Visitor numbers more than doubled during this year’s Historic Scotland Free Weekend, breaking the 100,000 mark for the first time.

On 1-2 April a total of 103,000 people visited the 74 Historic Scotland properties where admission is normally charged, compared to 46,000 in 2005.

Many also took the opportunity to join Historic Scotland, which gives them free admission to all sites and a host of other benefits.

Nearly 1,237 memberships were taken out, compared to 238 during last year’s Free Weekend. As many of these were for families it means Historic Scotland welcomed around 3,500 new adults and children to its 65,000 strong membership.

Fiona Docherty, Historic Scotland’s head of visitor services, said: “The fact that visitor numbers for the Free Weekend more than doubled is quite fantastic.

“People in every part of the country took the opportunity to enjoy the heritage at the heart of their communities without paying a penny to get in.

“Once again it goes to show the passion that Scots have for their national heritage.”

Historic Scotland organised a nationwide newspaper and TV marketing campaign in the run-up to the Free Weekend to further raise public awareness of this annual event.