House of the Binns The House of the Binns has been the family home of the Dalyells for the last 400 years. Set in magnificent Scottish countryside outside Linlithgow, it provides a great view of the River Forth from the grounds. You can see Blackness castle from there and across the water Limekilns and Culross … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 93
Wildlife Photography Exhibition One of the many good things about being a member of the Museum of Scotland, is taking advantage of the free entry into the major exhibitions they run during the year. My membership enables me to visit several times and typically I will attend each exhibition three times. My initial visit is … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 87
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum I was excited to visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. One of the highlights for me is the Salvador Dali painting, Christ of St John on the Cross, but I discovered it’s on loan to Spain right now, but will return in June 2024, so I will … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 84
January Update 2024 It’s been a busy start to the year. I’ve been out to Culross again, a place I’ve blogged about previously. I decided to take a different route, due to the appalling state of the road I would usually take in. The number of potholes on Scottish roads is truly astounding, so I … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 82
Scottish Art A favourite haunt of mine is the National Gallery, situated on the Mound in Edinburgh. It comes under the umbrella of the National Galleries of Scotland, which include the National, Modern One, Modern Two and the Portrait. It is free entry and has a fantastic range of paintings featuring many world famous artists. … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 81
Whisky I recently spent an afternoon at the Scotch Whisky experience in Edinburgh. Situated at the top of the Royal Mile, just off the castle. this experience gives you the sights, sounds and the flavour of our national drink. In my writing, I feature whisky as the drink of choice for the likes of Will … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 80
Callendar House It’s quite a surprise to see a French-style chateau in the middle of central Scotland. There has been a residence here of one sort or another since the 12th century and the site has placed host to many famous historical figures including Mary Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie. The building has … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 79
Robert Burns The 25th of January is Burns day, when all around the world, people celebrate the life and work of Robert Burns. As a Scot, my introduction to poetry was through Burns, because as a lad that was the way it was. My father read Burns and school introduced me to the poems. Members … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 78
Culzean Castle I regularly have those wow moments when visiting historical sites, and Culzean Castle is one of the most memorable. When you walk through the Ruined Arch and onto the Viaduct, after having caught a small glimpse of the building and then see the castle properly for the first time, it truly is an … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 77
Doune Castle I revisited Doune Castle at the beginning of September. Those who are fans of the Outlander series, will know this was used for the fictional Castle Leoch, where Colum MacKenzie and his clan lived. As always I took a great many photographs, despite having done so on previous occasions. If you have watched … More Inside the Fiction Factory – Part 63
The Fiction Factory 