We have been kindly invited to Dalhousie Castle, at Bonnyrigg, near Edinburgh, by Dr Mike Clark.

Now a hotel known for its splendid hospitality, Dalhousie has a history reaching back 800 years. It is currently closed for major refurbishment – and we have been offered the chance to explore parts of the castle that are not usually accessible to guests, including two hidden rooms and the bottle dungeon. Mike says: “It’s quite the project to take on: many different eras of construction, and lots to uncover.” He says we may be able to “help me appreciate details I may have missed – I imagine there are many people in the group much more cognisant of this than I am!”

We will meet at Dalhousie at 11am, and after our exploration Mike has generously invited us all to stay for a light lunch as his guests. We will depart after lunch.