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History and legend come together at the ruins of Yester Castle and its underground vault, the Goblin Ha', has been the inspiration behind the name of this hotel in Gifford. The family run Goblin Ha' hotel is friendly and informal and has seven comfortable en suite rooms, making it the perfect choice to spend a peaceful holiday. The restaurant uses fresh and locally sourced produce imaginatively to create a menu that is contemporary and extensive.

Apart from a range of delicious breakfasts, there are numerous options for lunch and dinner and you could try the tasty black pudding, brie and bacon tower. Move on to king prawn, smoked haddock and beer battered fish and chips or a more substantial aged prime Scottish sirloin steak, before ending with the delicious sticky toffee pudding. The drinks list is eclectic featuring new and old world wines in a balanced fashion, complementing the meals perfectly.

Inn on the Loch, Lanark sits on Lanark Loch, Scotland, this delightful country inn overlooks Lanark Loch country park with its resident population of 50 swans. It has been recently upgraded, and all food is freshly prepared from scratch, with such traditional Scottish dishes as haggis and cullen skink featured on the menu. Head Chef is Duncan McKay, formerly Head Chef at 78 St. Vincent, Glasgow (Good Food Guide and AA listed during Duncan's tenure). There is an extensive wine list with beers from Belhaven as well as a decent Belgian selection.

It's not often that I use the word salubrious, for what I hope are fairly obvious reasons. But I must say that when circumstances take me to Edinburgh there are few places I would rather be, with the possible exception of the Arts Club, than The George which, as a result of quite recent upheavals, now has Tempus added to it. Since tempus means time all I can add is that Tempus is one of the best possible places to spend it. Salubrious in fact, with most of the trappings that go with formality but totally lacking in any demands upon its clientele other than modern casual.

Described as "one of George Street's coolest bar and restaurant adventures", it has a distinguished cast of management with Marc Robertson, formerly of the Oxford Pear Tree, leading in the kitchen.

The menu is branded, so we start with Tempus Begins, that includes Loch Fyne oysters, and melon with Parma ham, or Loch Fyne smoked salmon. Tempus Continues with such well presented delights as ground fillet beef burger, breast of duck, Buccleuch beef Wellington, a seafood platter (for two) and grilled calves liver.

I did think all this might be followed by Tempus Fugit, but no it's Tempus Finale with such glorious indiscretions as knickerbocker glory, chocolate muffin trifle served with shortbread, churned ice cream with shortbread fingers by Luca of Musselburgh, or the ubiquitous and ever welcome lemon tart.

For a country that gave us the amber nectar, Scotland knows what it's about when it comes to wine too. The cellar here - Tempus Bacchus perhaps? - will most certainly not disappoint.

The original concept for All Bar One was developed by two enterprising ladies, who wanted a bar ideal for women to have a drink and something to eat without the intimidating confines of a traditional pub. Little wonder, that the place has huge glass frontage, open spaces and interiors that are bright and airy. The first outlet opened in Sutton in 1994, became a huge hit, and there has been no looking back since. Today there are close to forty outlets, including one in Cologne, Germany. Irrespective of location, they have identical wooden flooring, menu and service. Antique mirrors, natural colours and reclaimed wooden furniture combine classic and modern styles well.

The menu has tapas from different parts of the world, including the Mediterranean region, Italy and the East. One can also have a variety of burgers, sandwiches and salads. Baked goats' cheese parcels, flat mushroom and halloumi burgers are highlights of the menu, as is the All Bar One beef and coriander burger, a house speciality. With the emphasis being as much on drink as the food, many outlets display a wall of champagne and wines, with beers and spirits thrown in for good measure. The blackboards on the wall often flaunt the impressive selections.

The success formula of All Bar One has been faith in doing simple things well, and that is what they are best known for. A place that is hard to define, for it is not just a bar, restaurant, café or pub, but a special place where people can unwind alone or in company.

It's not uncommon to see plenty of tourists at La Scarpetta, probably because of its location in Balloch, the gateway to The Highlands, on the banks of Loch Lomond. And it's only natural to see the kitchen, relying on the abundance of Scotland's natural larder, applying focus to Italian regions like Ciociaria, Abruzzese and Campania, endorsing a more Southern style of cooking.

One look at the menu and you're sure to catch the involvement of local ingredients, a made to order warm seafood salad of tiger and king prawns, whitebait and squid, dressed with freshly squeezed lemon on a bed of mixed salad bears testament to that. The signature pollo saltimbocca stuffed with Parma ham and mozzarella, pan-fried in butter and served with Marsala sauce makes an impression, and so does a fillet villa Roma, pan-fried steak with onions, mushroom, cream, whisky, mustard and red wine.

The house wine at La Scarpetta is reasonably priced and available by the small and not-so-small glass and bottle.