Pressing Scottish questions given some answers

Scotland has many questions that are regularly asked of it. And there’s plenty of questions to be asked about Scots and their inventions and successes too. Here, we endeavour to answer some of those. Q What is elephant polo? A Polo, but played riding atop an elephant instead of a horse. Invented by Scotsman James…

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Scotland has been going Dutch since 1066

The issue of migration to Scotland has been much in the news over the past decade with a significant inflow of people coming from the eastern part of the European Union and more recently from Syria. But while immigration is not a new phenomenon for Scotland, it is perhaps little known that immigrants from Flanders…

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The Boathouse will make a splash with new owner

The iconic Boathouse restaurant on the shores of Loch Leven is celebrating an ambitious new owner. Sally Fotheringham, from Fife, has left her career in financial services to return to what she calls her ‘first love’ – the hospitality industry. The pleasure of looking after customers in a convivial atmosphere has never left Sally, who…

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New exhibits come to Abbotsford for March opening

A wooden Jacobite quaich, a rare pack of 17th century playing cards, a slop bowl and a Persian charm are among a range of items added to the Sir Walter Scott exhibition. Being held at his famous home Abbotsford, in the Scottish Borders, the new attractions are all ready for the opening of the new…

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Growing demand for rural Borders properties

The Scottish Borders property market is currently good for sellers, at least in part due to the limited numbers of new properties coming on to the market. That’s according to independent property consultancy, Galbraith. For the final quarter of 2018, Galbraith’s offices in Kelso and Galashiels reported an increase in the number of properties sold…

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A beautiful listed home with an 1841 vintage is now for sale

A C listed home dating from about 1841 is has been brought to the property market. Presented for sale by Bell Ingram, Viewlands House was extended to the rear around 1950. It is positioned in grounds extending to about 0.78 acres. There is an independent detached one-bedroom cottage which originally formed the stables for the…

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A spacious family home with thoughtful design

A tremendous, spacious detached family home is now available in the Scottish Borders. Presented by Galbraith, Lowood provides spacious, thoughtfully designed and well appointed accommodation. The house benefits from solid fuel central heating which is provided by a large wood burning stove in the sitting room/dining room. The property also benefits from solar panels and…

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A tremendous traditional home in the borders

Colterscleuch House is a traditional five-bedroom house which has recently undergone sympathetic modernisation and upgrading. Presented for sale by Galbraith, Colterscleuch House benefits from Biomass central heating with some RHI payments still to be received. It was re-plumbed and rewired during renovation along with a top rated energy efficient sash and case double glazing and…

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Grand designs are paying off at House of Elrick

When Stuart Ingram bought the estate four years ago, he wasted no time in making grand plans for the House of Elrick. Mother’s ruin with a slice of lemon. G&T with a wedge of lime. Whatever you call it, however you  enjoy it, gin has long been one of the nation’s favourites. Home to a unique…

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Fairytales are brought to life in the workshop

Sharmanka is a place where industry meets art, mechanics meet fairy tales and the boundaries between dreams and real life blur beyond recognition It’s over 20 years since Sharmanka (meaning ‘barrel organ’ in Russian) opened its doors in Glasgow, but artist mechanic Eduard Bersudsky, gallery director Tatyana Jakovskaya and Tatanya’s son Sergey are still sharing…

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