DESTINATION:
Edinburgh, Scotland

A WEE BIT ABOUT SCOTLAND BEFORE YOU ARRIVE

Edinburgh is pronounced “edin-brah,” not “edin-burg” or “edin-burrow”
Edinburgh is the birthplace of Harry Potter. JK Rowling began writing the books at Elephant House Cafe and the inspiration for Diagon Alley is Victoria Street, a popular shopping area located near the Grassmarket.
Edinburgh Castle sits atop an extinct volcano.
Scotland is the birthplace of golf, its origins dating back to the 15th century. The oldest course is in St. Andrews.
Scotland’s national animal is a unicorn. In folklore, a unicorn is a rival of the lion, which happens to be England’s national animal. If you ask a Scot the significance, they will tell you it was to piss off the English.
“Tying the knot” is believed to come from the Scottish tradition of handfasting. The Celtic tradition involves wrapping or tying the couple's hands together using ribbons or cloth and is accompanied by vows or blessings.
“Cheers” in Scotland is Slàinte Mhath (Pronounced Slanj-a-va), Gaelic for “good health.” Many commonly say Slainte (pronounced “SLAHN-chuh”).

VENUE:
Borthwick Castle

BORTHWICK CASTLE

Built in 1430 by Sir William de Borthwick, it was designed with defensive walls up to 14 feet thick and a height of 110 feet to guard the road south from Edinburgh.
Mary, Queen of Scots (1567): Following the murder of her husband, Lord Darnley, Mary and her new husband, Lord Bothwell, fled to the castle. When an army of 1,000 insurgents surrounded the fortress, Mary famously escaped through a window disguised as a page boy to rejoin Bothwell at Black Castle.
Cromwell’s Attack (1650): During his march through Scotland, Oliver Cromwell demanded the surrender of the castle. When the 10th Lord Borthwick refused, Cromwell opened fire with cannons, leaving a large gouge in the east wall that remains visible to this day. The castle surrendered shortly after.

The Ghosts of the Red Room

The Servant Girl (Ann Grant): The castle's most tragic legend involves a young medieval servant who became pregnant by a Borthwick Lord. To prevent a scandal or threat to the family title, she was reportedly murdered with a sword. Her spirit is said to haunt the Red Room, where guests have reported hearing her cries and sobs, or even feeling an invisible force trying to pull them from the four-poster bed.
The Embezzling Chancellor: Another spirit frequently spotted in the Red Room and on the spiral staircases is a former family chancellor. After being caught stealing from the family coffers, the Borthwicks allegedly intercepted him and burned him to death. The stone niches where he once kept his safes are still visible in the room’s walls today.