The April 2020 edition of Scottish Field is now available in shops and online.
In another busy issue, we head to Aberdeenshire, where we learn that Queen Victoria drew great artistic inspiration from Scotland, we step aboard the Tornado, one of the country’s few remaining steam trains, and walk in the footsteps of royals in glorious Aberdeenshire.
Editor Richard Bath said: ‘Sometimes it seems like half the people I know have given up.
‘Some body-obsessed souls have given up carbs, other folk with healthy intentions have forsaken booze, and yet more have given up chocolate. I even know someone who has turned off the television for the duration.
‘Swearing is apparently the most popular thing to give up for Lent in Scotland, but just how many will get to the second week of April without a spontaneous outbreak of profanity is a question it doesn’t do to ponder.
‘In my house, New Year’s resolutions seem to have morphed into Lent, and good intentions seem to be catching. One child has given up shooting permanently, another has forsworn meat forever and the last one appears to have finally given up communicating with his parents unless there is a fiscal imperative. Silver linings and all that…
‘I, however, am not giving up anything, except perhaps hope that the Scotland rugby team will win the Six Nations any time soon.
‘However, what I am not giving up on is the vain hope that the rain will stop and the sun will shine. In the last month we’ve been through Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis and Storm Ellen, but I am fervently hoping that Storm Grizel (it’s my sister-in-law’s middle name, as she hates being reminded) doesn’t blight us with her presence.
‘So while others are giving up things, my contribution to Lent this year is to give up giving up. At least this way my feeble stores of willpower are safe.’
Elsewhere in our latest issue, Scottish Field’s wildlife columnist Cal Flyn says that thanks to several successful reintroduction programmes, red kite numbers are on the rise once more.
We also meet gamekeeper of 40 years Michael Batey, who has swapped his shotgun for a paintbrush.
We also turn the spotlight on Sir Alex Younger, head of MI6, who neither wanted nor sought his role in the SIS.
We meet a selection of Scotland’s finest chocolatiers along with indulgent recipes to try at home, and in our food reviews, the Mystery Diner heads to Mono, and it ticked all the right boxes.
In our regular columns, Alan Cochrane bemoans the many pitfalls of modern technology, Fiona Armstrong sees more than she bargained for when out for lunch in Gretna Green, Alexander McCall Smith thanks heaven for Scotland’s fresh, clean water from the hills, Blair Bowman finds Raasay Distillery an ideal port in a storm, and there is no room for pessimists in Guy Grieve’s business.
We also have our regular features, with property, interiors, food, drink, culture and more.
The 196 page April 2020 edition of Scottish Field is available now, priced £4.75. Click HERE to order.
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