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The Caledonia Fiver – Five of Scotland’s Most Interesting Pubs

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Ah, for the love of a good pub. Whether it’s old wood, copper, brick, stone, or any other interior look, it’s great to be able to sit down at the bar, at a table, or in a booth and sip on a nice, cold pint. Britain certainly has some of the best pubs in the entire world, and as a part of that, Scotland possesses its fair share of great drinking establishments. While these five … [Read more...] about The Caledonia Fiver – Five of Scotland’s Most Interesting Pubs

Weird Englishmen Abroad: Strange occurrences that happened on holiday

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As I write this, I'm on my annual fortnight in Door County, Wisconsin. In commemoration of this, I've decided to cover a bunch of stories about what some other Brits did or happened to them while on their holidays. Woman goes halfway around the world for school reunion; school demolished before she gets there. Marie Burdett from Strood, Kent, saw an invitation from developers … [Read more...] about Weird Englishmen Abroad: Strange occurrences that happened on holiday

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Edinburgh Castle

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  Dominating the Edinburgh skyline, Edinburgh Castle is not only an icon of the city, but of Scotland itself. An ancient fortress sitting on a hill, Roman records describe a settlement on Castle Rock as early as the 2nd Century and the first castle there is attributed to King Ebraucus as early as 989 B.C. The Castle as it is now was begun in the 11th Century and its … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Edinburgh Castle

Glasgow McDonald’s to fight hooligans with classical music.

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For all the articles I've written on rock musicians, my current musical interests actually tend to lean heavily towards classical; I feel there's a lot of territory I've left unexplored there, which isn't something I can say for rock music. That said, most of the composers I listen to are Germanic, Russian, and the like, so I don't often post about classical music: at least … [Read more...] about Glasgow McDonald’s to fight hooligans with classical music.

Caledoniatopia: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Edinburgh Scotland You Might Not Know

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More than just the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh is a place with one foot in history and another in the modern. From Edinburgh Castle to the waterfront, there are so many interesting things about this city it is honestly hard to put them all into this article. However, we are going to try, or at least put ten of them in here. What sorts of facts can we pull from … [Read more...] about Caledoniatopia: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Edinburgh Scotland You Might Not Know

Britain’s Least Wanted X: Stolen Crossing Guard Stick, Bird ASBO, and Heisenberg the Furby

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In commemoration of... well, I can't think of anything related to British crime drama news to relate this to, so we'll just get on with these four true stories of British crime gone bizarrely wrong. Sadly, these stories may be a lot lighter than usual. Lollipop Man has his stick stolen on camera. Well, I guess I should have to explain something: namely a "Lollipop Man" is … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted X: Stolen Crossing Guard Stick, Bird ASBO, and Heisenberg the Furby

Scotland Travel: Five Fantastic Day Trips From Edinburgh

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There are many fantastic sights within an easy reach of Edinburgh. When visiting Great Britain, I usually base myself in a larger city and do day trips to explore more of what Britain has to offer. I don’t dare drive, but the excellent transit system makes it convenient to get around. Whether by bus or train, getting out of the big cities can deepen one’s travel … [Read more...] about Scotland Travel: Five Fantastic Day Trips From Edinburgh

Some real Angry Birds: More Weird British bird-related news stories.

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It's been a while since I've covered weird animal stories hasn't it. And since it looks like I've got a few stories in my backlog, it might be good to cover some of the strangest bird-related stories I've been putting on the backburner. Crow shouts obscenities at the man who insulted him. The more I learn about the common crow, the more I  fear that someday, I'll end up like … [Read more...] about Some real Angry Birds: More Weird British bird-related news stories.

Weird Christmas in Britain 2014

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It's the most wonderful time of the year, as the song goes. But that doesn't mean it doesn't get strange sometimes, even in straight-upper-lip Britain. Come and see... All I want for Christmas is a hand. I remember an old joke, one that inspired Iron Maiden's famous mascot Eddie. Quoth guitarist Dave Murray: "A wife had a baby, but it was born with only a head and no … [Read more...] about Weird Christmas in Britain 2014

Britain’s Least Wanted VIII: Santa’s bust, the absent-minded burglar, and more!

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In honour of Benedict Cumberbatch claiming he'll probably never get tired of playing Sherlock Holmes, let's cover a few true British Crime stories. The Case of the Honestly-mistaken Heist Gareth James of Merthyr Tydfil was convinced he had found the right house. He went to the house of someone he thought owed him some money, and stole a laptop. Unfortunately, it turned out … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted VIII: Santa’s bust, the absent-minded burglar, and more!

Great British Houses: Balmoral Castle – Her Majesty The Queen’s Private Scottish Home

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Balmoral Castle will forever be known as the happy family home of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their nine children. An epic Scotch Baronial castle, fit for the Queen of Great Britain and grandmother of Europe, Balmoral Castle remains the autumnal residence of the Royal family to this day. Brief Facts about Balmoral Castle wBalmoral Castle is located in Royal Deeside, … [Read more...] about Great British Houses: Balmoral Castle – Her Majesty The Queen’s Private Scottish Home

Weird British Science: Selfie Addict, Woman Obsessed with Chips East Real Meal, 3D Printed Ears and More

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Well, it's October, and, since this is the month of Halloween, and Halloween is still too far away for a "Paranormal Britain" column, I think it's time to do a column on the exact opposite of the paranormal: the scientific. Selfie Addict drifts into deep depression. Depression, OCD, and selfies are three things I know very well. In fact, the picture I have for my "About The … [Read more...] about Weird British Science: Selfie Addict, Woman Obsessed with Chips East Real Meal, 3D Printed Ears and More

Guest Long Read: Caledoniatopia – Top 10 Things to See and Do in Edinburgh Scotland for the History Buff

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  Edinburgh is an outstanding city and my favorite place in Great Britain to visit. Perched on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, the capital of Scotland is filled with stunning views, fascinating history & architecture, friendly locals and unique attractions. There are two distinct areas of Edinburgh that divide the city:  Old Town and New Town.  Old … [Read more...] about Guest Long Read: Caledoniatopia – Top 10 Things to See and Do in Edinburgh Scotland for the History Buff

Some Scottish Strangeness: Weird stories from Scotland

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On September 18, voters in Scotland will decide whether or not Scotland will be an independent country, and since, at this point, the vote can go either way, and in a fortnight, there's a very real chance Scotland will no longer be part of the United Kingdom, I've decided to cover as much of Scotland's strangeness as possible. And, since most of my Weird Britain columns include … [Read more...] about Some Scottish Strangeness: Weird stories from Scotland

Laura’s British Adventures: Exploring Edinburgh on a Perfect 3 Day Mini Break – Many Ideas for Your Own Trip Inside

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I've been to Edinburgh many times and, unusually, many of those visits over the years have been during August so you might expect that I've seen a lot of the Festival offerings. But, even though I found myself in Edinburgh again this August I've actually never been to a Festival show. It's not that I have anything against the Festival but I've always had so much else to do. I … [Read more...] about Laura’s British Adventures: Exploring Edinburgh on a Perfect 3 Day Mini Break – Many Ideas for Your Own Trip Inside

Guest Feature: Caledoniatopia – Our Intrepid Writer Goes on A Spontaneous Day Trip to Glasgow

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Next week over 1,000,000 people will flood Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It's a proud moment for this city that has been through cycles of boom and bust for hundreds of years, sinking into squalor and scraping its way up again. Today it's a media titan and a haven for artists, chock full of gorgeous architecture from just about every historical period, and teeming … [Read more...] about Guest Feature: Caledoniatopia – Our Intrepid Writer Goes on A Spontaneous Day Trip to Glasgow

Photo: A Lovely Photo of Kilchurn Castle from shore Loch Awe in Scotland For Your Desktop Wallpaper

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  Kilchurn Castle is a ruined 15th and 17th century structure on a rocky peninsula at the northeastern end of Loch Awe, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Access to the Castle is sometimes restricted by higher-than-usual levels of water in the Loch, at which times the site effectively becomes a temporary island. It was the ancestral home of the Campbells of Glen Orchy, … [Read more...] about Photo: A Lovely Photo of Kilchurn Castle from shore Loch Awe in Scotland For Your Desktop Wallpaper

Weird Britain: Britain’s Least Wanted VI – The Gregarious Gunslinger, Scooby Suit, Library Book Returned 61 Years Late and An Obnoxious 999 Caller

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Well, it looks like it's time to do another Weird Crime column, so, in honour of the season finale of Martin Freeman's Fargo miniseries, here are four odd stories of crime from Britain. The Case of the Gregarious Gunslinger. As a rule, I'm a big fan of westerns. Naturally, for blindingly obvious reasons, I almost never get a chance to talk about that on Anglotopia. But, it … [Read more...] about Weird Britain: Britain’s Least Wanted VI – The Gregarious Gunslinger, Scooby Suit, Library Book Returned 61 Years Late and An Obnoxious 999 Caller

British Landscapes Photography: Wonderfully Wild Wester Ross in Scotland

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Every so often I look back through my image archives and almost always I come across an image that I have either not processed or not released and that is the case this week.  It was also from one of my favourite destinations, that being the Gairloch, Poolewe and Kinlochewe areas of Wester Ross on the north west coast of Scotland. At the same time as the discovery of this image … [Read more...] about British Landscapes Photography: Wonderfully Wild Wester Ross in Scotland

Britain’s Least Wanted V: Birds, Breakouts, and Bacon Sandwiches

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To celebrate the impending release of the last episodes of the last episodes of ITV's Poirot, here's a set of five true British crime stories that'll certainly thrill, chill, and fulfill you. Okay, maybe not that last one, but they will likely entertain you on some level. The Case of the Singing Shed. Losing your mother can be hard. Sometimes it can be devastating, but … [Read more...] about Britain’s Least Wanted V: Birds, Breakouts, and Bacon Sandwiches

British Landscapes Photography: Britain’s Historic Harbours

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Being an island the British people and its history have a strong connection to the sea and on my trips around the country I often come across some wonderful opportunities to capture images of the many small harbours dotted around the coast. I am going to take you to four such harbours none of which are located in the most highly inhabited areas and two are only accessible on … [Read more...] about British Landscapes Photography: Britain’s Historic Harbours

British Landscapes Photography: Beautiful British Castles

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Britain's turbulent civil history has left it with a magnificent legacy of castles, built to intimidate and designed for defense, many now in ruin yet they continue to hold their auras of power and mystery. These imposing structures still dominate many areas of the British landscape. Some are large, famous and easy to find, while others are almost forgotten ruins. On my … [Read more...] about British Landscapes Photography: Beautiful British Castles

Caledoniatopia: Don’t Call It a Skirt – The History of the Kilt

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Mocked for centuries for dressing as women, real men know that the kilt is a clothing option of the mightiest (and some would say craziest) of men. It not only identifies one’s Scottish heritage, but also the clan from which one hails. In the present, kilts abound and many varieties are available, from the “utilikilt” to those denoting places or organization membership. The … [Read more...] about Caledoniatopia: Don’t Call It a Skirt – The History of the Kilt

British Landscapes Photography: Autumn Colours in Britain

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For those of you who follow this column you will be aware of my recent trip to the USA when unfortunately I was unable to complete my journey as planned  due to the Government shutdown. I was hoping to see Kings Canyon and Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks in their Autumn colours but that did not materialise. Also since my return we seem to have had nothing but lots of rain … [Read more...] about British Landscapes Photography: Autumn Colours in Britain