*This is a sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Hamish Macbeth: My parents introduced me to Hamish Macbeth when they discovered my love for actor Robert Carlyle. He plays the rebellious local police officer Constable Hamish Macbeth in this 90s comedy-drama made by BBC Scotland. Macbeth is happy to keep the peace in the fictitious town of Lochdubh without too much concern for regulations and too much involvement from his colleagues in Inverness. Smoking joints and bending the rules with his West Highland terrier Wee Jock by his side the series revolves around his relationships with newspaper journalist Isobel and author Alexandra.
Monarch of the Glen: Monarch of the Glen is another BBC Scotland production that I fell in love with. A little bit more up to date (2000-2005) it follows the story of Archie MacDonald who has to leave his life as a restaurateur in London to take up his rightful role as The Laird of Glenbogle. With the help of his friends, eccentric parents and romantic interests Archie must work to secure the future of the 40,000 acre estate and all those who live and work on it. The first three series are my favourite but I won’t give the game away by telling you exactly why, you’ll have to watch the series to find out the fate of the Glenbogle estate.
Outlander: Outlander is my current obsession and is available on Amazon Prime Instant Video. I’ve blogged about it here and every episode I watch cements it further as one of my favourite television series. Claire Randall is an English combat nurse from 1945. While visiting Inverness to become reacquainted with her husband Frank after their separation during the war and research his family history she is somehow swept back in time to 1743. Launched into turbulent times where the English occupy Scottish soil and the Jacobite rebellion is brewing Claire is forced to marry a chivalrous young Scottish warrior and a passionate relationship is ignited that tears her heart between two lives and two vastly different men.
Looking back at my favourite TV shows based in Scotland makes me want to visit (or revisit!) the beautiful places they were filmed. I would love to go back to Plockton which doubles as Lochdubh in Hamish Macbeth, visit the Ardverikie estate used in Monarch of the Glen and Doune Castle used as Castle Leoch in Outlander. If you fancy booking yourself a trip to see some of these wonderful locations have a look at http://www.voucherbin.co.uk/ who feature discounts on Scottish hotels, cottages and travel.