Scotti sh W eb Ca ms!

Thanks to Scottie at RampantScotland.com for this comprehensive list of Scotland web cams! Enjoy!

Aberdeen
Aberdeen City Council have not been mean with their budget and have set up three webcams - looking over the harbour, Castlegate and Union Street.
Aberdeen Harbour
Pan, tilt, zoom and scan the webcam as you watch the ships entering and leaving the busy Aberdeen harbour.
Aberdeenshire Webcams
Aberdeenshire Council operate a number of Internet Webcams in towns across their area, including:

• Banchory High Street
• Banff Harbour, Aberdeenshire
• Inverurie Town Centre
• Fraserburgh Shore
• Peterhead Harbour
• Stonehaven Harbour

Angus
The Visit Angus Web site hosts web-cameras with viewing controls allowing users to zoom in on landscape features, wildlife and fauna.

• Glen Clova with views of the scenery from a hillside farm close to the Glen Clova Hotel.
• Carnoustie from the clock tower of the Carnoustie Golf Hotel over the first tee of the Championship Course.
• Montrose Basin from the front gallery area of the Scottish Wildlife Trust Montrose Basin Wildlife Centre with superb views across this tidal basin.

Ardgrain, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
Webcam broadcast from the historic Grade A listed Scottish barony of Ardgrain, which dates from 1629. The webcam has views of the rolling countryside looking towards the market town of Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Part of a website packed full of local pictures and the detailed history of the baronial site of Ardgrain through the ages.
Arran - Brodick
Live webcam overlooks the beautiful bay in Brodick.
BBC Travel Webcams
Reports of traffic delays and congestion across the country as well as webcam views of major traffic flows. See also TrafficScotland
Ben Nevis
A Fort William tourist site brings you views of Scotland's (and the UK's) highest mountain. When it's dark in Scotland, there is a collection of Ben Nevis and Nevis Range images to look at instead.
Bowmore Distillery, Islay
Change the view and see the lochs outside the distillery.
Bruichladdich Distillery
The "world's first non-stop whisky show" has an increasing number of cameras updating the view every second. These webcams leapt to fame when the US-based Defence Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) were reported to have been monitoring the whisky distillery, using the close-up webcams. The agency claimed that it only took a "tweak" to allow the malt whisky production to change to churning out chemical weapons.....
Cairngorms
Weather data and webcam views for hill walkers - and armchair viewers. Picture updated every ten minutes. Includes views of the White Lady, view from Loch Morlich and view from Summit of Main Basin T-bar.
Campbelltown, Argyll
Control the views - Westport Beach, the reef or the islands of Islay and Jura.
Camvista - Scotland
The Scotland index of a larger site covers a number of locations across the country (some of which are not operated by Camvista) including:

Aberdeen harbour Aberdeen Castlegate Aberdeen, Union Street Arran, Brodick Pier Blair Drummond Safari Park (Rhinos) Cairngorm Ski Resort Coldingham Bay (surf), Scottish Borders Dumfries Dundee, Riverside Airport Edinburgh City Centre Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh - Various camera views Glasgow, BBC HQ, Pacific Quay Glasgow - Buchanan Street Glasgow, City Chambers, George Square Glasgow George Square General View Gleneagles Golf Course Lecht Ski Resort Car Park Loch Ness Mull of Galloway Oban Bay Onlich Hotel near Fort William River Turret, Perthshire Skye Stonehaven Harbour Turnberry Golf Course

Dundee
Dundee City Council give you control of the Webcam for two minutes (though you may have to wait a while if there's a queue ahead of you!
Dundee
The bonnie city of Dundee from Law Hill. You can control the view from side to side and zoom in and out. Trust the "City of Discovery" to come up with a cool view!
Dunoon
The webcam from Argyll and Bute Council overlooks the harbour - impressive no matter the weather!
Edinburgh

Princes Street

Edinburgh City Centre

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh - Various camera views

Fair Isle
Two webcams from one of Scotland's most remote islands (though there is an air service). Fife Panoramas
From a guide to Fife, these are not Webcams but 360 degree Java panoramas of a number of locations in Fife including:

Aberdour Abbot House Gardens Canmore Golf Club Ceres Crail

Culross Dunfermline Abbey Both Forth Bridges Links Hotel, St Andrews Scottish Fisheries Museum

Gardenstown/Gamrie
The webcam is looking towards the coastal village of Gardenstown on the North-East coast of Aberdeenshire and the site also has a page on the Gardenstown Weather Station, provide constantly updated weather information. There is also local information about local tourist attractions such as Church of St John the Evangelist, which was built in 1513 and celebrates the defeat of the Danes at this site in 1004.
Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway
A view of the Main Street in Gatehouse of Fleet looking toward the clock tower, with Cardoness Castle and the sea in the background.
Glasgow- George Square
View the changing face of Glasgow's main square which hosts many different events during the year.
And here are views of Glasgow from Camvista:

• Glasgow, BBC HQ, Pacific Quay
• Glasgow - Buchanan Street
• Glasgow, City Chambers, George Square
• Glasgow George Square General View

Glencoe
The view from the King's House Hotel looking down the glen, updated every two hours.
Gleneagles Golf Course
The first tee at the PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder.
Greenock, Inverclyde
Looking across the river Clyde.
Gretna Green Anvil Hall Wedding Venue
See the wedding ceremonies in this famous location.
Kyle of Lochalsh
Looking over to Skye and the Skye road bridge.
Lewis - Eoropaidh Tea Room
In the extreme north of the Isle of Lewis
Linlithgow Town Centre and Union Canal
See the traffic flow in Linlithgow town centre or the slower pace of Linlithgow canal centre, the Union Canal and the narrow boats moored there.
Loch Lomond
Change the views to see different aspects including the loch, Loch Lomond Shores visitor centre and the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer.
Loch Ness
So that you can keep watch for Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster - both above and under water.
Mull of Galloway and North Ronaldsay North Ronaldsay
The Northern Lighthouse Board, Lighthouse Library has set up Webcams on the lighthouse on the Mull of Galloway and the island of North Ronaldsay North Ronaldsay.
New Deer, Aberdeenshire
Looking from just outside the ancient town of New Deer in Aberdeenshire, towards the mountain of Bennachie, the best known and most climbed hill range in North East Scotland.
North-west Scotland and Skye
There are links to a series of Webcams near Armadale at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig College (part of the University of the Highlands and Islands) looking from the college across the Sound of Sleet to the fishing and ferry port of Mallaig. If you look out at the right time you might just catch sight the CalMac ferry leaving Mallaig for Armadale or the Small Isles of Rùm, Eigg, Muck and Canna. Another webcam looks north east from the college across the Sound of Sleat to "Britain's last wilderness", the Knoydart peninsula. Further webcams include one located behind Bernera Farmhouse looking west across the meadow to the Kyle Rhea narrows and Ben Aslak; then there is a webcam at Bernera Farm, north of Glenelg, looking north east down Glen Bernera towards Glas Bheinn. Don't forget to click on the webcam image to view a dedicated archive page that includes a captioned view of the most prominent features on each webcam plus thirty days of images and time-lapse sequences. Other webcams of Skye from the same site, include:

• Badicaul by Kyle of Lochalsh
• Eilean Donan Castle
• Loch Harport, Minginish Peninsula
• Loch Ness
• Skye Bridge
• Skyeskyns, Waternish Peninsula, Skye
• Sligachan, Isle of Skye
• Urquhart Castle & Loch Ness
• White Heather Hotel, Kyleakin

Oban
Three cameras providing two views of the town from different points plus inside the tourist information centre - wave to your friends who wish they were there too!
Ochil Hills
View of the Ochils from Clackmannan Community Web site.
Orkney
A view of Stromness Harbour, updated every hour.
Orkney - St Magnus Cathedral
View of St Magnus Cathedral taken from the office of a local chartered accountant.
Rutherglen
The site has been listed in the top 25 views by the webcam portal site EarthCam - rubbing shoulders with views of Brooklyn Bridge, Tokyo and Nasa astronauts in space. A plus is the quality of the sound being broadcast - the site comments "if you listen, you will hear the odd reveller go home after a wee drink or two after the local pubs and bars close."
Shetland
Click on the Webcam link on this official Shetland tourism site and get a series of Webcam views around the islands, including:

• Lerwick Town Centre
• Lerwick Harbour
• Hays Dock, Lerwick
• Sumburgh Airport
• Pool of Virkie
• Eshaness
• Fetlar
• Lunna House

Traffic Scotland
CCTV views of traffic on most of the main trunk roads across Scotland. Long list gives access to pop-up view of all the locations (if the cameras are working!) Note that there is a Smartphone app for this site - search for "Traffic Scotland" in your apps market place.

Celtophile Monday

The World Pipe Band Championship is complete! Click here to read Scottie's diary and photos of the event.

For full results, visit the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association's web site.

View Scottie's slide show, set to music by Moira Kerr, on Youtube.

Celtophile Monday

"Faun"atical in Scotland
Scotland is increasingly marketing itself as Europe's leading wildlife destination, and with an incredibly diverse range of habitats hosting dozens of top quality projects and experiences, it's an idea that's becoming plausible. Home to vast expanses of protected ground and two spectacular national parks, rural and marine Scotland are awash with wildlife-watching opportunities, from bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth to golden eagles on the west coast or sailing among seals and puffins in Shetland. Read more

Scottish Lochs Slide Show


Landscapes of Scotland
Gorgeous landscape photos from David W. Robertson. Check out the "Glasgow Smiles" section - fun!

Celtophile Monday

Thought I'd share a couple sites that feature some gorgeous photos. Enjoy!

iReporters capture castles in Scotland

National Geographic
Scotland Photos
Photo of the Day (verra cool time lapse)
Wales Photos
Ireland Photos
England Photos
Drive of a Lifetime: Cornish Coast

Celtophile Monday

5000 Year Old Westray Wife Tours Scotland
A Neolithic carving found in the Orkney Islands last year is to go on tour around Scotland. The 5,000-year-old figurine, known as the Westray Wife, was discovered in the Links of Noltland on the Orkney island of Westray and is the only Neolithic carving of a human form found in Scotland. Measuring just 41mm by 31mm and made of sandstone, the Venus figure will go on tour around Scotland before returning to Orkney for the summer. Source: Culture24.org.uk

Scotland During World War II
What was life like during the second world war in Scotland at home, at school and on the street? Click here for student and teacher resources.

Ginger Hair Due To Bad Scottish Weather?
Scotland’s notoriously bad weather appears to be behind why more of the country’s population appeared to be blessed with ginger hair, new research has claimed. Read more

Celtophile Monday

Ran across this nice page of Scottish lighthouses. This is Bell Rock, one of many designed and built by the Stevenson family. Author Robert Louis Stevenson belonged to this family. This is a good book about them: The Lighthouse Stevensons.







Also Irish lighthouses.This one is Hook Head, which my husband and I visited a few years ago on rare, clear October day. Some sort of beacon has existed on this spot since about 450 A.D., making it one of the oldest (if not the oldest) lighthouse sites in the world!

Related site: Commissioners of Irish Lights





And here we have beacons in Wales. This one is Porthcawl.











Cornwall, of course, has its share! This one is Tater Du, near Penzance on the south Cornwall coast.

Celtophile Monday

Scottie from Rampant Scotland made this slide show of photographs from the recent Glasgow Green for the World pipe band competition. Music by Moira Kerr. Enjoy!

Celtophile Monday

Find more videos like this on Our Scotland

Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highlights...

In German, but the video quality is great. :)

A little dreaming on a winter's day...

Scotland Within The Gridlines

Stumbled across this amazing site this week - GeoGraph. Click anywhere on the map to zoom in to a treasure trove of photographs! Dare you to click just once!

(Photo: Torwood Castle, near Fallkirk, Scotland. Nigel J C Turnbull)

If You Can't Get Jiggy With This...

...there's simply no hope for you. :) Thanks to my friend Vaerna for the link!

Celtophile Monday

Scotland's Earliest Face Found
A carving believed to be Scotland's earliest human face, dating back thousands of years, has been found on the Orkney island of Westray.

Scotland's Storytelling Tradition Resurges
Listen to radio story or read transcript here. Visit the Scottish Storytelling Centre here.

Walkhighlands!
Free, detailed descriptions of walking routes across the Scottish Highlands, including maps, GPS locations of waypoints, 3D Virtual Highlands tours, downloadable tour apps, and photographs taken along the routes. Plus a whole lot more. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/

Thanks to Inez Kelley for pointing me to this video:


Highland Diary
Explore the natural world of the Highlands with BBC natural history specialists. Click here

Castle of the Week
Fatlips Castle Okay, yeah, I picked it for the name. :) That, and it's an unusual looking edifice - looks like a stone cottage perched on top of a tower.

More haunted places in Scotland

I figure it's time to add to this list. :)

Dunrobin Castle
Ancestral home of the earls of Sutherland, this castle is purported to harbor the ghost of the 14th earl's daughter, Margaret. She fell to her death while attempting to climb down a rope to run away with her lover, a stable hand by the name of Jamie Gunn.


Rait Castle
This 800-year-old Nairnshire hall castle is said to be haunted by a ghost in a blood-stained dress and no hands. Legend has it that the Cumming laird invited a delegation from clan MacIntosh in the guise of making amends; the real plot was to kill their enemies. The laird's daughter, whose lover was among the party (it's always about a girl and her lover, isn't it?), found a way to warn him. The MacIntoshes were saved, but the girl's father, enraged, chased her down and cut off her hands. She leapt to her death from a tower window. From that night, no one has inhabited the castle.

Loch Ashie
Situated between Inverness and Culloden Moor, a silent, spectral army is said to appear on the shores of this loch on the 1st of May. It's thought to be the site of a battle between Highlanders and invading Norwegians.




Have time for some video? Check these out!









Have a good week!

Carolan

Celtophile Monday

Watch live video from ourscotland on Justin.tv

13 Sexy Scottish Actors

Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way first:

1. Sean Connery


2. Paul Telfer

He's so purty I had to use him twice...

3. Paul Telfer


4. Brian McCardie


5. Ross McCall


6. James McAvoy


7. Michael E. Rodgers


8. David Robb


9. Ben Jelen


10. Hamish Clark


11. Ewan MacGregor


12. Gerard Butler


13. Sean Biggerstaff

See more TTs!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Night
by Robert Burns

(For an audio recording, click here!)

Upon that night, when fairies light
On Cassilis Downans dance,
Or owre the lays, in splendid blaze,
On sprightly coursers prance;
Or for Colean the route is ta'en,
Beneath the moon's pale beams;
There, up the cove, to stray and rove,
Among the rocks and streams
To sport that night.

Among the bonny winding banks,
Where Doon rins, wimplin' clear,
Where Bruce ance ruled the martial ranks,
And shook his Carrick spear,
Some merry, friendly, country-folks,
Together did convene,
To burn their nits, and pou their stocks,
And haud their Halloween
Fu' blithe that night.

The lasses feat, and cleanly neat,
Mair braw than when they're fine;
Their faces blithe, fu' sweetly kythe,
Hearts leal, and warm, and kin';
The lads sae trig, wi' wooer-babs,
Weel knotted on their garten,
Some unco blate, and some wi' gabs,
Gar lasses' hearts gang startin'
Whiles fast at night.

Then, first and foremost, through the kail,
Their stocks maun a' be sought ance;
They steek their een, and graip and wale,
For muckle anes and straught anes.
Poor hav'rel Will fell aff the drift,
And wander'd through the bow-kail,
And pou't, for want o' better shift,
A runt was like a sow-tail,
Sae bow't that night.

Then, staught or crooked, yird or nane,
They roar and cry a' throu'ther;
The very wee things, todlin', rin,
Wi' stocks out owre their shouther;
And gif the custoc's sweet or sour.
Wi' joctelegs they taste them;
Syne cozily, aboon the door,
Wi cannie care, they've placed them
To lie that night.

The lasses staw frae 'mang them a'
To pou their stalks of corn:
But Rab slips out, and jinks about,
Behint the muckle thorn:
He grippet Nelly hard and fast;
Loud skirl'd a' the lasses;
But her tap-pickle maist was lost,
When kitlin' in the fause-house
Wi' him that night.

The auld guidwife's well-hoordit nits,
Are round and round divided,
And monie lads' and lasses' fates
Are there that night decided:
Some kindle coothie, side by side,
And burn thegither trimly;
Some start awa, wi' saucy pride,
And jump out-owre the chimlie
Fu' high that night.

Jean slips in twa wi' tentie ee;
Wha 'twas she wadna tell;
But this is Jock, and this is me,
She says in to hersel:
He bleezed owre her, and she owre him,
As they wad never mair part;
Till, fuff! he started up the lum,
And Jean had e'en a sair heart
To see't that night.

Poor Willie, wi' his bow-kail runt,
Was brunt wi' primsie Mallie;
And Mallie, nae doubt, took the drunt,
To be compared to Willie;
Mall's nit lap out wi' pridefu' fling,
And her ain fit it brunt it;
While Willie lap, and swore by jing,
'Twas just the way he wanted
To be that night.

Nell had the fause-house in her min',
She pits hersel and Rob in;
In loving bleeze they sweetly join,
Till white in ase they're sobbin';
Nell's heart was dancin' at the view,
She whisper'd Rob to leuk for't:
Rob, stowlins, prie'd her bonny mou',
Fu' cozie in the neuk for't,
Unseen that night.

But Merran sat behint their backs,
Her thoughts on Andrew Bell;
She lea'es them gashin' at their cracks,
And slips out by hersel:
She through the yard the nearest taks,
And to the kiln goes then,
And darklins graipit for the bauks,
And in the blue-clue throws then,
Right fear't that night.

And aye she win't, and aye she swat,
I wat she made nae jaukin',
Till something held within the pat,
Guid Lord! but she was quakin'!
But whether 'was the deil himsel,
Or whether 'twas a bauk-en',
Or whether it was Andrew Bell,
She didna wait on talkin'
To spier that night.

Wee Jennie to her grannie says,
"Will ye go wi' me, grannie?
I'll eat the apple at the glass
I gat frae Uncle Johnnie:"
She fuff't her pipe wi' sic a lunt,
In wrath she was sae vap'rin',
She notice't na, an aizle brunt
Her braw new worset apron
Out through that night.

"Ye little skelpie-limmer's face!
I daur you try sic sportin',
As seek the foul thief ony place,
For him to spae your fortune.
Nae doubt but ye may get a sight!
Great cause ye hae to fear it;
For mony a ane has gotten a fright,
And lived and died deleeret
On sic a night.

"Ae hairst afore the Sherramoor, --
I mind't as weel's yestreen,
I was a gilpey then, I'm sure
I wasna past fifteen;
The simmer had been cauld and wat,
And stuff was unco green;
And aye a rantin' kirn we gat,
And just on Halloween
It fell that night.

"Our stibble-rig was Rab M'Graen,
A clever sturdy fallow:
His son gat Eppie Sim wi' wean,
That lived in Achmacalla:
He gat hemp-seed, I mind it weel,
And he made unco light o't;
But mony a day was by himsel,
He was sae sairly frighted
That very night."

Then up gat fechtin' Jamie Fleck,
And he swore by his conscience,
That he could saw hemp-seed a peck;
For it was a' but nonsense.
The auld guidman raught down the pock,
And out a hanfu' gied him;
Syne bade him slip frae 'mang the folk,
Some time when nae ane see'd him,
And try't that night.

He marches through amang the stacks,
Though he was something sturtin;
The graip he for a harrow taks.
And haurls it at his curpin;
And every now and then he says,
"Hemp-seed, I saw thee,
And her that is to be my lass,
Come after me, and draw thee
As fast this night."

He whistled up Lord Lennox' march
To keep his courage cheery;
Although his hair began to arch,
He was say fley'd and eerie:
Till presently he hears a squeak,
And then a grane and gruntle;
He by his shouther gae a keek,
And tumbled wi' a wintle
Out-owre that night.

He roar'd a horrid murder-shout,
In dreadfu' desperation!
And young and auld came runnin' out
To hear the sad narration;
He swore 'twas hilchin Jean M'Craw,
Or crouchie Merran Humphie,
Till, stop! she trotted through them
And wha was it but grumphie
Asteer that night!

Meg fain wad to the barn hae gaen,
To win three wechts o' naething;
But for to meet the deil her lane,
She pat but little faith in:
She gies the herd a pickle nits,
And two red-cheekit apples,
To watch, while for the barn she sets,
In hopes to see Tam Kipples
That very nicht.

She turns the key wi cannie thraw,
And owre the threshold ventures;
But first on Sawnie gies a ca'
Syne bauldly in she enters:
A ratton rattled up the wa',
And she cried, Lord, preserve her!
And ran through midden-hole and a',
And pray'd wi' zeal and fervour,
Fu' fast that night;

They hoy't out Will wi' sair advice;
They hecht him some fine braw ane;
It chanced the stack he faddom'd thrice
Was timmer-propt for thrawin';
He taks a swirlie, auld moss-oak,
For some black grousome carlin;
And loot a winze, and drew a stroke,
Till skin in blypes cam haurlin'
Aff's nieves that night.

A wanton widow Leezie was,
As canty as a kittlin;
But, och! that night amang the shaws,
She got a fearfu' settlin'!
She through the whins, and by the cairn,
And owre the hill gaed scrievin,
Whare three lairds' lands met at a burn
To dip her left sark-sleeve in,
Was bent that night.

Whyles owre a linn the burnie plays,
As through the glen it wimpl't;
Whyles round a rocky scaur it strays;
Whyles in a wiel it dimpl't;
Whyles glitter'd to the nightly rays,
Wi' bickering, dancing dazzle;
Whyles cookit underneath the braes,
Below the spreading hazel,
Unseen that night.

Among the brackens, on the brae,
Between her and the moon,
The deil, or else an outler quey,
Gat up and gae a croon:
Poor Leezie's heart maist lap the hool!
Near lav'rock-height she jumpit;
but mist a fit, and in the pool
Out-owre the lugs she plumpit,
Wi' a plunge that night.

In order, on the clean hearth-stane,
The luggies three are ranged,
And every time great care is ta'en',
To see them duly changed:
Auld Uncle John, wha wedlock joys
Sin' Mar's year did desire,
Because he gat the toom dish thrice,
He heaved them on the fire
In wrath that night.

Wi' merry sangs, and friendly cracks,
I wat they didna weary;
And unco tales, and funny jokes,
Their sports were cheap and cheery;
Till butter'd so'ns, wi' fragrant lunt,
Set a' their gabs a-steerin';
Syne, wi' a social glass o' strunt,
They parted aff careerin'
Fu' blythe that night.

Run, Rosie, Run!

She has been followed by wolves, received twenty-nine proposals of marriage — and on six occasions has nearly died. But a grandmother said yesterday that she was “full of beans” after arriving back on British soil on her record-breaking 20,000-mile run around the world.

~BBC Scotland

Haggis Ban An Offal Burden?

I just had to pass this along from Reuters News Service:

LONDON (Reuters) - Scotland is considering lobbying the United States to lift a ban on haggis, hoping to boost sales of the sheep-stomach-based national dish.

The U.S. banned imports of Scottish haggis after Britain's outbreak of mad cow disease, which is linked to the human brain illness Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Scotland's government insist its haggis -- which usually contains the heart, liver and lungs wrapped inside a sheep's stomach lining -- is safe and wants the ban lifted.

"The Scottish government will consider engaging the U.S. government on its haggis import ban ... It is safe or we wouldn't eat it here," said a spokeswoman. "We think there is a large market for it amongst expatriate Scots there."

She cited growing sales of tartans and the prevalence of Scottish clubs as evidence that Americans were taking greater interest in their Scottish heritage.

Haggis, a globally recognized symbol of Scotland alongside bagpipes, kilts and Scotch whisky, is an essential part of Burns night celebrations, which commemorate national poet Robert Burns and fall on January 25.

Burns was the author of "Ode to a Haggis."

(Reporting by Peter Apps; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

So what say you, readers? Should we march on Washington? :)

No Unibrows, Please!

"Hogmanay" is a Scots word which means "the last day of the year." The date is actually Dec. 31, but the celebration carries through the night to Jan. 1, also known as "Ne'erday." And if you're going to be in Scotland, you might as well keep partying, because Jan. 2 is a bank holiday!

There are many traditions associated with Hogmanay, not the least of which is "first footing." This is the first person to set foot across your threshhold after the stroke of midnight, often bearing gifts and best wishes for the new year. From Scotsman.com:

On the stroke of midnight it is still common for houses to be "first footed" by a tall, handsome stranger bearing gifts. Although the first-footer is seldom a stranger, it is preferable that he is dark. This harks back to days of Viking invaders when a fair-haired man knocking at your door was more likely to inspire terror than pleasure.

Until quite recently the first-footer was subject to a rather rigorous code of looks. Out-of-date now, there was a time when a first-footer should not be flat-footed, cross-eyed or have their eyebrows meeting (thought to denote the evil eye).

I'll be offline for a few days, visiting family. So Happy Hogmanay, and may your first-footer be tall, dark, handsome, and two-browed!



Slan,
Carolan