You will probably come by road into Scotland and the Borders region by either the A1 road from Berwick-on-Tweed or from Carlisle to Gretna on the M74. Another way is from Northumbria and the A68 to the attractive little town of Jedburgh. The latter route will be through beautiful rolling countryside, the Cheviot hills and wooded valleys, across rivers like the Esk and the Teviot and within reach of towns such as Hawick, Galashiels and Selkirk, well known for their tweed and woollen manufacturing traditions. Visit one of the mill shops for a genuine Scottish souvenir.

The A1 winds its way north near the coast to Dunbar. Take the side road going right to the coast at North Berwick, near Tantallon Castle and then on past bird sanctuaries just a few more miles into Edinburgh itself. At North Berwick, visit the Scottish Seabird Centre where you can view colonies of gannets and puffins through cameras sited on the nearby islands.

Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, is accessible by road, rail and air from all different directions. There are places to visit and things to do at any time of year and the choice is huge. Most obvious "must sees" are the Castle, Holyrood Palace, the Royal Mile, Princes Street Gardens and the Scott Monument. Visit the zoo or the famous Botanical Gardens. Wander around the little wynds of the Old Town or admire the magnificent Georgian splendour of the New Town terraces and circles. Indulge yourself at some of Scotland's best shops and restaurants or visit at Festival time when the city is alive with events of all kinds going on in the International Festival and "Fringe". Explore the museums and galleries or, at Hogmanay, have fun at Scotland's biggest street party to welcome the New Year. Don't forget to listen out for the gun fired every day at 1 pm from the castle ramparts.

A few miles beyond Edinburgh, not far from the Airport is historic Linlithgow. The impressive palace dates back hundreds of years and was the birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots. Bonnie Prince Charlie also stayed here but, soon after his defeat at Culloden, the government troops carelessly allowed the place to catch fire, leaving it roofless. It's worth a visit.

From Edinburgh, it's an interesting experience to cross the Firth of Forth by the modern road bridge which runs parallel to the old rail bridge on your right. The rail bridge, a feat of engineering in its day, is now over a century old but still carries the main railway lines north of Edinburgh. On the north side of the bridge the port of Rosyth is the docking point for Superfast ferries new ships bringing tourists directly into Scotland from Zeebrugge.

The ancient Kingdom of Fife is characterised by fascinating little fishing villages along the coast of the "East Neuk". Spend a little time discovering Pittenweem, Anstruther and Crail where the buildings, with their crow-stepped gables, tumble down to the harbours. St. Andrews, mecca for golfers, is an attractive coastal town with the oldest university in Scotland, founded in 1410. Leuchars is just across the bay from St. Andrews and, on the northern side of Fife, about halfway between St. Andrews and Perth, is Newburgh.

Travelling towards Stirling, visit the Falkirk wheel an impressive feat of modern engineering opened in December 1999. The Falkirk Wheel is the centrepiece to the Millennium Link canal project which is designed to reconnect the differing levels of the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Falkirk lies between Edinburgh and Stirling and is the site of a large Roman fort dating back to AD80, whilst Stirling itself is well known, especially since the film 'Braveheart', and popular with tourists. The ancient Castle, built on a rocky outcrop, is in a strategic and commanding position which guaranteed its importance to the Scottish Crown. It changed hands between the warring English and Scots many times and Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned here in 1543. William Wallace recaptured it from the English in 1297 and Robert the Bruce did the same in 1314. The Wallace Memorial is a pinnacled tower, 220 feet high, with a statue of Wallace.

Tillicoultry, famous in the past for its woollen mills is in Scotland’s smallest county - Clackmannanshire - also known as The Wee County - which includes Alloa Tower (National Trust for Scotland) and Clackmannan Tower (Historic Scotland).