The famous massacre of the ‘glen of weeping’ was carried out by a gang of 128 soldiers led by Campbell of Glenlyon; his victims were the Macdonalds of Glencoe, whose chief had delayed signing the oath of allegiance, required of all Highland chiefs, to William...
Ten locks west along the Grand Canal from Dublin. Robertstown is a characteristic 19th century canal side village, with warehouses and cottages flanking the waterfront, freight barges plied the route until about 1960, but pleasure boats have since replaced them. Visitors can take barge cruises from...
In this castle, on the southern side of the Ardnamurchan peninsula, James IV stayed in 1495 while on a campaign to subdue the recalcitrant Highland chiefs. Mingary Castle predates the King by over 200 years, however, parts of it having been erected in the 13th...
The caves are cut by three streams which flow down the slopes of Cuilcagh Mountain, unite underground and emerge as the Cladagh River. Tours lasting 75 minutes consists of a boat ride into the depths of the cave complex and a guided walk that leads...
Also known as Ilnacullin, this small island was turned into an exotic garden in 1910 by Harold Peto for Annan Bryce, a Belfast businessman. Framed by views of Bantry Bay, the gardens are landscaped with Neo-Classical follies and planted with rich subtropical flora. The micro-climate...
The village of Roxburgh as it exists today is barely noticeable, as it quietly gets on with its farming business by the banks of the River Teviot in the Borders heartland. But in the Middle Ages there was a town of the same name about...
The Turoe Stone stands at the centre of a large area of parkland, the Turoe Pet Farm and Leisure Park, near the village of Bullaun. The white granite boulder, which stands about 1m high, dates back to the 3rd or 2nd century BC. Its top...
Perched on cliffs, roughly 200 feet high, and a deep chasm on the landward side, it is plain why Dunnottar Castle, 2 miles south of Stonehaven on the east coast, was for centuries a favourite stronghold of the power-hungry Scottish nobility (and, on occasion, of...
One of Scotland’s oldest royal burghs, Linlithgow was a common stopover for important personages in the Middle Ages. Today the ruins of the fortified Linlithgow Palace are exceptionally well preserved. Its oldest part is the tower in the right foreground, which was built in 1302....
This tapering headland of gentle landscapes scattered with ancient ruins and quiet villages is perfect for a circular tour. The “Ring of Hook” route begins south of New Ross at Dunbrody Abbey, the ruins of a 12th century Cistercian church, but Ballyhack is another good...