British and Irish Castles

All residents of Edinburgh love the Castle. It looms over our daily lives like a guardian. A sentinel. Huge and imposing atop a solid lump of rock, directly in the heart of the city. One of the most stunning castles of Britain and Ireland, it is still however quintessentially Scottish.

Very few cities in the world can lay claim to such a dramatic backdrop and it is always a surprise to Edinburgh residents exactly how underused this dramatic and majestic setting is. Alex Arthur, the famous Edinburgh boxer has more than once indicated his desire to fight a world championship fight on the castle esplanade. It would certainly be an emotional place for any Scotsman or woman at the pinnacle of their sport. Add a lone piper on the castle’s battlements, for many years now a mainstay of the Edinburgh Tattoo, and I daresay you wouldn’t be able to fight due to the tears in your eyes.

Edinburgh Castle though is more than a monument. It is a living breathing castle. A citadel within a city, complete with streets, places of worship and administrative offices. Every day at 1pm, the one o’clock gun startles hundreds of shoppers in nearby Princes Street with a loud blast and an elaborately faked scene on Calton Hill where a large ball falls from the top of Nelson’s monument as if blown off by the castle’s Howitzer.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Edinburgh Castle, for residents and tourists alike are Scotland’s crown jewels. Held under guard in the heart of the Castle, these are the symbol of Scotland’s nationhood. From the beauty of the sceptre to the downright magnificence of the Stone of Destiny, it is hard for any Scot not to feel a stirring of patriotism upon setting eyes on them, even though the stone is inextricably linked historically more to Scone than Edinburgh.

Whether you are a resident or a visitor, Edinburgh Castle has something for you. It’s beauty is absolute, it’s symbolism unchallenged. There was a day when it was a place of defence. Now it serves a more peaceful function. However, us Edinburgers can rest easily in the knowledge that if she is ever called on again she will do here duty again. And then some.

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If you are looking for somewhere to get married then you should look no further than Borthwick Castle. Situated near Edinburgh in Scotland this romantic castle is now available for use as a Hotel, Restaurant and Wedding venue.

The castle itself is steeped in history (see some background on Borthwick Castle) and provides a fantastic romantic setting for you to enjoy the best day of your life.

The staff at Borthwick Castle are all fully trained and very friendly and are there to make sure your special day is, well, special! Their discreet approach and fantastic service will make the whole day go smoothly and the many testimonials are testament to that.

Borthwick Castle is truly a magical venue and if you are looking to get married then you should come and stay there and see for yourself.

In addition to this, the castle is also said to be haunted - see a full investigation here.

Vicky and Tom are just one happy couple to have been married at Borthwick Castle.

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A few years ago everyone wanted to travel overseas as much as possible but now our major airports are so crowded, a lot of people are changing their minds. Why spend endless hours fighting through the masses and waiting on the tarmac, when Britain itself has so much to offer. Combine this with concerns for global warming and some pretty nice summers and it now makes increasing sense to stay home.

However you need to do something exciting for your annual summer holiday and so why not rent a Scottish castle and get away from it all. This is becoming increasingly popular with English families, keen to experience something different within a few hours drive from home. There are now some very luxurious properties available and these can be taken by the week, complete with a full team of staff and thousands of acres.

There is a majesty to rural Scotland that has long disappeared in the south of England. Primarily it’s the space available but also guests comment on the gentle nature of the people, the quietness and of course the beauty. Base your self at a lovely ancestral home, complete with spiral staircases, turrets and lots of wood panelling and settle in for a week of sightseeing, golf, long walks and a spot of fishing. There are of course many other fun activities including falconry, quad biking, gorge walking, clay pigeon shooting and horse back rding.

The houses & castles on offer now have en-suite bathrooms, satellite TV, broadband Internet, modern kitchens and all other modern day comforts. They are no longer cold and draughty and guests can now relax in huge comfort. However if they want to rough it, then the great outdoors beckons and Scotland has some incredible wilderness areas, where guests can roam for hours without barely meeting a soul. It is this mix of rural and urban that makes the country so attractive and such a great destination.

After the last war many of the wonderful old homes had been so damaged by the troops, schools and hospitals billeted in them, that they were quickly pulled down. Indeed so much so, that during the 60’s, they were destroying a large house in Scotland at a rate of one a week. Those that survived (and their owners) faced a grim future as successive governments maintained a very high rate of taxation, essential materials were extremely hard to get and wage costs spiralled.

However amazingly many homes did survive and a huge number have been massively restored over the last decade or so. It is testament to the determination of the families that own these homes that this has been possible and where some gave up fortunately a lot of new owners have emerged to continue the struggle. With agriculture, fishing and forestry in decline, it is a huge commitment for even wealthy owners to maintain these huge properties but it gives great pleasure to their families and now in many cases to paying guests.

To add to the estates revenues, many homes can now be taken fully staffed and guests get to experience Castle life. Sitting in these homes, soaking in the history and learning about how they have survived is fun in itself but combine this with a whole mass of activities and you have yourself the ingredients of a wonderful vacation. Most of the properties are very flexible about arrival & departure times and guests can very much control their own timings. So give the airports a rest and experience something a little closer to home!

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

About Author :
Andrew Loyd is a director of Loyd & Townsend-Rose Ltd, who specialize in Scottish castles for hire - ideal for luxury vacations, family reunions, corporate events, or as venues for filming and sporting activities.

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