Ever since the time of the Picts there has been a settlement at Dundee. Dundee, Scotland’s fourth largest city, has long been associated with commerce and trade. The three primary industries, in the city of Dundee, were “journalism, jam and jute”.  Although the city of Dundee could be described as post-industrial it has a mixed economy and has a large percentage of its inhabitants employed in the manufacturing industry (by comparison to the rest of Scotland), approximately 13.5%. Recently the tourism trade has started to become a crucial part of the Dundee economy and there are an increasing number of hotels and guest houses providing Dundee bed and breakfast accommodation and in the article below I discuss readers to 3 Dundee attractions; Verdant Works, Sensation Science Centre and Discover Point Visitor Centre:

The Discover Point Visitor Centre

Discovery Point is a immensely interesting and award-winning Dundee visitor attraction which tells the story of the most heroic  voyages of exploration ever carried out, the story of the world famous explorer of the Antarctic , Captain Robert Falcon Scott, and his first ship,  RRS Discovery. On the 21st of March, 1901, the Discovery was launched from the Panmure Shipyard in the town. Captain Scott and his crew set off for Antarctica on August the 6th nineteen hundred and one, reaching their destination in January 1902. The RRS Discovery is the most prestigious part of the centre having been fully renovated from the top to the bottom. Steep stairs and narrow passageways can cause difficulty for those with mobility issues, fortunately, visitors will find there is an audio visual presentation at the dockside.

Sensation Science Centre

If you are searching for an attraction which will provide entertainment for all the family, then Dundee’s Sensation Science Centre is the perfect place to go. Sensation Dundee is the Great Britain’s only science centre which focuses upon the body’s five senses. You can explore the miracles of sciences  through the body’s senses through over eighty hands-on exhibits. You will also find live science shows and demonstrations, demonstrating how common household ingredients can be utilised to amazing effect. Visitors interested in surgery are even able to try their hand at keyhole surgery. Sensation brings science to life in a large number of incredibly interesting ways.

Verdant Works

Verdant Works  was, in the past, a working jute mill. At it’s height, in the 1860’s and ’70’s, the industry in Dundee employed around 50,000 folk in excess of 60 factories scattered across the city of Dundee. These days,  Verdant Works brings this industry to life, by utilising a range of displays including, film shows, interactive computers and original machinery. This incredible museum once housed three massive steam engines which powered seventy looms and nearly three thousand spindles.  There was also 5 hundred workers working there, spinning and preparing jute for it to be weaved in another factory over the road. Restoration of the jute mill began in nineteen ninety two and it opened its doors to the public for the first time the 16th of September 1996.

If you are thinking about a short vacation in Dundee you will discover plenty of online hotels and guest houses offering bed and breakfast accommodation in Dundee. You will discover a massive listing of Dundee accommodation at http://dundee.hotelreservationhelper.com/

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Inverness, in the Scottish Highlands,  is found in some of the finest countryside in Britain. There are a great many places, in and around the city, which have strong associations with important periods in Scottish history, more often than not these places lay witness to an immeasurable amount of violence and human suffering. Of course the city of Inverness has a incredible number of visitor attractions (and the number is continually on the increase). In the following paragraphs I introduce readers to 3 places to visit in Inverness Inverness Museum, Inverness Castle and Beauly Priory:

Beauly Priory

It was in the Thirteenth century that Valliscaulian Monks founded  a community at Beauly Priory. Unfortunately no-one has the evidence to say the factual date of foundation but it is commonly accepted that is would have been sometime around 1230. The landowner, and patron, of Beauly was Sir John Bisset, whose lands were almagamated with the Fraser’s of Lovat. The French monks, together with Bisset, are those who first named the settlement Beauly, derived from the French for beautiful place (beau lieu). Unfortunately, the priory at Beauly became deserted following the Reformation and the stone was extracted for use in the construction of other structures. In the year 1913 the ruins of Beauly Priory were handed over to the state for the nation and they are now looked after by Historic Scotland.

Inverness Castle

Over time there have been various structures where Inverness Castle is today, evidence shows that the site had a structure there as far back as 1057. King Robert I of Scotland almost destroyed the very first Inverness Castle. The present castle was designed and constructed by William Burn in 1836. The beautiful castle, constructed of red sandstone, resides on a cliff looking down across the River Ness and the cathedral on the opposite side. King James I of Scotland held parliament in Inverness Castle in the year 1427, and called all the Northern Chieftains to be in attendance. Alarmingly three of these chieftains were later condemed to death for supporting an independent sovereignty.

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Located in Inverness’s town center is the newly renovated Inverness Museum and Art Gallery which is well worth a visit especially if the weather is wet and windy. Inside the museum it is possible to enjoy Scottish History and learn about how the Highlands are associated with the rest of the world. It is also possible to find out about the people of the Highlands, their traditions and culture. There are several different exhibitions featuring, costumes, textiles, fine arts, crafts, archaeology and wildlife.

If you are considering a vacation in Great Britain this year and you hope to spend some of your time in Scotland, you may wish to think about spending some time staying in Inverness. Finding Inverness hotel accommodation online is relatively easy as most establishments have their own web site.  Hotels in Inverness, small hotels, guest houses and bed and breakfasts are always of the finest quality and Scotland is renowned for first class hospitality, so you can be certain of have a most incredible time.

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