Did you know...?

• The national flower of Scotland is a bluebell, and not a thistle.

• A sighting of Nessie was recorded in the 7th Century by a Monk claiming a beast attacked his followers.

• 80% of Britains coastline is in Scotland.

• Over two-thirds of the UK's catches of fish and shellfish are made in Scottish waters.

• The Scottish Football Association was founded in 1873 - the second oldest in the world.

• There are 25million people of Scottish lineage living abroad with only 5million in Scotland itself

• According to recent surveys, the Scottish accent is the most trusted in the world.

• There are 3 Scottish places with only 2 letters in their name; Oa, Ae and Bu.

• Scotland produced the 'worlds worst poet' - William McGonagall.

• When Robert the Bruce's army attacked the English fort at Kelso, they crept to the fort's walls disguised as a herd of cows.

• The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh boats the worlds largest collection of rhododendrons, the tallest glasshouse in Britain and the tallest palm tree.. (until it was cut down in 1987).

• In 1899 a Chicago judge ruled bagpipes not to be a musical instrument.

• Despite being the 2 oldest international football teams in the world, Scotland and England have never played each other in the World Cup finals.

• Scotlands longest single-word place name is; 'Coignafeuinternich' in Inverness-shire. The shortest name is 'I'.

• Edinburgh is on the same line of latitude as Moscow

• Scotland has hundreds of islands of which only 99 are inhabited.

• Mary Kings Close in Edinburgh was closed off and sealed following the deadly plague of 1645.

• Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh was a volcano that erupted around 325million years ago.

• The highest peak in the Cairngorms lays claim to its own Yeti known as 'Big Grey Man".