Edinburgh Castle is an ancient stronghold which dominates the sky-line of the city of Edinburgh from its position atop Castle Rock. Archaeologists have found evidence for human occupation of the Castle Rock reaching back to 900 BC, the late Bronze Age. During the Roman occupation of Scotland in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, it was a thriving settlement. In those far-off days they called the place Din Eidyn, ‘the stronghold of Eidyn’. Then came the invading Angles, around AD 638, and ever since then the rock has been known by its English name - Edinburgh. Edinburgh’s Castle rock has been a stronghold for over 3000 years.

In the Middle Ages Edinburgh became Scotland’s chief royal castle (seat of royalty), headquarters of the sheriff of Edinburgh, military garrison and storehouse of the royal gun train, and repository of the nation’s crown jewels and state records. As it stands today though, few of the castle's structures pre-date the Lang Siege of the 16th century, with the notable exception of St Margaret's Chapel, the oldest surviving building in Edinburgh, which dates from the early 12th century. Since the time of the last siege in 1745, the ancient fortress has continued to serve as an active army base, but has since found new roles - as a major visitor attraction, as home of the Scottish National War Memorial and two proud Scottish regiments (the Royal Scots and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards), and as host of the world-famous Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Urquhart Castle (pronounced "urkurt") sits beside Loch Ness in Scotland, between Fort William and Inverness. Though extensively ruined, it was in its day one of the largest strongholds of medieval Scotland, and remains an impressive structure, splendidly situated on a headland overlooking Loch Ness. It is also near the castle where the majority of Nessie (Loch Ness Monster) sightings occur.

It is not known precisely when the castle was built, but records show the existence of a castle on this site from the early 1200s. Opinions differ as to whether Urquhart Castle was originally the site of a Pictish fort dating back to a visit by St. Columba in 597, but there was certainly a Pictish settlement in the area at the time. The first real evidence of anything recognisable as a castle dates back to the years following 1230. The castle was largely destroyed in 1692 by Williamite troops who had been holding the castle against Jacobite forces and the castle was never repaired and remained as a ruin.

Loch Ness (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Nis) is a large, deep, freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately 23 miles southwest of Inverness. Its surface is 52 feet above sea level. Loch Ness is best known for the alleged sightings of the legendary Loch Ness Monster, also known as "Nessie". Loch Ness contains more fresh water than all lakes in England and Wales combined and at tts deepest point is 754 feet. The Caledonian Canal, which links the sea at either end of the fault, uses Loch Ness for part of its route. It is one of a series of interconnected, murky bodies of water in Scotland; its water visibility is exceptionally low due to a high peat content in the surrounding soil.