Dunfermline Abbey harks back to the 11th century though its centrepiece Romanesque nave is 12th-century. But the building’s glory days abruptly in 1560 when it was sacked during the Scottish Reformation and thereafter left in tatters. The Abbey was founded by the devout Saint Margaret of Scotland – the mother to three kings of Scotland and responsible for establishing the...

The pretty village of Dunkeld lies among rolling wooded Perthshire hills as they rise to become the Highlands, which made it a stop-off for cattle drovers for generations. The village’s strategic significance also drew military attention in what became the 1689 Battle of Dunkeld. History buff’s will enjoy a free audio tour of the battle: playable and downloadable here. It...

In 1451 Pope Nicholas V declared Glasgow Cathedral equal to Rome as a place of pilgrimage. It had been completed around a century before (though work began in 1250) and it’s been in continuous use since. Amazingly, the roof timbers are original, but it’s the exquisite stained glass that steals the show. Also impressive is the Necropolis on the adjacent...

The Lake of Menteith may be Scotland’s only lake (not “loch”), but what sets the place apart are the atmospheric ruins of the old priory on the pretty little isle of Inchmahome. It was here that Augustinian monks cared for an infant Mary Queen of Scots before she was taken to France. To get to the island you need to...

A short ferry (hourly; £4) journey through sparkling turquoise waters from the southwest tip of Mull, the emerald island of Iona has been a place of great spirituality for about 1400 years. It’s to Iona that Irish solider and missionary St Columba came in 563 to establish a monastery and spread a brand of Celtic Christianity which successfully colonised much...

With twisted streets, ancient buildings and constant bustle around the ferry terminal, Kirkwall, Orkney’s capital, is an immediately likeable place. Its key landmark is the gigantic red-and-yellow St Magnus’s Cathedral which dates from the 12th century but is still very much in tact. Also worth a look are the ruins of the Bishop’s and Earl’s palaces and the excellent town...