Friends, do you believe in magic? Sometimes I do... This is the place where I had my first look at this endless green country with mountains far away and its clouds mountains above.... The first day and night in Scotland was horrorfull: From Heathrow to Gatwick to Glasgow to...... The leftside traffic was aweful first, we decided for Glasgow evening rush hour to train a little bit and could not find the hotel for an hour or so. But I found out the Clyde tunnel.... The next day our first try countryside: We found a little parking place at one of these small typical roads and here a wonder happened: The first look into the far - a dream happened, and I called my first pic here "Coming home..." At our daily tour from Glasgow we passed often here, and so we climbed the hill once again to take this pano... We are looking to NW over a country that was once the territory of the clan BUCHANAN. Far away at left is the Loch Lomond situated; and the biggest mount on the left side is the Ben Lomond at its shore.. 4 gaelic clans were once situated at the Loch Lomond: The MacFarlanes in the NorthWest; the McGregors in the NorthEast, the Colquhouns in the SouthWest and the biggest part owned the Buchanans in the SouthEast.... Directly in front of us is the old borderline, where the clansmen territory began. The Buchanans have their origin in Ulster, a part of the Ireland isle. Their ancestor is ANSELAN BUEY O`KYAN, son of the king of Ulster. He came in 1016 to Argyll and fought with the scottish king Malcolm II. against his Danes. For his support he was benefitted with a territory at the eastern side of Loch Lomond, around the village of Killearn. The Orgin of the name could be "Buey O` Kyan" (=Buchanan). Another gaelic word named "Bothchanian" means "The Canons Seat"; meant is a church or a parish and its land. A third source means the gaelic word "BoghChanon", that means "Low Ground belonging to the Canon (church)". It seems as if the early "Buchanans" got part of their country from the church... The Buchanans were famous fighters. They supported Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn (and got territories; I am sure). In 1421 they supported the French against the English in the Battle of Bauge. It is told that clan chief Alexander Buchanan killed the Duke of Clarence himself. In 1547 the Buchanans fought against the English again; the Buchanan chief and many other chiefs were killed; they had to give a good example for their clansmen and fought normally in the first row...Hard times! In the Jacobite wars of 1715 and 1745 the Buchanans didn`t fight; their mighty neighbors, the Campbells, fought for England and it was very wise to hold the hands still for a while... But at the Battle of Culloden the Buchanans fought again; for "Bonnie Prince Charlie". Many of them were arrested and sent to Maryland, an english colony in America, far away... One of the american Buchanans many decades later became 15th president of the United States: JAMES BUCHANAN. Today the clan Buchanan has no chief. It exists a Buchanan Society with nearly 2000 members and a bureau in Glasgow. The last chief was the Buchanan of Spital. The clan is dominated by the clan GRAHAM, better known as the EARLS of MONTROSE. But: The Buchanans - as every fine scottish clan - has a special tartan, an own crest, a motto and a war cry: CLAR INNES ! Friends, a novel again. I need a break (LOL) Hope you enjoy the story and the pic. Your comments are welcome as ever. Thanks for your comments for my older pics and a special "THANKS" to those who took my last as their favorites.... Bye till later.. Billcody