Thurston Manor - Fun Days Out

Tantallon is a ruined 14th-century fortress near North Berwick, set on a clifftop headland above the Firth of Forth. A massive red sandstone curtain wall blocks off the promontory, with sea cliffs protecting the other three sides. It was home to the Red Douglas family and was besieged three times, the last by Cromwell's army.

You can climb to the battlements, wander the courtyard and see the remains of the towers and great hall. There's a replica gun by the east tower, artefacts to look at, and a fact-finding quiz as you explore. The views stretch over the North Sea to the Bass Rock and its large seabird colonies. Rare animals, birds and plants can be spotted around the site too. The castle has appeared in films including Under the Skin.

Tip: Head up to the battlements for the views over the North Sea to the Bass Rock and its seabird colonies.

Siccar Point is a rocky coastal promontory in the Scottish Borders, near Cockburnspath, and one of the most important places in the history of geology. It is an IUGS Geoheritage Site. Here, gently sloping reddish-brown Devonian rock rests on dark, near-vertical Silurian rock beneath it. This meeting of two very different rock layers is known as Hutton's Unconformity.

For James Hutton, it was proof that the Earth is immensely old and shaped by repeated cycles of erosion and rebuilding. The promontory shows this angular unconformity in three dimensions, so you can see for yourself how the two sets of rock meet. About a kilometre to the west, the ruined St Helen's Chapel, built partly from local sandstone, is also worth a look.

Tip: Head for the promontory itself, where the unconformity is best seen in three dimensions; the ruined St Helen's Chapel is about a kilometre to the west.

Britannia was the royal yacht of the British monarchy from 1954 to 1997, travelling more than a million nautical miles to ports in 135 countries. Now retired, she is permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, and you tour her five decks at your own pace with an audio guide available in 36 languages, plus BSL/ASL and Braille options.

Highlights include the Bridge, the State Apartments and Queen Elizabeth II's favourite room aboard. Below decks you can see the Crew's Quarters and the gleaming Engine Room, and there is a Royal Sailing Exhibition too. Finish with a stop at the Royal Deck Tearoom. Most of the visit is sheltered, so it works in wet weather, and lifts serve the decks to make the tour highly accessible.

Tip: Book tickets online in advance to save money, and allow about 2 hours; the tour starts on the second floor of Ocean Terminal, which has a free multi-storey car park.

The National Museum of Flight is Scotland's national aviation museum, part of National Museums Scotland. It sits at East Fortune Airfield, just south of the village of East Fortune, in the original buildings of RAF East Fortune, a well preserved Second World War airfield. The whole site is a scheduled monument.

The collection covers military, civil and recreational flying. Aircraft on display have included an Avro Vulcan that flew two of the Black Buck missions in the Falklands War, a Supermarine Spitfire, a Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet rocket fighter and the oldest surviving Harrier. There are also hang-gliders, autogyros and a Red Arrows Hawk. Over the years visitors have been able to walk through a Boeing 707 fuselage section and the de Havilland Comet, and look into the Trident flight deck. Exhibits can change, so check what is on show before you go.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the monarch in Scotland, standing at the bottom of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, opposite Edinburgh Castle. It is closely tied to Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the tour takes in the State Apartments, the Great Gallery, the Throne Room and Mary's 16th-century rooms. A multimedia guide is available, including a version with British Sign Language and subtitles.

Beside the palace are the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, founded in 1128, and the palace gardens, which are still used for royal events. There is a café and a shop on site, and the café can be visited without a ticket. Children can follow drawing activities and trails. It suits history fans, families and anyone who wants a proper look at royal Scotland. The tour is mostly indoors, with some small rooms and access to outdoor areas.

Tip: Free coach parking is next to the palace via Abbeyhill, and accessible spaces are on Horse Wynd, first come, first served.

Edinburgh Castle stands on Castle Rock, the plug of an extinct volcano, and has been a royal castle since the 11th century. It has served as a royal residence, prison, arsenal and military fortress, and is now cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. Research has counted 26 sieges in its 1,100-year history.

Highlights include the Royal Palace, the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish regalia), the giant cannon Mons Meg and the Scottish National War Memorial. St Margaret's Chapel, from the early 12th century, is regarded as the oldest building in Edinburgh. You can also visit the National War Museum and the regimental museums, and there are cafés and shops on site. An audio guide is available in many languages, and official guided tours can be booked. The One o'Clock Gun is fired most days.

Tip: Book tickets online in advance, as they often sell out and none are sold at the castle once online tickets are gone. Allow at least 2 hours.

Rosslyn Chapel is a 15th-century chapel in the village of Roslin, Midlothian, founded by Sir William St Clair. It is still a place of worship and remains in the ownership of the family who founded it. The ornate stonework and its symbolism have drawn writers, artists and visitors for generations, and the chapel featured in Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code and its 2006 film.

You can explore the inside and outside of the chapel and look round the visitor centre. Head for the richly adorned pillars, each one unique, including the Apprentice Pillar. There is a gift shop and coffee shop on site, and free online exhibitions of photographs of Roslin and the chapel. It is a good choice for history fans and anyone curious about the chapel's carvings and its Da Vinci Code link, whatever the weather.

Tip: Check the official website before you go and book your visit in advance.

The National Museum of Scotland stands on Chambers Street in central Edinburgh. It is made up of two connected buildings: the modern Museum of Scotland, which opened in 1998, and the former Royal Museum, with its Victorian façade and a grand cast-iron central hall. Entry is free, though some special exhibitions are charged for.

Inside, the collections cover Scottish archaeology and history, natural history, geology, science and technology, art and fashion, and world cultures. Highlights include Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, the Ancient Egyptian displays, the Millennium Clock and the Scottish Maiden, an early beheading machine. The Scotland galleries run from Pictish stones to the Industrial Revolution. There are cafés, a space for eating your own food, lifts and ramps to the galleries, and assistance dogs are welcome.

Tip: Self-service lockers in the Entrance Hall can store luggage, and the Lunch Space there is available if you bring your own food.