Scotland is a nation that likes to shout about its successes.
We might be small, but we’re proud to have given the world television, tarmac and the telephone, to name but a handful of inventions.
However, that’s not all Scotland has to shout about, as our wee country boasts some world records – some may not surprise you, but we are certain there are a few here that will!
1. The World’s Largest Haggis
A quintessentially Scottish record, unveiled at the Royal Highland Show in 2014, Hall’s record-breaking haggis weighed just over a ton (1010 kg), and was 2.8m long, 0.93m wide and 0.65m tall. After the official measurements were taken, the haggis was portioned off and sold to show visitors, with the proceeds going to MacMillan Cancer Care.
2. The World’s Shortest Street
With only one address, the front door of a restaurant, Ebenezer Place in Wick is the world’s shortest street measuring just 2.05m long. Whilst the route was built in 1883, and recognised as a street in 1887, it wasn’t until 2006 that the street took the title from Elgin Street, in Bacup in Lancashire (which measured 5.2m) and entered the Guinness Book of Records.
3. Largest Can-Can Dance
On 13 September 2009 Irn Bru organised the world’s largest can-can by assembling 1503 people on Glasgow Green. It was reportedthat 10,000 participants of all agesassembled on the green although only 1503 completed the mandatory five minutes of constant dancing, stillsetting the world record for the event.
4. Most Spray Tans In One Hour
Glasgow’s SEC has been the venue of a distinctly orange world record. On 20th September 2010 beautician Lisa Fulton spray tanned 78 women smashing the previous Australian world record at 67. Lisa took an average of 46 seconds to tan each participant, breaking the record to raise awareness for Skin cancer.
5. Most Cabers Tossed At Once
On 14 September 2014, as the nation was preparing to vote in the Scottish Referendum, more ground breaking Scottish history would be made. In Bught Park, Inverness, 160 throwers from 14 different countries
assembled to launch 66 cabers and secure their place in the Guinness Book of Records.
6. Most Piercings in a Lifetime
A Scottish nurse has claimed the title of being the most pierced woman in the world. Elaine Davidson won the world record in 2006 when she had 462 piercings, 192 on her face alone. It is now reported she has over 9000 piercings all over her body, though he is quoted as saying that she doesn’t really like being pierced – she only does it to break the world record.
7. Largest Piece of Ice to have Fallen from the Sky
Often confused with meteors megacryometeors are large chucks of ice that fall to earth in the same way hail does. The largest megacryometeor recorded fell in July 1849 just west of Inverness, the chunk was almost 13ft across and 20ft round. No one is quite sure how these giant ice cubes are formed, although one theory is that they are hail stones fused together by lighting.
8. Largest Highland Reel
In 2007 1453 students from five different schools came together on Nairn Golf Course to dance the Dashing White Sergeant and take the record for the largest highland dance. The event came to celebrate the year of highland culture and faces fierce completion from overseas for the title.
9. Strongest Beer Ever Sold
Heavily contested, the title of world’s strongest beer is one that changes hands frequently among the breweries of Scotland. Currently the title rests the Brewmeister brewery in Keith who created the well dubbed ‘Snake Venom’, which is a whopping 67.5% alcohol by volume (abv) and costs £50 for a 275ml bottle.
10. World’s Oldest Paraglider
Stirling-born adventurer, Peggy McAlpine who was a mother, grandmother and great grandmother, became the oldest woman to Paraglide. She won the record first in 2007 when she was 100 years and a day old, after the record was taken from her, the granny took to the skies once more at the age of 104 to finally secure the title.
- This feature was originally published in 2016.
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