Many people in the UK are considering ’staycations’ this year, instead of jetting off for sun drenched holidays in the Canaries or the Costa del Sol. Staying at home and taking advantage of the many interesting destinations that are within easy reach is becoming increasingly appealing as people try to save money and lessen their carbon footprints.

One destination that is proving increasingly popular is Scotland. One of the main attractions that brings people to Scotland is the countries colourful history.

Scottish history is enormously interesting and often quite bloody. There have been many battles on Scottish soil and the country is littered with ancient castles and grand homes. The armed forces used many stately homes and castles during the second world war for troops and hospitals. Some buildings became damaged and run down during this time, leading to their demolition. During the 1960’s it was sad to see around one large house demolished somewhere in Scotland every week.

Luckily this practice came to an end but property owners were faced with huge maintenance and repair costs. Many have now been restored into functioning homes and hotels like the magnificent Glenapp Castle hotel which was acquired by hoteliers in 1994. Lengthy and expensive restoration has turned this not-so-ancient castle into a popular luxurious hotel.

Many Scottish castles are nothing more than ruins, which isn’t surprising when you consider their age and history. Castle Sween is one such fantastic, historic ancient castle. This castle was originally built in the 11th or 12th centuries and was names after a Dane called Sueno. Robert the Bruce captured the castle in 1315.

To make the most of your visit to a Scottish castle I suggest you refer to a good Scottish castle reference guide for a little historic background. This can really bring your visit to life as you imagine the lives of the people who had lived, worked and died in the castle.

For a complete change I strongly recommend you consider a visit to Scotland and touring historic castles for your vacation this year.

When flying from Edinburgh or Glasgow I always book my Edinburgh Airport Parking or my Glasgow Airport Parking space in advance as this always gives me savings of up to 60%.