A Puzzling Exploration of Scotland Quiz

Answer: Yell

Yell means the same as 'shout loudly', and is the name of the Shetland Islands' second largest island - Mainland is the biggest.

Ferries run to Yell regularly with the abundant wildlife, particularly the otter population, being the main attraction. The beaches are an attraction too, although the temperature may not be - the island is quite a long way north even for the Shetlands. The permanent population of the island is just under 1000 in the first quarter of the twenty-first century.

Answer: Gretna Green

Miss Thunberg is Greta, who has made a real difference in drawing attention to the risks of climate change. Adding the letter 'n' to her name gives you Gretna while, in golf, you putt on the green.

Gretna Green, in Dumfries and Galloway, established itself as being the place to elope to due to its proximity to the border with England. Although the age at which people can marry is now the same in both countries, marrying in Gretna Green still appeals to the more romantic among us.

Answer: Ayr

The clue for this is a homophone - the reference in the question is to Bach's 'Air on the G String' and arranged to be played on just the G string of the violin in 1871.

The town of Ayr is located on Scotland's south western coast. Its most famous son is Robert Burns, born in 1759 in a village called Alloway, which is now a suburb of Ayr. It is also home to the Scottish Grand National steeplechase race.

Answer: Dunblane

This one is an anagram - rearranging bun laden gives you Dunblane.

The town is in central Scotland with the name believed to derive from an early Christian saint named Blane. It is primarily a commuter town with good transport links to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Although both Andy Murray and his older brother, Jamie, were born n Glasgow, they were raised in Dunblane and attended school there. Both were at the primary school in 1996 when a local man attacked it, killing several children and a teacher.

Answer: Stirling

A synonym for agitate is stir while heather is also known as ling, giving you the name of Stirling.

The city of Stirling is in the middle of Scotland and is within easy reach of both Edinburgh and Glasgow. It is situated where the Lowlands of Scotland start to become the Highlands, giving the city its nickname. It was an important city historically, equal in status to Edinburgh, but the union of England and Scotland, when James VI (James I of England) succeeded Elizabeth I led to its decline as a political base. It still has an imposing castle, though, situated high above the city.

Answer: Brechin

This clue is a hidden word - somBRE CHINaman hides the name of Brechin.

Brechin is situated in Angus and is sometimes called a city, unofficially, due to its history as a seat of both the Roman Catholic church and the Scottish Episcopal Church. It also has Brechin Cathedral, again not an officially recognised cathedral, since it is a Presbyterian church. Parts of the building, notably its Round Tower, date back to the very early eleventh century.

Answer: Falkirk

Topple is another word for fall, while a Scottish church is known as a kirk, creating the name of Falkirk.

Falkirk has featured in quite a lot of Scotland's history. The Antonine Wall, built by the Romans to mark the northernmost reach of their Empire in Great Britain, has left signs of its presence in the town. It was also the site of two major battles, one involving William Wallace in 1298 (he lost) and the other involving Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746 (he won the battle, but lost the war). It is also home to the Falkirk Wheel, a famous sight on the local canals, which acts as a means of moving boats from one canal to another.

Answer: Montrose

This is another synonyms clue, with mont being the name for mountain in French and rose meaning the same as ascended to give you the answer of Montrose.

Montrose lies on the coast in the county of Angus and is approximately equidistant between the cities of Dundee and Aberdeen. Its harbour has been in use since mediaeval times, and the town was also a training base for airmen during World War II. Among its sites is a statue of a dog named Bamse, who arrived from Norway during the war as a 'crew member' on his owner's minesweeper.

Answer: Holyrood

The clue mentions the Christmas carol 'The Holly and the Ivy', so Holly is the first part of the name and impolite means the same as rude, giving the answer Holyrood.

In the same way that Westminster has become shorthand for the UK's government, Holyrood is known for being Scotland's equivalent. The area lies at one end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile and the government meets in a new, purpose-built, building completed in 2004. The name derives from the abbey which was originally built in the twelfth century, named Holy Rood to denote the cross on which the crucifixion of Jesus took place.

Answer: Alloa

This is another hidden word clue - cALL OArsmen hides the name of Alloa.

The town of Alloa is in Clackmannanshire, and is situated on the north bank of the Forth, where the river opens up to become the Firth of Forth. It was, for many years, a port but it is not large enough for the huge vessels in use nowadays, and the port stopped operating as such in the 1970s. Although historically Alloa was associated with brewing and weaving, both industries have declined with Stirling and Falkirk being the main centres nearby.