Features
In 1983, Edinburgh, in Scotland, hosted the very first Edinburgh International Book Festival, and its popularity and interest from various countries saw to it that the festival became an annual event in 1997. Coinciding with both the other two anticipated festivals in Edinburgh, namely the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh International Festival, visitors from all corners of the globe descend on this magnificent city in Scotland to be a part of the celebrations and wonderful opportunities that are available. As the Edinburgh International Book Festival celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary, it is guaranteed to be a festival to remember.
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Climbing is steadily gaining in popularity all around the world as a sport that is both physically and mentally challenging. Dedicated climbing enthusiasts are always on the lookout for a challenge to test their skills. The Edinburgh International Climbing Arena, situated about six miles west of Edinburgh, is geared up to challenge the most experienced climbers, while at the same time offering beginners the opportunity to discover the thrill of setting climbing goals and then reaching, or even exceeding, those goals.
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The first festival of its kind was held in the 1960’s when Lionel Bryer and Blyth Major saw the creation of a festival as a way to promote music by getting local and international youth orchestras to join forces. Their initiative grew into such a success over the years that what eventually became known as the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, now attracts more than a thousand participants from all corners of the globe and this year will be no different.
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The Neolithic chambered cairn known as Maes Howe is situated on Orkney’s Mainland Island in Scotland. Rising up in a conspicuous mound in the middle of a field, Maes Howe, which is one of the largest tombs in Orkney, is not similar in any way to any other chambered design discovered thus far, either in Orkney or elsewhere – and its purpose remains a mystery.
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The fifth Shetland Fiddle Frenzy will take place between the 4th and the 10th of August 2008. The success it has enjoyed over the last few years has seen a growing number of international participants and the return of some who are now regular faces at this fantastic festival in Scotland. The Shetland Fiddle Frenzy is as much a fiddle school as it is a festival. Participants not only have the opportunity to learn from the best, but enjoy masterful and energetic performances. It is a festival for fiddle players and fiddle loving audiences.
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Just southwest of the town of Peebles, in Scotland, awaits the world’s most spectacular arboreta. As the breathtaking blankets of daffodils and snowdrops give way to summer and its wondrous beds of rhododendrons and azaleas, the earth is getting ready to shower the Dawyck Botanical Garden with an explosive display of warmth, as the garden turns to red and orange for autumn. And amidst the magnificence of color and fragrance, stands a vast range of trees that have growing in the garden for more than three hundred years.
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The Glasgow River Festival is a highlight on the family-oriented social events calendar of Scotland’s largest city. Taking place from 19 to 20 July 2008, the Glasgow River Festival offers a host of activities that will keep the entire family busy and entertained during this fun-filled weekend. The opening ceremony of the Glasgow River Festival takes place on the Saturday at 11am, featuring the Loth Lorien schooner sailing up the River Clyde and berthing at the festival site by the Millennium Square.
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The expanding British railway network reached the town of Alford in 1859, and as it had for many small towns and villages in the country, the railway brought hope, expansion and prosperity. Cuts to the British railways in 1965, led to the Alford Valley Railway being closed down in 1966. With the closure, came the end of an era, and the railway lay dormant in Alford for many years. But a group of volunteers were patiently biding their time, to breathe new life into the railway and to transform it into an interactive exhibit and historical attraction in Scotland.
