Secret Scotland

Welcome to Scotland... Not to the Scotland of glossy tourist brochures, airbrushed landscape photographs, coach parties, visitor centres and woollen mill cafes, but to a nation of secret, treasured places, free of crowds and tartan trappings. Here, we veer off the well-trod tourist trail and wander down backroads and byways to reveal the country's unusual and offbeat attractions, quirky curiosities and hidden gems, secluded and less well-known spots that await discovery. Of the 50 attractions listed in the book, most can be visited at any time of the year, day or night, with no booking required or admission charged. So, whether you want to wish upon an ancient stone, spend the night in a Royal lodge or hermit's bothy, drive an alpine road, climb a manmade hill, spot gnomes all at sea, descend into a pagan canyon or see where oil rigs go to die, pack a bag and enjoy the journey...