Guided Kinneil House tour from your couch

Local tourist attraction Kinneil House, Bo'ness.

The virtual Kinneil House tour is one of the latest two trails to be launched on the Falkirk Explored app, made possible by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

It features 360-degree photos of the historic mansion, including inside its various rooms, with an accompanying audio guide.

Developed in partnership with the Friends of Kinneil, with assistance from Historic Environment Scotland, it offers a wonderful way to see the interior of the building, which has not been accessible during the pandemic.

One of its unique 16th-Century wall paintings in the Parable Room, depicting the story of the Good Samaritan.

The app can be downloaded for free for Android: https://bit.ly/32G23Re and iOS: https://apple.co/3ccfYlh.

Helen Rashad, project co-ordinator for the app makers Great Place Falkirk, said: “Collaboration has been key to our three-year project celebrating the rich heritage of the Falkirk area, and this new addition to our popular app wouldn’t have been possible without input from supportive partnerships.

"We’re thrilled to be able to keep offering new ways to learn about and explore our fascinating local area.”

Ian Shearer, chairman of the Friends of Kinneil, said: "Kinneil House is one of the most historic and impressive buildings in the Forth Valley, and the centre piece of a 200-acre estate with 2,000 years of history.

"Everyone has been missing the opportunity to see the painted rooms whilst the house has been closed during the pandemic, so we were delighted and grateful to work with the Great Place Falkirk team to help them produce this new digital audio tour, supported also by Historic Environment Scotland.

"This makes it easier for people to appreciate the house and some of its many stories from wherever they are.

"We hope that the tour and its excellent 360-degree photographs will entice even more visitors from home and abroad to see Kinneil in person once the house re-opens, and will further help to boost its development as an attraction.

"In the meantime, the adjacent Kinneil Museum, and the parkland, remain open free all year round."