I'm very interested in ancient folklore and superstitions (as well as modern day ones). I would love any info on events having to do with anything of this type, especially since I will be in Scotland during Beltane. SharonM?? <BR>If anyone reading this would has similar interests read the series of books by author Diana Gabaldon! Starting with Outlander!! <BR>They are about a woman in 1945 who steps through a stone circle and ends up in 1743. <BR> <BR>I HIGHLY recommend it! <BR>

Beltane! Sheila, how are our plans coming along?

Dr Betty is visiting edinburgh and going to the Beltane re-enactment they do there. <BR> <BR>Being married to a fairly serious amateur archaologist, posts like Kathleeen's make me want to run screaming for a safe haven. (Sorry- no offence intended) <BR> <BR>If you're really interested Kathleen, burn the Diana Gabaldon and read some of the excellent and accessible stuff Historic Scotland produces. For your own safety don't mention Druids north of the Border; and the picts ere moon worshippers not sun worshippers (we think) <BR> <BR>Kathleen, when you're here try to visit Highland Mysteryworld at Ballachulish and Archaeolink in Aberdeenshire. Hope you have a lovely time. <BR> <BR>Pam, I've done nothing; but in an attempt to swell our merry band of three, I'll strat a new post now. I've had a bunch of e-mails from people who seem to be coming for the Festival who maybe didn't see the last thing.

Hi Kathleen, <BR>I've toppped Clara's "Springer show" Part 1 of 215 and the Beltane 2001 threads for your entertainment (AND information!) <BR>I may have some other websites I can suggest once I get to my home computer. <BR> <BR>And yes! Dr. B is indeed going to be there, herself, for Beltane...I'll be there in spirit.

Kathleen, <BR>Yes, indeed we will be there. While many couples approaching midlife seek to renew their marriage vows, my husband and I have sought a trip to Scotland for Beltane to renew our fertility vows. In terms of the festival, he has not seen the weird pictures of Beltane last year which can be found at www.beltane.org and his only request is that we be observers. You can be assured I have something else in mind and have already been tucking away the body paints in the secret hiding places of our luggage. My big dilemna is where to obtain a good rack of antlers in Edinburgh (just kidding). So we should make a plan to meet up with you on April 30th, or the 29th? I'm glad to know there'll be some other Fodorites there. <BR>Dr. Betty <BR> <BR>

now I'm REALLY jealous. <BR> <BR>I want pictures to see where I've been!

Well, maybe not...

If you want to get into the dress-up-and-run-around-hitting-people-with-bladders-in-Scotland mood, see if you can rent an obscure, hilarious, beautifully photographed movie from around 1970 or so called "The Wicker Man" starring Edward Woodward as a flying PC sent to investigate pagan goings-on on the Summer Isles near Skye, presided over by Christopher Lee as the creepy Laird. Mandatory before you paint your extremities.

A definite requirement, John. <BR> <BR>I recommended "Wicker Man" on another thread, too! <BR>You're right! Beautiful scenery and magnificant (or lack of) costumes!!! <BR> <BR>(I bought a copy of the video off ebay.com...)

See, this is the sort of sloppy thinking that this board has become famous for <BR> <BR>The Wicker Man wasn't Beltane; it was Samhainn

I'm obviously under-employed, because I just did a quick web search on the movie and discovered that there's a whole movement, complete with magazine and gatherings, around a nearly 30 year old film. Check out http://www.nuada98.fsnet.co.uk/nuada%203/ - Eat your heart out, Trekkies! (No, wait, about eating hearts, that's another movie, right?)

Well looky here now, there's 3 more fire festivals to put on my 'travel must do' list. Is there no end to the influence you people have on my life?

Dear Dr. Pyromaniac Betty, <BR> <BR>Do you know about the Fireballs ceremony in Stonehaven on New Year's Eve? The participants walk (stagger?) up the High Street swinging metal cage-like cases full of burning who-knows-what. Wards off the evil spirits. It's more or less in Sheila's neck of the woods.

Indeed KT, this whole thing started when I mixed up the "burning the Clavie" thing at Burghead, with Beltane (see, even I make mistakes!!) <BR> <BR>We do good fires in these parts

But wait, there's more. Up-Helly-Aa every January in Shetland features guys in horny hats marching with torches and a blazing Viking longboat floating off toward Valhalla (or maybe Unst.) There's beer, too.

All this fire talk got me so excited that I almost forgot -- I wanted to elaborate on Sheila's excellent suggestion to read the Historic Scotland books. <BR>If you want Picts, you want "Historic Scotland: Picts, Gaels, and Scots" by Sally Foster or "Picts" by Anna Ritchie. You can get them from Historic Scotland: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/sw-frame.htm (click on "publications"), or any of the major British booksellers, or (as much as I hate to recommend Amazon) amazon.co.uk. They're both good factual (spoilsport!) accounts written for the general reader. <BR>And speaking of spoilsports, I kind of hate to ruin those romantic notions, but the Picts came along long after the Neolithic folks who built the stone circles. They were a P-Celtic-speaking people who flourished after the Romans left Britain. Okay, I admit it -- I've studied archaelogy. A little pedantry is a dangerous thing....

Do you want to know how much you have leapt in my estimation KT?? <BR> <BR>Where did you do your archaeology? And have you been here? Ever seen a recumbent stone circle?

Oh, gee, Sheila, how kind of you (blush, blush). You've guessed my little secret. I did the first-year course in Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh back in prehistoric times. Of course, the only use I can make of the knowledge gleaned there is to be a spoilsport for the more romantically minded (see previous post). <BR> <BR>I also did a two-week continuing education course in Scottish archaeology at the University of Edinburgh last summer. If anybody out there is interested, I recommend it. It even has field trips. <BR> <BR>I've seen some great old Scottish stones, from Maes Howe to Kilmartin, but have been limited by my unwillingness to drive on the left (hell, I don't even like to drive on the right). However, recumbent stone circles are definitely on the agenda for this year, when a braver friend and I will take a car through the big lump of NE Scotland and on to the west coast. <BR> <BR>

KT <BR> <BR>In a different life, I was the Chair of a Trust which built a visitor centre based on the archaeology of the North east- Archaeolink- which I suggest would be a good place to start both for its interpretation and its information about sites. <BR> <BR>If when you are here, you would like help, a tour, or anything else that I or my archaeologically obsessed husband cand provide, please be in touch

Wouldn't it be great to see a shimmering magnitude of folks there - - all wearing their Fodor's ribbon pins? - - with or wiithout the PA logo... <BR> <BR>