Today in 1314 the Scottish army, under Robert I, defeated a far larger English army at the Battle of Bannockburn.

Bruce had chosen his ground carefully, and won a tremendous victory over the vast English army. This was perhaps Bruce's greatest hour, and his most enduring memory - fighting for his nation's independence against a hugely superior English force, and winning.

24 June 1777 saw the birth of Admiral Sir John Ross, Scottish Polar explorer. In 1818 he went in search of the Northwest Passage but turned back after exploring Baffin Bay. Financed by Sir Felix Booth, he commanded a second search expedition (1829-33), when he located the north magnetic pole on Boothia Peninsula, now called Prince of Wales Island.

Today's recipe: lap up some lapin; these bunny burgers are a low fat alternative to traditional BBQ fare.