Chef patron Calum Montgomery’s Edinbane Lodge is a much-lauded restaurant with rooms in central Skye, whose four AA-Rosette restaurant and five-star accommodation have attracted a string of plaudits. Accolades include being elevated to‘exceptional’ i

After you’ve walked the length and breadth of Edinburgh above ground, a trip underground to The Real Mary King’s Close, is a unique way to experience the city’s gritty hidden history. In the heart of the Old Town, right under the bustling Royal Mile,

I’m a subscriber to Scotland magazine and I love it. My question is this: is there a Clan Stewart club or society? My grandmother was a Stewart and I’ve been able to trace my Scottish heritage back to the 1400s. Also, is there a place to buy Mrs Till

A new exhibition at The King’s Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, shines a spotlight on Georgian style and fashion, with key pieces telling the story of King George IV’s historic visit to Scotland in 1822. Visitors to the exhibition

We had been perched almost silently by the edge of a pond for nearly an hour now, binoculars focused, hoping to see a sight that hadn’t been possible in Scotland for hundreds of years. Light was fading fast on this late autumnal night in Stirlingshir

Sprinting to victory at the Paris Olympics 100 years ago on 11 July 1924, the same year a locomotive numbered ‘4472’ took on the name Flying Scotsman, Eric Liddell was one of Scotland’s finest. An Olympic champion, international rugby player, and a C

“Maggie Wall burnt here 1657 as a witch”. So reads the white, hand-painted declaration on a crude, cross-topped cairn just outside the village of Dunning in Perthshire. Maggie Wall’s Memorial is a sober reminder of a dark chapter in Scottish history,

It’s been a long time coming but finally, the highly anticipated Perth Museum is open, and having visited while work was underway, I can’t wait to make the journey north again to see the Stone of Scone in situ in the heart of this new cultural centre

‘He who holds Stirling, holds Scotland’, so the maxim goes. A quote that should be attributed to a historic figure, or a pithy statement made by a historian that has caught on? Who knows? What we do know, is that one must only look at the number of b

The grand opening of the Gleneagles Hotel and Golf Resort in Perthshire on 7 June 1924 was a momentous occasion. Its centenary this year celebrates more than a hotel, and more than bricks and mortar; Gleneagles is a Scottish institution with a rich h

The rich tapestry of Scottish tartans, with their distinct chequered patterns, have woven their way into Scottish culture to such an extent that the word ‘tartan’ is now a byword for all things Scottish. One company that has seen this firsthand is Lo

If ever there was a country that lends itself well to outdoor pursuits, Scotland is it. Old hunting lodges dotted throughout the landscape (many of which have been converted into luxury hotels) tell of a centuries-old love of country sports. For a lo

As Scotland emerges from her winter slumber to find spring in full swing, as well as looking forward to summer and a long line of big anniversaries, this issue feels very much like one of reflection. First up, we reflect on the fortunes of the city o

SAVE UP TO 33*% The perfect companion for anyone interested in the rich history and culture of Scotland – full of fascinating stories and inspiration in every issue Order an annual subscription to Scotland magazine for yourself or as a gift: UK £21.9

LUSS HIGHLAND GATHERING, LOCH LOMOND Boasting probably the prettiest setting for any games in Scotland, the Luss Gathering has been held annually since 1875. Although sock-knitting and shepherd’s crook-making competitions have been dropped since then

Mary, Queen of Scots’ colourful life was, as biographer Lady Antonia Fraser wrote, a tale of “murder, sex, scandal and imprisonment”, with more drama than you could shake a well-written script at. She’s often seen as a victim of circumstance, a tragi

Charles, Lord Bruce tells a tale of how many years ago, his mother was dusting in the Library. Finding an oak box with a hinged lid, she opened it, unsuspectingly, and “got the fright of her life!” Inside was a skull. In fact, it was the cast of a sk

My new novel, Queen Macbeth, is the newest instalment in the Darkland Tales series, published by Birlinn. These are a series of novellas reimagining elements of Scottish history or myth; the defining myths of the nation, if you like. One of those big

As the Allies celebrated VE Day in May 1945, one Scottish aristocrat, the 5th Marquess of Ailsa, showed his gratitude to one of the military’s most renowned leaders in remarkable fashion. The Marquess and his family, the Kennedys, gifted their home a

In 1836, a group of young boys hunting rabbits on the slopes of Arthur’s Seat stumbled upon something far more interesting than their usual prey. Tucked into a little crevice in the hill was a stash of 17 miniature coffins hidden behind carefully pla

Kayaking the Sea Roads: Exploring the Scottish Highlands is the story of my physical and mental journey kayaking through the Highlands and Islands, but it’s also an investigative journey of nature and humans and changing landscape too. A story of enl

It’s hard to imagine a shortbread tin without tartan patterns, and a kilt without tartan is surely just a skirt. So how did tartan come about and what are the rules that govern it? Some more cynical visitors may fear that tartan is entirely a modern

The 15th century witnessed the dawning of the Renaissance, which swept across Europe, breaking light into the darkest crevasses of the Middle Ages. It was an irreversible period of enlightenment as Greek and Roman ideologies were rediscovered, revolu

Following the reopening of some of Scotland’s favourite hotels (Kylesku and the Plockton Inn, to name a couple) under this newly created hotel group, another two venues are in line to get the Highland Coast Hotels treatment: The Haven in Plockton and

It might come as a surprise to some that Loch Ness and its surrounds, which includes the largely untapped wilderness of Glen Affric, (widely considered to be one of Scotland’s most beautiful glens) is not yet a national park. However, after the Scott

First opening in 1824, Fettercairn Distillery sits in the beautiful Howe of Mearns, in the foothills of the Grampian Mountains. The distillery was founded by Sir Alexander Ramsay, one of the Scottish landowners who campaigned to license Scotch whisky