Scottish Glens Tartans
4 variationsEach tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
- Ancient
- Modern
- Weathered
- Hunting
- Dress
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
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Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Modern Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
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The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Weathered Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
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Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
Hunting Tartan
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
Dress Tartan
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
From the Start
Scottish Glens Tartan Origins & History
Explore the History
How it all started
Scotland is most definitely famous for its numerous wild and remote glens which have long and fascinating geological history and are filled with fleeting local wildlife, stunning landscapes and escapist isolation. The word glen is widely used across Scotland and Ireland and comes from the Gaelic meaning for a long and deep valley. After the last Ice Age, great valleys and scaping landscapes which were scoured and roughened on the surface were left in its wake, along with hundred of hills and mountains which you can uncover all across Scotland today! Glencoe is probably the best known of all the glens across Scotland with mountains on each side reaching near alpine-esque splendour running right through the heart of an ancient volcano. With the majority of the mighty glens found in the Cairngorms and the Highlands, they do spread across the Scottish landscape, from Glen Trool in Dumfries & Galloway, to Gleann Mhiabhaig in the Isle of Harris, to Glen Orchy in Argyll and Bute even to Glencorse on the Pentland Hills (only a mile south from the city of Edinburgh!)
Glencoe
Glencoe is arguably the most impressive of all the Scottish glens, known equally for its unique beauty and despairing past. The mountains on either side of the glen were created by volcanic eruptions and sculpted during the Ice Age, with the legendary Celtic hero, Fingal, believed to have made the towering landscape his home. His son Ossian, the long famed Scottish bard, was also believed to have found much of his inspiration across the scenery. However, aside from its natural beauty, the infamous 'Glencoe Massacre' took place during the times of of the Jacobite's in 1692 which was a sorrowful marker in Scottish history. In the shadows of the glen, 38 members of the Clan MacDonald were killed by government forces in Scotland, for failing to pledge their allegiance with the new English monarchs; William II, William III and Mary II.
Visit Glencoe
If you ever fancy a visit to Glencoe, The Glencoe National Nature Reserve is a perfect starting point, where you can get a feel for the stories which make the site so special and discover more about the paths, wildlife, and all things you can do. The area is boasting with high mountain peaks, ridges, flowing rivers and waterfalls which create a magical atmosphere offering a wide range of activities and space to roam. It is a heaven for walkers and climbers in all seasons and is also hugely popular with skiers and snowboarders during the winter months. The glen is even perfect for mountain bikers, kayakers, canoers, fishers, golfers - there really is something for everyone! The marvellous spot is even up to Hollywood standards with blockbuster films including Braveheart, Rob Roy, Skyfall and several Harry Potter movies using Glencoe as a filming backdrop!
Bagging Munros across the Scottish Glens
The Scottish glens tend to lie beneath many of Scotland's Munros, and act as a perfect warm up for climbers before tackling the towering mountains. They were all named after Sir Hugh Munro, who set out to explore and catalogue all 282 mountains across Scotland in 1891. Ben Nevis is the highest of them all which lies just north of Glen Nevis, standing 4,411 feet and attracting over 100,000 people each year who ascend their way to the summit. Munro bagging is a vastly popular hobby in Scotland where walking enthusiasts challenge themselves to climb as many of the peaks as they possibly can, and the walkways across the glens are the best way to prepare for the almighty challenge. Glenshee is also hugely popular attribute to the Scottish landscape especially for skiers and snowboarders during the winter seasons, and is also home to nine Munros including Creag Leacach and Tom Buidhe - proving one of the easier sites for multi-Munro-bagging!
Munro Bagging with Niall
Have a look at our Tartan Blog where ScotlandShop's Niall talks about the hugely popular Scottish pastime and his lifetime ambition to complete the lot!
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