Preparing for Scotland!

Anxious to Travel! 


Going overseas with my daughter Mallory to Scotland will be a once in a lifetime experience!   I am looking forward to it so much!!

The trip we will be taking is an Educational Tour through EF Educational Tours called Stories of Scotland.   This link will take to you to the general Stories of Scotland tour that they offer:  https://www.eftours.com/educational-tour/stories-of-scotland?query=scotland 

Leading up to our late June departure, (especially being a librarian) I have been doing a little research into Scotland.  

So, where did i start my research?  At Carroll Co Public Library of course for some books & using our online resources!  


So here are a few of the basics that I figured we needed to know!

Scottish Money/Currency

For some reason, I was thinking the currency in Scotland would have been the Euro, but this is why it is important to plan ahead.  The official currency of Scotland is the Pound (more commonaly known as the British Pound)!  

Photo-  https://commons.wikimedia.org/                  



"In Scotland, the unit of currency is the pound (£), which is used throughout the entire UK. All major credit cards can also be used across Scotland, with Visa and MasterCard being most widely accepted.


Scotland has its own bank notes that look different to those in the rest of the UK, however their value is the same. Both Scottish and UK-wide notes can be used throughout Scotland. "  https://www.scotland.org/about-scotland/money-currency


Flag of Scotland

Photo- https://commons.wikimedia.org/
               Photo-  https://commons.wikimedia.org/


While the official flag of Scotland is called the "Saltire" which literally means "a cross with diagonal bars of equal length" it is not the only flag the many associate with the county.   
Photo- https://www.scottish-at-heart.com/flag-of-scotland.html
Many still associate Scotland with another flag called the Royal Lion Rampart.  To learn more about the history of Scotland's flags, check out this website.  https://www.scottish-at-heart.com/flag-of-scotland.html

Other Preperations for Scotland
Another website provided some basic information on Scottish weather, food,safetyin Scotland  & even insight into the annoying insects called midges!  Check out som more basic info:   https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-before-coming-to-scotland#:~:text=Our%20Scottish%20currency%20is%20the,so%20they%20are%20fine%20too.
Photo from: https://www.visitinvernesslochness.com/ 

Robert The Bruce-My Long Lost Relative?

By the way, did I mention I am of Scottish decent?    Family lore has it that we are descendants of Robert the Bruce.  If that name rings a bell, it could be because he was the cowardly character who betrayed William Wallace in the movie Braveheart.  This was all before he went on to his eventual leadership role as King of Scotland in March of 1306.

There have also been a few films made about Robert The Bruce including  newer movies such as Netflix's  Outlaw King and 2019's Robert The Bruce.   

One story I have attributed to him over the years is one about him hiding in a cave after multiple military defeats & the lessons learned by a single spider.   

One source says, Robert the Bruce "passed the hours by observing a spider in a cave. Disheartened by his military and personal losses, Bruce allegedly saw echoes of his struggle in the spider’s repeated attempts to swing itself from one corner to another. When the spider finally succeeded, it inspired Bruce to launch a second wave of rebellion.

Despite the spider legend’s suspect origins, Michael Brown says the story exemplifies Bruce’s reputation as a 'model of perseverance.' " *

Here is another version of this story.

photo from: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-the-Bruce
"Robert, spent the winter of 1306-07 in hiding, including a period living in a cave on the island of Rathlin off the coast of  Antrim, Ireland with his brother, Edward.  According to local folklore it is here that  Robert had his life-changing moment with a spider. Apparently, he observed a spider repeatedly weaving and reweaving its web, never giving up until finally it succeeded. Robert is said to have drawn from this encounter the resolve to try again to gain control of his kingdom. Actually, the story in this form only dates back to Sir Walter Scott’s telling of it: in the original version it was one of Bruce’s supporters who witnessed the arachnid and then relayed the story to the king."  **

Not sure i see the family resemblance...except maybe for the beard.

Research Sites on Robert the Bruce:


Podcasts on Scotish Castles
I also uncovered some interesting podcasts on Scottish Castles. The podcast, History Books & Wine is co-created by an author, Eliza Knight who recently visited Carroll Co Public Library.   Here are some links to podcasts on castles that are not on our iternary.  But gthese ave me a great insight to some of the stories of other castles in Scotland!  I am sure the stories behind the castles we visit will be just as interesting!  

Four amazing places in Scotland, their history and a few fun facts: Dunrobin Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Culloden Battlefield and Mary King’s Close!

With less than a month away!  I am getting more ready each day!!!
Stay tuned for more as soon as the trip gets underway.


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