Scotland has over 900 offshore islands, most of which are to be found in four main groups: Shetland, Orkney, and the Hebrides, sub-divided into the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides. There are also clusters of islands in the Firth of Clyde, Firth of Forth, and Solway Firth, and numerous small islands within the many bodies of fresh water in Scotland including Loch Lomond and Loch Maree. The largest island

Throughout Scotland, strange clusters of stones spike up from the earth. Unlike England’s Stonehenge, you can walk right up to these megalithic marvels and stand in their shadows. Built thousands of years ago, their purpose and significance remain lost to time, transforming the stones into monuments to mystery. Claire Fraser - Outlander - "A

Venturing into the outdoors in Scotland, you’ll be struck by an overwhelming sense of freedom. Discovering any country’s wildest landscapes is exhilarating: the feeling of exploring another world at the speed your hiking boots or bicycle will take you is truly special, no matter where you are. Yet in Scotland, outdoor adventures

Like Christmas, in simple terms Burns Night is a great big birthday bash. We celebrate it just one month later, a silver lining in deep winter on 25 January – the day Scotland’s pre-eminent poet, Robert ‘Rabbie’ Burns, was born – and it’s similarly indulgent and alcohol-infused. But it’s also ostentatiously Scottish

Glencairn Valley, Kirkland, Scotland Large, ancient, heaps of stones in the glen are called cairns. They gave birth to the name Glencairn. The Glencairn Valley lies on the border of Dumfriesshire, close to the mountain range that forms a natural boundary with thriving hamlets + villages and is traversed by the river Cairn that

Transportation in Scotland Robin Chase, “Transportation is the center of the world! It is the glue of our daily lives.” Wherever you are coming from, travelling to Scotland is convenient and simple, with lots of travel options available. Once here, the country's road, rail and ferry network provide good access to all regions and

Scotland contains some of the oldest and most famous castles in the world, and they each have a story to tell about this country's fascinating, but violent and turbulent, past.  Some of the 3,000 castles are still structurally intact, a few are currently in use as residences, many remain only as ruins

The famous Scottish saying "S mairg a ni tarcuis air biadh," ("He who has contempt for food is a fool.") precisely describes the attitude to the food and cooking of Scotland. From the national dish of Haggis (sheep's intestine cooked in a sheep's stomach) to the finest whisky in the world, and what

Scotland – a land of myth and legend, where dramatic castles stand in contrast to tumbledown crofts, bottomless lochs hold ancient mysteries, and men wear skirts with impunity. If you feel an affinity for Scottish culture, or simply want to add a touch of Celtic charm into your home, you can do

In 1600 Scotland was economically distressed, technologically backward and politically chaotic. It was still effectively feudal, a system little changed since its introduction by the Normans in the 12th century. Noblemen owned the land with the vast majority of the population living as their tenants. These tenants tilled the land, paid rent,