"Lochleven Castle holds a special place in Scottish history. It was built in the 1300s, making it one of Scotland’s oldest castles. William Wallace is said to have visited here, as well as Robert the Bruce and John Knox. Most infamously, Mary, Queen of Scots was held captive in this very castle from 1567 until 1568, when she escaped not just the loch, but the country. (Queen Elizabeth I locked her up shortly after, and she never returned to her homeland again.) Now a ruin, the structure sits on an island about an hour north of Edinburgh on Loch Leven and is accessible only by boat." - Freya Herring