Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland's west Highlands.

Scotland conjures up images of craggy windswept highlands, bagpipes echoing around ruined castles, misty sightings of the Loch Ness Monster and Mel Gibson in full battle regalia crying "Freedom!" (Scots however, will quickly point out that Mel is Australian and Braveheart was actually filmed in Ireland).

Despite being notoriously damp, Scotland is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with world-class golfing in St Andrews, skiing in Glenshee, water sports on the abundant lochs and burns, mountain climbing on Ben Nevis (the highest peak in Britain) and hiking through its misty glens.

First stop on most travellers' itineraries is Edinburgh, Scotland's magnificent capital, lorded over by an ornate castle and host to the annual Edinburgh International Festival, the world's biggest arts extravaganza. Glasgow - Scotland's largest city - may be lacking in conventional tourists attractions, but is worth experiencing for its upbeat work-hard, play-hard attitude.

Scotland's central belt - enclosed by Dundee, Inverclyde and Edinburgh - has recently been coined "Silicon Glen" due to its significant high-tech industry.

In Scotland's north is the granite city of Aberdeen and thanks to the North Sea's bountiful oil and gas reserves, it has become the oil capital of Europe.

Beyond the mainland, Scotland has over 700 islands to explore including the isles of Skye, Arran and Mull, the Hebrides, Shetlands and Orkneys.

It may be 300 years since the Acts of Union merged the Kingdom of Scotland with the Kingdom of England, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain, but rivalry with its neighbour is still going strong, particularly when it comes to sport. As a rule, Scots support two teams: Scotland and anyone playing the English.

Many Scottish traditions are still revered. The proverbial bagpipe blower decorated in a kilt and sporan still graces every other city street corner; sports such as curling and caber tossing are still popular; Scottish meals are never complete without artery-clogging balls of haggis and New Year is still welcomed in with wild Hogmanay celebrations.

Scotland lies to the north of England and together with England, Northern Ireland and Wales, it forms the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Survival Guide

Scotland is notoriously damp and foggy. January and February are the darkest and coldest months when the daytime temperatures hover around 5°C. The average summer temperature is 19°C. In general, the east coast enjoys more sunshine but experiences colder winters.

After a big night out sampling Scottish whiskey, try the local pick-me-up in a can: Barr's Irn-Bru (iron brew), a tangy orange drink with enough E numbers and sugar to cure the most serious of hangovers.

Like the rest of Britain, the currency in Scotland is the pound. Banks in Scotland still administer their own notes and these will generally be accepted in England and Wales.

From Stranraer on Scotland's west coast it is a 105-minute ferry ride to Belfast in Northern Ireland.

National Express is the largest coach company in Britain, linking major towns and cities in Scotland with the rest of Britain. Budget coach company Megabus is the cheapest way to travel between major cities.

Scotland is served by budget airlines like BmiBaby and Ryanair. Scotland's main airports are in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Smaller airports are located in Aberdeen and Dundee.