Andy the Highlander

I am Andy the Highlander - Scottish Tour guide and content creator! Follow for a daily dose of Scotland.

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

On D-Day, amidst the thunder of gunfire and crashing waves, one man walked into history armed only with a kilt, a set of bagpipes, and unshakable courage. Bill Millin’s defiance turned the chaos of battle into the sound of Scotland itself, echoing from Sword Beach to Pegasus Bridge. His story isn’t just about war, it’s about spirit, tradition, and the kind of bravery that leaves enemies in awe and allies inspired.

#scottishhistory #wwii #dday #billmillin #scotland #history #courage #swordbeach #pegasusbridge #andythehighlander

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Meet Mirror Man, a silent figure standing waist-deep in Loch Earn.

Officially titled “Still” and created by artist Rob Mulholland, he reflects the landscape, the weather, and anyone who stops to look twice.

Set against the ever-changing skies of the Highlands,he somehow feels right at home here. Strange, beautiful, and just a little eerie.

#lochearn #mirrorman #highlands #andythehighlander #visitscotland #scotland

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Glencoe from the skies!

#glencoe #scotland #mountains #andythehighlander #highlandertours

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

The Scottish Great Kilt and the Indian Sari may come from different parts of the world, but both are powerful symbols of cultural heritage.

After I posted my first ‘kilt video’ I had lots of comments mentioning that there were similarities between the Great Kilt and the Sari, today we get to see them side by side!

Filmed with my wonderful friend Harvinder these traditional garments are similar not just in how they’re worn, but in what they represent.

Both are unstitched lengths of fabric, draped and tied to the body. Both carry stories of resilience, identity, and ancestral knowledge passed down through generations, and both make you feel connected to something.

Let me know what you think, and if there’s another cultural connection you’d love to see explored next!

#kilt #sari #scotland #india #andythehighlander #visitscotland #indian #greatkilt #saree

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

St Conan’s Kirk is one of those places that feels straight out of a fairytale!

Perched right on the banks of Loch Awe, surrounded by Highland beauty, and filled with history, mystery, and a real sense of wonder.

Tucked away in the village of Lochawe, the Kirk draws visitors from all over the world thanks to its magical setting and surprisingly easy-to-reach location. It’s one of Argyll’s most popular hidden gems, but thanks to its vast and peaceful design, there are still days when you’ll have the place almost entirely to yourself.

Construction of the Kirk began in 1881, designed and built by the visionary Walter Douglas-Campbell. Over the years, it evolved into something truly extraordinary, with the main structure completed in 1930 , shortly before Walter’s death. His imagination and love for Scottish history are poured into every stone.

This church is unlike any other. It’s a celebration of architecture itself, with influences from almost every style imaginable: a grand Norman doorway, soaring Gothic flying buttresses, a Saxon tower, a Celtic cross, Arts and Crafts carvings, and even a stone circle in the grounds. It’s as if someone built a museum of sacred architecture, but made it feel like home.

A perfect stop on any Highland journey… and even more magical from above!

#stconanskirk #lochawe #highlandertours #andythehighlander #scotland #visitscotland

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

This is a traditional Gaelic love song called “Cadal cha dèan mi” which translates to “Sleep I cannot get”.

A tragic song, it tells the story of a woman who lost her love, when he was drowned at sea. She describes climbing Càrn Bàn to see the Point of Stoer, from which her lover’s ship sailed and how he saved the other sailors when their boat hit the rocks.

“Sleep evades me,
And I am far from merry;
Tonight I won’t find peace
For my sweetheart comes not to me.

It was not dark nor red hair, That my darling had
He was fair,
The one who broke my heart.

Writer with a pen, Author of the pages,
Mariner of the high seas,
He could speed a ship to sailing
I climbed a high hill,
And found a place to sit there
Round the Point of Storr, Where sail the big ships.

She struck upon the beach, Where the dulce grows, You leaped out my darling,
And saved them all.

Last year I was healthy, But this year I am broken.
My love’s ship is on the shore, In a thousand pieces
I heard a story,
That brought tears from my heart.
You going away,
Without expecting to return.

Sleep comes not to me And I am far from merry;
Tonight I won’t find peace
For my sweetheart comes not to me.

source:https://t.co/x9QmyYLSQZ

#gaelic #scottish #scotland #isleoflewis #isleofharris #visitscotland #andythehighlander #highlandertours

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

It’s been 2 years since I made this video on Greyfriars Bobby!

It’s one of my favourite stories so I wanted to reshare it for those who didn’t see it the first time!

The problem with a great story is that sometimes it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction.

Historian Dr Jan Bonderson has unearthed some evidence to suggest the loveable Bobby might in fact have been two different dogs. Neither of which belonged to John Gray..

Regardless, the message of the famous story behind Greyfriars Bobby is one worth celebrations and keeping alive.

If you do visit Bobby, please don’t rub his nose. As you can see, the statue has been badly damaged over the years by this custom and I would urge you not to contribute to it.

Caption sources:https://t.co/GwKeFTn591, https://t.co/iv7Wnu9L5r

#andythehighlander #highlandertours #scotland #scottish #scottishhistory #outlander #kilt #meninkilts #visitscotland #scottishhighlands #highlander #jacobite #greatkilt #edinburgh #greyfriarsbobby

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

The people of Culross have ‘yearned for the mines’ as early as the late 1500’s, when the world’s first undersea coal mine was built, right here in Scotland.

This is the Moat Pit in Culross, also known as the “Coal Mine in the Sea.” Around 1590, Sir George Bruce of Carnock built a stone tower out on the Firth of Forth, and from it, miners tunneled under the sea bed to reach coal 40 feet below.

It was part of Scotland’s first integrated industrial complex, coal powered local salt pans, metalwork and glassmaking. A drainage system called the “Egyptian Wheel” kept the whole thing dry… until the Great Storm of 1625. That day, the sea came crashing in and ended the operation for good.

Even King James VI came to see this engineering marvel. It’s still visible at low tide today 400 metres out from Culross!

#coalmine #culross #minecraft #steve #scotland #history #chickenjockey #andythehighlander

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Culross is full of ghost stories, here’s one about the man in the funny collar..

Have you ever had any spooky experiences that could can’t explain?

#ghoststory #culross #scotland #andythehighlander #culrosspalace

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

What a day for a hike up Ben A’an!

#benaan #scotland #sunshine #andythehighlander #visitscotland

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

It’s that time of year again!

Happy Star Wars day and May the 4th be with you.

#starwarsday #maythe4th #andythehighlander #scotland #outlander

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

The torch on my phone was clearly bewitched!!

Here’s another wee look inside Culross Palace and the protection marks which can be found on some of the fireplaces inside.

Today Culross is known as one of the most haunted towns in Scotland with a turbulent history which dates back to the 6th century.

Belief in the supernatural was common place in Scotland at the time and the general population was extremely superstitious, going so far as to take precautions in their everyday lives.

Evidence of which we can still find inside Culross palace.

Back then you could lock your doors, you could close your windows, you could draw your curtains but you couldn’t close your chimney. People at the time believed witches and malevolent spirits could enter their home through the chimney. To stop this, they would leave protection marks around the fire places

However these superstitions were not always harmless. The repercussions of these beliefs led to the death of over 30 men and women who were tried for witchcraft in Culross.

Culross palace is one of the many places in the care of the national trust for Scotland. A charity which relies on the support of its members and donors to carry out their vital conservation work.

#culross #witches #witchtrials #witchmarks #scotland #andythehighlander #scotland

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Re-sharing this wee video as we have 3 spaces left on my next group tour this Friday the 2nd of May!

Step into the world of Outlander on my signature one-day tour. Visit some of Scotland’s most iconic Outlander filming locations, uncover the real history behind them, and hear behind-the-scenes stories from my time on set during the making of the show.

These rest of this seasons group tour dates are below!👇

📅 Remaining 2025 Group Tour Dates:
2nd May, 8th May, 9th May, 12th May, 17th May, 18th May, 21st May, 27th May, 14th June, 15th June, 22nd June, 29th June, 11th July, 22nd July, 29th July, 5th September, 15th September, 1st October, 7th October

📍 Limited spaces available on each tour, don’t miss your chance to live the Outlander experience!

➡️ Book now at https://t.co/MTx5jlD8dS or email [email protected]
(🔗 Link also in bio!)

#outlander #outlandertour #visitscotland #meninkilts #Scotland #outlanderlocations #andythehighlander #highlandertours #jamieandclaire

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

I had the chance to see a replica of one of Scotland’s oldest surviving pieces of cloth, often called the “Falkirk Tartan” or “Falkirk Sett.”

Discovered in Falkirk in 1933, it was found carefully stuffed into a pot alongside over 2000 Roman silver coins, buried around the 3rd century A.D., during the time of Roman Britain. Quite the discovery!

This simple woollen cloth is woven in a check pattern, using undyed wool in natural light and dark shades.

It’s currently the earliest check-patterned fabric ever discovered in the British Isles, a remarkable survival from almost 1800 years ago.

Strictly speaking, it’s more a tweed than a true tartan in weaving style, but its crisscrossed design clearly shows that patterned weaving was already part of life here long before the clans and tartans we know today.

The original fragment is now preserved in the National Museum of Scotland, a direct, tangible link to a Scotland that existed long before written history here began.

And while the Falkirk cloth shows us early check designs, the oldest true tartan ever discovered in Scotland is the Glen Affric Tartan , a beautifully coloured fabric dating back over 400 years, if you haven’t seen my video about that yet, check it out!

A small, fragile piece of fabric, but an enduring piece of Scotland’s story.

#falkirksett #falkirktartan #romans #antoninewall #scotland #history #andythehighlander

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Here’s a wee peek inside the Principal Strangers bedchamber at Culross Palace!

Does anyone else think 4 poster beds should make a comeback??

Have a great weekend everyone!

#culross #scotland #culrosspalace #andythehighlander #history

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

While most people have heard of Hadrian’s Wall… this was the real edge of the Roman Empire in Britain, welcome to the Antonine Wall.

This is Silvanus — a modern sculpture with ancient roots, perched along the path of the Antonine Wall at Croy Hill.

In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the protector of woods, fields and livestock. Three altars dedicated to him were actually discovered along the Antonine Wall, suggesting that the Roman soldiers here, far from home and facing the wilds of Caledonia, turned to this god for protection.

This sculpture, forged by Big Red Blacksmiths and artist Svetlana Kondakova Muir, isn’t just a modern tribute. It’s a reminder that even in a military zone, soldiers carried their beliefs, rituals and culture with them. The name was chosen by public vote, tying the community of today to the echoes of the past.

The Antonine Wall might not be as famous as Hadrian’s, but it was Rome’s true final frontier and projects like this are helping bring its story back into the light.

Plenty more Roman Scotland history and @antoninewall coming soon.

Follow for more video from Scotland

#scotland #romanempire #antoninewall #history #caledonia #andythehighlander

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

@soobysnax35 Yep!

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Have a fantastic Easter weekend from the Highlander Tours team and me!

We’re enjoying some family time and a wee break from social media this weekend!

In the meantime, enjoy a wee visit to Abercorn Churchyard, home to some of our favourite gravestones.

Outlander fans, can you tell us which location this doubles as in the show?

#scotland #easterweekend #abercornchurch #outlander #andythehighlander #highlandertours

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Welcome to the High Hall of Culross Palace, a place that has witnessed centuries of Scottish history and a fair bit of Outlander drama too.

Fans of the show will recognise this room from Season 2, Episode 11, where it appears as part of Derby, England, the furthest point reached by the Jacobite army during their campaign.

In reality, the Jacobite army did reach Derby, but never advanced beyond it. From there, London was only 120 ish miles away, and the capital was in a state of panic. Despite the momentum, the Jacobite commanders, including Prince Charles Edward Stuart, made the decision to turn back.

The Jacobite army was deep in hostile territory, cut off from promised support from France and English Jacobites that never came, and vastly outnumbered in the long run. Faced with growing doubts and no sign of reinforcements, retreating north seemed the only option.

That retreat eventually led to the crushing defeat at Culloden, just a few months later.

Outlander brings these moments to life with stunning detail, and Culross is one of its most iconic filming locations.

Beyond the fiction, these walls echo with real stories of rebellion, hope, and heartbreak. The line between history and drama is thin here, and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

What other Scottish filming locations would you like to see me cover?

#outlander #culrosspalace #andythehighlander #scotland #history

[Andy the Highlander @highlanderandy]

Welcome to the Great Hall of Blackness Castle!

This mighty hall once echoed with the clatter of feasts, the roar of fire, and the melodies of minstrels playing above in the gallery. Perched high above the guests, these musicians provided the medieval version of surround sound before the advent of the JBL speaker..

At the far end, the top table stood proudly on a raised dais. This was the domain of the laird or lord seated with his most trusted allies, closest kin, or perhaps those he was trying to impress… or intimidate. Everyone else? They got the lower tables. And you better believe where you sat said a lot about your standing.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you will know that Blackness Castle is sometimes called the “ship that never sailed” because of its unique shape jutting into the Firth of Forth. It’s been a royal residence, a garrison, a prison… and, more recently, a film set for Outlander.

As you step into the hall, imagine the flickering candlelight, the creak of timber, and the deep hum of a medieval tune floating down from the gallery above.

#blacknesscastle #scotland #history #andythehighlander #visitscotland