From June to October 2010 ScottsLand, a diverse programme of cultural and literary events co-ordinated and promoted by The National Park will take place throughout the Trossachs and in Edinburgh and Stirling. ScottsLand celebrates the incredible legacy of the poem and one of Scotland’s most stunning landscapes and explores its impact on Scotland’s cultural identity. 

 

The inaugural ScottsLand marks this bicentenary that peaked Sir Walter Scott’s poetic career, making him the most popular writer of his time in the UK, Europe and the United States. As part of the literary strand of ScottsLand, The Edinburgh International Book Festival will host a debate on Scott’s impact on Scotland. Currently unavailable to buy in print, the poem will be re-printed and launched in May with a foreword by Rt Hon First Minister Alex Salmond MSP. A Scott themed play has also been commissioned and will run at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

 

The National Park has unveiled a unique large scale annual outdoor experience, ‘The Chase’ – a Lady of the Lake themed cycling and running event.  The event will be a must in every sporting enthusiast’s calendar and will follow the original route of the stag chase in the poem.  The Chase will be followed by a ‘hoolie’ for families at the finish line.

 

A series of walks and outdoor activities including a new legacy art and literary trail at Loch Katrine have been launched to suit people of every age and experience. Trossachs Doors Open Weekend, a literary conference featuring Scott and The Trossachs and a range of exhibitions and cruises will also be on offer for families and individuals.

 

Scott’s legacy extends beyond literature. Ave Maria and the presidential welcome Hail To The Chief were originally written, inspired by The Lady of the Lake.  Music will play an integral part of the celebrations with respected Scottish stars making a contribution.  Phil Cunningham, Eddi Reader, Aly Bain, Karen Matheson and many others will honour Scott through music, which will culminate in a one off performance of music inspired by The Lady of the Lake.

 

Phil Cunningham who has been inspired by the poem to write a new composition said: ‘Musicians have long since been inspired by Scott and I am delighted to create a new piece of music in his honour.’

 

National Park Chief Executive Fiona Logan comments: ‘In many ways Sir Walter Scott is an unsung hero of Scotland. He was a true pioneer of Scottish tourism and deserves his rightful place in the history books. This diverse programme of events aims to not only celebrate the contribution he made to Scottish tourism, but also to offer new and exciting ways for people to explore this wonderful landscape. The National Park lies on the doorstep of 70 per cent of Scotland’s population and attracts millions of visitors from across the globe.

ScottsLand brings together the historic romance of the Trossachs made famous by Scott and a lasting legacy for tourism in the National Park that will prove to be a major draw for generations to come.’

 

Bruce Crawford, Minister for Parliamentary Business continues: “Many people underestimate how much Sir Walter Scott did for Scotland and we want to shout about his achievements.  Everyone should know what he did for tourism, Scotland’s image and our heritage as well as his wonderful novels and poems.  We want to get everyone involved in ScottsLand and have created a wide programme of events to offer something to all ages and interests.”

 

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is being supported by The Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish National Heritage and Event Scotland in delivering this programme of exciting events.”

 

www.scottsland.co.uk

 

Further Information

Sir Walter Scott was born in Edinburgh in 1771.

Waverley  Station in Edinburgh is named after Sir Walter Scott’s novel ‘Waverley’.

Hail To The Chief is the music most commonly associated with the President of The United States.  The music was written to accompany verses of Lady Of The Lake.  Recently, Hail To The Chief had its biggest worldwide audience when it was used at President Obama’s inauguration.

 

Walter Scott’s depiction of a romantic, scenic and heroic Scotland in Lady of The Lake sparked the first surge in tourism.  Until this point, the country was thought to be barbaric, barren and inhospitable to those in England and beyond.  Due to popular demand, Thomas Cook started his first Scottish tours in 1846

Tartan:  Scott organised the visit of King George IV to Edinburgh in 1822.  The spectacular tartan pageantry that Scott had concocted made tartan fashionable and turned it into a national symbol.

 

Scott is credited with rescuing the Scottish banknote. In 1826, there was outrage in Scotland at the United Kingdom Parliament’s attempt to prevent the production of banknotes of less than five pounds. Scott wrote several letters to the Edinburgh Weekly Journal under a pseudonym "Malachi Malagrowther" for retaining the right of Scottish banks to issue their own banknotes. This provoked such a response that the government was forced to relent and allow the Scottish banks to continue printing pound notes. This campaign is commemorated by his continued appearance on the front of all notes issued by the Bank of Scotland.

The Lady of the Lake (1810) marked the pinnacle of Scott's popularity as a poet. With 25,000 copies of the book sold in eight months, it broke all records for the sale of poetry and Scott's fame spread beyond Great Britain to Europe and the United States.

 

From ‘Marmion’ by Sir Walter Scott comes the often misquoted lines:

 

Scott wrote Waverley and other novels anonymously. The unnamed author became known as The Wizard Of The North.

 

In 1786/7 Scott visited the Highlands on business and met a client of his father who had once fought a duel with Rob Roy.  Around this time Scott also met Robert Burns for the first and only time.

 

Scott began studying classics at University of Edinburgh in November 1783 aged 12

 

Fredrick Douglass, the famous slavery abolitionist, got his surname a Lady of the Lake character when he escaped from slavery.  His friend had been reading the poem and proposed the name Douglass.

 

Sir Walter Scott is mentioned by other authors in literature.  In Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain names a sinking boat ‘Walter Scott’ and in To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem is made to read Walter Scott's book Ivanhoe.  He refers to the author as "Sir Walter Scout", in reference to his own sister's nickname.