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The little-known and ancient art of building crannogs (defensive homesteads built on stilts in lochs) has been rediscovered here at Loch Tay. Beware – underwater archaeologists at work.

It’s hard to believe just how fascinating boats, nets and fish can be. First-class overview of the history of the fish supper.

Don your headlamp and join ex-miners on an enlightening underground tour.

This gallery only opened in 1960, but it has now amassed some 5,000 works post-1890. Here you can find the hand of such diverse figures as Picasso, Munch, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Pop-Art trio of Hamilton, Hockney and Tilson. Also check out the Dean Gallery opposite for contemporary shows (see Dean Gallery) .

Look Robert Burns, Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Queen Mother in the eye. Portraits through the ages, housed in a Gothic shrine.

Remote cameras relay live action from the Bass Rock’s 100,000 gannets. Take time for a boat trip around the headland too.

Sir Walter Scott’s favourite view of the River Tweed and Eildon Hills. Out of habit, his horse stopped here during Scott’s funeral procession.

With its tidal races, the Pentland Firth can be a wild stretch of water. It is a favoured haunt of fish such as cod, pollok, coal-fish, ling, mackerel and wrasse, all of which are regularly caught. The British records for halibut and portbeagle shark were set off Scrabster, but these species are rarely hooked now.

Eduard Bersudsky makes performing contraptions from junk, and this is his extraordinary theatre.

Looking rather pale and charmless on the outside, the Sheraton is nonetheless a fine hotel in terms of its facilities, especially the state-of-the-art health club. Good Italian and Scottish restaurants at hand, and in the locale of the West End business district.