Our Mission
Travels Through Time
Graham and Jan O’Neill have been running tours in the Highlands of Scotland for the past 10 years. They continue to run Highlands Unbridled, operating horseback trail riding tours in wild and remote areas of the Highlands. As well as riding, these tours have a particular focus on local history, myths and legends including Bonnie Prince Charlie themed rides and ridden Outlander tours. Having found so many little known places of interest that were impossible to visit on horseback, they launched a new venture allowing them to share their passion for Scotland’s history with a wider audience.
Travels Through Time is a small, local business operating in the north Highlands of Scotland. Our mission is to provide visitors to Scotland with an authentic Scottish experience like no other, combining the beauty of the landscape in the Highlands and Isles with an authentic insight into the rich cultural history of this land. Both Graham and Jan have had a passion for history since childhood.
Jan was born in England, with Welsh roots. Growing up in the South of England on the junction of two pre-historic highways, the Icknield Way and the Ridgeway, her interest was sparked at a very young age by the henges, barrows and hill forts of the area. Her favourite places to visit as a child was Stonehenge, where she would picnic on the stones with her family. There was also the Uffington White Horse which was carved by ancient hands into the chalk of the hill, where she would ponder upon the people who had created this fantastic monument and wonder why… She is still wondering today!
Hardly surprising then that her period of special interest is that of pre-Roman Britain and the ancient tribes of these islands. Scotland is awash with standing stones and burial cairns, brochs, hill forts and secret places dedicated to saints and pre-christian goddesses alike. She is also interested in the history of the ordinary people, the people who lived in the hills and glens and made their living from working the land here.
Testimonials
Graham was born in Scotland, with family roots in the Highlands. His family moved to Glasgow after the notorious Highland Clearances. Brought up on his Grannies tales of the clearances and his families cattle droving roots, Graham developed a lifelong interest in the history of the Highlands and Scotland in general. He is a fount of knowledge on all Scottish history; from the Picts and the Scots, through the kings and queens of Scotland, right the way up to the present day. He is particularly interested in how Scotland was originally formed as a kingdom during the time of the Picts and the Scots and the Wars of Scottish Independence. A Jacobite at heart, passionate and knowledgeable particularly about this period of Scottish history and the clan system in general, he also enjoys traditional music and dancing and enjoys going to local ceilidhs.