Calm. Centred. Inspired. Just a few words said with purpose can give you inner strength that will last all day. Let these calming mantras, simple tips and beautiful images empower you, and help to anchor you to the here and now.

Castles and palaces around the world are structures of grandeur, might and beauty.

From the flamboyance of Germany’s fairy tale-Neuschwanstein Castle to the gothic, Dracula-inspiring Bran Castle, perched high in the craggy peaks of Romania’s Carpathian Mountains; Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, previously home to samurai warriors to Ireland’s Blarney Castle, where ‘the gift of the gab’ will be granted to any who kiss its stone, the world’s castles and palaces are steeped in history and stories to tell.

Travel writer and journalist Gilly Pickup shares these stories, providing a tour of 50 of the world’s greatest castles and palaces, filled with humour, interesting facts and tips on how best to visit them.

Assorted strange phenomena abound in Scotland - witches, wizards, fairies, sea monsters, yeti-type creatures, UFOs and a plethora of female spirits called glastigs and caoineags who appear in various forms. There are bewitching grey, white and green ladies, naughty poltergeists, unwanted love children, kilted bagpipers, bloodstained clansmen and abstract, floating columns of light. Alongside everyday 'spooks' are ethereal drummers, phantom vehicles, spectral dogs and horses and a ghost with a marvellous sense of humour who revisited this world disguised as a bouncing cannonball. The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui, the A75 Ghost Road, haunted Inveraray Jail, the Phantom of Melrose Abbey, and the ghostly Montrose aviator are well known but a myriad other phantoms reside among the ruins of draughty old castles or haunt battlefields, mountains, roads, barracks, beaches, railway lines, aerodromes, theatres, shops, houses, caves, standing stones, churches and factories and dozens stay in hotels and pubs all over the country. Maybe this surplus of spooky goings-on is triggered by the country's long and bloody history, or maybe it's down to the hauntingly bleak moorlands, craggy mountains and ancient Caledonian forests. Whatever the reason, Scotland is rich in blood-chilling tales and has more ghosts, hauntings and supernatural happenings than any other land on earth.

Scotland’s diverse landscapes, extensive coastline and mix of cultural and historic influences are reflected in its rich food and drink heritage. The country is famous for porridge and other oat foods, haggis, grouse and whisky but there is much more to Scotland’s food and drink than these foodstuffs. There are many interesting dishes that deserve to be celebrated and the huge variety of local produce stretches far beyond Forfar bridies, Arbroath smokies, Fochabers gingerbread and Montrose cakes. In this book Gilly Pickup looks at the special foodstuffs, dishes and drinks that have characterised Scotland over the years, picking out the many interesting stories that contribute to this country’s food and drink narrative. Scotland has a diverse culinary heritage, each different area and region boasting its own local produce and traditions, and today its food and drink businesses and annual events associated with its food and drink are major sectors of the Scottish economy. Tipsy Lairds and Rumbledethumps: Scotland’s Food and Drink will appeal to all those who are interested in the history of Scotland and its food and drink heritage.