Scotland Magazine

I’m often asked what’s the best way to travel around Scotland, and although I’ve always been an independent traveller at heart and I get a buzz from planning a trip and all the research and coordination that goes with it – plus the unexpected things

The 17th-century historic home, the House of Binns, near Linlithgow, has finally reopened to the public after being closed for several years for restoration by the National Trust for Scotland. Built for a butter merchant, Thomas Dalyell, in 1612, the

A Skye bakery has been crowned winner of the first ever Highland Shortbread Showdown – an event launched by Visit Inverness Loch Ness that sought to sift out the most delicious take on this Scottish delicacy in all the Highlands. Paul Mackintosh of M

Visitors to Edinburgh early this summer will be able to see Scotland’s most significant document for the first time in 18 years. From 3 June to 2 July 2023, the 700-year-old Declaration of Arbroath will be free to view at the National Museums of Scot

One of Scotland’s traditional industries is in danger of dying out forever, according to a new crowd-funding campaign. In January 2023 Scotland’s last maker of traditional hats in the ‘Bonnet Toun’ of Stewarton, East Ayrshire, Robert Mackie, shut up

27 & 28 May 2023 Taking place in the grounds of one of Scotland’s most picturesque castles, Blair Castle, the ancestral home of Clan Murray, this annual event (pictured below) includes a parade by Europe’s only private army, the Atholl Highlanders (w

I want to start out by telling you how much I love Scotland magazine and look forward to each issue. I am a direct descendent of Clan Maxwell – my grandfather William Maxwell was from the Dumfries area and came to the United States in 1906, settling

Scotland is a country of vast contrasts, from the soft green hills and rumbling rivers of the Lowlands to the jagged peaks and snake-like passes of the Highlands. You can mingle with the masses on a culturally-packed visit to Edinburgh, marvel at the

A regular visitor and avid fan of the grand houses of the Scottish Borders, Sir Walter Scott once said of Floors Castle that it was ‘a kingdom fit for Oberon and Titania to dwell in’, and it’s not difficult to see why. Shakespeare’s fairy king and qu

Bagpipes have been a rich part of Scottish heritage for centuries. Scotland’s national instrument is believed to have been played in Ancient Egypt, as far back as 400BC, when soldiers blew pipes made from dog skin with chanters of bone. Nero, the 5th

Last issue, we dealt with seven early kings of Scotland and here we pick up the story from the reign of Malcolm I, who ascended the throne in AD943, exactly 100 years after the founding of the new kingdom. By now Scotland was called Alba (meaning ‘wh

One of Scotland’s most unique restaurants with rooms, the award-winning Mingary Castle, is perched on a picturesque promontory on the fringes of the west coast of Scotland in the Ardnamurchan Estate. With its dramatic exterior and windswept location,

SAVE UP TO 37% 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 £21.95

The British system of titles and privilege may be flawed, but for the moment we’re stuck with it. At this year’s coronation there will no doubt be some media confusion over who exactly is a Lord or a Lady, and what it all means. The crowns and corone

Take the ferry across the Eynhallow Sound from the island of Rousay to its near neighbour Egilsay and walk for 600 yards up the single-track lane from the jetty. As the ship’s engine reverberates back across the water you can be left with a resoundin

Buckingham Palace may be the most famous of all the royal properties, but in Scotland there are two other properties – one in the south-west of the country, the other in the far north – that have become central to the ongoing work of King Charles III

The last King Charles to have a coronation was Charles II. In fact, he had two – the well-known one at Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1661 was preceded by one at Scone Palace, near Perth, a decade earlier, on 1 January 1651. The Scone coronation has l

Now until 14 January 2024 TARTAN, V&A DUNDEE This new exhibition celebrates the global story of tartan, and its complex, rich, and sometimes painful history. vam.ac.uk/dundee/exhibitions/tartan 8-12 June 2023 SCOTTISH MARINE FEST, NORTH BERWICK Celeb

For its size, the Sutherland town of Dornoch boasts an impressive list of attractions, such as the world-famous Royal Dornoch Golf Club and the smallest cathedral in Scotland (which also happens to be very beautiful). However, a particularly unimpres