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Celebrate 800 Years of History, Culture and Heritage With Perth

The fascinating country of Scotland attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the globe each year, all of whom no doubt want to make sure that they get the most out of every moment of their trip. Many want to gain insight into the extensive history and rich culture of the country, as well as to enjoy its rugged natural beauty. A visit to Perth in 2010 will cover all these aspects and more. Perth was granted its Burgh Charter by King William "The Lion" of Scotland in 1210, and in celebration of the 800th anniversary of this noteworthy event, the town will be hosting a series of exciting events throughout 2010 – making it a really good time for tourists to visit and explore this charming town and its surroundings.

So what can the inhabitants of Perth and visitors look forward to in 2010? The various events have been categorized under Culture and Sports, Heritage and Economy, and in addition to events taking place in and around Perth, neighboring burghs and villages in the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland will be encouraged to participate with events of their own. The Culture and Sports category will include an international chess festival in late January 2010; a film festival in April; a public art trail from May onward; the Scottish Orienteering Championships in May; multimedia art festivals in May and June; and a golf tournament in September, to name but a few. An event which organizers anticipate will attract adventurers from far and wide will be the Geocaching Mega Event on 31 July 2010. Modern technology puts a new spin on treasure-hunting as participants use GPS devices to scour the great outdoors for hidden treasure.

One of the highlights of the Heritage events program will be the ongoing exhibition at the Perth Museum and Art Gallery titled: Skin and Bone – Life and Death in Medieval Perth. Showcasing a collection of objects discovered during archaeological excavations in Perth during the 1970s, this exhibition is sure to leave visitors with a renewed sense of gratitude for being born in current times.

In addition to the "Perth800" special events and special offers from local businesses, all the aspects that make this historic town such a pleasure to visit at any time will ensure that visitors have a most memorable time in this beautiful part of Scotland.

Features

Gilmerton Cove - Edinburgh’s Mysterious Attraction

Despite extensive historical and archaeological research, the origin and purpose of Gilmerton Cove remains a mystery. In the past Gilmerton was a mining village accommodating the families of local limestone quarrymen and coalminers, but is now a suburb on the outskirts of the vibrant city of Edinburgh in Scotland. Gilmerton Cove consists of a series of underground passageways and chambers beneath the suburb’s streets which have evidently been hand-carved from sandstone, by whom and for what purpose have been matters for debate and speculation, giving rise to a host of theories.

Features

The Spirit of Lewis

It has been almost 170 years since whisky was legally distilled in the Outer Hebrides and that was at the Shoeburn Distillery in Stornoway, which closed down around 1840. The island had established a reputation of producing good whisky. Two farms on Lewis, whose illicit whisky held a reputation for quality, were Coll and Gress, yet there was one in Harris and more throughout the isles. These distilleries existed a very long time ago, but in truth the art of distilling never left the island, it just carried on quietly as it had always done.