The strange but true Scottish facts that aren’t April Fools

It a national day for practical jokes and elaborate fibs, but this April Fool’s Day (Saturday 1^st April), VisitScotland is celebrating the weird and wonderful facts about Scotland that are entirely true!

Known as’ Hunt the Gowk’ Day in Scotland – gowk being the Scottish word for a foolish person – the 1^st of April tradition used to see people sent on a foolish errand to deliver a sealed message reading ‘ Dinna laugh, dinna smile, hunt the gowk another mile.

Today, it continues to be a time to fool friends with fictional tales but from tales about Elvis Presley to waterfalls higher than Niagara Falls, the following Scottish stories – believe it or not –  are no April Fools:

• Scotland has approximately 790 islands but only a quarter are inhabited.
• There are more red heads in Scotland than anywhere else in the world

• The village of Bonnybridge, near Falkirk, has been dubbed the UFO capital of the world, with more than 300 reports of unidentified flying objects recorded every year.
• Located at the geographical heart of Scotland in Fortingall churchyard lies what is believed to be the oldest tree in Europe. Estimated to be 3,000-5,000 years old the Fortingall Yew has a trunk diameter of 52 feet. 

• Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire is considered the only place in Britain that Elvis Presley ever visited. In 1960 the ‘King’ was finishing his army national service and stopped over for 2 hours.
• Edinburgh was the first city in the world to have an organised municipal fire brigade.  The Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment was formed in 1824, led by James Braidwood who went on to be first director of what was to become the London Fire Brigade. A statue to James Braidwood can be found in Edinburgh’s Parliament Square.
• It was a Scot from Renfrewshire who laid the foundation stone for the Statue of Liberty. William A Brodie was a stonemason and moved with his family to the US in 1843 when he was two years old. He was born in the village of Kilbarchan.
• Cairns were rallying points before battles and fights. Each man would place a stone on the ground upon arrival and remove it again after the fight. Then the number of stones left would count to the lost number of the Clan.
• The Falls of Glomach in Ross and Cromarty – the UK’s highest waterfall at 375ft high – is twice the height of Niagara Falls.
• Following a storm in 2008, cup and rings marks were revealed in Achnabreac Forest near Lochgilphead believed to be around 5,000 years old.
• The very first recorded appearance of the elusive Loch Ness Monster occurred in 565 AD, when a “water beast ” attacked one of St. Columba’s followers in the loch

And from fools to impressive feats  – do you know that Scotland is also the holder of an impressive number of world records, many of you can visit?

• Ebenezer Place in Wick, Caithness has the record for the shortest street in the world, measuring just 2.05m.

• Operated by Loganair, the world’s shortest commercial flight takes place between the two Orkney Islands, Westray andPapa Westray. It covers a distance of 1.7 miles (2.7 km) and if the weather conditions are favorable, it can be completed in just 47 seconds.

• The Dumfriesshire village of Sanquhar is home to the oldest working post office in the world. It’s been operating continuously since 1712.

• At 127m tall, The Glasgow Tower at the Glasgow Science Centre is officially the tallest tower in the world which can rotate fully through 360 degrees.

• The world’s tallest and longest hedge can be found in Perthshire; Planted in 1746, the Meikleour beech hedge is 540m long and at its highest point is 36m tall.

• As the Home of Golf it is no surprise that Scotland is also home to the oldest golf course in the world, The Old Course at St Andrews Links in Fife. Archbishop Hamilton’s Charter in 1552 is the earliest documentary evidence that allowed the people of St Andrews to play golf on the Links

• Founded in 1786, Strathisla Distillery in Keith has been recognised as the oldest operating Scotch whisky distillery.

• If you pay a visit to Smith Museum in Stirling, you’ll find the world’s oldest football. Discovered during an excavation project in the mid-1970s, tested have confirmed the grey, leather ball is 436 years old.

• The new Queensferry Crossing over the River Forth Estuary will enter the record books as the longest pair of free-standing balanced cantilevers measuring 643.9m. It is due to open in summer 2017.

For more inspiration on factual, fictional and foolish things to do in Scotland visit www.visitscotland.com