Robert Burns : Scotland

Scotland's literary history may be dominated by one writer, but his inspiration was so far reaching and so ingrained with the landscape that you won't be short of beautiful places to visit on a literary tour of the region.

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Literary Scotland

Despite a wealth of literary talent and a rich literary history, few writers have been as influential and as celebrated as Robert Burns. The writer's earthy prose and folk songs have seen him justly promoted to spokesman for a nation. So it goes without saying that the Scottish Bard dominates the literary landscape of Scotland as much as the beautiful rugged peaks and low-lying glens and lochs dominate the physical one.

Thankfully, a literary tour of Scotland covers all the beautiful land you could wish for, and perfectly complement the region's fantastic literary heritage.

• Find cottages in Scotland
• There are hundreds of cottages throughout Scotland
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Top spots: where did the authors find inspiration?

• Burns National Heritage Park in Alloway, Ayrshire
  Museum and commemorative garden in Burns' birthplace.
  visit location in our maps >>
• The Writers' Museum, Edinburgh
  Large collection of Burns, and other writer's memorabilia.
  visit location in our maps >>
• Burns House, Dumfries
  Museum and former residence of Burns.
  visit location in our maps >>
• Rebus Tour, Edinburgh
  Follow in the footsteps of Ian Rankin's celebrated detective.
  visit location in our maps >>
• Robert Louis Stevenson, Dumfries and Galloway
  Follow in the footsteps of The Treasure Island author on a walking tour of the region.
  visit location in our maps >>

• Tynron Cottage : Dumfries
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• Sleeps 10
• Peacefully situated in the grounds of Lannhall House, Tynron in the Shinnel Glen.
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• Janward : Dumfries
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• Sleeps 6
• Peacefully set with panoramic views over countryside to the Nith Estuary.
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• Conheath Gatelodge Cottage
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• Sleeps 4
• A traditional Georgian cottage with many original features.
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• Solway View : Dumfries
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• Sleeps 4
• This end terrace holiday villa boasts superb open views across the Solway Firth.
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  Play Sample
• The Poetry of Robert Burns
  The poetry of Burns (1759-96) is characterised by its disarming honesty and humanity, and by the poet's remarkable lyric gift. Angry or compassionate, sentimental or satirical, romantic or bawdy, Burns's poetry transcends the Scottish dialect in which it is written to speak to all of us.
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• Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns
  Robert Burns, the most celebrated of all Scottish poets, is remembered with great devotion - his birthday on 25th January provokes fervour and festivity among Scots and many others the world over. Born in 1759 into miserable rustic poverty, by the age of eighteen Burns had acquired a good knowledge of both classical and English literature.
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• I Never Knew That About Scotland
  Bestselling author, Christopher Winn takes us on the ultimate journey around Scotland.
• Travelling county by county, this irresistible miscellany unearths the enthralling stories, firsts, birthplaces, legends and inventions that shape the country's rich and majestic history.
• To uncover the spellbinding tales that lie hidden within Scotland's wild and romantic shores, to experience what inspired the country's powerful literature and towering castles, and to tread in the footsteps of her villians and victors, is to capture the spirit of this fascinating country and bring every place you visit to life.
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• Scotland's Malt Whisky Distilleries
  In Scotland, between 1750 and the present day, over 700 distilleries have been legally registered to make single malt Scotch whisky. Of those there are 100 in production today. Blighted by punitive taxation, war, poor harvests, prohibition, the temperance movement, corruption, recession, takeovers and mergers as well as the inevitable interference of the company accountant, those that have survived each has a unique tale to tell. For many the story is quite simple: they produce the right style of malt whisky for use in the big brands of blended Scotch whiskies. From Glenturret to Daft Mill, the history of every surviving distillery is told in this book.
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• The Rough Guide to Scotland
  Make the most of your time with The Rough Guide to Scotland, your ultimate companion to this stunning country. The full-colour section introduces Scotland's highlights, from the spectacular wildlife of the Hebrides to the deserted golden beaches in South Harris. Explore the cultural quarters of Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as the open spaces of remote glens, windswept Hebridean beaches and architectural masterpieces.
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• Walk Scotland: A Guidebook for All Seasons
  Walk Scotland is a guidebook with a difference as Bruce Sandison takes the reader on 125 of his favourite walks - from the Shetland Isles to the Borders, including three excursions in the land of Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland - combining practical information of indigenous flora and fauna with local history and the author's personal knowledge of these routes in his beloved native land. Each walk is a complete story in itself. Sandison recounts his own experiences during a lifetime spent exploring Scotland's countryside: a first kiss among the trees of the 'T' Woods at Swanston, near Edinburgh; discovering Skara Brae in Orkney, before the tourists.
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