Your guide to the perfect summer in Scotland

Enjoy!

FIVE GREAT BEACHES

Ceannabeinne Beach, Nr. Durness

This remote-but-sheltered beach in the north Highlands lies between Rispond and Sangobeg and is one of many excellent beaches in Sutherland. Others worth trying if you're heading there for your holidays include Balnakeil Beach, just outside Durness, and the wild and spectacular Sandwood Bay, reached by foot from the hamlet of Blairmore.

Luskentyre Sands, Harris

Reckoned by some to be Scotland's most beautiful beach, the spectacular sands lie on the west coast of South Harris and have views towards North Harris. What's under your feet is pretty impressive too: a vast stretch of white sand fringing aquamarine waters.

Tyninghame Beach, East Lothian

It can't compete with the beaches of the Outer Hebrides in terms of scale and breathtaking beauty, but there aren't many European capital cities which have a beach this good on their doorstep - a 30 minute drive from central Edinburgh should find you walking along it with the sand between your toes.

Machir Bay, Islay

Great sunsets here, according to Conde Nast Traveller magazine, and the presence of an Iron Age fort at the south end of the mile-long beach simply adds to the appeal. You may also pass the 14th century Kilchoman Cross on your way down. And this being Islay, there's no excuse for not having a drop of one of the island's peaty malts in your Thermos. Much better than tea.

St Cyrus Beach, Aberdeenshire

Backed by the St Cyrus National Nature Reserve which in summer is packed with butterflies and clumps of bright purple bellflower, this heroically long beach runs for three miles from the village of St Cyrus to the mouth of the North Esk River. Swimming is optional: this is the North Sea, remember.

FIVES AMAZINE LANDSCAPES

Ring Of Brodgar, Orkney

This extraordinary Neolithic stone circle lies six miles north-east of Stromness on an isthmus. The most northerly stone circle in Britain, it is also one of the finest and most important. It's open all year round, but take a camera - the sunsets are spectacular though at this time of year you'll need to stay up late to catch it.

The Old Man Of Storr, Isle of Skye

Located on the Trotternish Ridge and overlooking the Sound of Raasay, this famous landslip has featured in the science-fiction film Prometheus and was also the site of The Storr, a massive environmental artwork undertaken by Glasgow-based NVA which dramatically lit the landscape and allowed visitors to walk through it. The place looks pretty stunning in daylight too.

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh

OK, so it's more of a cityscape, but there aren't many better places to enjoy the view of the capital than from the top of Arthur's Seat. “A hill for magnitude, a mountain in virtue of its bold design,” wrote Robert Louis Stevenson. Get all the way up and pretty much the entire city is spread out before you. Even better, combine it with a walk along Salisbury Crags and a debate over nomenclature – are the Crags named for the Gaelic word for willow (the Willow Brae area is nearby) or for the first Earl of Salisbury, who fought against the Scots for Edward III and met his end at the business end of a lance in a jousting tournament? It's what they did for fun in the summer the 14th century, by the way.

Glencoe, Lochaber

Overly-familiar from films and postcards it may be, but drive through Glencoe on the A82 and you quickly realise why it's regarded as Scotland's most beautiful glen - because it just is, and no amount of tourist coaches, well-marked scenic viewpoints and car parks can detract from its jaw-dropping majesty. Well, too many car parks could, but you get the point. And, for the time being at least, that view is free. Looks aside, the stories and histories of the people who have lived (and died) there are pretty extraordinary too.

Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre, Nr. St John's Town of Dalry, Dumfries and Galloway

Though there's plenty to look at in terms of landscape, if you go here it's because you want to look up rather than down or straight ahead: the visitor centre is in the Galloway Forest Park, one of the darkest places in Scotland and the UK's first Dark Sky Park. So at night when you look up, you see the canopy of stars in all its glory. “To Andromeda and beyond,” as Buzz Lightyear didn't say.

FIVE HIDDEN GEMS

Dunrobin Castle Museum, Golspie

Bute's Mount Stuart has an impressive array of knick-knacks collected over the centuries by its owners, but if you like your country house museums to verge on the eccentric, this one's for you. It's located in an old summer house and features everything from the stuffed heads of animals shot by family members on safari to collections of Pictish stones and a section on gold panning. The chateau-style castle and its extravagant gardens are pretty special too: they were designed by architect Sir Charles Barry, the man who rebuilt the House of Parliament, and bring a little flavour of Versailles to this part of Sutherland.

Isle of Barra Golf Course

The members of Britain's most westerly golf course are trying to crowd-fund the building of a club house so as yet there's no 19th hole. But the other 18 offer some pretty special views over the Atlantic from the course's position on machair land at Cleat, six miles from Castlebay. But don't think you'll have to enjoy your round without some liquid refreshment: the Isle Of Barra hotel is close at hand.

Logan Botanic Garden, Dumfries and Galloway

Perhaps the least heralded of the sites in the four-strong Royal Botanic Gardens portfolio, Logan is nevertheless an absolute gem. It's located near Port Logan in the Rhins of Galloway, on the south-western tip of Scotland, so benefits from the Gulf Stream, giving it a particularly exotic feel – there's eucalyptus and palm trees and the walled garden is ablaze with colour at this time of year.

Glebe Park, Brechin

The are certainly bigger grounds in Scottish football, just as there are ones which are older or more famous or more likely to meet UEFA requirements on pitch size and the meat-to-gristle ratio of the pies. But there aren't any other grounds with a massive beech hedge running down one side of the pitch and for that fact alone, Glebe Park is worth a visit. And an even more serious point: football tourism in the UK accounts for £684 million a year and attracts around 800,000 people. Sure, most of them head for Old Trafford or the Emirates, but some will find their way here and their wallets will thank them: £17 gains match day entry for an adult and two kids. Result!

Kelburn Castle and Estate, North Ayrshire

Founded in the 13th century, this castle languished in grey-ish semi-obscurity until 2007 when a team of four Brazilian graffiti artists gave it a Technicolour makeover. It was supposed to be temporary but despite various attempts to have owner the Earl of Glasgow remove it, it's still there and still drawing crowds. In 2011, it was named one of the 10 best examples of street art in the world by author and street art connoisseur Tristan Manco. The estate itself, which is located near Fairlie, is home to a number of outdoor attractions such as a mountain bike trail.

FIVE PLACES FOR A HISTORY LESSON

Vikingar!, Largs

Forget Culloden, Bannockburn and this year's Scottish Cup Final - one of the most important battles in Scotland was fought at Largs against the Vikings in 1263. Find out more in the town's Viking centre.

Sueno's Stone, Forres

Standing over six metres high and now encased in a protective glass construction to protect its extraordinarily ornate decoration, this is Scotland's largest carved stone and dates from around the 9th century. Its name is a reference to Sweyn Forkbeard, father of King Cnut, though historians argue over the association and several other theories have been put forward as to the battle scenes the stone shows. Local legend has it that the stone marks the place where Macbeth met his three witches, making it the “heath” mentioned in Shakespeare's famous play.

Stirling Jail, Stirling

Tour the old jail in the company of feared executioner Jock Rankin and Victorian governor Mr Hislop (or actors playing them anyway) and learn all about the jail's colourful past. Built in 1847, it remained in use until 1935. From the roof you also get grand, panoramic views over Stirling.

Glamis Castle, Nr. Forfar

Anything on a rock is going to look more dramatic - take a bow Edinburgh and Stirling - but Glamis Castle is certainly one of Scotland's best-looking castles, a craggy confection with 1000 years of history to soak up and a pretty decent cafe to boot. It's best-known as the childhood home of the Queen Mother, but there are plenty more characters in the back story to learn about – like the so-called Monster of Glamis, reputed to have been a deformed child who was locked up in the Victorian era and never seen.

Leith, Edinburgh

Take a Trainspotting walking tour of Edinburgh's port district in the company of local Tim Brown and learn about the area and about Irvine Welsh's cult novel. The Leith Festival starts on Thursday and he'll be doing his Deid Dug tour every evening until Saturday as a part of it. Warning: does involve visits to pubs, notably the legendary Port O'Leith.

FIVE FOR KIDS

Go Ape!, Glentress Forest

Located in the Tweed Valley Forest Park just a couple of miles from Peebles, it's one of three tree-top adventure parks Go Ape! have in Scotland. This one, however, boasts the company's highest zip wire, as well as all the usual slides, rope bridges, swings and crossings. Not cheap, but great fun for the kids.

St Andrews Aquarium, St Andrews

With its glorious beaches, its castle, its golf course, its historic university buildings and its local wildlife – those red-gowned students are something to behold - St Andrews isn't short of attractions. But for kids who prefer alligators to quadrangles, the aquarium is the perfect answer.

Glasgow Science Centre

With the Science Mall and the Planetarium there's probably more here than you can fit in in a day, though if you arrive when the doors open at 10am and linger on until they boot you out after 5pm, you might just manage it. Astronaut Tim Peake returns to earth from the International Space Station on Saturday and to celebrate, the Centre has a whole weekend of spacey activities planned.

Pollok Country Park

Sometimes all the little blighters want to do is run around and make a lot of noise using sticks as lightsabers. Sometimes it pays to just let them. They can do it here, in 145 acres of bucolic splendour. And if the Star Wars re-enactment starts to dull, take them to the Burrell Collection: it's free too.

Scottish Owl Centre, Bathgate

Who doesn't love owls? Certainly not fans of Harry Potter. The Scottish Owl Centre has one of the largest collections of owls in the world and with its walk-through habitats and exhibits will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the creatures. There are also flying displays three times daily.

FIVE FESTIVALS

East Neuk Festival

Now into its second decade, Fife's East Neuk Festival has Remembrance as this year's theme: July 1 marks 100 years since the start of the Battle of the Somme and the event is being commemorated here with the world premiere of Memorial Ground, a special festival commission from composer David Lang to be performed in a promenade setting at Cambo. Other participants include the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and SCO Chorus, pianist Joseph Moog, the David Orlowsky Trio and classical-world fusion act Kosmos Ensemble. The festival is centred on Crail, but there are other venues in Elie, St Monan's, Dunino and Kilrenny as well as Cambo.

June 22-July 3

T In The Park

Now in its second year at Strathallan Castle in Perthshire, Scotland's biggest music festival has become a bona fide rite of passage for Scotland's music-obsessed youth. Take a tent and camp if you want the full-on, haven't-washed-for-a-weekend experience. Otherwise buy a day ticket. This year's line-up is a boon for fans of heritage rocks acts - The Stone Roses and Red Hot Chilli Peppers are headlining, while Shed Seven, Stiff Little Fingers and the Bay City Rollers are also on the bill - but if it's post-festival street cred you're after, make sure you don't miss John Grant, Jamie XX, LCD Soundsystem or Rat Boy.

July 8-10

Fèis An Eilein, Skye

The venerable, Skye-based festival of music is now in its 25th year and once again runs through most of July and August. Much of the programme turns on traditional and roots music, as you would expect, but visitors this year include the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra's string section which will perform music by Britten, Bartok, Dvorak and Greig.

July 5-August 24

Brewin Dolphin Borders Book Festival, Melrose

Opening on Thursday and running until Sunday, this Melrose-based literary festival may not have the clout of its equivalents in Hay-on-Wye or Edinburgh, but this year's line-up packs a punch nevertheless. Among the authors appearing are James Naughtie, Chris Brookmyre, Tom Devine, Kathy Lette, AA Gill, and Jonathan Dimbleby. Casting its net wider, however, the festival also welcomes politicians Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and Douglas Alexander (remember them?), comedians Gregor Fisher, Rory Bremner and Phill Jupitus, and musicians Evelyn Glennie and Mike Rutherford. And because this is the Borders, where balls are oval-shaped rather than round, there's also an appearance by former Scotland rugby internationalist Gavin Hastings.

June 16-19

Solas Festival, Perth

Probably Scotland's most family-friendly music festival, Solas is also one of its most wide-ranging thanks to a strong programme which also includes poetry and visual art. Liz Lochhead and AL Kennedy lead the line-up on the literary side, and there's also theatre, dance and storytelling. Meanwhile the musical headliners include Karine Polwart (catch her ahead of her Edinburgh International Festival appearance) and rappers Stanley Odd. This is a festival that's more about community than celebrity, however, so expect to see punters and artists mingling freely.

June 17-19

PICNICS

On top of all this summery fun, it's National Picnic Week as well, so here's five tips on where to go, what to eat, what to drink and what tunes to listen to

Where: Carradale Beach, Kintyre

What to eat: Crab sandwiches

What to drink: A bottle of Fyne Ales's Vital Spark

What's playing on the boom box? Mull Of Kintyre by Paul McCartney And Wings

Where: Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

What to eat: Luca's ice cream

What to drink: A prosecco from Aldi

What's playing on the boom box? Summer In The City by The Lovin' Spoonful

Where: Sweetheart Abbey, New Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway

What to eat: Asparagus quiche and strawberries

What to drink: Sweetheart Stout, obviously

What's playing on the boom box? Happy by Pharell Williams

Where: The Birks Of Aberfeldy, Perthshire

What to eat: A pork pie from the Perthshire-based Wee Pie Company

What to drink: Thistly Cross Traditional Cider, from East Lothian based craft brewers Thistly Cross

What's playing on the boom box? Brose And Butter by Eddi Reader (Burns visited the Birks in 1837)

Where: Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Glasgow

What to eat: Wild rice salad and macaroons

What to drink: Elderflower cordial or a bottle of Outaspace Apple Ale by local brewers Drygate

What's playing on the boom box? I Know Where The Summer Goes by Belle And Sebastian

AND FINALLY FIVE BARBECUE TREATS

Linton's Beef Sausages

Get 'em from Linton Butchers in East Lothian, winner of this year's Scottish

Beef Sausage Champion award

Stornoway Black Pudding

Why not? Try wrapping a whole one in smoked bacon and cooking over hot coals

Buffalo burgers

Fife-based producers Puddledub do good ones.

Halloumi and vegetable kebabs

One for the vegetarians. Try basting them with with thyme and lemon

Scottish langoustines

A third of all world landings are made in Scotland. Let's enjoy the fact