For six months, HES will offer free admission to participating Historic Scotland visitor attractions, which is part of Historic Environment Scotland, on the first Sunday of the month (October 1, 2023 through to March 3, 2024).

People living in Scotland can access Historic Scotland winter ticketed sites by simply pre-booking online and showing their proof of address on arrival.

Commenting on the event, Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HES, said: “With over 5,000 years of history in our care, our historic buildings and monuments can tell us so much about the past, and how it continues to shape our world today, from being the backdrop to film locations to attracting millions of people from around the world and closer to home.

For six months, HES will offer free admission to participating Historic Scotland visitor attractions.

“We think it’s vital people living in Scotland feel history belongs to us all, and through our Historic Sundays initiative we hope more people will take the opportunity to discover the history on their doorstep, or explore further afield to sites they may not have seen until now.

"Engaging with heritage has lots of proven benefits, including well-being, and we very much hope people take the opportunity to explore these sites and be part of history.”

Across Scotland, the winter Historic Scotland sites which ordinarily charge an entry fee include Edinburgh Castle; the medieval grounds of Arbroath Abbey; Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots; the historic barracks and fortifications of Fort George; and Skara Brae, the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in Western Europe.

Advance booking is required. To book, and for a list of participating Historic Scotland sites, visit HistoricSundays.scot.

Some of Aberdeenshire’s most iconic heritage sites set to open their doors for free this winter