News.Scotland.Org

Finally the new logo for the 2014 commonwealth games was launched amidst some chaos and fanfare.  It all started when the logo was found to be almost identical to the design created for the Common Guild 2007. Both the designs do had similarities which triggered a hullabaloo, with the game organisers claiming that the logo was an original piece of artwork.

Meanwhile Glasgow Tory MSP Bill Aitken said that he will be raising the issue with Games organisers due to the similarities among the two logos. The new logo has similarity with the old logo which raises a question on the originality of this new design. On other hand the game organisers strongly felt nothing to suspect regarding the logo, and it is well matched for the money paid for it.

Now it has to be seen that, what will be the fate of this new logo which has triggered a debate over its originality. Whatever the results might come, but all sport enthusiasts do hope this confusion won’t effect the preparations of the Glasgow 2014 games.

News Source :  Scotsman

For any lover of golf, here’s great news – the 2010 Open Championship at St.Andrews, the most storied and challenging course in Scotland- Golfing is just a few months away. One of golf’s four “Majors”, the Open Championship is the only one hosted outside of the United States. The Open is not tied to one course unlike the Masters and is conducted each year with a different classic course in England or Scotland.

Since 1990, the tournament has been here once in five years with Tiger Woods earning the winning trophy in 2000 and 2009. To be held on 15 to 18th of July, 2010, it is not alone the biggest golf event of the year in Scotland but also the biggest every five years with the most prestigious tournament coming to the most famous course in golf.

No destination quite like Scotland, for golfers and fans of the game to enjoy a great golfing holiday near the Old Course at St. Andrews in Fife, about a 30-mile drive north of Edinburgh. With hundreds of courses across the country, including some of the most famous in the world, there is no other more complete a golf destination than Scotland. With high roughs, unpredictable weather and world class competition, it will be very busy for all golf enthusiasts with loads of time to plan a fabulous Scotland tour.

Celebrating 21 years of show-stopping, eye popping and jaw dropping science, 2010 Edinburgh International Science Festival will be Europe’s largest public celebration of science and technology with 26 venues across Edinburgh and beyond. Topics ranging from hot issues of today to predictions of tomorrow, you can get down to see a stream of events that will rip the white coat off science revealing the bizarre, the intriguing and the occasionally mind-blowing.

Meet ASIMO – the world’s most advanced humanoid robot, when it visits Scotland for the very first time with its various collections. Scotland’s main science festival will showcase a new spin on ‘the beautiful game’ next month when a kick- about is staged between robots. An all- android football will be one among the main attractions in the Edinburgh science festival which will be  hosted in April by the world-leading robotics experts at the university’s School of Informatics.

Experts at the Edinburgh university will give an insight to what it takes to make a robot ‘bend it like Beckham” before letting the Android FC’s finest loose on the pitch. Others will give details about how the latest technology on robots are used to detect human emotions and simple changes in their facial expressions. The event would also take the audience through the process of creating the robots and the progress being made towards having a team of robots stage a proper match against the footballers.

The university’s series of events are expected to sale like hot cakes for the two-week festival with guest speakers including the biologist and author Richard Dawkins and psychiatrist Raj Persaud. Between 3-17 April , more than 200 events will be staged at various venues including the National Museum of Scotland and Our Dynamic Earth, the Royal Botanic Garden, the Jam House music venue, the Scotch Whisky Experience and the Filmhouse cinema.

The other main higlights of the festval include the installation of a huge 3D sound chamber at one of the city’s best-known beauty spots, premiere of a new play inspired by the latest developments in the genetic engineering and a look at the evolution of heavy metal music. It also explores into the deeper insights of human beings – their darker side- to commit horrific acts of mutilation and murder; an examination into the latest forsenic science techniques that can crack crime cases, what are the concepts or ideas that lead a human to indulge in the seven deadly sins, and the best ways to make artificial blood.

To give the youngsters a chance to explore the science behind what happens when they get a cut or bruise , a “blood bar” is also being installed in the festival’s main venue – the City Art Centre.

Many other events like a look at the faulty maths equation that could have triggered the global economic meltdown, a singles night for science buffs, various animation techniques that have been used in the latest computer games and in films like Avatar, and what one can do to try to make a real robot do the same kind of things as well as respond like a human being with a sense of balance, motion and sensitivity.

A stellar collection of the country’s best science presenters, filmmakers, performers and comedians, this festival programme is going to be a great collection that will be on par with the very best science festivals in the world.

Edinburgh takes credit to some of the best tee courses in the whole of Scotland, which are quite popular  among the golfers all over the world. A golfer’s haven , Scotland has many excellent golf courses set amidst stunning natural spectacles well complemented by well equipped golf clubs and the fabled Scottish hospitality to make it an unbeatable experience. Golfing in Scotland has become a highly favored option even among celebrities like Madonna, Catherine Zeta Jones and Brad Pitt.

Golf is a relaxing and sociable game that allows you to mingle with the sporty Scots, who are passionate about this sport. One of the most popular golf green is the centrally located Merchants of Edinburgh, that offers the stunning views of the Edinburgh Castle and the Pentland Hills. The oldest active  golf course is Mortonhall. Located close to the post card pretty hinterlands and villages, these golf courses ensure the best views of the countryside of East Lothian. Musselburgh Golf Course, located very near to the Edinburgh bypass, dating back to 1672 has an impressive list of clientèle including Mary Queen of Scots  who is thought to have played here.

Golf is a great group activity and is well suited for groups like stag party or hen party revelers as it is a short duration game that could be combined with any other day time activity of your choice. And the best part is that any friends who are ;less enthusiastic about the game can indulge in sight seeing to soak up the quintessential charm of Edinburgh. There are many historical edifices, museums and live entertainment options apart from an impressive  bar and club scene that makes it an overwhelming experience. No matter whether you are green horn or experienced golfer, Edinburgh has some of the best tee courses you could ask for!

With a great snow holding record, Scotland’s oldest ski resort, Glencoe, has been struggling in the recent years to remain viable without summer attractions. Owing to lack of people visiting the resort, which has turned out to be a big frustration, the resort has planned to go local in bid to unlock funds. Come March end and once the snow disappears from the central belt, visitors think that Scottish skiing’s finished, not realising that they have some of the best skiing opportunities in store and awaiting them in the month of April with the sun on glow and when literally everybody can just wear a T-shirt and go skiing.

With a strong community support, more than 3,000 people signed an online “Save Glencoe” petition to be sent to the Scottish Parliament, when it looked like the resort, Glencoe, was facing the risk of remaining closed throughout the 2009/2010 season. Falkirk businessman Andy Meldrum believed that CIC is the best way to get major investment and after his last-ditch rescue bid, teams of local skiers volunteered to help with vital maintenance work so that the resort could open in time for the first major snowfalls of the season.

Whatever happens at the tail end of this season, Meldrum and his new team have already got off to a flying start, with more than 7,000 skier visits since 28 December. Last year’s total figure was 13,836, and the resort didn’t open until mid-January.

With the people they have got and the plans they have made, he promises that it will survive or they will have to go down in flames. If Meldrum’s CIC application is approved, it would become one of the largest Community Interest Companies in Scotland and it would be able to tap into previously unavailable funding streams and other big plans for the resort beyond the simple upgrading system what’s already there.

To boost up the trade during the summer months he hopes to add three new mountain bike trails, an adventure playground and accommodation for hikers walking the West Highland Way. For all this and for an aging infrastructure overhaul a seven-figure investment will go in hand. At the moment, it looks that they going to be way ahead as one of the top skiing resorts for anyone who wants to enjoy a great skiing holiday.

It will be a tough fight for Scotland team in the Euro 2012 qualifiers with Spain falling in their group. Other than Spain, the teams include, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Liechtenstein. Both the coach and players of Scotland team are quite excited about their clash with Spain. It was told that, the nine group winners and the best runner up will qualify for the finals in Poland and Ukraine.

The team manager for Scotland ‘Craig Levein’ said, it will be a daunting task for Scotland to beat Spain, but it will be a great occasion and all Scottish supporters will be excited about this game.  Levein also added that its long since we have played Spain in a competitive match.

Well, even though Scottish team has to face the all time favourite Spain, but it won’t be so tough for the Scottish team to come second in the five team group, if they play a good game. As per reports the first qualifying game will begin in October. Which means the team do have enough time to get ready for the big clash. Scotland needs to come up as a good side in the tourney and play a great game with proper game plan and strategy.

Now only time will tell whether Scotland will qualify for the Euro 2012. But analyst suggest that all eyes will be for that big match between Scotland and Spain.

News Source : BBC News

The first purpose-built platform for bungee jumping has been approved by the Perthshire councillors in UK. Garry Bridge situated north of Pitlochry in Perthshire, Highlands, has been chosen for building this structure. The platform will be constructed at Garry Bridge which crosses the River Garry approximately 3 miles north of Pitlochry and 1.5 miles south of Killiecrankie.

Bungee jumping aspirants can plunge off the 131 ft (40m) high bridge towards the meandering river diving from the platform only to be caught back by an elastic rope before hitting the surface of the river.

Even though the councillors in Kinross and Perth approved the structure, they have also imposed a few conditions,

• Jumping before 10 AM should be prohibited.
• After dark jumps should be reduced to three per month.
• The official also mentioned that if the project does not turn out a commercial success, the platform is required to removed completely to restore the bridge to the council.

With adventure tourism widely accepted as a vital and growing market for Scottish businesses, the bungee jumping platform will definitely prove to be an impetus to Scotland’s tourism.

Scots are shivering but skiers seem to love it! With a lot of early snowfall this year, 2010 can be a perfect year for those who are looking forward to some exciting outdoor skiing in Scotland. Scotland has some great slopes which are perfect for skiing and five equally good ski centres that offer a wide range of skiing options and facilities and a competitive range of terrain. Three of the five resorts can be found in and around the area of Cairngorms while the other two are conveniently located in the Western Highlands.

Cairngorm: Cairngorm, the Lecht and Glenshee resorts

The Cairngorm resort at a distance of just 20 minutes from Aviemore and lying at the foothills of the Cairngorm Mountains are mulled over to be the best ski resort in Scotland. Advanced skiers will love the runs with a maximum vertical drop of 400 meters. The resort has 12 lifts including Scotland’s only elite funicular railway (which can be used by non-skiers on their way down). In addition to the skiing slopes, one can also find a sledging park and amenities to serve freestylers.

Lecht is sited at a distance of some forty minutes from Grantown-on-Spey. The resort has green runs close to the car park, one black run and has its own snowmaking facilities which gifts it the most consistent snow conditions of Scotland’s resorts.
South of Cairngorm, about twenty minutes from Braemar is the Glenshee resort. It covers four mountains, three valleys and has the largest lift network in UK.

The Western Highland Resorts: Nevis Range and Glencoe:

Glencoe boasts ‘the steepest and most thrilling black-graded run in Britain’ and has seven lifts leading to 19 runs. Nevis Range is comfortably sited on Aonach Mor, the eighth highest mountain in Scotland. Thanks to its artificial slope, skiers will not be disappointed even in summer.

Though Scotland countrysides and natural spectacles form the epicenter of any Scotland holiday itinerary,  there is no dearth in adrenalin surging activities and extreme sporting options in Scotland. There are many heart pumping activities in Scotland including skydiving, which is nothing but jumping out of an airplane with a parachute attached to you – to put it in simple terms! In case you find a bit too scary settle for the indoor skydiving in a simulated environment where there is no risk of falling on to the ground in case the worst happens – that is, if the parachute fails to open. There are many other extreme sporting activities including rafting, kayaking, Bungee jumping, white water rating and more in Scotland that are perfect options to satiate the sporting urges of the thrill seekers!

There are many popular Scotland cities that are world  famous for sporting activities including Aberdeen. Most of the Scottish cities  have budget accommodation options and hotels to cater to the partying needs of budget travelers including  the stag and hen groups. You will find many suitable hotels to suit your tastes. Right from self catering cottages set amidst lochs and mountains or chic hotels right at the city centers, the accommodation options in Scotland is truly diverse. Scotland has over 500 well equipped hotels that makes more than its fair share of this small country!

Many of us tend to tag Scotland holidays with just fine whiskeys, music and natural scenery. So next time when you charter  a trip to Scotland, remember that it has an excitingly different sports calender as well. From thrilling to mad cap and extreme sports options there are very many options to make your pick from. Settle for the ones that hold your interest, pace and skill sets and the best part is that you don’t have to risk your life and limb to have an exciting holiday in Scotland!

July, 16 

The buzzing capital city of Edinburgh is gearing up to host the two-day rugby league which is said to earn £4.2 million for the city. Thousands of rugby enthusiast and travellers are expected to turn out for this sporting extravaganza. 

This two-day rugby league will feature seven matches which is said to attract a massive crowd. This sporting spectacle will be a great time for the city hotels, restaurants and bars to make some good money. It was told that Edinburgh has been successful in its bid for the Magic Weekend, which next year will be held at Murrayfield rather than Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. This rugby fest is said to be a wonderful event with lots of excitements, thrill and celebration for all.

The two-day of rugby mania will be nothing less than any carnival or festivity with over 67000 spectators catching the active live. Nigel Wood, chief executive of the Rugby Football League said, “We have always had terrific relations between all the clubs. I am not sure how many other mainstream sports could envisage bringing their biggest clubs together at one venue to play a set of games in one weekend. 

The Magic Weekend has come up as great news for all; people are looking forward for this two-day festivity with immense pleasure.