Castles – Matthew McKinnon's Blog

“Rain! Rain! Rain!”

As kids we used to say a childish rhyme ‘Rain Rain go to Spain and don’t come back to me again‘. There are many derivations to the words in that nursery rhyme, which evidently has its origin back in the 17th century! I don’t know about ‘going to Spain‘, but February was one of the wettest months here in the UK, and there were many times when we just wished the rain would stop. It also continued into the month of March, but I guess that is all part of what it means to live with a maritime climate!

All of that besides, we did manage to get out and about as best we could, mostly to local parks, but two places we reached a bit further afield were Stirling Castle in Stirlingshire and Culzean Castle in Ayrshire. In the winter and early Spring all these places can be enjoyed more easily in what is normally a much quieter season, so here are some photographs.

First our visit to Stirling and the Bannockburn Battlefield and Memorial, where on this site in 1314 a battle raged between the Scottish and English armies. The site is beautifully maintained by the National Trust for Scotland, and surrounded by some stunning countryside.

Inside the National Memorial building the battle is dramatically displayed by means of some very clever modern technology and sound effects. Arrows fired at you whizz over your head and when you turn-around soldiers are falling on the screen behind you! There is also a battle room where you are talked through the twists and turns of the battle. It’s all very well presented and is well worth a visit. Here are a few photographs.

Then on the 2nd March we made a trip to Culzean Castle on the Ayrshire coastline, one of our favourite places. It was nice to see the snowdrops and daffodils flourishing, and even some of the rhododendrons were in flower! Photographs below:

Certainly all that rain makes everything very green and as we approach Easter it is lovely to see the grass growing and flowers again appearing in our garden, and also in the local parks. Seedlings are growing well in the greenhouse within a couple of propagators. This week the clocks Spring forward so we will soon be enjoying an extra hour of light in the evenings, Hurrah! Here’s a few more photos:

I often wonder when I plant these dead looking bulbs in the Autumn, or see what looks like dead bushes and trees bursting into life, why anyone could possibly conclude that all this came about from nothing, and just by chance, baffles me. In my garden and greenhouse I often feel compelled to pause and thank God for His amazing work of creation.

There is a Bible verse that seems to well encapsulate these thoughts, it reads:
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1:20

God’s eternal power and divine nature are however more clearly seen in his Son Jesus Christ, the God Man, who Himself said ‘He that has seen me has seen the Father’. So if you want to know what God is like, marvel not just at nature but look to JESUS and His story recorded in the Scriptures!

At Easter we see demonstrated in the clearest possible terms various aspects of GOD’s divine nature, His Love and Grace, His Holiness and His Justice. His Love shown when Jesus on the eve of the feast of Passover, (Exdous 12:1-13.) shows Himself to be the sacrificial Lamb slain for us, by dying in our place and stead and for our sin, and here the Christian Communion service is inaugurated.

And again His Grace, which we don’t deserve is seen as he offers us forgiveness, on the basis that He took the punishment for our sin, Someone has said Grace and Justice kiss each other at the cross. How amazing is that, surely the greatest story ever told.

Isaiah the prophet (740-680 B.C.) so vividly describes the death of Jesus in Chapter 53 of His book. (its a must read if you have never read it) all these years before it took place including the phrase “he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”. John the Baptist at the beginning of the Jesus ministry just after Jesus’ baptism declares “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”! Far too many other references to mention here.

I don’t know about you, but for me it is the most profound thought that has ever occupied my mind, expressed with such pathos and truth by the Apostle Paul “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” How profound is that?

At Easter especially, but throughout the year we sing this hymn which I find encouraging and challenging, why not find a quiet place, to sit and contemplate and enjoy!

I hope the weather is kind to you wherever you are this Easter, and that you have a great time, but never forget how much God loves you, and the price He was willing to pay that you might become His child.

I’ve been a Christian for many years, if you would like to talk please get in touch.

Matthew

Portencross, and Portencross Castle on the Firth of Clyde

Portencross village and the castle are well off the ‘beaten track’ so it is perhaps amongst one of the less well known castles in Scotland. Suffice to say, that having lived within 30 miles of it for more than half a century, I only visited it for the first time within the last two years. It is situated between Seamill and the Hunterston peninsula. The narrow ‘no through road’ which leads down to it is easily missed unless you are on the alert and look out for the junction, which sits at a busy bend in the road. Having found it, we have now made a number of visits, as it is beautifully situated with a coastal path in either direction, and lovely views across the Firth to Arran and the Cumbraes.

In the 1980’s, land and buildings that had been bought by the government with a view to expanding the Hunterston Power Station complex, was returned to private ownership. By 2005 the charity ‘Friends of Portencross Castle‘ (FOPC) had been formed locally to conserve and repair the castle for present and future generations. And what a great job they have done with the help of volunteers and external funding from organisations and individuals.

The Castle will be closed for the winter, but I was fortunate enough on my last visit to gain access, (which is free, but a donation is requested) and very much enjoyed seeing the restoration work, and also appreciated the information boards and leaflets which were freely available. Here are some photos.

Here is a sample of the information boards and literature that are available, some of which are presented as a teaching resource for teachers and children.

Finally, a short video combining two visits to the castle, one on a sunny day and the other on a stormy day. I hope you catch the atmosphere of the place! On both occasions the situation of the castle against the backdrop of the sea looked stunning! I would strongly recommend a visit.

Reflection: I find it fascinating visiting historical sites of interest, and have had the priviledge of doing that in many ‘far flung places’. Scotland of course has a plethora of such sites away and above one’s expectation for such a small nation. I like to think of the person(s) who first had a vision of building a ‘hall-house’ here at Portencross away back in the 1300’s AD. It’s good then to read of all the changes that have taken place down the centuries, both in the structure itself and the people who lived and worked in and around this castle. Did any of them ever imagine it would last all these centuries and undergo all these changes? Probably not!

And of course when we look back on our own lives, it is astounding to have witnessed the changes that have taken place in our world in the last century, things my own mother and father would never have dreamed of. The pace of change has brought so much blessing to humankind, and yet conversely, so much danger from new and deadlier weapons, pollution of air, land, rivers and seas, and loss of habitat for animals birds, fish and insects. It would seem mankind is now capable of destroying the very planet itself!

I am so thankful that God and His Word never change, and there we can find an anchor to our soul. I sometimes smile as I listen to our leaders in the fields of politics, science, philosophy and theology and …. telling us that the eternal God and His Word are a bit out of date, and suggest that perhaps God needs to ‘get up to speed’! Then I listen to our news bulletins and hear of disaster and carnage on a multitude of levels, and remember God’s word ‘the heart of man is deceitful above all else, who can know it’. That apparently does not change.

This morning I was reading a letter written away back in the first century AD by a man named Paul. Since he became a follower of Jesus Christ he had suffered it would seem one calamity after another,* and now he was in prison in Rome awaiting execution for proclaiming the good news of Jesus, ascerting there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ God’s Son. In his letter to his young protege he writes “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.“** In an ever changing world, and our ever changing circumstances, it’s good to entrust ourselves to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour and as our friend, for of him it is written ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever, and of course for all of us there is ‘that day‘!

*2 Corinthians 11:21-33, ** 2 Timothy 1:10-12

A famous hymn written around Paul’s words you can listen to here!

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Matthew

My photographic Review of 2021

Another year of travel restrictions due to Covid has resulted in us spending almost all of the year at home, so most of the photographs this year have been taken locally or on ‘day trips’ from Glasgow. However as we look back on 2021 it’s amazing to remember all the interesting places we visited, some for the very first time, and the joy and peace we had in doing that. So here’s a picture or two per month!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Reflection: This year started with some optimism as vaccines were being rolled out, and the slogan ‘we will beat this together’ sounded more plausible, but then along came the variants!

Thankfully the latest Omicron variant is reported to be less severe than those that have gone before, so we pray that this downward trend will continue in 2022. A visit to Glasgow city centre just before Christmas told its own story. Gone was the sound of laughter and the bustling Christmas market in George Square. No ‘big wheel’, ‘flying chairs’, ‘helter skelter’or ice rink, fun and joviality had given way to just a few families with kids who had come to see the lights and the nativity scene, plus some folks handing out food and drink to the poor and homeless.

But hold on a minute, is ‘families with kids who had come to see the lights and the nativity scene, plus some folks handing out food and drink to the poor and homeless‘ more in keeping with the Christmas story, than a ‘lets eat and drink and be merry‘ lifestyle, especially in the current circumstances? The British Prime Minister caused outrage recently when it was disclosed that last winter some government departments were partying while people were self isolating and others mourning the loss of family and friends to Covid 19.

This Christmas I was caused to stop and think again about the reason for Christmas, which this new carol, so beautfully sung, challenges us to do. Take a minute to listen!

I hope you enjoy the photographs, and like me are challenged by the new carol.

Hope to see you again in the New Year. Every blessing to you and yours.

Matthew

“Archibald Maclachlan the Peacemaker”

This week our day trip from Glasgow took us to Lachlan Castle on the edge of Loch Fyne, it’s one of our favourite trips. It’s a circular tour so can be done in any direction. We left home around 12 noon and headed up the side of Loch Lomond, before turning over to Arrochar at the head of Loch Long. We then stopped at the top of the ‘Rest and be Thankful Pass’ for a picnic lunch. After lunch we continued over the pass and along the glen until we came to the sign for Dunoon, and turned left. We followed the road through beautiful St Catherine’s before reaching Strachur, where we turned right. Just a few miles outside Strachur we turned right again onto a single track road signposted for ‘Lachlan Castle’. This road runs for 15 miles down the lochside to Otter Ferry. It’s the most picturesque little road imaginable, with lots of twists and turns, so you have to drive with care.

At Otter Ferry we had afternoon tea from our flask along with some home baking, and then headed a further twenty miles down the Cowal peninsula following the signs for Tighnabruaich. There the hillside was covered in Rhododendron bushes in full bloom, absolutely gorgeous. We stopped at Tighnabruaich for a seat by the sea, looking over to the Isle of Bute; the wind had dropped away and it was just lovely to sit in the peace and quiet. Later we headed for Dunoon, on the way catching views over the Kyles of Bute, before boarding the Dunoon to Gourock ferry (circa. £22.00 for car + 2 pasengers) . We then drove to Greenock where we joined the M8 motorway for the drive back to Glasgow, and were home for 7pm. You can see the pictures attached.

My middle name is McLachlan (Son of Lachlan), which I got from my mother’s side of the Family, so it’s always good to visit a part of the ancestral homeland! 🙂

I was fascinated to read on the information board at Otter Ferry the short story of Archibald Maclachlan who lived back in the 1760’s, and to see that he was known as the ‘Peacemaker’. I thought of Sunday’s sermon at Greenview Church when our Pastor Colin Adams was pointing out how counter cultural Christianity is, as it calls for reconciliation within families and communities and between peoples and nations, and ultimately which offers reconciliation between God and man. (Sermon link below) On the other hand todays thinking widely circulated on social media suggests a very different approach as the picture below shows.

A slide from Sunday’s sermon! – Jesus said – Blessed are the Peacemakers -Matthew 5:9

As later in bed I thought of our day, the words of Francis of Assisi, which we often sing, came to mind, and this son of Lachlan thought, how good it would be to be known like Archibald as a ‘peacemaker’.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console, To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; It is in dying that we are born to eternal life! – Francis of Assisi

Brothers Reunited – Genesis Ch 33

Springtime in Scotland

If you are visiting Scotland from abroad then late Spring is a good time to consider. The weather is on the cold side, but we usually get some beautiful sunny days.

A Day Out from Glasgow– Yesterday was such a day, so we put off the tasks needing done in our garden to take a one hour drive from our home in Glasgow to the Ayrshire Coast on the Firth of Clyde.

The long sandy beach at Ayr was quiet, with a few hardy souls being tempted to go into the sea to ‘paddle’ their feet, and there were a number of folks walking their dogs. We were heading to the south end of Ayr as we had in mind a visit to Greenan Castle, which as you will notice from the photographs sits precariously on the edge of a cliff! It’s a lovely walk from the car park along the beach to the castle, or if it is high tide there is a rough footpath amid the sand dunes. The castle has an intriguing history going back to the mid 16th century, with stories of betrayal and murder. The wind was fresh, the sand was firm for walking and I felt really invigorated when I returned to the car.

We next headed a few miles south along the coast to the village of Dunure. It’s a picturesque drive with lambs in the fields and views across the sea to the Isle of Arran. Dunure is a quaint village with a harbour, and we sat there to have our picnic lunch. Sitting at the harbour in the quietness with the sun shimmering on the water, and watching a local creel fisherman preparing his boat was a joy after some bleak winter days. And then of course there is Dunure Castle, the ancient seat of the Kennedy family, which dates back to the 14th century, although an earlier castle prior to the 13th century is said to have stood on the same site.

Lastly we headed for the village of Maidens, along past ‘the electric brae’ and the famous ‘Culzean Castle’ estate run by the National Trust for Scotland. No time today to investigate its beautiful castle and grounds, but we did have time for a walk out the pier at Maidens. This sits just next to Turnberry golf course and hotel, now owned by a certain US President -Mr Donald Trump! Then there was a drive home in time to water the garden pot plants, after a few days without rain and lots of sunshine!

This then is a glimpse of what a day out from Glasgow can look like. We are truly spoiled for choice when it comes to places of beauty to visit. Maybe it’s time to pay Scotland a visit?

I wish all my readers a very Happy Easter! If you missed my last blog, you can see my Easter video here: https://youtu.be/u5H5-rl4-sA

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