their work was placed on display in the granton:hub in February, at the North Edinburgh Community Festival in May, and also in Paris, where we joined representatives of 7 other cities across Europe, from Krakow to Madrid, to discuss Cultural Heritage at the Edge.

Visitors will be able to view the many display boards and exhibition materials, to hear more about what we learned from our European partners, and to join with us in developing a Europe-wide Manifesto for Cultural Heritage at the Edge.

Refreshments will be served.

PLEASE NOTE: Kenneth Williamson’s talk will last approximately 45 minutes and will be held outside, next to the display boards on the fence outside the Granton Gasworks station (opposite Morrison’s superstore on Waterfront Broadway).

Please arrive by 1:45pm. After the talk, participants will walk (0.6 miles) along Waterfront Avenue to granton: hub which is located at Madelvic House, Granton Park Avenue, Edinburgh EH5 1HS.

The walk is suitable for children aged 12+ who must be accompanied by an adult

Book your place via Eventbrite:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/july-2022-granton-gas…

First Minister’s Christmas card

The card features iconic landmarks of Scotland

A design featuring landmarks and national symbols of Scotland has been unveiled as the First Minister’s 2021 Christmas Card.

It has been created by artist Emily Hogarth, who has previously worked on illustrations to mark St Andrew’s Day and a welcoming new space for children at The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.

The card features some of Scotland’s best-known landmarks and iconic buildings, with familiar images such as the Scottish Parliament building and the Finnieston Crane. It also has personal links to the First Minister, with her official residence Bute House included in the design.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am thrilled to have such a striking design for my Christmas card this year.

“Emily Hogarth’s artwork celebrates just a few of the things that make Scotland special, and there’s no better time of year to stop and reflect on the things that make our lives a little brighter.

“After another particularly difficult year living through the COVID-19 pandemic I hope that this card will help to lift people’s spirits, spread some festive cheer and most importantly remind us all that better days are ahead.”

Emily Hogarth said: “I felt very honoured to be selected. It’s been lovely to work with the Scottish Government in the past, but to be chosen by the First Minister to do the Christmas card felt very special.

“It’s more important than ever that we focus on the little things that make life better, whether that’s receiving a nice card or having chats with your friends. We need to remember that we’re all in this together and that good times will come again.”

Edinburgh dad completes 365-day toy car photography challenge

An Edinburgh dad has completed a 365-day photography challenge with a difference – a photo of a toy car placed somewhere in and around the city every day.

Ross Burns, 41, has taken a photo of one of his son’s many Hot Wheels cars every day for the past year in what began as an activity to beat the boredom of homeworking during lockdown.

Ross, who works at Edinburgh Napier University, has since featured more than 250 cars in a huge number of settings in and around Edinburgh.

From iconic backdrops such as Calton Hill, Edinburgh Castle and the Forth Bridge, to Saughton Skatepark, Leith Docks and Murrayfield Ice Rink, Ross is always on the lookout for the perfect picture.

“I have a five-year-old son called Daniel and he loves Hot Wheels. I used to love Matchbox cars when I was his age and I soon began to become obsessed with his growing collection. To make sure I took a walk every day, I started taking a car out and just taking some pictures on my phone.

“After a few weeks, I set myself the challenge of doing it for a full year and I’m delighted to have now completed it. It’s been great for my mental health during the various lockdowns, particularly the one early this year – getting out and taking a picture of a car gave me a purpose and a creative outlet each day.”

Posting a photo a day on Instagram under the handle Scot.Wheels, the images chart the four seasons and a city in and out of lockdown. Ross’ most popular image is of a Land Rover Defender 90 reflected on the Water of Leith.

“I’ve done a couple of pictures where the car is reflected in the water and people love them. The Land Rover in particular is popular as it is one of the most realistic looking cars.”

Due to the restrictions of lockdown, the vast majority of photos are of Edinburgh but Ross and his family did escape to Fife last month for a holiday in Lower Largo.

“We had beautiful weather and the beach made such a great background for the cars. A rugged blue Ford Bronco looked fantastic on the rocks by the sea.”

Now that he has achieved his target of a photograph every day for a year, and run up more than 20,000 “likes” in the process, Ross intends to carry on but take his foot off the accelerator.

“I’ll continue taking car pictures but not pressurise myself to do it every day. I’ll aim for quality over quantity and hopefully as we become able to travel more, I’ll explore some fantastic new settings with some wonderful new cars.”

You can see Ross’s year of car pictures at www.instagram.com/scot.wheels.

Edinburgh Castle, Gaudi-style!

Edinburgh Castle is the city’s most iconic landmark, steeped in history and a prominent feature on the city’s skyline, from its position atop Castle Rock. But, what if it looked different? What if the castle wasn’t built in the 12th century by David I, but was instead created by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi? 

For the first time ever, TransPennine Express has asked the question, and reimagined Edinburgh Castle in the style of Gaudi, as part of a new series.

Edinburgh Castle houses some of Scotland’s most important artefacts, such as the Honours of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny. The outside is distinctive, as the fortress walls dissolve into the volcanic rock as if they were one entity. It is the culmination of the Royal Mile, and tourists flock here every day to get a sense of life for the Scottish royals in the Middle Ages.

In this reimagining, Antoni Gaudi’s influence is immediately obvious – with his Gothic free-flowing style taking over the Castle’s towers and walls, featuring colours borrowed from Park Güell. The roof of the castle becomes similar to his Casa Batlló building in Barcelona.

The full series of landmarks including Glasgow’s Duke of Edinburgh statue, Manchester’s Beetham Tower and Newcastle’s Angel of the North can be seen here: https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/explore-the-north-and-scotland/blog/2019/september/uk-landmarks-reimagined