Scotland is a fascinating country with a dark and bloody past - filled with characters who thought nothing of using torture, murder and treachery to get what they wanted. Many of its ancient sites are steeped in tales of skulduggery and dark doings - castles and houses, monuments and cairns, battlegrounds and burial grounds - each with a story to tell. Now, these historical figures, sites and stories have been brought together in this book. From dragons to dragoons, rebels to rabbles, warlocks to warfare, Devil's Gallop mixes fact with legend to bring to life Scotland's dark past, taking the reader on a series of tours ranging north as far as Inverness and south to Hermitage Castle in the Borders. Murderous monarchs, wicked witches and nasty nobles are all featured in these pages. There are tales of cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers; of religious fervour that led to rebellion; and of murder, abduction and general all-round villainy.