Scotland, Appalachia Connected by more than Heartstrings

On a well-worn path deep in the woods, fir trees tower over a blanket of bluebells, ferns, and alders. A rushing stream peaks atop a waterfall and cascades into foaming pools below. Faint strains of fiddle music beckon further along the trail. Someone is ahead playing an old tune under the shade of a tree.

This feels like home, I marvel. I could be on any forested trail in West Virginia. But I’m not at home. I’m over 3,000 miles away on the Hermitage Trail, a magical stretch of forest near Aberfeldy in the Scottish Highlands.
 

Over the next eight days in Scotland, I was swept away by the romantic landscape and charming country. We visited bustling Edinburgh, ancient castles, cathedrals, a delightful sheep farm, Loch Ness (no monster sightings), whisky distilleries, and the majestic, rugged Highlands.

Among the sights were unexpected reminders of home. Locals we met reflected a hearty culture that values freedom and celebrates traditional music, folklife, storytelling, and of course, whisky.  While they tend to see themselves as tough, independent, and fighting against authority, they are among the friendliest people I’ve ever met. Sound familiar? It did to me, too.

The similarities between Scotland and West Virginia result from centuries of migration and cultural exchange between Scotland and the Appalachian region. The Scots and Irish were a unique group of migrants, as they were not purely Scottish or Irish but rather a blend of the two cultures. This blending of cultures would eventually play a significant role in shaping the culture of Appalachia.
 

“Scots-Irish history and its relationship to Appalachia is one of the big themes in Appalachian studies. It's, and it's also one of the most kind of misunderstood and exaggerated aspects of Appalachia as well,” shared Dr. Kevin Barksdale, a Marshall University professor of American history and a specialist in Appalachian and West Virginia history. “There's long been the outsider perspective that Appalachia is largely Scots-Irish, which gives us this monolithic culture idea, but the reality is that Appalachia has always been very diverse, and the Scots-Irish just make up one group of settlers.” The influence of the Scots-Irish on Appalachia is undeniable, but the region has always been diverse, with notable contributions from Native Americans, African Americans, Germans, Welsh, British, Italians, and others.

Real or imagined, or perhaps a bit of both, there is a general sense among travelers between the two regions that our cultures are not only intrinsically similar but inexorably linked.  Traditions of music, dance, distilling spirits, and storytelling are among the most celebrated cultural touchstones in Appalachia, as is our reputation of rugged self-reliance.
 

The Scots-Irish migration to the Appalachian region of the United States began in the early 1700s. They left England due to high rents, their land being taken, religious persecution, and economic hardships. After they arrived in America, the Scots-Irish were drawn to the fertile land in Appalachia and were, regrettably, a leading force in taking over the Native American lands that now comprise West Virginia. “They intermixed in the mountain communities early on with Native Americans and other ethnic groups,” explained Barksdale.
 

Scots-Irish had a natural affinity for the mountains, many of them having left mountainous regions behind. ”You see large amounts of Scots-Irish and English settlers in the very rural mountainous areas,” Dr. William Gorby, West Virginia University Associate Professor and historian of West Virginia and Appalachia, shared with me recently.
 

Within hours of arriving in Scotland, my group was met by Colin, dressed in a kilt. Colin led us to Clava Cairns, mounds of rough stone built as a landmark or memorial typically built on a hilltop. Rumor has it that Clava Cairns serves as an inspiration for Craigh na Dun, a fictional stone circle by which Claire Randall travels through time in Netflix’s popular “Outlander.” 
 

We enjoyed our walk and welcomed a picnic of scones, clotted cream, and locally sourced ham sandwiches. We set out to explore the streets of Inverness, with its many pubs filled with live folk music. We slipped into Hootenanny Pub, ordered a wee dram of whisky, and listened to lively tunes.

The scene was familiar to my friend Amy Weintraub. Weintraub is from Spencer, West Virginia. “So many of the ballads I learned were thanks to the amazing WVU 4-H extension agent we had in Roane County when I was growing up, Jane T. George,” she shared. “Jane was committed to us understanding the heritage of early settlers to West Virginia who were the ancestors of many of us. We were exposed to Scots-Irish music, including the fiddle playing of her renowned husband, Frank George, and many songs. Many of us also learned traditional Scots-Irish folk dances,” she added as we tapped our feet with the boisterous crowd.
 

One notable example of the Scotch-Irish influence in West Virginia is the music of the Appalachian Mountains. The Scotch-Irish settlers brought with them the fiddle and other musical instruments, and they blended their traditional music with that of other cultures, such as the banjo from African Americans, to create a distinctive Appalachian sound that would eventually give birth to bluegrass.

I prefer to eat my way through travel, soaking in culture via my tastebuds. Allegedly, the Scots-Irish introduced buttermilk and potatoes to Appalachia, but I opted for a more exotic fare. I enjoyed trying some of the local delicacies like haggis, neeps, and tatties (which were actually quite tasty!) But the recipes I brought home to make for family and friends are from a memorable Highland lunch.

At the Rowan Tree Hotel and Restaurant in the Cairngorm National Park area of the Highlands, we were treated to steaming bowls of Scotch broth, a stew of braised lamb, and barley. It was hearty, rich, and flavorful. Following our meal, we learned how to make scones. Made with more butter than English and American scones, Scottish scones are more bread-like than traditional, crumbly scones. They were among our favorite treats in Scotland, slathered with cream and preserves.
 

The Highlands is a mountainous region encompassing Northwest Scotland known for its heavy concentration of Scots pine and its dramatic moors capped in peat and purple heather. It sounds exotic, and it was.

But it was also familiar. Below the majestic moors, in the dense woods, I was reminded of the picturesque mountains in central Appalachia. Perhaps the similarities in the landscape weren’t entirely my imagination. Incredibly, over 50 million years ago, the Scottish Highlands and the Appalachian Mountains were once linked as part of the Central Pangea range.

Of the many delights of visiting Scotland are trips to a few (of the many) whisky distilleries. Scottish whisky is distinguished from its United States counterpart, whiskey, by the absence of the “e” at the end of the word.

Scotch whisky owes its toasty, caramel, nutty, and vanilla notes to white oak barrels, the best oak for aging whisky. Since white oak doesn’t grow well in Scotland, used white oak barrels and white oak wood is imported from the United States, mainly from Kentucky, to Scotland. It's fascinating to think that the scotch we tasted was aged in White oak from our homeland.
 

With the sharp taste of whisky on my tongue, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the history of moonshine in Appalachia. Scots-Irish settlers brought their whisky distilleries and expertise with them to Appalachia, where the mountains provided isolation from federal excise taxes. Combined with the Appalachian propensity for distilling moonshine, the practice was combined and expanded. Profitable spirit distilling showcases the shared ingenuity of Appalachians and Scots-Irish and another cultural touchstone.

The cultural ties between Scotland and West Virginia may be romanticized, but they are undoubtedly worth celebrating. The shared values of independence, self-sufficiency, and resilience between the Scots-Irish and Appalachian communities have significantly influenced the region's identity and history. The blending of Scots-Irish customs such as music, dance, whisky, and storytelling with Appalachian culture has given rise to a distinctive and vibrant cultural legacy that continues to be cherished and celebrated.
 

My feet firmly planted back home in West Virginia, I feel the pull of far-off Scotland, a country I found profoundly moving - and a country that challenged my notion of what it means to be a West Virginian.
 

Sitting in front of the fireplace on a recent chilly night with steaming bowls of Scotch broth, I read verses from Robert Burns, famed Scottish poet, and lyricist:
 

My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here,

My heart's in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;

Chasing the wild deer, and following the roe,

My heart's in the Highlands, wherever I go.

Like a trail in the forest, created by the shift of landmasses over millions of years and shaped by the people, flora, fauna, and animals that inhabit it, many pieces make a region unique, just as many factors make us who we are. 
 

Before Gorby and I ended our call, he shared insight into our West Virginia identity. “We have a culture that exists here, but it's not a static thing. It's a thing that gets built upon.” I am reminded of the ancient cairns across Scotland, stones placed upon stones to memorialize the past and perhaps celebrate the future.
 

Scottish Scones
From the Rowan Tree Inn and Hotel
 

• 16oz (450 g) self-raising flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 3oz (80g) caster sugar (superfine sugar or regular white sugar; do not use powdered sugar)

• a pinch of salt

• 3.5 oz (100g) cold butter – chopped into small pieces

• 10 ounces of buttermilk or regular milk with a squeeze of lemon juice
  
  Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400

2. Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a large bowl.

3. Rub the butter or margarine into the flour – until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Use a light touch. (Or use the food processor. Blitz it! But not for too long – it’s quick in a food processor and you don’t want to overwork the mixture.)

4. Gradually add the milk mixture – mix with a knife or a metal spoon as this means you don’t overwork the mixture. Do not make the mixture too wet. Dough should come together in a soft ball.

5. Flatten the ball very gently with your hands on a floured surface until at least 1.5-2 inches thick. 

6. Cut out your scones with a biscuit cutter – be gentle, don’t over work the scones and don’t twist your cutter – just press down firmly and shake the scone out – and if the cutter gets sticky, dip it in the flour bag.

7. Place on a baking tray and sprinkle the scones with flour 

8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven.
   
   Enjoy with cream and preserves.

 

Scotch Broth
Adapted from the Rowan Tree Inn and Hotel

 

•  1 pound lamb shanks (about 2 medium shanks)* (see note)    

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 medium cloves garlic

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 8 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth

• 3 medium carrots, finely diced (about 2 cups)

• 2 medium parsnip, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cup)

• 1/2 cup pearl barley

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

 

Directions

• Season lamb shank with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until lightly smoking. Add lamb shanks and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. 

• Remove shanks and set aside. Add onions and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

• Add broth and return shanks to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer, cover, and cook until lamb shanks are tender and meat is pulling away from the bone, about 2 hours. 

• For best results, let broth cool completely overnight in refrigerator, scrape off fat, and return to heat the next day. Otherwise, skim fat with a ladle or large spoon and continue. 

• Remove the shanks from the stock, and once cool enough to handle gently remove the meat from the bones and tear into bite-sized pieces. Reserve. 

• Bring stock back to a simmer and add carrot, parsnip, potato, and pearl barley. Cook until barley is tender, about 25 minutes then return shredded meat to the pot.

• Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in parlsey, and serve.
  
  Note: I doubled the lamb and used a lamb shoulder because we preferred chunky pieces of meat rather than shredded. Sear the lamb cubes on all sides, remove from pot and continue with recipe just as you would with the shanks.

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