Things you didn't know about... Morayshire

Morayshire was the county of the historical Macbeth—or Mac Bethad mac Findláich—who was born around 1005. His father was Finlay, Mormaer (Lord) of Moray. In 1040, Macbeth killed the ruling king, Duncan I, in a battle near Elgin, and became king himself, ruling until his death at the Battle of Lumphanan in 1057.

Speyside malt whiskies come from Morayshire, with many of the famous and not-so-famous brands sourcing their water from the River Spey. Well-known distilleries there include Glenlivet, Glenfiddich and the Macallan.

The Moray Firth is one of just two main areas in the UK where bottlenose dolphins live (the other being off the coast of Cornwall). This Morayshire location is also inhabited by harbour porpoises, grey and common seals, and a vast sea bird population, including guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills.

OK, so you can't do that these days, but the last wolf in Scotland was killed in Morayshire in 1743, around the same time that the last wild pig was recorded in the country.

The Grade A-listed Knockando wool mill is the most complete working district mill in the UK, and has been in operation for 250 years. Its most productive time was during World War I when it was contracted by the Ministry of Defence to make blankets.

The Great Flood of 1829 washed out many of the low-lying lands of Moray, as well as much of north-east Scotland. It has been described as the most severe catastrophic flood in modern UK history.

Flower of Scotland, which has been adopted as Scotland's unofficial national anthem, was written by Roy Williamson, who was also one half of the Scottish folk band The Corries. Williamson was raised in Morayshire and spent his last years in Forres.

James Ramsay MacDonald was born in Lossiemouth, Morayshire, in 1866, and went on to become the United Kingdom's first Labour Prime Minister in 1924. He was also expelled from the Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth—not for cheating but for holding pacifist views.