ASK any proud Scot and they will reel off a long list of things our great nation has given the world: television, the telephone, the steam engine, penicillin, refrigerators, MRI scanners, disposable contact lenses, ATMs, flushing toilets, Irn-Bru, Tunnock's Caramel Wafers to name but a few. To mark St Andrew's Day, we celebrate five things that are only possible in Scotland.

Take the world's shortest flight

The 1.7-mile hop between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray in Orkney holds a Guinness World Record for the shortest scheduled passenger flight. It takes on average a minute-and-a-half – or 53 seconds with favourable winds.

The Herald: A Twin Otter aircraft, operated by Loganair, at Traigh Mhor beach on Barra. Picture: Jamie Simpson/The HeraldA Twin Otter aircraft, operated by Loganair, at Traigh Mhor beach on Barra. Picture: Jamie Simpson/The Herald (Image: Jamie Simpson)

Another for the future bucket list is Barra in the Outer Hebrides, where the tiny airport and runway on the white shell sands at Traigh Mhor is the only scheduled beach landing in the world.

Visit loganair.co.uk

Step out at a dinosaur disco

Fossils from the Middle Jurassic period, roughly 174 million to 163 million years ago, are extremely rare and Skye is one of the few places in the world where they can be found. Trackways of dinosaur footprints can be seen at An Corran beach near Staffin (the distinctive three-toed impressions from meat-eating theropods) and on a vast sandstone and limestone slab beneath the ruins of Duntulm Castle (a zigzagging trail dubbed "the dinosaur disco", believed to belong to sauropods).

Visit staffindinosaurmuseum.com

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Make curling stones

Yes, there is other granite but ask any curler and they will tell you the variety quarried from Ailsa Craig in Ayrshire is the only kind that works for world-class stones. What makes it special is the granite is low in quartz, meaning it is less prone to fissures and cracks.

The Herald: A curling stone made at Kays of Scotland in Mauchline, Ayrshire, using Ailsa Craig granite. Picture: Kirsty Anderson/The HeraldA curling stone made at Kays of Scotland in Mauchline, Ayrshire, using Ailsa Craig granite. Picture: Kirsty Anderson/The Herald

Mauchline-based Kays of Scotland has made and supplied curling stones using Ailsa Craig "common green" and "blue hone" granite for every Winter Olympic Games since Chamonix in 1924 (aside from 2002).

Visit kayscurling.com and visitscotland.com

Daunder along a tiny street

Ebenezer Place in the Caithness town of Wick holds the record for being the shortest street in the world. It was officially measured at 2.05 metres (6ft 9in) in 2006. The street has only one doorway: the entrance to No. 1 Bistro, which is part of Mackays Hotel. In 1883, the owner of the building was instructed to display a name on the shortest side of the hotel, and this became 1 Ebenezer Place. It was officially declared a street in 1887.

Visit mackayshotel.co.uk

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Meet the planet's highest-ranking penguin

Edinburgh Zoo is home to a king penguin who is the mascot, brigadier and, officially, colonel-in-chief of the Norwegian King's Guard. The name "Nils Olav" and associated ranks have been passed down through three king penguins since 1972 – the current holder being Nils Olav III.

The Herald: The King of Norway's Guard parade for inspection by their mascot, king penguin Nils Olaf, at Edinburgh Zoo Picture: Jane Barlow/PA WireThe King of Norway's Guard parade for inspection by their mascot, king penguin Nils Olaf, at Edinburgh Zoo Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

He is named after Major Nils Egelien, who organised the original adoption following a visit to the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, and the late Norwegian monarch, King Olav V.

Visit edinburghzoo.org.uk

Please follow current Scottish Government advice regarding travel restrictions in your area. Visit gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19