Inspiration

Around 100 active distilleries of which 56 are open to the public. They offer various options on guided tours. The biggest concentration of these is on Islay and Jura with 9 and Speyside with 15.

Scotland has 790 islands of which around 90 are inhabited. The most famous Island is probably The Isle of Skye but many of them are worth visiting. The closest major island to Glasgow is The Isle of Bute where Mount Stuart House, the ancestral home of The Marquis of Bute, is situated. This house is open to the public for much of the year and can be visited when not taken over by the rich and famous for weddings and private parties.

More than 500 with St Andrews Old Course being the most famous. There are other well known courses too such as Turnberry, Royal Troon and Gleneagles.

We in Scotland are justly proud of our rich heritage. Be it industrial, agricultural, fishing, mining or maritime there are museums to take you back in time should you wish to find out how your forebears lived and worked. These museums will also satisfy those with a special interest in the specific field.

Gardens and Parks - There are many wonderful gardens open to the public in Scotland. The biggest individual owner / manager is The National Trust for Scotland with more than 50 gardens whilst The Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh have 4 gardens spread throughout Scotland. There is also an organisation of people with private gardens who open to the public periodically throughout the year.

More than 2,000 (Some are in ruins but many are in splendid condition and offer visits and guided tours.

Scotland's spectacular scenery and rich collection of buildings have been used as the setting and backdrop for many Movies and TV Shows. These include Local Hero, Monty Python and The Holy Grail, Chariots of Fire, Trainspotting, Braveheart, Captain America The First Adventure, Entrapment, Harry Potter, Promethius, The Da Vinci Code, Brave, Skyfall, Macbeth and Outlander.

Scotland has many historical buildings of religious significance. The history of some of these can be traced back to the early days of Christianity. There are claims that Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect who played a pivotal role in the biblical account of Jesus' crucifixion, was born in Perthshire where we can visit the site in Fortingall.

There are 39 places recognised as sites of historic battles and many of them are easily accessible. Of these the best known are Bannockburn, Killiecrankie and Culloden.