Footsteps

Robert Burns

The paternal roots of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet, lie solidly in the Mearns. At Clochnahill, his father William, strove to make a living from unyielding earth. Eventually the struggle proved too great, and William moved south to try to create a better life. He settled at Alloway near Ayr, where in 1759 Robert Burns was born. In later years, Burns journeyed to the Mearns to see at first hand the land from which his forefathers had sprung, and visited Laurencekirk and Stonehaven. A large cairn by the A90 commemorating Burns and his parents overlooks the lands of Clochnahill.

Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson spent seven weeks in Braemar in the summer of 1881, but the weather was poor. Stevenson’s stepson Lloyd Osbourne painted a map, and suggested to his stepfather that he write a story around it. RLS did so, reading out every evening what he had written that day. So chapter by chapter, Treasure Island came into being on Deeside, far from the scene of the narrative. It was first published in serial form in the magazine Young Folks under the pen name "Captain George North", to give the impression that it was written by a seafaring man. Stevenson's father, also Robert, was the famous civil engineer who designed Girdleness Lighthouse at the mouth of the Dee in Aberdeen.

Bram Stoker

The majestic views which enthral today’s visitors wove the same magic spell a century ago on Bram Stoker. He took lengthy holidays at Cruden Bay, where he wrote the world-famous horror novel Dracula. He also spent some time in the hilltop village of Whinnyfold nearby.

For almost a decade he returned to the area, and was well remembered as a figure who walked brooding along the sands, or who spent hours on the clifftops watching the wild sea. It is said that he drew inspiration from Slains Castle. One of his spine-chillers, The Lair of the White Worm, is set in Cruden Bay.

William Shakespeare

Did Shakespeare visit Aberdeen? There is absolutely no proof, but it remains a long-standing hypothesis. In 1601, a company from the Globe Theatre in London played in Aberdeen. Two years later, it is known that the company which visited Aberdeen were granted a Royal licence. It may be more than coincidence that in 1605, Shakespeare began work on Macbeth, basing the action around Forres in Moray.

In 1990, Dunnottar Castle became Elsinore Castle in Denmark when Franco Zeffirelli filmed Shakespeare’s Hamlet starring Mel Gibson.

Lord Byron

Byron through his poetry waged relentless war on hypocrisy and cant, though he is best loved in this part of the world for his epic poem which for ever has caused one of Deeside’s most famous mountains to be described by the adjective "dark" - ……..the steep frowning glories of dark Lochnagar. Named George Gordon Byron after his grandfather George Gordon of Gight, and Aberdeenshire laird, Byron bore Royal blood, descended through his mother from King James I.

In his early life, Byron and his mother lived in Broad Street, Aberdeen. When he was 10, he exchanged Aberdeen Grammar School for Harrow when he inherited the Byron peerage. But his Scottish background left an indelible influence on his thoughts and feelings.

Burt Lancaster

If you can imagine what a tiny fishing village straight from a picture postcard might look like, then that’s Pennan. This little north-facing settlement found enduring fame in the early 1980s when it was used as the location for Bill Forsyth’s film Local Hero. The phone box made famous by Peter Riegert (oil executive) to call Burt Lancaster (his boss) is still there, so yes, you can make a call from it just like he did. And enjoy a relaxing drink at the local inn as he also did. Since his visit, Pennan has become a location for several film-makers, including the backdrop to the BBC sitcom All Along The Watchtower.

John Brown………

The man who began as Queen Victoria’s faithful Highland servant and ended as her friend was born and brought up on Deeside. He entered Royal service in 1851 aged 25 and faithfully served his monarch for 32 years until his premature death in 1883. The inscription on his headstone are words by the poet Tennyson, and was chosen by Victoria herself:

"That friend on whose fidelity you count, that friend given you by circumstances over which you have no control, was God’s own gift."

………. alias Billy Connolly

The Glasgow-born comedian turned serious actor took the starring role in the film on the life of Queen Victoria and John Brown, 'Mrs Brown'. He has now settled on Donside, and annually visits the Lonach Gathering in the company of many of his friends, including Dame Judi Dench and Robin Williams.

Charlie Chaplin

In his later life, the funniest little man ever to grace the silver screen regularly favoured the northern end of Scotland for holiday breaks. Accompanied by his wife Oona, Sir Charles first went to Nairn on the Moray Coast, then latterly stayed at the Tor na Coille Hotel in Banchory. Leaving the Tor na Coille on one occasion he delighted the staff gathered to see him off by picking up a hat and imitating the shuffling walk that shot him to stardom.

Lawrence of Arabia

In his troubled life after his heroic exploits in the First World War, Thomas Lawrence sought sanctuary in the little Aberdeenshire village of Collieston, then a fisherplace and now often frequented by artists. At different times in his post-war life, he took the surnames Ross and Shaw. Until recent years, there were people still alive in Collieston who could remember their tall, handsome but shy visitor.