Coat o' Airms

It seems Bagging Scotland is really gathering momentum now, and with their uber-fancy Coat o’ Airms, it looks ever-more-likely that the projected launch at the end of March will go ahead.

We recently managed to add a staggering 6 items to our ‘Bag’ in one very eventful day, including 3 Malt Whisky Distilleries and 3 Castles.

The day started out (fairly) early at Glengoyne Distillery near Killearn, then followed a relatively short journey to Fintry where Culcreuch Castle was duly added to the ‘Bag’.

Sandwiches and snacks were had, then it was straight back into the temporary Baggin’ Waggon (the ‘real’ Baggin Waggon is on its way!) to travel north towards Callander, where a trip along a sneaky back-road to Doune saved some precious Bagging time in the busy daytime traffic (who would have thought eh, traffic in the highlands in FEBRUARY!) where the team also added Doune Castle and Deanston Distillery to their Bag.

Then it was further north again towards Crieff, where the Famous Grouse Experience was added to the Bag, before also adding Stirling Castle on the return journey to Glasgow.

The day was documented by 6 fabulous photos, providing real Bagging evidence:

Bagging Scotland is now on Flickr – you should join in the fun and post photos of you ‘bagging’ (photo of your face in front of the building, sign or distinctive landscape) your favourite Castles, Islands, Munros or Whisky Distilleries.

Aim high and make it your life’s work to bag Scotland’s 3,000(ish) Castles or why not try to bag ALL of Scotland’s 95 inhabited Islands in a year? By Bagging the 85 Malt Whisky Distilleries in Scotland, you’ll just happen to pass through some of Scotlands best scenery which is full of Castle culture, history and heritage as well. It’s simple, with Bagging Scotland.

The Bagging Scotland team will use a modified VW Transporter, AKA 'The Baggin Waggon', to tour Scotland and in the process 'bag' lots and lots of Whisky Distilleries and maybe some Castles, Munros and Islands too.

For instance, if Islands are your bag, Island Bagging’s website will enable you to put up your own blog, post photos or videos or demonstrate your recent Island conquests, all on your own Bagging Scotland page. If you’ve got a photo of you at the ferry terminal sign at Tobermory or at a recognised Island landmark like the Mishnish bar, then you’ve Bagged Mull! You can compete against others, find out the REAL truths about the Islands and see how others have Bagged the islands, to decide which one you’d like to do next! It’s the same with all our sites. Interactive, educational, organic and above all, great fun.

Build up your own exciting Island Bagging travelogue, get advice from others, develop friendships with liked minded people and be part of Scotland’s newest tourism trail.

Are you Gaggin’ to go Baggin’? Soon, you can!

Bagging Scotland is co-founded by Victor Brierley (of CullenSkink) and Ramsay MacFarlane (yes, that’s me!) and we are currently in the process of developing the business model and concept to attract investors, ready for launch in March 2010.

The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival website.

The festival consisted of a multitude of arts and film events, aimed at transforming attitudes towards mental health, taking place across Scotland from the 1 – 22 October 2009.

Ramsay worked with the SMHAFF team in 2009, developing their website and design materials (in association with O Street).