Callander House, Falkirk

Just a short walk from Falkirk town centre, lies the 170-acre green oasis of Callander Park. The centrepiece is Callander House - a mansion fashioned in the style of a French Renaissance chateau, fused with elements of Scottish Baronial architecture, while an older tower house sits at the core. It's an impressive building with a varied 600-year history. It is now in the care of Falkirk Council, who run it as a museum and art gallery. Entry is free and the splendid tea room offers views of the surrounding parkland.

I arrived on a misty Sunday morning, which leant the park a rather eerie air. The ground floor exhibition deals with the history of Scotland over the lifetime of the house, while the upper levels host displays on the Antonine Wall (part of which runs through the Callander estate) and the local area's contribution to the industrial revolution. A collection of paintings can be viewed and the oak-panelled Victorian library holds the Falkirk archives, which can be searched by appointment.