Hogmanay is celebrated on New Year’s Eve, every year, usually in a most exuberant fashion in Scotland as hundreds of thousands of revellers take to the streets to see in the New Year. (more…)
Real Britain Company News…
Hogmanay – A great time to visit Scotland!
Saturday, December 31st, 2011Henley Royal Regatta
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011If you read my blog about the Oxford and Cambridge boat race you may have gleaned that I was somewhat bemused by it’s popularity. This series of boat races, however, are another matter. The regatta lasts for 5 days! What’s more, the time of year is conducive to sitting on the banks of the Thames idling away a sunny afternoon watching the rowing. In fact it has become a major social event with many people laying on lavish picnics, with champagne and the lot. To be ‘seen’ at Henley is as important as the sport!
The Henley Royal Regatta started in 1839 and has been ‘royal’ since H.R.H. Prince Albert became the Regatta’s first Royal Patron in 1851. The Queen is now the patron.
Snowdon Fiddle Festival
Friday, June 17th, 2011The Snowdon Fiddle Fesival is set in the picturesque village of Nant Peris at the foot of Snowdon. Originally started to showcase traditional Welsh fiddling, folk come from far and near now. Last year featured fiddlers from Norway!
Hooray! The month of Bank Holidays
Sunday, May 29th, 2011We suffer the long Winter months up until Easter without a single bank holiday then along comes May and we get two in one month! Perhaps it is as well we wait so that we can enjoy the coming of Spring.
On this day every year we have a community walk around the village boundaries, called ‘Beating the Bounds’. It is a revival of an old medieval custom whereby the boundaries of the parish were re-established. The course around our village is about 10 miles (the agony!) and takes us over fields, through blue bell woods and across the river Avon in a rather small boat!
Chelsea Flower Show
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011An English man’s home may be his castle but it’s his garden which is his pride and joy! Our weather, being mild and relatively wet, is conducive to growing a wide variety of beautiful plants. The Summer months are scattered with flower festivals, vegatable growing competitions and the like, but the cream of the crop is the Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show, the World’s most famous flower show.
Whisky Facts
Monday, May 9th, 2011Did you know:
Whisky was first used as medicine
Originally the drink distilled from barley was called “Uisge Beata”, which means “Water of Life” in Celtic. The name evolved to become Usquebaugh, then Uisge and finally Whisky.
It was not until 1823 that Whisky production became legal.
Whisky is usually sold blended to standardise the taste. Each distillery produces a drink which is quite unique. Blended whisky is made from a mix of single malt and grain whisky
To find out more about the history and process of making Whisky visit Scotand: Whisky and Distilleries
Under the Thumb
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011I recently came across an explanation of the origin of this phrase when I was out at a falconry exhibition recently. When the bird is on the hand it’s movement is limited by the handlers thumb on the strap or jess attached to the leg.
By the way, this is great day out. There are lots of falconry’s across the country. It might seem cruel to keep these birds of prey in cages but sitting on a perch doing nothing is what they like best. We like to think that birds soar above us for pleasure but the reality is they fly only when they need to. If the weather is cold or windy it’s the last thing they want to -such hard work!
The Green Man of Clun
Sunday, May 1st, 2011Every year in March the quiet town of Clun in Shropshire comes alive with the Green Man Festival. Clun has a Norman castle, a town hall (now a local history museum), almshouses and a 14th century bridge. It is here on the bridge that the battle between the Green Man and the Frost Queen takes place. They are fighting over whether Clun gets a Summer or not. Lets hope he wins!
This three day festival of music, dancing and street theatre takes place over the May Day bank holiday weekend.
The Origins of May Day
Sunday, May 1st, 2011The celebration of the 1st May dates back at least as far as the Druids for whom it was the second most important holiday of the year. It was when the festival of Beltane was held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. On those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking.
Read the whole May Day story
Whisky Festival
Wednesday, April 27th, 2011Speyside contains half of Scotlands’ 100 distilleries and is home to many famous single malts, such as Glenlivet. The region lies partly in Moray and partly in the Highlands of Scotland and is set around the River Spey which flows through it. Fabulously beautiful at any time, it also has the added attraction around this time of year of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
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