Experience the Big Bang, volcanoes and earthquakes and the rainforest. And it's got a little iceberg.

For centuries the place where William Wallace was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland remained a mystery. But it's a mystery no more. In 1297 a Scottish hero arose: William Wallace. Wallace had won a famous victory over an English army at Stirling Bridge. The following year he was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland. His heroics were celebrated in the movie Braveheart. We know the ceremony took place at the Kirk o' the Forest. For centuries the location was lost. But in 2016 archaeol

The Romans never conquered Scotland. But that doesn't mean they were strangers to the land north of Hadrian's Wall, as a visit to the site of the fort they built in the Scottish Borders reveals. I swear that we were taught at school that the Romans never reached Scotland. Hadrian’s Wall was the limit of the empire and beyond that was a savage wasteland inhabited by blue-painted maniacs in kilts. I don’t know whether this was because history teachers in the 1970s weren’t very

Our new video showcases the unsung Scottish Borders. For many tourists, Scotland is simply the Highlands and Edinburgh. But they're missing out. The Scottish Borders is just an hour south of Edinburgh and less than two hours north of Newcastle. It's where discerning walkers come to head into the hills and cyclists put in the hard miles on world class mountain biking trails. There's history, there's wildlife (golden eagles and ospreys among the highlights) and a wealth of outd

Intimidating, brooding and forbidding: "Discover a history filled with intrigue, murder, torture and treason." What we like: This lonely and forbidding castle has a gory past reflected by references to it as “the guardhouse of the bloodiest valley in Britain”. It inevitably played a pivotal role in the story of the Reivers, serving as a home and a prison for some of the major players. Mary Queen of Scots paid a visit that nearly killed her when, returning from visiting the ma

Dramatic 14th century peel tower near Kelso. What we like: The Pringle family weren't taking any chances when they built a tower house to keep out the notorious Border Reivers: it's got 2.5m thick walls. It worked up to a point, but the Reivers still made off with 700 cattle and 100 horses. The location is atmospheric and Sir Walter Scott found it a source of inspiration. In their own words: "Sited high on a rocky outcrop, Smailholm is a small rectangular tower set within a

The best place to learn about the notorious Border Reivers. What we like: There's a permanent gallery dedicated to the history of the Border Reivers, the ruthless raiders who held the Borders in their grip for more than 300 years. See a peel tower under attack, dress up as a Reiver and find out if your family is related to the Border clans. In their own words: "A fusion of old and new awaits you, from the beautiful Old Tullie House, a classical Grade One Listed Jacobean build

Country house with lake and woodland walks. What we like: Outdoor activities, family days out, house tours full of history and art, weddings, private events and field sports. The adventure playground is excellent, there's a great cafe and the Land Rover tours up to the moor are a special treat. There's fishing on the loch, bookable through the estate office. In their own words: "This majestic House and its grounds have been the centre of life in this rural oasis for more than

The longest continuous section of the Roman wall. What we like: There's a good clue-solving quest around what remains of the fort and an informative museum which includes stories of the Border reivers. Plenty of fun and games for children too. In their own words: "Here you can still see the remains of all of the Wall's defining features. Stand in awe as the longest remaining stretch of the Wall spans as far as your eye can see, and explore the ruins of the Roman fort, a turre

The Home of Sir Walter Scott What we like: Well worth a couple of hours to learn more about one of Scotland's greatest writers and his extraordinary life. Informative audio tours and the guided tours for larger groups are superb. Lovely grounds and a good restaurant. In their own words: Abbotsford is the extraordinary home of the 19th century novelist and ‘Great Scott’ who popularised tartan, saved the Scottish banknote and rediscovered his country’s Crown Jewels. Discover a

Excellent history resource for the Scottish Borders. What we like: It's a comprehensive guide to the history of the Borders, starting 500 million years ago with the formation of the Ordovician and Silurian rocks of the Southern Uplands before moving on to the Neolithic, the arrival of the Romans, the Reivers and a few centuries of warfare between Scotland and England. In their own words: "The Scottish Borders is exceptionally rich in cultural heritage. From its mysterious hil