The hugely successful TV programme “Downton Abbey” is being shown on Christmas Day this year and will feature the family going to their Scottish Castle for the summer break. The castle being used is Inveraray Castle near Loch Fyne, which was built in 1770, and is the home to the Duke of Argyll. In the late Victorian and Edwardian eras, it was very fashionable for the English to travel up to their Scottish retreats for months on end in the summer. Whilst this tradition is past, going on a Scottish holiday is still very popular.

You too can come and stay at your own castle for the summer. On the other side of Loch Fyne is the Baronial Castle which is on offer on a self-catering basis for up to 13 people, starting at £2,350 per week. Why not contact Scotts Castle Holidays today to live like a lord with a castle holiday in Scotland?

The renowned natural history publication “National Geographic” has listed the Cairngorms as one of the planet’s “last great places” in the world. Taking its place alongside the likes of the Galapagos Islands and the Gobi desert, it has been described as a “destination of a lifetime”. The Cairngorms National Park is the UK’s largest national park at 1,700 square miles, taking in Aberdeenshire, Angus, Moray, Perthshire and Inverness-shire.

Within the Cairngorms National Park and with stunning views over the Cairngorms, is the 16th Century Castle set in countryside between Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey. Available on a self-catering basis, this large holiday house can sleep between 8 and 10 people. With so many activities nearby this is an ideal Scottish holiday for a week or weekend for all the family. Contact the office today at Scotts Castle Holidays for more details.

The Forth Rail Bridge

It used to be said of a never-ending repetitive chore, that it was like painting the Forth Rail Bridge, however after years of re-painting and being covered by scaffolding, it is now being seen in all its glory again. This new coat of paint is expected to last between 25 to 40 years, so this iconic image of Scotland should be glistening magnificently for years to come.

By staying at the Impressive Country House, on the outskirts of Dunfermline, the easiest way to travel into Edinburgh, is by train, travelling over the Forth Rail Bridge there and back. From the centre of Edinburgh at Waverley railway station, Edinburgh Castle and most attractions are easy to walk to, and there is no need to worry about parking. The house is ideal for up to 18 people on a self-catering basis and is the perfect large holiday house to take in the sights of Edinburgh and beyond. Contact the office today at Scotts Castle Holidays for more details.

Didn’t London do well with hosting the 2012 Olympics! From the impressive creative opening ceremony on, all the way through to the party-like closing ceremony . In between, there was an impressive haul of medals for Team GB, which gave the whole country a feel-good factor, with a reminder of the real value of Olympic spirit from all around the world. Congratulations to all those who took part and won medals, and a special mention to the Scots who won medals.

•    Sir Chris Hoy (track cycling), two golds
•    Andy Murray (tennis), one gold, one silver
•    Katherine Grainger (rowing), gold
•    Heather Stanning (rowing), gold
•    Scott Brash (team showjumping), gold
•    Tim Baillie (C2 canoe slalom), gold
•    David Florence (C2 canoe slalom), silver
•    Luke Patience (470 sailing), silver
•    Michael Jamieson (swimming), silver
•    Daniel Purvis (team gymnastics), bronze
•    Laura Bartlett & Emily Maguire (team hockey), bronze

For anyone inspired by what they saw of the UK and wish to travel for a Scottish vacation, then self-catering accommodation in a large holiday house in Scotland can be found at Scotts Castle Holidays.

Wedding tourism in Scotland is thriving and people can get married in their own way by a celebrant at the location of their choosing. Of all marriages registered in Scotland in 2011, nearly 25% were for couples where neither the bride nor groom lived in Scotland.  Not only that, over 50% are now civil and humanist ceremonies compared to traditional religious services. Scotland is one of only six countries in the world where Humanist marriage ceremonies are legally conducted. They are recognised as legal in all countries in the world in the same way as other weddings are. Humanist weddings have the same legal status as civil and religious weddings as long as they are conducted by a Humanist Society Scotland celebrant, who has been authorised by the Registrar General of Scotland, and can take place anywhere ‘safe and dignified’.

Large Holiday Houses in Scotland are becoming a great venue to host your celebrations. Most can be booked as they are (whilst notifying the agency) if guest numbers do not exceed the accommodation number. Above this and consultation is required. Check out the great selection at Scotts Castle Holidays today.

It is said that you can come to Scotland and experience all four seasons in one day, however this year it seems you get 50 shades of grey – weather that is! Thankfully, enjoying Scotland is not all about blue skies, with the dramatic scenery taking on even more character in a darker sky.

For a stunning location, booking the Isolated Holiday Lodge, which can sleep 12 adults and 5 children, is a great choice for a large holiday house in Scotland. Accessible by an 11 mile private track, it really is a Highland retreat, where the weather and the elements make the location even more outstanding. Whilst the weather can be inclement outside, a warm open fire welcomes you inside, which can be ideal for reading the latest bestseller. For a choice of large holiday houses, check the Scotts Castle Holidays website today.

In the summer of 2012, Disney Pixar’s latest animated film, “Brave” will be released and the main character is a Scottish medieval princess. Voicing the lead role will be the Scottish actress, Kelly MacDonald, who shot to fame in the classic film “Trainspotting” and recently featured in the hit HBO drama “Boardwalk Empire”. She is joined by an all-star Scottish cast with Billy Connolly playing her father, and Craig Ferguson, Kevin McKidd and Robbie Coltrane all involved in the film.

However, Kelly MacDonald is no stranger to castles in real life as she booked the Baronial Castle with Scotts Castle Holidays in 2003 and hosted her wedding here. The clan lands date back to the 13th century and the castle remains available for holiday letting and weddings today. Why not contact Scotts Castle Holidays today to book your “Brave” castle experience in Scotland?

The relay bearing the Olympic torch aims to go within one hour’s travel time of 95% of the population within the UK. It will be out on the road for 70 days from 19 May – 27 July and will have more than 8,000 torch bearers. In Scotland, the route will cover the majority of the mainland and some of the isles within a 5 day period in June 2012.

On the 12th June 2012, the route travels from Forfar and will pass the end of the drive of the Beautiful Historic Mansion in Perthshire. This large holiday house is available for a self-catering holiday for up to 23 people from 9th – 16th June 2012. With full occupancy for the seven days it works out at less than £25 per head. Watch the Olympic torch go by in comfort or follow it all the way to Dundee and enjoy the evening celebrations there. Book your accommodation today at Scotts Castle Holidays?

Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench are the stars in the James Bond film “Skyfall” part of which is filmed in the Glencoe area in Scotland. Skyfall was the third Bond film to shoot in Scotland.  Roger Moore’s third James Bond, “The Spy Who Loved Me”, filmed a scene at the Faslane naval base, whilst Eilean Donan Castle was a secret MI6 base in “The World is Not Enough”. Land in the Glencoe/Glen Etive area has traditionally been owned by the Fleming family and it could be said that the filming is a nod to Ian Fleming and his Scottish roots.

The 10 mile road that was closed-off for filming in February 2012 is the single track Glen Etive road, where the stunt driver was spotted driving an Aston Martin DB5. With steep glens on either side, it is a dramatic twisty road, which looked spectacular with the James Bond treatment. Near the end of this road is the Traditional Shooting Lodge, which is available for comfortable self-catering for up to 10 adults. For movie fans, a stay at this Scottish Holiday home can now be linked with “Skyfall”, which debuted in October 2012. For more large holiday homes in Scotland, check the Scotts Castle Holidays website today.

The most instantly recognisable Scottish person in the world, according to “The Times”, is William MacDougall from the animated TV show “The Simpsons”. In a forthcoming episode, the Springfield janitor, better known as “Groundskeeper Willie”, reveals that he is not from Edinburgh or Glasgow, but from Kirkwall in Orkney. Whilst it will mean that Glasgow City Council will have to remove his name from its list of famous Glaswegians, it is a huge feather in the cap to the Island of Orkney.

For those wishing to visit Orkney, then staying in a large holiday house in the countryside is a great way to explore the island, whilst enjoying more peaceful surroundings. 10 miles from Kirkwall is the Unique Island House, which sleeps up to 9 adults and 3 children on a self-catering basis. Comfortable accommodation with great access to the rest of Orkney, as well as Kirkwall! Find out more at Scotts Castle Holidays today?