Will Kelburn Castle be added to the new attractions of Scotland?
Of all the places in the world, few can capture the heart as Scotland does!
“Is it a fantastic new visitor attraction or just interesting drawings”, you may wonder seeing Kelburn Castle murals. The Earl of Glasgow, Patrick Boyle is thinking of making his 13th century Scottish castle a prominent attraction worldwide due to its series of psychedelic images painted all over the castle. The graffiti mural which was not a great eye catcher and an outrage to the locals when it was first painted by the Brazilian street artists has turned out to be a major appeal in the three year gap.
Featuring the surreal urban culture, the murals had cost upto £20,000 and were designed by a group of Brazilian graffiti artists, the identical twins namely Nina Pandolfo and Nunca, Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo who were commissioned by the earl’s daughter and son. The Graffiti Project was allowed by North Ayrshire Council on the grounds that it can stand its course only temporarily and to which Earl had promised to keep it for only 3 years. This has now changed and seeing the interest among visitors the Earl is now planning to keep it indefinitely.
Writing a letter to the Historic Scotland notifying whether he could keep the paintings on the Kelburn Castle, in Largs, Ayrshire, permanently, Earl has clear ideas in mind. With the three year limit in question, the replacement of the harling render on the exterior of the turret is on stay.
As per the memorandum published by the Historic Scotland, the colours to be used by owners of the listed properties in their books should relate to the architectural features of the entire building and should be indeed just one color which is not followed in the designing of the Castle. With the Earl planning to make the castle a landmark and bringing a whole new character in its doing, one needs to wait and see whether this attraction will turn out to be a successful one and add to the books of the existing favorite lookouts in Scotland.
Kelburn Castle is also stated to be one of the world’s top 10 examples of street art by the designer and author Tristan Manco besides being home to the Earls family for the last 800 years.
Scotland Hotels earning top spots among European hotels!
Besides the legends, myths and wide range of holidaying opportunities, Scotland has once more proved its distinction from other places in Europe -the hotels!
The highest standards of many luxurious hotels in Scotland being maintained, it is noticed that they are gradually becoming the hotspots out-riding Rome, Paris and Amsterdam. With higher occupancy rates recorded during the year, Scotland hotels are bringing in tourism money for the government.
The head of tourism at the Scottish Development International, Kenneth Clark is of the opinion that if investors fund growth for the numerous luxury hotels in Scotland is anything to go by then this business could turn out to be one of the most profitable in Europe. With the demand for hotels in Scotland increasing every other day, putting forth the right amount of investment in changing the selection of quality structure for each hotels can be an added benefit to the tourism industry.
It is also noted that in the month of May and June, the records showed the highest occupancy rates for Edinburgh hotels. With figures reaching 86% and 92% approximately, the hotels in Edinburgh were seen to be leading followed by Inverness and were also rated above Rome and Paris.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011 gets even bigger!
Known to be the largest arts festival in the world Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011 showcases 41,689 performances of 2,542 shows in a series of 258 venues in August for three weeks in Scotland’s capital city. Crammed with stories, experiences and reflections of producers, artists and companies form all over the world; this event attracts thousands of spectators from both far away and wide.
The festival which commenced on August 5th continuing till 29th will be launched by the Chief Executive of the Festival Fringe, Kath M Mainland. In its 65th year of groundbreaking performances and events, the festival in 2011 will be the largest and most successful of its kind.
Prominently known for its variety in various terms of comedy, theatre to dance, opera, rock and cabaret, it is an art form that is appearing for the first time in its own category. A part of Edinburgh Festivals, this year’s new competitor for the Fringe is the cabaret show that features acrobats, feminist burlesque, ukuleles and mind reading psychics.
Being a launch pad for successful careers of big stars, the official programme highlights the best of performances displaying a celebration of arts and entertainment. Get a look at the best of pictures from Edinburgh Fringe 2011.
The story that dates back to 1947, which saw eight theatre groups, uninvited, coming out successfully by performing to enrich the European cultural life in the wake of World war 2 has turned into a growing trend of performances by internationally renowned artists. Year after year in every August, responding to the success, performers form all over the world delights and excites audiences from home and abroad flock to the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh’s famous historical venues and cobbled streets.
This event promotes the wealth of the country’s creative talents at the Fringe and also raises the profile of Scotland’s world class artists internationally. So come on in and join the celebration that has grown enormously important with world class festivals and arts market! Also check out the schedules for each day
Edinburgh Festival famous for its simultaneous events!
With Edinburgh festival 2011 sashaying into the spotlight, there are many celebrations designated in this year’s festival brochure. With a unique explosion of creativity being, this year’s festival offers an opportunity for everybody to look forward to this event with a lot of enthusiasm and surprises! Displaying a variety of entertainment, new talents and also established names, those of whom who are on a trip to Scotland are sure love the country’s festivals and programmes. With a collection of independent festivals taking place in the same city at the same time, this largest cultural event in the world is everybody’s favourite. Here’s a look at some of the top festivals and entertainments in the country…
Festivals:
- Edinburgh Art Festival will be conducted at various venues and will be held from August 4th to September 4th, 2011. Featuring big game group shows with plenty of space for British and Scottish emerging talents to showcase their skills.
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 5th to 29th August, 2011, portraying an array of cultural performances including dance, comedy, and circus. Burlesque has also being added to the most awaited cabaret which is a definitive category of entertainment. The festival will be conducted at various venues across the city.
- Edinburgh International Book Festival, a festival of big ideas will be conducted from August 13th to 29th, 2011 that will unveil a selection of international authors, Scottish novelists, top non-fiction scribes, children’s writers and a series of interesting innovations.
- Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a festival of martial music, entertainment, ceremony and theatre which will take place from August 5th to 27th, 2001. With a series of military drum performances performed by International and Commonwealth military bands; one will be able to learn about Scotland’s tradition.
Entertainments:
- With the festival on the go, the Edinburgh’s watering holes will be overflowing with drinks offering a special treats in10 of the best cocktail bars namely Bon Vivant, The Raconteur, Bramble, Under the Stairs, Dragonfly, Reverie, The WestRoom, Bond No9, Underdogs and Bar Missoni.
- Apart from just enjoying, each day of the week can be looked at different aspects and one among them is the best literary haunts in Edinburgh. These prominent places is known to have inspired writers like JK Rowling and Ian Rankin and are Edinburgh Books, Inky Fingers @ Forest Cafe, Literary Salon at The Wash, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Analogue Books, Elvis Shakespeare, Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, The Oxford Bar and Spoon Cafe Bistro.
Also check what surprises are left from Editors pick of guardian.co.uk
Golfing holidays in Edinburgh
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!