ERIC SMITH Worldchoice Travel

03/06/2026

14/05/2026

14/05/2026

Italian idyll
Book at ERIC SMITH Worldchoice Travel

14/05/2026

How strange this world is…
A rich “winner” in the USA could very well be seen as a sad “loser” in Italy.

Different game. Different rules.

06/04/2026

The Declaration of Arbroath (1320)🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The Declaration of Arbroath is a letter written on 6 April 1320 at Arbroath Abbey in Scotland. It is one of the most important political documents in history.

It was a formal letter addressed to Pope John XXII, written in Latin by Scottish nobles on behalf of the Scottish people. Its primary purpose was to assert Scotland's independence from England and to ask the Pope to recognise Robert the Bruce as the rightful King of Scots.

England, under Edward I and then Edward II, had repeatedly tried to conquer Scotland and claim sovereignty over it. Though Robert the Bruce had won a decisive victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, England still refused to recognise Scottish independence, and the Pope, under English pressure had excommunicated Robert the Bruce.

It made three key arguments:
1)Historical sovereignty=Scotland had been an independent kingdom since ancient times, long before English interference.
2)Loyalty to the king=The nobles pledged loyalty to Robert the Bruce, but with a remarkable condition: if he ever submitted to English rule, they would choose a new king, because their loyalty was to Scotland's freedom, not to any individual king.
3)A plea for peace=They asked the Pope to pressure England to leave Scotland alone.

The document contains one of the most celebrated lines in political history, roughly translated as:
"For as long as a hundred of us remain alive, we will never in any way submit to the rule of the English. It is not for glory, riches, or honour that we fight, but for freedom alone."

It is considered a forerunner of modern ideas about popular sovereignty, the idea that power ultimately rests with the people, not the monarch.
The document is believed to influence the American Declaration of Independence 1776 as many of its framers had Scottish roots.

It is now held in the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh and is recognised by UNESCO as a document of world significance.

The Pope did eventually intervene, and in 1328, the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton finally saw England formally recognise Scottish independence.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

06/04/2026

Did you know that bus fares in the Highlands and Islands - formerly often very expensive - are now capped at £2?

The scheme was launched first in Shetland and the Outer Hebrides, was extended to Orkney on 9 March and then Highland, Moray and Argyll and Bute since 23 March.

Whilst it can be difficult with limited times and routes in some areas, it does now make sense financially and you can help save the planet too. You can use our walk search to find routes you can reach by public transport.

See link in comments for our walk search - click 'advanced' and tick the box for routes accessible by public transport.

06/03/2026

14/02/2026

Get involved with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race – Oban – July 10th to 19th, 2026
Oban will soon welcome the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race as a Host Port—placing our town firmly on the global map.
Local businesses, organisations and community leaders are invited to an informal engagement session to learn more about the plans for the Oban Stopover and the many ways to get involved.
Event details
📍 The View, Oban
📅 Thursday 26 February
⏰ 2.30pm–4.30pm
The session will outline what the race brings to Oban, the scale of the opportunity, and how local people and businesses can help create a memorable, inclusive stopover.

Get more information at https://www.oban.org.uk/get-involved-with-clipper-race-26/

14/02/2026