Scotland was a different kind of trip for NMBS - the usual 20th Century Battlefields were replaced with the Battlefields of the Anglo-Scottish wars. The main aim was Culloden - the last battle to be fought on British Soil (although my Scottish Roman friend tells me otherwise) A little gem and a bonus was the battlefield of Killiecrankie - and we located the battlefield! We may brag but a few years later the BBC TV series "Two Men in a Trench" used all kinds of gimmicks and found it! We found it with an OS map, and a good description of the battlefield.
We also found on our trails other great sites like the Neolithic Clava Cairns (near Culloden) The Ruthern Barracks (part of the General Wade 'push') and many Wade roads and bridges. Rob Roy's Grave (yes he is not a Hollywood film). And the Infamous "Sma' Glen". Other sites in the area are Blair Castle and Blair Athol, and the breath taking "Queens View" just outside Pitlochry.

Disappointment loomed with Bannockburn and Stirling being closed for the winter - but we found solace in the fact that this area of Scotland, where we made our base was home to the Moulin Inn and Micro Brewery - and just up the road two of the finest distilleries in Scotland Edradour (the Smallest in Scotland) and Dalwhinnie (the Highest and Coldest).

One of the treats of the Scottish trip. yes the Distilleries are Fab - NMBS personal favourites are Dalwhinnie and Edumour. but finding the wonderful Moulin Brewery and the Moulin Pub was a treat. The beer that they made was one of the finest the NMBS have tasted. We believe it can equal some of the finest beers we have tried in Belgium and France. (Lance loved the beer. That's like Gordon Ramsey liking Steve's and Gerry's cooking)

Moulin has always resisted the lure of jukeboxes and pool tables, interestingly they were installed in the 80’s and early 1990’s, but this led to the demise of the Pub, and only their removal and a general refurbishment saw the customers return again. The past 15 years have seen many changes, most noteworthy the setting up of the adjacent Moulin Brewery, the provision of Ales from our very own Brew house added a unique ingredient that quickly saw a steady stream of new visitors to the Inn. To their pleasant surprise they found a busy but peaceful Inn, with great tasting beers and a variety of locals to tell them stories, give directions and recommend visits to local attractions.

And Steve can add to his Ten pin bowling European Champion (2006) Land "Name the theme tune" Euro Champion 2006 the title of Bar-Billiard European Champion too, due to the fact the Moulin has a bar-billiards table.! (Although Kevin still holds the pool title and Lance the Ten-pin Champ 2008)

Apart from seeing the battlefields in Scotland we spread our wings abet and sought after all History.  Near the Battlefield at Culloden stand a wonderful Neolithic site called The Clava Cairns - or more correctly Bulnaraun of Clava - is one of the best preserved Bronze Age burial sites in Scotland. There are three cairns here, two with passage ways aligned to the Midwinter sunset, and all with more subtle features, incorporated to reflect the importance of the South-west horizon.

The site consists of 3 small, relatively well preserved burial chambers, aligned on a North-east to South-west axis. Each cairn consists of a multitude of large water-worn pebbles and boulders, piled in a bun shape, with an outer kerb of larger stones, around which stands a stone circle. The two outer cairns have passages to a central chamber aligned South-west to the Midwinter sun, while the central cairn has only an inner chamber with no connecting passage.

The cairns are thought to date from the late Neolithic period, and this type of cairn seems to be a style developed in this part of Scotland, which are collectively known as Clava Cairns. Unlike the larger Neolithic tombs found in other parts of the country, it seems that the tombs at Clava were not used over a long period of time for a large community, rather evidence suggests that they were preserved for more elite members of a tribe. Perhaps a ruling caste or priesthood.

Some of the large boulders which make up the outer facing of the cairns have been carved with enigmatic cup and ring markings. The true purpose and meaning of these carvings is unknown, and it has been suggested that the cup marked stones may actually date from an earlier period of history, the site being re-used because of its importance. Examining the carved stones it is easy to see that they must have been carved before they were incorporated into the fabric of the cairns. Other more subtle features were incorporated into the construction of the tombs. The kerb stones are graded in size towards the South-west and the Midwinter sun, with the largest facing towards that direction. This grading is also true of the surrounding standing stones. The stones may even be colour graded, as it seems that the more colourful stones also lie to the South-west of the tombs. This attention to geometric detail suggests that the tombs were constructed as part of a larger plan with bias towards the South-west horizon. There may be other subtle landscape features incorporated into the site, which have not yet been discovered.

Most people will think that the Scottish legend, Rob Roy is either Stuff of Walter Scott's writing or the Holly wood film that bears his name.  But no.  Rob Roy was a REAL person.  To get to see his grave in Balquhidder the NMBS had to drive from Pitlochry via the beautiful S'maa Glenn.  Idyllic Scotland at its best.  Going up and down hill made the NMBS require a "Wee wee" stop and we saw a sign that said "Toilets 2 miles".  When we got there the toilets were the most foul and evil things we have ever seen.  Think the toilets in "Trainspotting" or an "H-Block Dirty protest" and you are getting there. All over the floors and wall.  Grim to say the least - although Steve went back a few years later the toilets had been demolished.

Balquhidder is little more than a village, yet it draws visitors from across the world because of its association with Rob Roy. The intrepid outlaw is buried in the churchyard, under the crumbling ruins of the old 17th century church. The grave is simple, with a low iron railing, and you can get as close to it as you wish. The inscription at the head of the grave says it all; "Macgregor despite them". Beside are the graves of Rob Roy's wife and two of their four sons, Coll and Robin.

It seems likely that the gravestones were reused, for they appear to be of a much earlier date than the death of the Macgregor’s would indicate.

The story of Robin Macgregor is a strange one. He killed a Malaren of Invernenty in a land dispute, but escaped punishment, but later he was found guilty of kidnapping a wealthy widow and was hanged in Edinburgh. He was brought back to Balquhidder in ceremony and laid in the grave of his brother Coll.

Cuil Lodiar or Culloden is famous for two things.  It is the last battle ever fought on British soil (although a certain Roman says not) and it was the final act of a Scottish monarch to try and take the English on face to face.  Although Alex Salmond of the SNP is doing a rather good job at the moment!  After a long drive up the A9, just to the East of Inverness the battlesite lies.  The battlefield itself is not as big as you would expect, the field is part swampland and part heather moorland - so good walking boots are always a must. 

When the NMBS were trotting round, well known Scottish hard man actor, James Cosmo was doing a documentary.  Cosmo has appeared in films such as Highlander and he played Renton's dad in "Trainspotting" - it was a nice extra to the trip to see him.

The Battle of Culloden - April 16th 1746 - marked the fall of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, which sought to restore the Stuart monarchy to the throne. In barely 40 minutes of fighting, the massed army of Bonnie Prince Charlie had been slaughtered by government troops (which also contained Scottish clans) led by Prince William the Duke of Cumberland.

The odds were already stacked against them, the boggy, rain sodden ground of the moor was not suited to the Highland charge, they were vastly outnumbered, and they were exhausted after a many days marching back from England where they had failed to muster the support they badly needed to ensure victory. They had also launched a surprise attack on their foes during the night which had ended without them even coming into contact with the Duke's men.

The battle started with an exchange of artillery that quickly became a one sided affair, as the Jacobite gunners were vastly outnumbered and outclassed. Twenty minutes of constant bombardment decimated the Jacobite lines as they awaited the order to charge. Bonnie Prince Charlie took no part in the battle, and with no leader to sound orders their hesitations was to play a large part in their defeat. When they finally did charge - taking it under their own initiative - the slaughter continued, those who did not die in a volley of bullets and grapeshot, were cut down when they reached the lines. The government troops used a new way of meeting the Highland charge, each soldier stabbed at the man to the right of those they faced directly, so their bayonet would pierce under the man's raised sword arm, and avoid the target, the highlander's small shields most often held in the left hand.

Scotland 2002