Online booking opened this week for Stirling Castle, Doune Castle and Dunblane Cathedral as Historic Environment Scotland (HES) prepares to open the gates to more than 20 ticketed sites this month.
Tickets are now available for sites across the country allowing visitors to enjoy over 5,000 years of history. The historic sites will reopen on Friday April 30 following the Scottish Government’s proposed dates for the reopening of the tourism sector and mainland Scotland moving to COVID protection level three.
New technology is also being implemented as part of HES’s new visitor offering. Visitors will be able to explore the stories of many of the sites in innovative ways through downloadable maps, family trails, quizzes and quests, music, poetry and personal accounts to tell stories throughout the centuries, videos exploring Gaelic culture and words, and digital fly throughs to areas of sites usually restricted to visitors.
Visitors will also be able to access audio tours on their mobile phones during their visit to Stirling Castle, with the web app audio tours also being rolled out this spring at Doune Castle.
Visitors will be able to enjoy access to the historic outdoor spaces at Stirling Castle, Doune Castle and Dunblane Cathedral. Indoor spaces open at Stirling Castle will include the Great Hall, Chapel Royal and the Royal Palace and Stirling Heads Gallery at Doune Castle, visitors will be able to access the Kitchen Tower except for the upper level, The Solar, the Lord’s Hall and the Gatehouse Tower, while at Dunblane Cathedral, the Chapter House will be open.
All visitors, including members, will be required to pre-book tickets online and to use contactless payment where possible; one-way systems will be implemented in some locations; visitors must wear face coverings in any indoor/enclosed spaces including retail and catering areas; and visitor numbers will be limited for safety reasons.
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Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HES, said: “We know how keen our Historic Scotland members and visitors are to get back to our sites, so we’re delighted to reopen over 70 per cent of our properties on Friday April 30.
“Scotland’s heritage sector is a key part of our tourism offer – from providing jobs to increasing our wellbeing – and, in addition to reopening the sites that reopened last year, we will also reopen further sites across the country on a phased basis over the upcoming months.
“We hope visitors will also enjoy learning about the fascinating stories of our sites through our new technology – including QR codes, online videos and digital audio guides for an innovative insight into Scotland’s past.
“In line with Scottish Government guidance, safety measures have been implemented at our sites, and we look forward to welcoming visitors and members back for a safe and enjoyable visit.”
HES is Scotland’s biggest operator of visitor attractions, with over 300 properties in its care. Earlier this month, HES announced a phased approach to reopen its properties, with over 70 per cent of its free to access and ticketed properties reopening on April 30. This date will also allow members of the public access to over 200 unstaffed and key-keeper sites across Scotland where HES can provide free and safe access and where physical distancing can be readily maintained.
All sites will follow the HES minimum operating standards, which were developed to set a benchmark for the safe reopening of historic sites and resumption of operational activities.
From Friday April 30, Stirling Castle will be open from 9.30am-5pm daily, while Doune Castle will be open daily from 10am-4pm. Dunblane Cathedral will be open from 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday and 2-4pm on Sundays. Tickets must be booked online in advance from the HES website. For further info visit: restarthistory.scot
