Mark's son training his falcon to fly away and come back.


Tom (one of the falcons) is very impatient.


The "rabbit" chase.

posted by Nigel Cole @ 8:08 AM  0 comments

Videos

Highland Dancing Competition

The Wrestling

Running

Labels: Highland Games

posted by Nigel Cole @ 9:54 AM  0 comments

Wrestling at Ceres Highland Games

Labels: Scotland tour

posted by Nigel Cole @ 1:31 PM  0 comments

This eveining, I am presenting some images taken during a recent tour of Auchentoshan Distillery.



The manaufacture of whiskey entails a convoluted process of Malting, Crushing,Fermenting, Distilling and Maturation.



Here is the final product, maturing on oak casks.





Copper stills. These are really giant kettles in which the wash is heated to the point where the alcohol is driven off and then condensed into liquid spirit.






This is where fermentation occurs, where the enzymes in the malt convert the starch into sugar. The resultant liquid is known as wort which is cooled and pumped into washbacks where yeast is added.

Labels: Whisky

posted by Nigel Cole @ 12:33 PM  0 comments

This afternoon, I am posting some images of a small herd of Highland Cattle which are kept in Pollock Park, Glasgow.

This is an ancient breed with two root stocks, one red and one black. The red version appears the more dominant.

Highland Cattle are very hardy animals and seem to thrive on the high hills/mountains with poor pasture. They are well suited to Northen climates but are very slow to mature and hence are not popular with beef growers.

The animals are very placid and photogenic and hence popular with tourists.

Labels: Glasgow

posted by Nigel Cole @ 9:01 AM  0 comments

This evening I am posting some images from a recent tour covering South Lanarkshire and Ayrshire and mainly centering on the Avon Water valley between Strathaven and Darvel/Newmilns.

This area is traditional mixed farming country.

Here are some sheep; these animals outnumber people in Scotland by a ratio of 1.5:1


Do not tangle wuth this gentleman!

Labels: Ayrshire

posted by Nigel Cole @ 2:09 PM  0 comments

This evening I am posting some images from a recent visit to Paisley.

Focus is on the Coats Observatory on Oakshaw Street. This was a gift from the textile philanthropist, Thomas Coats in 1883 to Paisley's Philosophical Institution which dates from 1808 and included Thomas Coats in its membership.

The Observatory is open Tuesday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm and Sunday 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

The Observatory is located in an area of interesting local architecture.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Nigel Cole @ 12:53 PM  0 comments

This evening I am posting some images of interesting architecture in Paisley, near Glasgow.

Here is a view of the Coats Observatory which dates from 1883; a gift from Thomas Coats, a philanthropist who controlled thread-making factories in the locality.


Oakshaw Trinity Church which dates from 1750.


The Town Hall, finaced by textile magnate George A Clark and his family 1870s.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Nigel Cole @ 1:54 PM  0 comments

This evening, I am presenting some images of Glasgow's City Chambers, a magnificent Victorian edifice which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1888. The building was designed by William Young . The above is the exterior entrance facing George Square in the centre of Glasgow.

The Chambers house the Head Office of Councils (local government) serving the City of Glasgow

Below are images of the interior which incorporates pillars of marble and granite.








Scottish Country Dancing Ball in process.


Guided tours of the Chambers are available.

Labels: Glasgow

posted by Nigel Cole @ 11:00 AM  0 comments