Feel free to explore Lanarkshire’s history

Bothwell Castle, dramatically situated by a winding curve in the River Clyde, is one of over 30 top Historic Scotland attractions taking part throughout the country.

Hotly fought over during the Wars of Independence, this impressive medieval stronghold frequently passed back and forth between English and Scottish hands.

The registration for free tickets opened on Tuesday at www.ticketgiveaway.co.uk.

Members of the public will have until 5pm on Thursday, November 28 to register online and apply for tickets to the attraction of their choice.

Tickets are redeemable during Ticket Giveaway Weekend only. The Blackhouse, Arnol and Iona Abbey will be open on Saturday, November 30 only.

A maximum of two adults and three children are allowed per site and visitors are required to pre-book timeslots at Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Doune Castle and Maeshowe.

This year’s campaign was launched at Jedburgh Abbey, one of the sites participating in the giveaway, encouraging people across Scotland to take advantage of the opportunity to visit some of the country’s most iconic attractions for free.

Stephen Duncan, Director of Commercial and Tourism at HES, said: “I’m delighted to announce details of this year’s Ticket Giveaway, which offers free entry to a host of our winter-opening ticketed attractions over the St Andrew’s Day weekend.

“We’re committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to explore and enjoy our historic environment.

“If you’ve never visited your local historic site, this is your chance to get out and discover Scotland’s fascinating past for free.”

For a full list of participating sites and to apply for tickets, visit www.ticketgiveaway.co.uk.