Inspired By | Burns Night

Burns night is traditionally the night we celebrate all things ‘Scotia’. Whilst this usually involves dining on haggis, drinking a wee dram of whiskey and perhaps evening donning a kilt for a Kayleigh, we thought we would just take a moment to reflect on the beauty Scotland has to offer, inside and out.

Castles
From imposing fortresses to rustic ruins, Scotland is renowned for its iconic castles. It has been estimated that 3,000 once stood tall across the country, one for every hundred square miles.
One of our personal favourites is Forter Castle which stands in Glen Isla, the most Westerly of the Scottish Angus Glens. Originally built in 1560 by James Ogilvy, the castle is not only rich in beauty but rich in history too. It was left in a ruinous state for many decades after being plundered by the Earl of Argyll in 1640, but has since been painstakingly rebuilt using traditional materials and methods to a historically accurate representation of its former glory.

If you’ve ever fancied living like a king and spending a night in a castle, Forter Castle can be rented privately (and you can even take a shower in our brass Spittal) for more information please see their website.

Rivers
Scotland is a nation of natural beauty and rivers and lakes criss-cross the country. The largest loch (by surface area) in Scotland covers 71km2 and contains more than thirty islands including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles. By contrast the smallest river, the river Morar, measures less than 1km. This is why we thought it fitting as the namesake for our shortest bath.

Tartan
As well as being rugged around the edges, Scotland has comfort and homelyness at its heart. What could be more traditionally Scottish than a real woollen tartan? Whether on a kilt, a curtain or a cosy woolen blanket tartan is an enduring design staple all over the isles that is as much a part of Scottish design culture now, as it was in the 15th century.

For a modern take on tartan, Harris Tweed have teamed up with Scottish based designers Aitken, Gráinne Broderick and Katherine Emtage to develop the Cromlix Collection, for the Cromlix Hotel. Its deep purple tones bring to mind the rich Scottish heathers of late summer in the highlands. This toiletries bag is a perfect partner for a deep soak in the hotel’s Drummonds’ baths.

However you spend it we wish you a happy Burns night or Sláinte Mhath!

Photo credit to Cromlix Boutique  and John Mcsporran