Surprisingly the weather got better after we passed through a torrential downpour at Shotts, and while it was still a chilly 11 degrees when we arrived in Glasgow, at least it wasn’t raining or too windy.

We continued through Glasgow and over the Clyde, branching off the M8 after the Kingston Bridge and onto the M77, before heading into Pollok in search of Crookston Castle.

Crookston Castle occupies the top of a natural hill which seems to have been fortified since ancient times. In the 12th century a wooden castle was built here by a Norman knight, Sir Robert de Croc, whose name is preserved in the name of Crookston.

In the 14th century Crookston was bought by the Stewart family, and around 1400 they built the stone castle which can be seen today. It took a rather unusual form, having a main central square tower at each corner of which was a taller square tower. The only tower still standing to its full height is the north-east one, and while the south-east tower’s footings are still visible, the north-west and south-west towers were destroyed in 1489 by Mons Meg and never rebuilt.

The castle is protected not only by the steep sides of the hill on which it stands, but also by a ditch and bank which pre-date the stone castle.

From Crookston we headed south-east to the edge of Newton Mearns, where Mearns Castle is located. Hidden away in a slightly odd position behind Mearns Castle High School, Mearns Castle is a large stone tower, built in 1449 by Herbert Maxwell, the 1st Lord Maxwell.

Standing on top of a steep-sided small knoll, it was once defended by a courtyard wall, gatehouse, drawbridge and moat, but all these features have long since been removed. It was restored in 1970, and connected to a newly-built circular, metal-clad church the following year.

The tower consists of four storeys, and stands to a height of some 12 metres.

Along the top of the wall are the original stone corbels, which probably would have carried a parapet.

Below a window on the top floor of the tower at the north-east corner are two corbels, suggesting some kind of balcony or platform.

From Mearns Castle we drove back into the centre of Glasgow, parked at the Buchanan Galleries, and walked to George Square. There was no filming going on while we were here, but lots of American vehicles were parked around the streets off George Square, and there were American signs and traffic lights everywhere. The effect was really quite convincing.

The Garden was designed by Charles Jencks (and surrounds his home, Portrack House), and each year he opens it, with the entrance fee going to his late wife’s charity Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.

Inspired by maths and science, it is made up of beautifully elegant landscaped forms.

It took us a couple of hours to get around the garden and see everything we wanted. A truly inspirational place.

Taking advantage of the fact that we were so far south, we continued even further south beyond Dumfries to Caerlaverock Castle. I’d never been here before, and it was a castle I’d always wanted to visit as it looks so different to the majority of other castles in Scotland.

Built on an interesting triangular plan, it is surrounded by a moat, which in antiquity made it highly defensible, but which now makes it incredibly photogenic.

Inside the massively thick defensive walls is an open courtyard, on the left of which (as you enter) is an ornate mansion built in 1634.

Featuring magnificent examples of Renaissance decoration, this block would have added luxury accommodation to the more basic 13th century buildings which preceded it. Throughout the castle it’s possible to see 17th century embellishments, such as the ornate doorway into what would have been the main hall.

At each corner of the castle is a massive round tower.

In the woods behind the castle are the remains of its predecessor, Old Caerlaverock Castle, which predates its larger neighbour by just 50 years, and may have been abandoned due to poor foundations.

On the way back north we stopped off at the Twelve Apostles stone circle. Actually consisting of eleven stones (there are legends which state that it’s impossible to count the number of stones accurately), the circle measures some 89 metres across.

Next on our lengthy itinerary for today was Drumlanrig Castle. By now it was well past closing time, but we cheekily drove up the driveway anyway to take a quick picture of this magnificent 17th century Renaissance palace, now part of the Duke of Buccleuch’s estates.

We had one more castle to see on the way home, and that was Morton Castle. It wasn’t really on the way home as we had to drive up a small country road to get to it, but it was worth visiting. Built on a similar triangular plan to Caerlaverock Castle, it stands on a rocky outcrop high above an artificial loch.

Another feature it shares with Caerlaverock Castle is the round towers at each corner.

On the loch side of the castle the north walls and towers have fallen, along with half of the south east tower.

What does remain is a huge hall, which has led this castle to be described as a hall house.

And with the light fading, it was finally time to head back up to Edinburgh.

The outside is immediately identifiable by several Rennie Mackintosh design features.

But it’s once you move inside that you really get the feeling of how special a piece of design it is. Dark wood panelling extends to above head-height, with white-washed walls above that, giving quite an oppressive, dark atmosphere.

However off the main space, to the front of the house, are much lighter, very airy rooms with a delicate feel about them.

The doors feature more signature Rennie Mackintosh motifs.

As do the main spaces, decorated with the now familiar Rennie Mackintosh rose design.

The rest of the building was very impressive, but walking into the dining room (again, at the front of the house) was just mind-blowing.