Roseline Journey - Part 3

11. CARDRONA

One mile north of Cardrona we catch the Roseline again. Wallace Hill is situated on the South face of the Tweed Valley and Glentress Tweed Valley Forest Park is on the North side. The Park is managed by the Forestry Commission and covers approximately 14000 acres of the Tweed Valley. Seven park rangers are employed and, since 2001, post foot and mouth, their job remit has changed to include the management and conservation of the mountain bike trails.

During the 1980s, entrepreneur Jeremy Thompson foresaw the growth in the continental fashion of mountain biking for all ages. He helped to set up a world class biking destination and courses that cater for all ranges in this pleasurable pastime. Glentress is now hailed as the most desired location in Britain, with 250000 bikers on its slopes last year and still growing. The park has on offer 6 grades that are suitable for the beginner to the professional mountain bike user. A bike can be hired for £20 a day, the professionals usually bring their own and £2500 will buy you a top of the range cycle.

With the collapse of the Scottish Ski industry in the last ten years due to the mild winters and global warming, sport enthusiasts were determined to get their adrenalin buzz elsewhere, the bikers state that it is the best ”kick” out with sex and is totally legal! If you are a first timer it is well advisable to get your hands on the official mountain biker book for dummies. The language uses fruity terms such as “Bomb hole” (large crater style hole) and “Drop off” (steep vertical slope!) and remember not to gamble on your personal insurance!!

Also at Glentress we find the second bird that migrates on the Roseline, the Osprey has made a welcome return after an absence of nearly 100 years. Our first recorded pair were spotted on the Glen in 1998. Two osprey watch centres have now been constructed, one in Glentress and another on the other side of the Tweed at Kailzie. Both are open to the public. The dedicated Glentress Ranger team, keen to accommodate this magnificent bird, have built a number of man made nests on top of trees. They are the size of a double bed. These efforts seem to have paid off. This year (2007) has been a record year for the Tweed Valley Ospreys with a total number of eight occupied love nests spotted.

Satellite positioning has helped track which routes these magnificent, 4 ½ foot wingspan predators use. With the biggest concentration of Ospreys located in West Africa and a large congregation centred in Gambia all making the 4000 mile epoch journey. Glentress Forest Park is confirmatory proof man can live in harmony with nature, the Osprey’s return is an International, ongoing, conservation success story, which with a little planning could be repeated.

Wallace Hill is situated on the South side of the Valley and as we cross over the Roseline on the North side is Smithfield Hill. In the bottom of the Valley on the same side as Wallace Hill we have Peebles’ most easterly point which is called Calvary Park (sometimes spelt Cavalry). A fascinating picture emerges from the geometry and place names within the area. The cartographic inscriptions are a testimonial to Scotland’s most enduring and heart rousing saviours, William Wallace and Jesus Christ.

London’s Smithfield is the largest meat wholesale market in the United Kingdom, the historical final destination for both livestock and penal criminals.

On 23rd August 1305, William Wallace, Independent freedom fighter, suffered one of the most horrific, humiliating and butchered deaths to be recorded in world annals. After Wallace’s untimely capture at Robroyston, 3rd August 1305, by fellow patriot and mercenary, John De Menteith, he was taken to Dumbarton Castle and enchained by Menteith’s men. He was then led through the cover of darkness to the English border, opposite the Maben Stone at Solway. Fearing a reprisal from the Wallace warriors, Menteith exchanged his prisoner for a bounty of £100 and lands from King Edward. On Sunday 22nd August the Wallace contingent had finally arrived in London. The spin doctors of the day had placed this enforced exile as the sacrificial victim of the English Nation’s ambitions. Proud Edward’s main foe was to be on the receiving end of the King's remorseless wrath.

On Monday 23rd August 1305, William Wallace was led on horseback to the city of Westminster where he was crowned with a garland of oak to suggest that he was the king of outlaws. With stage managed mockery shadowing the events of the crucifixion at Calvary, he was declared the unofficial King of Scots.

Wallace’s trial was a foregone conclusion and a mere sideshow to the principal performance, the execution of the enemy’s leader. A massive crowd had gathered to vent their hatred. Wallace, defying his prosecutors, was heard proclaiming that he could not be found guilty of King Edward’s decrees because he never acknowledged them, or signed them in the first instance, he was therefore a defender of his own nation at a time of extreme injustice. Wallace was stripped naked and tied on to the hind legs of 2 horses, where he was dragged for 4 miles around the streets of London while being pelted with excrement and other missiles.

The final moments of the cruel pantomime, were brought to a frenzy of ingenious and horrific tortures that were put on show at Smithfield where a stage was erected just for the occasion. Wallace was further tortured to extremis then he was hung and revived only to be stretched, have his genitals cut off, branded with hot irons followed by his bowels being torn out and burnt on the fire. His head was then severed and his arms and legs hacked off to be located in prominent positions around Edward's Kingdom, a final deterrent towards any emerging ambitious hothead upstarts.

Robert the Bruce up to this point was unsure in which direction his allegiances lay, with prime estates in England as well as his Scottish holdings. On hearing of the tragic fate of Wallace, however, Bruce was incensed. After a succession of internal struggles Robert the Bruce was eventually crowned King at Scone on 27th March 1306. With Royal at the helm, the dejected Scots who returned with new vigour to their guerilla war tactics. King Edward, now in his 69th year, was determined to carry on as the Hammer of the Scots. In 1307 he stationed himself, for six months, at Lanercost Abbey near Carlisle to be in full control of his military operations inside Scotland.

On the 7th July 1307 King Edward had assembled his vast army near Carlisle for yet another sortie into Scotland, and was due to cross the Solway sands at low tide, when he fell victim to a heart seizure and died on the spot. In a true contortion of twisted divine fate Edward Longshanks met his maker near to the spot where Sir John De Menteith handed over William Wallace to the English, overlooking the Maben Stone on the Roseline.

In 2002 a Scottish Parliamentary motion was proposed followed by a petition in 2004, stating that William Wallace was NOT guilty of the charge of treason laid before him. Holyrood discussed the issue but came to no conclusions. In 2007 the Scottish National Party honoured their manifesto pledge for a referendum document highlighting the need for a national vote for the Independent state of Scotland.

When Wallace was captured at Robroyston, he had in his possession a letter from the King of France, known as the “safe conduct document”, which was an official document recognising and granting the Scottish leader’s wish to pass unhindered to meet the Pope on behalf of the Scottish Nation.

12. PEEBLES

Peebles lies around a mile to the west of the Roseline. Peebles derives it's name from pebble a small stone, roseline sleuths will be drawn to a repeated pattern that emerges from this unpretentious itinerary of rock-stone collection assembly. The famous River Tweed, regarded as the "Queen of Rivers", runs through the middle of the town. The King of Fish, the Salmon, is incorporated in the official Peebles coat of arms. The emblem has two fish swimming upstream but sadly only one making the return journey. The Latin motto reads “Contra Nando Incrementum” which translates as, "Against all the odds we thrive and multiply". Where the male and female migrate thousands of miles from Greenland to reproduce, but in the shallow waters of the Tweed the male is sacrificed by the needs of the species allowing only the female to return home. This metaphor could be taken for the 2000 year Piscean Christian era. The cold blooded and cool-hearted fish living in a hostile world of dark waters is a reflection on the last 2000 years of constant wars and battling to survive a horrific period of destruction and atrocities. In the depths of man's darkest days the new King, "Fisher of Men", is sent to help mankind, to teach them the direction humanity should progress, through light and love. The perfect being with all the answers, we all know what happens next! But the story does not end here, our ancestors suggest that the King of Fish against all odds multiplies and thrives generation after generation.

Another Peebles “Salmond Fish Tail”, is the remarkable victory of the Scottish National Party, in 2007, being the first home rule party for 300 years to be narrowly voted in to power. The victorious “Fisher King”, Alex Salmond, of Scottish politics knows Peebles very well as Mrs Salmond is a Peebles Lass (the daughter of a car mechanic). Their princess in waiting, Nicola Sturgeon (young fish fry), is showing signs the time has arrived for the predicted Princess to take her throne and enable the wastelands to be nurtured and healed allowing the seeds of fertility to be spread and sown into the surrounding community. Resurrecting the Birth of a Nation!

Correspondingly, Peebles Hydro Hotel, the town's highly reputable and successful holiday destination for generations, was adopting the Salmon fish theme right up to the early eighties. They represented the towns natural heritage by utilising the distinctive and novel Salmon Pink colour in the hotel's irregular and eccentric colour schemes, that ranged from the hotels stationary, curtains, carpets and even the waiters ties and dinner jackets!

Peebles Beltane Festival is held on the third Saturday of June. Often as not, the festival's principal event, the Coronation of the Beltane Corn Maiden as the Beltane Queen, coincides with the 21st of June, the longest day of the year.

The Corn Maiden Celtic Beltane festival has been celebrated for thousands of years, on the first day of May "MAY DAY" and marks the return of Summer. The time for farmers to cultivate their soil and plant the Corn Seed. The Celt's intentions were to appease Mabon (pronounced Maybon, may-born) the equinoctial Sun God and Mother Earth's Tara, with heart-warming joyful celebrations. The oncoming procession of Summer meant the process of fertilising and pollination could, in turn, ferment into motion the growing process and lead to rich, abundant and fruitful harvests.

Blazing, fulgent Beltane Bonfires were lit in chain reaction on the summits of hills that stretched the length of the Celtic Kingdom. The fervid festival spirit was lodged into ritualistic dancing and music, extreme excitement of the passions, marked by great bodily heat and quickening of the pulse fevered round the fires, with awed respect and total veneration of thanks to the SUN GOD MABON for continuation and advancement of Mother Earth's Sacred Feminine Fertility and Golden Corn growing season.

Directly northwards on the Roseline, on Calton Hill in Edinburgh, the Beltane Fire Festival coincides with 12.01 a.m. on the first of May when the bonfire festival reaches its climax. Now firmly established for over 20 years this re-enactment verifies and confirms the growing resurgence in Celtic themed culture. 12000 onlookers brace themselves in the midst of a very late Scottish spring night for a enthralling spectacle. The delighted pleasure seekers are entertained by 300 voluntary procreation minded performers.

Red and White are the two principal colours of Beltane. They are deeply reflective of the seeds of the groin. Male's Spermatogeny seed = White and the Female's egg Ovum = Blood Red.

THE HEARTBEAT is the first and FUNDEMENTAL SECRET TO ALL reverberated MUSIC, and the DRUM is the first instrument needed to keep time and RHYTHM.

During the evening the neo-pagan faithful carry and display various variations of the Pentagram. The five pointed star sign has long been associated with the planet Venus.The worshippers of Tara, Ishtar, Isis, Inanna and Aphrodite share contorted Heart, Love, Beauty and Fertility identity traits with the Goddess Venus. When viewed from the Earth, successive conjunctions of Venus' trajectory plot a nearly perfect Pentagram shape round the Zodiac every eight years. The Wiccans use the Pentagram as a symbol of faith similar to the Christian Cross and the Neo-Pythagorean understanding was that the Pentagram represents the four elements with the addition of Spirit as the uppermost point. The Celtic theology is of the soul's immortality and their earthly body's reincarnation to proceed into the five stages of life, birth, childhood, marriage, reproduction and death, as symbolised by the pentagram. In the Celtic definition, everything in life and spirit evolves round constant and everlasting cyclic periods of time, the soul is immortal but the human body is mortal.

The Peebles Beltane Festival, was resuscitated in 1897 as a direct result of celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

The Beltane's annual local tradition elects the most eligible and gallant bachelor to the cause, the town's standard-bearer, the"Cornet", a vigorous masculine Corn Prince, who is dedicated to the community's welfare and prosperity. During his year long term, he is sometimes called on to perform ambassadorial civic duties. His Beltane tasks include marking the boundaries of the Ancient and Royal Burgh of Peebles. This is customarily done on horseback with a posse of supporters. Usually more than 250 riders. This reactivation was deemed to be a true representation of what was a common occurence during the hostile and lawless Middle Ages. Any one "crossing the line" would be dealt with summarily.

The young ladies have a somewhat similar but slightly different selection process. The governing members opt for an 11 year old, who, during the course of her reign would normally enter into adolescence and have her first ovulation. In springtime the three local Peebles Primary Schools between them select on merit and popularity, the girl that deserves the honour of Princess Corn Maiden in waiting, at the same time a full consortium of principal court members including page boys, heralds and maids are selected and trained for the forth-coming Summer Solstice week of festivity and the Beltane Queen's Coronation.

When Beltane Saturday finally arrives the towns people gather en masse, waiting in patience for the expected One. A horse and carriage convoy carries the corn maiden and her escort to the foot of the steps of the Parish Church, her expectant court all in period dress. Fanfare style greetings welcome the young princess.

The red carpet has been rolled out as the princess steps out of the carriage and makes her way up the steps of the church. Wearing symbolic white dress and scarlet red robe, she carries her sceptre in her hands, the staff is a emblem of Queenship. The Beltane Crown is carried before the maiden, it is placed on a red velvet cushion. After ascending the steps, the Princess turns to address the crowds. She is met with vibrant sensations of red and white as far as the eye can see. Flags, houses, banners, ribbons, shop windows and fashion conscientious dressers reflect the dedicated devotion towards the Beltane. The crowd express there approbation by cheering, clapping and singing the rousing Beltane song.

After the proclamations are read out, while, hopefully, the powerful midday sun is at its peak, the glowing sunshine seems to catch the focal point like a natural searchlight. This signals the culminating point of the ceremony, which can now commence. The crowning Lady places the Crown on the Beltane Queen and the Coronation consummation act is completed. This year's corn seed sown. Subsequently the CORN IN(the) NATION fertility festival is resumed. The Cornet, mounted on his horse, leads the Grand Parade up the High Street with silver and pipe bands closely following. Decorated lorries and people in fancy dress costumes add to the rejoicing carnival procession.

Several miles further up River Tweed, the grail connection is further enhanced with the home of local wizard, Caledonian Merlin, who lived in this area during the 6th Century. The famous Excalibur Stone (minus Sword) sits only a few feet from the river. His burial site lies a couple of hundred yards up river, where the Powser water meets the Tweed at Drumelzier. This is where Merlin met his unfortunate three way death. A thorn bush and plaque commemorates the spot. One mile further down river at a farm called “Altarstone” is another large stone; legend states that Merlin was converted to Christianity by St Kentigern at the Alter-stone. Another mile down stream is a small parish church of Merlindale and Stobo with a beautiful stained glass window depicting the wizard being baptised by St Kentigern. Local brewery Broughton Ales produces a premium Merlin Ale in honour of the local Wizard.

Merlindale – Stobo today, can still weave its magic spells in therapeutic and spiritual healing. Stobo Castle Health Spa means many different things to guests who come back year after year, be it relaxation and pampering or exercise and toning; they all seek that personal treat and beauty boost. Inspirational High Queen of White Witches, J.K Rowling is a frequent visitor to Merlindale and Stobo. Mr Winyard, the owner of the Spa, has been in the news lately for something that has caught everybody's eye, the abduction of Little Madelaine McCann. Mr Winyard has kindly offered£1,000,000 towards anyone with information to find the little girl who is in everyone's hearts. Interestingly when the McCann's visited the Pope on 30th May, he stated that he had called on the help of St Anthony to try and find Maddy.

The Borders market town of Peebles is twinned with the French town of Hendaye, which is the most south westerly market town in France, bordering Spain. Hendaye is the location of the famous 17th century “Great Cross of Hendaye”, next to St Vincent’s Cathedral. A stone cross carved with alchemical symbols that occultists find to contain encrypted information linking it to the year 2012 and St Andrew’s cross; suggesting that some apocalyptic event may have connections to Scotland around this time. The only written text reads:

"O Cross, The Only Hope"

In 1940 Franciso Franco and Adolf Hitler met in the Hendaye railway (overlooking the cross) to discuss having Spain participate in WWII as part of the axis. However the compensations forwarded by Franco were not acceptable for Hitler and Spain remained neutral but sympathetic.

At the same time the 2 leaders were meeting at the Hendaye Cross, Heinrich Himmler head of the Nazi SS and Hitler’s right hand man, was on a secret mission to Montserrat Abbey near Barcelona. His motive was to find the Grail cup Jesus Christ used to consecrate the Last Supper, believing this would lead him to the resting place of the Ark of the covenant, which, when discovered, could be used to win the War as it did for the Israelites of the Old Testament. Leading Nazis shared the belief that Jesus Christ was a descendant from Aryan bloodlines.

In May 1941 Hitler’s deputy, Rudolph Hess, was captured at Eaglesham south of Glasgow, he was a friend and distant relation of the Duke of Hamilton. When caught Hess maintained he wanted to help bring the War to a close after seeing the destruction and horrific loss of life. His plane landed only a few miles away from the Duke’s home, he wanted to meet the well connected and influential 14th Duke of Hamilton to enter into contemplative and concessionary talks. Hitler refused any association with the failed mission saying it was voluntary and not an order. Hess was kept in the Tower of London and found guilty at the Nuremburg War crimes trial, on the grounds that he helped to organise the invasion of Poland and Czechoslovakia.

A number of writers have made claims that Rudolph Hess made a secret journey, incognito, to Rosslyn Chapel during the early 30’s on behalf of Hitler and the Nazi party in search of the Grail, this has never been proven but the debate is hotly contested.

These motivations were the successful compounds representing the trilogy of blockbusting Indiana Jones adventures on their grail trails. Our superhero almost single-handedly takes on the occult obsessed Nazi regime. Hollywood’s greatest producer and director, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, are reunited with the most popular actor ever, Harrison Ford, making a nostalgic comeback to the big screens in 2008; further reinstating the recent fashion fever and hysteria connected to the Ark and Grail trails around the World.

A number of the Ark of the Covenant pictographs, in the Raiders of The Lost Ark film were meant to be in the ancient Egyptian City of Tanis, where Jones after consulting his friend Sallah, a skilled Egyptian digger, realizes the Nazi’s used the wrong length for the “Staff of Ra” and are digging in the wrong location, leading Jones and his freinds to locate the precise spot and uncover and expose the "HOLY of HOLIES" the "Ark of the Covenant", only to have it snatched from his grasp by Belloq and the Nazis!.

The fictional film scenes were based on a selection of real events that were perceived to have happened around the area of Rennes-Le-Chateau during WWII and the engaging and hopeless search for long lost legendary treasures.

Sean Connery, who played Indiana Jones' father in the "The Last Crusade", was invited to reprise his role, but he felt he was of too mature vintage to bring any benefit to the impressive cast list. Connery, before entering his filming career, was to be seen delivering milk to houses around the Roseline in the Edinburgh area.

Moving out of Peebles northwards there is a choice of two roads, the older historic route is called Rosetta Road, named after the Egyptian Rosetta Stone. In 1799 Napoleons army found the hieroglyphic encrypted stone at Rosetta (now Rashid), the same text was written in two Egyptian languages, hieroglyphics and demotic, and in classical Greek, dating back to the 2nd Century B.C. On the defeat of the French at the hands of the English, the terms of the treaty of Alexandria, (1801) were that the French had to hand over all the Egyptian artefacts they had found. The stone was taken to the British Museum in London, where it can still be seen today.

British philosopher Thomas Young, (1773-1829), a professor of natural philosophy and physics, was brought in to decipher the codes which according to historical accounts he managed pretty accurately. The French linguist Jean Francois Champollion finished off Young’s work and published his findings claiming the credit. For the first time in thousands of years the world was enlightened with the historical facts of the lost world encrypted on the tombs of Pharaohs. A new language had been deciphered by the original code cracker, Thomas Young, who for a considerable period of his life lived on Rosetta Road in Peebles.

One mile outside Peebles is the very photogenic, 14th Century Neidpath Castle, which is owned by the Earl of Wemyss & March, a relation of the Duke of Buccleuch. The eccentric Earl even helped to repair the chimney on top of the Castle while he was in his 70’s, determined that the best person to repair the tower was no less than his good self! The scaffolding was in place for years. This medieval castle is a much desired location for weddings, building up a worldwide reputation because of its serenity. It has been used as a film location for Bruce, Merlin and Steel Tempest; with the local people used as extras. The history of Neidpath does have the usual fighting and sieges that you come to expect with the average Scottish Castle. During the 13th century Sir Simoen Fraser, stationed at Neidpath, was one of William Wallace’s close friends and fought many battles alongside the Legendary Hero. He was in charge at the epic, battle of Roslin, in 1302, when Wallace refused to accept command after the battle of Falkirk defeat. Sir Simoen Fraser was caught and put on trial in 1306, one year after Wallace’s death at Smithfield, for his crimes in support of Scottish Independence. In 1650 Cromwell’s Army invaded the Borders and Neidpath received the adulation for being the Castle that held out for the longest. Cannon fire did eventually penetrate the 11 foot thick walls, leading to its surrender.

On a visit to the Castle it is highly likely that you might encounter the resident ghost who is referred to as The Maid of Neidpath. The maid was Jean Douglas the only daughter of the Earl of March; heartbroken through the loss of her lover, she subsequently died and has been seen on many occasions by tourists and locals. She has a fierce reputation and is said to often throw a tantrum.

13. ROSLIN CASTLE AND THE BATTLE OF ROSLIN 1303

Roslin Castle's garden is the final destination in The Da Vinci Code, it's where Robert Langdon and Sophie Sauniere bring the film and their relationship to its culmination.

14. ST CATHERINES WELL

Saint Catherine’s Balm Well lies in the grounds of the 17th century orphanage, called Katherine's, opposite Morton Hall crematorium on the South side of Edinburgh. The St Clair's of Roslyn were the land owners around the well for a considerable number of years.

"St Catherine of Alexandria" by Caravaggio

St Catherine of Alexandria was a Christian Saint and Martyr who lived in the early 4th century. Catherine’s legend relates to how she is said to have visited the Roman Emperor Maximian 2nd and attempted to convert him to Christianity and put an end to him persecuting Christians. Legend says that Catherine succeeded in converting his wife the Empress. The unconvinced Emperor then ordered Catherine to Prison and gave orders for her to be condemned to death on the "breaking wheel" an instrument of torture. The wheel broke itself when she touched it, so she was beheaded instead. An elaboration of the legend says angels carried her body to Mount Sinai in the 6th century, where St Catherine’s Monastery was built in her honour.

The Balm Well’s first recorded use was during the 11th century. Pilgrims from all over Europe came to seek cures and the well was in constant use up to the 19th century. The black tarry substance got from the well was said to be an effective ointment for skin complaints including leprosy, dislocations, burns, sprains, and, surprisingly, used orally to treat asthma and hysteria. Among its visitors were Queen Margaret later to become St Margaret who was a believer in it’s healing properties and Robert the Bruce who himself suffered from leprosy. Sheep shearers in Scotland still use the tar balm to heal cuts.

Today one can still see into the well house and view the stained marks left behind after heavy rain; you can also smell the tar as you put your head inside the well

Deep coal mining had taken place in this area up until the 1970’s and there are known shale deposits, this could account for the bituminous tainted water. In 1650 Cromwell's Army was sent to invade Scotland. When reaching Edinburgh, near St Catherine's, locals encouraged them to camp at a recommended site as it had strategic views over the city. The soldiers soon realised they had been conned; they had pitched their tents in a well know lepar colony. This is how the area of Liberton gets its name (Leparton).

The name Sinclair comes from the hermit William St Clair who stayed close to the town called St Clair Sur L’Epte in the north west of France. The name derives from the Latin word Sanctus Clarus, meaning “Holy Light”. Sinclair’s ancestors took their surname from their ancestor Rollo the Viking, hailing from Norway. They were all part of the Rex Deus bloodlines. Philip Coppens writes the hermit St Clair was scandalised by the loose morals of a lady and he prophesised that she would come to a bad end. She reciprocated his bad omen and had him murdered by decapitation. This was the reason for his depiction as a headless figure holding his severed head in his hands, which can be seen in numerous Sinclair locations and writings. The Sinclair family, in turn, adopted Saint Catherine as their patron Saint, also, unfortunately, beheaded. The grounds at Balmwell are said to hold an ancient Chapel dedicated to St Catherine, which was built by the Sinclair’s during St Margaret’s reign. The first Sinclair’s to come over from France came with William the Conqueror, himself a St Clair, a descendant of Rollo and the Hermit William St Clair.

Joan of Arc, the maiden of Lorraine (1412-1431), at the age of 13 the young shepherdess testified that she experienced her first vision. She reported that St Michael, St Catherine and St Margaret told her to drive out the English and bring the Dauphin to Reims for his Coronation. After years of one humiliating defeat after another both the military and civil leadership of France were demoralised and discredited. When the Dauphin Charles granted Joan’s urgent request to be equipped for War and placed at the head of his army, his decision must have been based in large part on the knowledge that every orthodox and rational option had been tried and failed. Only a regime in the final straits of desperation would pay any heed to an illiterate farm girl who claimed that voices from God were instructing her to take charge of her country’s army and lead it to victory.

Legend states that she came to Scotland to be trained in the art of Warfare by a preceptory in a remote stretch of Argyll. After further research one of the most prominent candidates for this fabled location is the Monks Preceptory at Saddell on the tip of Mull of Kintyre.

The siege of Orleans (1428 – 1429) marked the turning point in the Hundred Years War. This was Joan of Arc’s first major military victory, starting the slow decline of the English fortunes with the help of thousands of Scottish Mercenary Soldiers. Joan hand selected Scottish bodyguards from the Stuart, Kennedy and Hay Clans and went on to have several more victories leading to Charles VII’s coronation at Reims settling the disputed succession to the throne.

French Flag with Lorraine Cross a symbol used by Joan of Arc

During WWII, Charles De Gaulle, the leader of the French resistance adopted the Lorraine Cross as their national emblem. Pierre-Plantard De St Clair, a grand master of the Priory of Sion and spokesman for the Priory of Sion was tortured and interogated by the Nazis for using the emblem. The Knights Templar carried the flag of the Lorraine Cross into the Holy land on their crusades. The Priory of Sion also used the esoteric emblem to represent the Merovingian blood lines.

On 23rd May 1430 Joan was captured in Compiegne. Her Trial took place before an English backed Church Court in Rouen, France, in the first half of the year 1431. One of the most significant and moving trials ever conducted in human history. It culminated in the burning at the stake of the person known as Joan of Arc, the young peasant girl. Later the trial verdict would be reversed, completely exonerating her. She is now a French national heroine, France’s National Saint and was beatified (from Latin ‘beatus’ meaning being blessed) in 1909. On May 16th 1920 she was canonised as a Saint by Pope Benedict XV, her traditional feast day is May 30th. Joan of Arc is patron Saint of France, preceding Mary Magdalene.

The Roseline passes through the Balm Well.

15. ST ANTHONY'S CHAPEL

The ruined chapel of St Anthony lies on the rocky spur of Arthur’s Seat, overlooking St Margaret's Loch and the Firth of Forth. It dates back to the 13th century. It is recorded that the Pope donated money for the repair and upkeep of the chapel in 1426. St Anthony was born near Lisbon, and is regarded as the patron Saint of lost things; he was also referred to as a “Doctor of the Church”.

Anthony was inspired and motivated by the famous Franciscan monk “Francis of Assisi”, who he met later in life. Both Saints came from wealthy families and followed a vocation that was dedicated to helping both the sick and the poor.

Anthony’s father Martin Bouillon was a descendant of the Knight Templar "Godfrey de Bouillon", who held the title of Duke of Lorraine. In 1099 Godfrey de Bouillon was in command of the first Christian crusade to the Holy land, taking it from the Muslims and declaring himself “King of Jerusalem”; a title he thought justified having claimed to be from the bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

A year before his death he founded a secret brotherhood called the “Priory of Sion” dedicated to keep the secret revelations of Jesus and Mary Magdalene to a few and trusted followers that were to be sworn in and initiated to a world of symbols, orders and secrets.

The Knights Hospitallers were operators of a hospital at Torphican near Linlithgow and also the hospital at Leith, the chapel being an annex of their headquarters in Scotland.

St Anthony was canonised 352 days after his death on 30th May 1232 by Pope Gregory 1X, being only the second person in history to achieve Sainthood in such a short time. The last chaplain of St Anthony’s chapel was still operating in 1581. The Roseline passes directly through the Alter of St Anthony’s Chapel.

St Anthony's feast day is the 17th January, the same day as St Sulpice who the famous Parisian Church is named after. This church has the world renowned solar gnomon, a sundial that tracks a beam of sunlight along a brass strip in the floor to mark the soltices and equinoxes. Also the 17th January is the same date that St Roseline died.

16. ST MARGARET'S LOCH

Queen Margaret had been inspired by the works and teachings of St Columba and, when, in 1072, the Western Isles came under the jurisdiction of King Malcolm, she made money available to rebuild the monastery on Iona, first established by Columba. The monastery had lain neglected during the Viking occupation.

Queen Margaret became one of Scotland's most popular and much loved Queens, having dedicated her life to the sick and poor. She was thought to have been a hands on healer and her work became legendary leading to her being canonised as a Saint in 1250. In 1673 she was named a patron of Scotland. Queen Margaret’s influence on life at this time laid the future foundations for Scotland being a more humane and civilised society and helped integrate both Celtic and Saxon cultures.

In the grounds of Edinburgh Castle lies a small chapel erected and named in honour of St Margaret, it's altar faces in the direction of the loch. Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, gave orders from his death bed in 1329 for St Margaret’s chapel to be repaired in ongoing recognition of this much loved Queen.

The Roseline passes directly through St Margaret’s loch.

17. ST TRIDUANA’S WELL

St Triduana's healing well at Restilrig, Leith is named after a sultry Greek maiden who came to Scotland accompanying the Greek Monk, St Rule. He had a visitation from an Angel and his mission was to carry the bones of the disciple of Christ, St Andrew (Who was crucified on an X shaped cross), to the “Ends of the Earth”. Their ship ran aground on the rocks at what is now called Saint Andrews, Fife and when stepping foot onto Scottish soil a striking white cross was distinctively visible on the blue background of the sky. The explanations and origins of the Scottish national flag the “Saltire” are foretold. St Andrew went on to become the Patron saint of

Scotland, Greece and Russia. Word quickly prevailed amongst the locals of this epic drama of events.

Nectan King of the Picts was introduced to the deeply religious Triduana, and fell madly in love with this glamorous Mediterranean bronzed beauty. Sadly the King's ardour was not reciprocated, but, undeterred, King Nectan was determined to bag his bride and sent a deployment of men with strict orders not to return until her word was secured. Triduana, harassed and totally dejected, asked the soldiers “What is it that the King finds attractive in me?” On reply the men said in unison “Your eyes Madame, he is enchanted by your beautiful blue eyes.” Triduana replied the King shall have what he desires and scuttled into her home. Moments later she returned with her eyes pierced on a skewer; after which she was allowed to live unmolested and consecrated herself to the services of God.

Triduana moved to Restilrig and established her healing sanctuary at the Holy Well head. She specialised in all eye related diseases, and did not discriminate between rich and poor, kind or creed. Many miracles of the blind regaining sight made her name legendary.

James III, with the help of his son James IV, rebuilt the church at Restilrig, adding the most architecturally beautiful gothic style well house structure in Scotland; shaped in a classic hexagon with a central ornamental pillar incorporating design features similar to the one found in Roslin Chapel. The six pointed symbol is a symbol for the lost archetype (Star of David) of the sacred marriage representing the balance of male and female amongst others and is essential for our personal and planetary healing.

St Triduana died next to the sacred well and was

buried close by. Her legacy and the healing powers of the well continued through the ages and was regarded as Scotland’s equivalent of Lourdes in Southern France. Today a small number of spiritually minded people descend to cleanse their third eye, to lift the veil of blindness and to try and get closer to God. The Roseline runs close to St Triduana’s well.