EXPRESS REPORTER
Virtual visitors can explore sites across Scotland on weekends this month - from the depths of the historic Paisley Abbey drain to the heights of Angus’ Airlie Monument.
Doors Open Days 2020 is presenting the festival’s largest ever digital offering, celebrating Scotland’s buildings and stories through online guided tours, webinars and audio trails.
Covid-19 is currently keeping us physically distant, but this year’s Doors Open Days will digitally connect venues and visitors so that people can continue to safely explore Scotland’s buildings, spaces and places.
The Paisley Abbey drain is a 100m- long underground passageway, thought to be more than 700 years old, and it was unearthed in the 19th century.
A limited number of venues will still be open for physical visits this year, but it is expected that most people will enjoy new and cherished Scottish sites from the comfort of their armchair.
Hundreds of local organisations have created unique content that will inspire, educate and amuse anyone with an interest in buildings.
Virtual visitors will be able to climb to the top of Glasgow’s Finnieston Crane, travel back to the Iron Age at Dumfries and Galloway’s Whithorn Roundhouse and uncover the secrets behind Fife’s environmentally friendly Earthship.
This weekend is the first chance people have to get involved, so you can start investigating tomorrow and Sunday.
New digital resources and events will be released each weekend in September through the Doors Open Days website .
The Scottish Civic Trust, national coordinator for Doors Open Days, will also be creating a weekly e-zine highlighting each weekend’s digital events and tours, and sharing fascinating stories from places across the country.
The small number of events and buildings that will be open for physical visits will use a ticketing system to monitor and ensure safe access according to the most up-todate social distancing guidelines.
Numbers of visitors will be limited and monitored in line with government recommendations.
To see which venues are open for visitors, check doorsopendays.org.uk
Susan O’Connor, director of