Today we celebrate Scotland.

In my 41 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit many countries, including Spain, Hungary, Greece and, of course, all four countries of the UK, with Scotland getting a head start.

I’ve seen countless beautiful sights, natural wonders and man-made marvels, yet I never tire of the Scottish scenery. We have it all: verdant hills, sparkling lochs, wondrous wildlife and some of the most spectacular views you could ever hope to see.

As a family, we’ve explored the Borders at Dumfries and Galloway, ascended a mountain in the Cairngorms, yes, a wheelchair-accessible mountain thanks to the recently reopened funicular, and spent time at both Loch Ness and Loch Lomond, the big ones.

We’ve driven along the A82 only to be consumed by stone giants in Glen Coe, and every time I can’t help but feel the smallness of the mountains and find comfort in the cosmic insignificance of our existence.

We visited the Isle of Skye, happened upon a white sandy beach and took the muddy train to the Talisker Waterfall, which would be impossible without the Triride.

One of my favourite things about these near mythical places is that they remind me of the world as it was before we built buildings, towns and cities, when the earth was new and man was yet to be.

It’s a unique magic that allows us to step back in time, with the knowledge that we can return to the comfort we’ve become accustomed to at any moment.

We’re blessed with an abundance of beauty, made even more beautiful by the fact we’ve experienced it together.

Yet there’s much we’ve yet to see, which is why we’re holidaying at home next year, to explore the places we haven’t been and fall deeper in love with the land of our birth.

We’re lucky to call Scotland home.