Over 50 photo gifts are available , including greeting cards, prints, t-shirts, phone cases, mugs and lots more.
More free Christmas cards from Castle Pictures Ecards. Hundreds of Scottish gifts for Christmas in our shop. Phone cases, t-shirts, ,mugs, greeting cards, posters , prints and lots more .
Free Christmas card . Share this post on Facebook and Twitter #christmas #christmascard #freechristmascard
Scotland is full of ruined castles. Which castles are the spookiest of them all ?. Here’s a list of the spookiest , most haunted castles in Scotland , ideal for a visit at Halloween . If you’re lucky enough to survive a visit one of these castles , why not send a free Halloween greeting card or download the free ecard app ?
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan is one of the most picturesque and most photographed castles in the world . Send pictures of the castle in our free Valentine cards app . The castle is on a small island in the middle of 3 lochs . It has featured in several films including Highlander and a James Bond film. Robert the Bruce took refuge here in 1306 . The original castle was destroyed in 1719 when 3 English frigates attacked the Spanish troops garrisoned there. A direct hit on the arsenal totally destroyed it . . The castle was rebuilt in the 20th century . This castle is spooky because the spirit of a Spanish troop is said to haunt the castle.
Edinburgh Castle commands the whole of the city centre , sitting on a volcanic rock . The castle is perhaps the spookiest in Britain because it has many ghosts. There is a drummer who only appears when the castle is about to be attacked. A piper who disappeared in the tunnels between the castle and the High Street comes back to haunt the dungeons. The castle is Scotland’s biggest visitor attraction with thousands of visitors each year.
Craigievar Castle The Blue Bedroom is the haunt of one of the Gordon clan members, who fell from a window. He had been pushed to his death by “Red” Sir John Forbes, a noble. Several people heard the step of the unfortunate Gordon climbing the stairs to the Blue Bedroom, as if he was living the moment before his death again and again.One of the other ghosts is one of a musician, who is very selective (he shows himself just to people with the name of Forbes). He fell in the moat of the castle and drowned. Send free Halloween e-cards
This was the castle of the Stewart kings of Scotland from the 15th century . In 1512Mary , Queen of Scots was born here . Queen Margaret’s Tower at the top of the stair towers , is said to be haunted by the Queen’s mother , Mary of Guise , waiting for the return of her husband , James V .
In the oldest part of the castle, the double tower, there is a room known as the Green Lady’s Room, because of the several apparitions of this unknown woman with a baby. It is said that she’s a member of the Burnett family, proprietor of the castle.These apparitions began after the discover of two skeletons, during renovation work : one of a woman and one of a baby. The baby is said to be the child of a man who preferred to kill the baby and the mother to hide their relationship.The fact that the apparitions continue, even after the discover of the bodies means than the two poor beings will never be able to rest in peace.
The castle stands on volcanic rock overlooking the town of Stirling and the countryside . Mary , Queen of Scots was crowned in the old chapel in 1533 . The Pink Lady, a beautiful lady in a pink silk gown , has been seen many times at the castle . It may be Mary , Queen of Scots. Others say it is the ghost of a woman searching for her husband who had been killed when Edward I captured the castle . Free Stirling Castle e-cards
high dynamic range [schema type=”product” url=”www.castlepictures.com” name=”Eilean Donan Castle 605 HDR print .Paper size 19 by 13 inches , image size 16 by 12 inches. Photograph by David Rankin. Printed on Velvet Fine art paper , 100% cotton rag.” description=”Eilean Donan Castle 605 HDR print .Paper size 19 by 13 inches , image size 16 by 12 inches. Photograph by David Rankin. Printed on Velvet Fine art paper , 100% cotton rag.” brand=”Castle pictures” condition=”New” ]
[ecard] Pixar’s new blockbuster Brave film is set in Scotland and has been inspired by a number of Scottish castles, mainly Eilean Donan Castle and Dunnottar Castle. The film has made $66.7m (£42.8m) in its opening weekend, knocking Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted off the top spot. Brave is the first Disney Pixar animation with a female protagonist. Brave, which will close the Edinburgh International Film Festival later this week, is the the 13th consecutive Pixar release to open at number one. “Their track record is just unbelievable,” said Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. “The Pixar brand just carries so much weight with the audience. It doesn’t matter almost what the story is about if it has the Pixar name.” Brave’s heroine, who rebels against her family’s plans for her to marry, is voiced by Kelly Macdonald, of Trainspotting and Boardwalk Empire fame.She was born and bred in Scotland , as were most of the cast, which includes Robbie Coltrane, comedian and now chat show host Craig Ferguson and Macdonald’s Trainspotting co-star Kevin McKidd, better known to American audiences for his role in Grey’s Anatomy. Send ecards of Eilean Donan Castle .
Eilean Donan Castle inspiration
Eilean Donan has inspired many artists and photographers down the years. Images of the castle have featured in countless calendars and postcards. It is one of my favourite castles in Scotland because of the huge potential it offers throughout most of the year.
VisitScotland marketing campaign
VisitScotland found out that Mel Gibson’s film Braveheart in 1995 brought a whole flood of visitors to Scotland , mainly from America.They have decided to try and capitalise on Brave to promote Scotland and bring a whole new generation of visitors to Scotland. VisitScotland has launched its biggest ever global marketing campaign, working alongside Disney Pixar to reach millions of potential visitors across the world. The campaign will showcase every corner of Scotland through a new TV and cinema advert, a new website and extensive marketing and events activity in countries ranging from the US and UK to France and Germany. The TV and cinema campaign will reach around 80 million people in the UK and abroad and is expected to boost the Scottish economy by around £140m. The campaign will see the airing of VisitScotland’s first TV advert in North America for ten years – thanks to a major funding boost by the Scottish Government. The timing of the campaign is crucial, with this market showing encouraging signs of recovery. The number of American visitors increased by 15% last year and it is Scotland’s biggest overseas market, with more than 400,000 visitors spending £311m every year. UK audiences will also be treated to the new advert in cinemas and TV in a special UK version which will launch when the film opens in August. The new 30-second advert, which is voiced by the BBC’s historian and presenter Neil Oliver, will be broadcast on some of the world’s largest networks and in cinemas before the film, taking creative inspiration from the theme “Scotland. Where legends come to life.”
First Minister Alex Salmond attends Brave premiere
First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond has done his bit to promote VisitScotland’s marketing campaign with his attendance at the film premiere and a raft of press interviews.
The UK has hundreds of ruined castles. But some castles are more spooky than others. Here’s a list of the spookiest , most haunted castles in the UK , ideal for a visit at Halloween . If you’re brave enough to visit one of these castles , why not send a free Halloween greeting card
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle commands the whole of the city centre , sitting on a volcanic rock . The castle is perhaps the spookiest in Britain because it has many ghosts. There is a drummer who only appears when the castle is about to be attacked. A piper who disappeared in the tunnels between the castle and the High Street comes back to haunt the dungeons. The castle is Scotland’s biggest visitor attraction with thousands of visitors each year.
This is one of the most picturesque and most photographed castles in the world . Robert the Bruce took refuge here in 1306 . The original castle was destroyed in 1719 when 3 English frigates attacked the Spanish troops garrisoned there . The castle was rebuilt in the 20th century . This castle is spooky because the spirit of a Spanish troop is said to haunt the castle.
Craigievar Castle The Blue Bedroom is the haunt of one of the Gordon clan members, who fell from a window. He had been pushed to his death by “Red” Sir John Forbes, a noble. Several people heard the step of the unfortunate Gordon climbing the stairs to the Blue Bedroom, as if he was living the moment before his death again and again.One of the other ghosts is one of a musician, who is very selective (he shows himself just to people with the name of Forbes). He fell in the moat of the castle and drowned. Send free Halloween e-cards
This was the castle of the Stewart kings of Scotland from the 15th century . In 1512Mary , Queen of Scots was born here . Queen Margaret’s Tower at the top of the stair towers , is said to be haunted by the Queen’s mother , Mary of Guise , waiting for the return of her husband , James V .
In the oldest part of the castle, the double tower, there is a room known as the Green Lady’s Room, because of the several apparitions of this unknown woman with a baby. It is said that she’s a member of the Burnett family, proprietor of the castle.These apparitions began after the discover of two skeletons, during renovation work : one of a woman and one of a baby. The baby is said to be the child of a man who preferred to kill the baby and the mother to hide their relationship.The fact that the apparitions continue, even after the discover of the bodies means than the two poor beings will never be able to rest in peace.
The castle stands on volcanic rock overlooking the town of Stirling and the countryside . Mary , Queen of Scots was crowned in the old chapel in 1533 . The Pink Lady , a beautiful woman in a pink silk gown , has been seen many times at the castle . It may be Mary , Queen of Scots. Others say it is the ghost of a woman searching for her husband who had been killed when Edward I captured the castle . Free Stirling Castle e-cards
Buachaille Etive Mor 174 print. Paper size 19 by 13 inches , image size 16 by 12 inches. Photograph by David Rankin. Printed on Velvet Fine art paper , 100% cotton rag. send a free Buachaille Etive Mor ecard
Melrose Abbey Melrose Abbey has been declared world class and one of Scotland’s best visitor attractions. Independent quality assurance inspectors from VisitScotland have awarded it the coveted five-star status after examining every aspect of the visitor experience. This means the three staffed Borders Abbeys cared for by Historic Scotland, and Smailholm Tower, are all now five-star attractions. Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, Michael Russell, said: “You can’t get better than five star, so this is a brilliant achievement by the staff at Melrose. It now means that all Historic Scotland paid attractions in the Borders are of five star status. All the staff at the attractions have worked very hard to get and to keep this level of quality across the region. This is a great achievement for the staff locally, for the heritage agency overall and something we can be very proud of.” “Melrose Abbey has a lot to celebrate this year as its visitor figures for the year so far have jumped by 15.6% compared to 2008 – an absolutely tremendous performance.” Between April and the end of August the abbey attracted 33,558 visitors compared to 29,025. Historic Scotland had a campaign earlier this year which offered a special price for membership especially for the Year of Homecoming 2009. The campaign proved an enormous success due, the agency believe, to many people having “staycations ” – staying at home for holidays – and looking for value for money family days out. Melrose Abbey may be benefiting from this extra emphasis on value from families suffering from the credit crunch. The abbey had previously been a four-star attraction, but it has improved its rating thanks to the introduction of new and more modern information boards, material and information for visitors. VisitScotland has operated a quality assurance inspection scheme for visitor attractions since 1995. The scheme gives an independent quality assurance award and incorporates the inspection of properties for Thistle tourist signposting. There are five quality grades for the standard of facilities and services following the assessment of the appropriate areas. Historic Scotland is one of the two main organisations which run Scotland’s castles and historic Scotland , the other one being the National Trust for Scotland . HS is a government agency which has 345 outstanding historic properties and sites in its care. These include some of the top tourist attractions in Scotland, including Edinburgh, Stirling, and Urquhart castles, Fort George, Linlithgow Palace, the Border Abbeys, and Skara Brae. For further details visit: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places Historic Scotland’s mission is to safeguard Scotland’s historic environment and to promote its understanding and enjoyment. Historic Scotland has been a major supporter of the 2009 Year of Homecoming with a series of initiatives including family trails, spectacular events and the creation of a Homecoming Pass for heritage attractions in association with other heritage organisations.
Stirling Castle is one of Scotland’s most impressive castles due to its imposing position and impressive architecture. Our new free castle pictures gallery features a number of Scottish castles . From Stirling Castle’s ramparts, visitors can take in views of the Forth Valley and Ben Lomond , as well as two of Scotland’s most important battle sites – Stirling Bridge (1297) and Bannockburn (1314). The castle is at the head of Stirling’s historic old town.Like Edinburgh Castle , Stirling sits on a volcanic rock dominating the city skyline . The Renaissance pomp and pageantry of the Royal Court of Mary Queen of Scots returns to Stirling Castle next month when the queen and her entourage come home to Scotland for ‘A Royal Summer Holiday’.
Castle visitors can become courtiers at this family event from Saturday 1st to Monday 3rd August and join the 16th-century VIP visitors as they have some fun. Skittles, quoits, and firing a crossbow are on offer . Costumed players throughout the castle will be leading special children’s tours of the castle and sharing all of the latest gossip about the lords and ladies in attendance. And kids will also have an opportunity to join the royal guard to help protect the royal party as they take a break from governing the country.
Historic Scotland Interpretation Manager Sheena Garden said: “Stirling Castle is not only one of Scotland’s grandest and most imposing castles, it was also a real favourite with Scotland’s kings and queens. And their investment in it demonstrated just how much they loved to use it, as well as their desire to ensure it both impressed all who visited it, and represented a statement of their power and wealth. James IV created the Great Hall, the largest medieval banqueting hall ever built in Scotland, and James V’s Royal Palace, with its lavishly decorated Renaissance façades, was a masterpiece of the period.
Major conservation work has been carried out at Stirling Castle over many years to preserve the attraction as a major national and international monument. The refurbishment of the Great Hall was completed a couple of years ago . A particular feature of the Great Hall is stained glass windows featuring clan crests . A number of banquets and cocerts are held in the Hall throughout the year . An ambitious £12 million scheme, the Stirling Castle Palace Project, is currently underway to restore and refurbish the Royal Palace at Stirling and present the Royal Lodgings as they might have appeared in the heyday of Scotland’s Stewart court in the mid 16th century. An interpretive display on the court of James V will be created in the palace vaults and a Renaissance Gallery on the upper floors of the palace will house the original Stirling Heads, a rare group of intricately carved oak ceiling medallions depicting kings, queens, courtiers and mythological creatures. Costumed interpreters will bring the rich history of the 16th century to life to enrich visitors’ enjoyment.
Stirling Castle is one of over 345 outstanding heritage properties and sites in the care of Historic Scotland. Historic Scotland is a Government agency responsible for running and maintaining many castles in Scotland . Ranging from prehistoric dwellings to medieval castles, and from cathedrals to industrial buildings, these include some of the leading tourism attractions in the country. Among the most popular are Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castle , Skara Brae, and Melrose Abbey . For further details visit Historic Scotland
I have just added a new gallery of free pictures which can be sent direct to a mobile phone . The pictures are of Eilean Donan Castle , Glencoe , Buachaille Etive Mor and Blackmount in the Scottish Highlands .
