Wick’s Ashley hits stardom on TV in US
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
NOW one of the brightest stars on American television, Ashley Cowie has come a long way since driving around Caithness selling fish 10 years ago.
The 38-year-old symbologist, originally from Wick, is heading to Los Angeles to hold talks about a second series of his hit television show.
Legend Quest, which has just finished its first season in the US, has earned rave reviews from American audiences.
The show, which will air on SyFy in the UK next year, follows him around the world as he investigates history’s greatest secrets. It has been described as an Indiana Jones meets TheDa Vinci Code.
Ashley, who has appeared as a regular guest on STV’s The Hour, was approached by NBC two years ago to host the show. Speaking about Legend Quest, he says that travelling in search of adventure is every little boy’s dream.
"The show is about me travelling around the world looking for ancient artefacts and relics," he said. "This has ranged from trying to find the real Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail to lesser known artefacts in Peru and Area 51.
"Our team do this by following codes from throughout history, trying to establish where these priceless artefacts are hidden."
Ashley is recognised as one of the world’s leading symbologists, with 20 years’ experience. He is also the youngest member of the Knights Templar.
During the series, Ashley traversed the globe twice in his quest to find ancient treasures.
His journeys have not been without danger and Ashley said he risked being boiled alive whilst in Asia.
"We were diving in the Philippines where we were searching for the Cintamani Stone, which was a jewel-encrusted icon worshipped by the Buddhists. All of sudden this rush of bubbles came up as we were halfway through.
"We thought nothing of it at the time as we thought something may have passed overhead. When we resurfaced, we found out that it was the earthquake which caused massive devastation in Japan.
"We were right on the fault line when it struck. Had the volcano erupted we would have died instantly. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced. But it was worth it, I’m living every boy’s dream."
Ashley is a former pupil of Wick High School. He left at 17 to study at university in Glasgow. He later returned to the Far North where he ran a fish business for six years, owning shops in Wick and Thurso called Free Seas. He also had a fish van in which he travelled around the county to customers.
He is the son of Jim and Mary Cowie who own the award-winning Captain’s Galley restaurant in Scrabster.
As well as preparing for the second series of Legend Quest, Ashley has just published his latest book The Super Star, America’s Royal Secret.
It tells of the author’s bid to solve a mystery which, over the last thousand years, has been mentioned in several historical records.
"The secret was last mentioned in 1546 when Mary of Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots, visited Rosslyn Chapel.
"She wrote to William St Clair, Baron of Rosslyn, saying that she vowed to keep his secret.
"While researching in Rosslyn Chapel, I discovered a map with a series of symbols related to specific locations. Using the map I found Scotland’s first national prime meridian which follows a line from Rosslyn Chapel all the way up through to Caithness and Orkney, and which has a series of castles, cathedrals, chapels, monasteries and navigational beacons. Using the meridian, weights and measures could be established, time could be monitored and calendars could be set.
"I believe that my research shows that this was the secret."
The book is currently available to buy at www.ashleycowie.com
