News
Life With Cal Major: ‘I look forward to the day I look out my window in the Highlands and see dolphins and whales’
Adventurer, vet and ocean advocate Cal Major has travelled 800 miles around Scotland’s wild coast on a paddleboard. Along the way, she made shocking discoveries, met the communities doing their bit to help and explored the wildlife and ecosystems below the water. I wake up pretty early, normally whenever the sun wakes me up.…
Read MoreCulloden Battlefield: Clan Chief’s shoe buckle among new discoveries
Archaeologists have unearthed fascinating new artefacts from the Culloden Battlefield – including a clan chief’s shoe buckle. Researchers working around a 60 square-metre area close to what was the Government frontline at the 1746 battle uncovered incredible finds, including a variety of musket balls and grapeshot. A broken copper alloy buckle was also uncovered, which is…
Read MoreLoch Ness monster: NASA urged to help in new search for Nessie
It’s been 90 years since Sir Edward Mountain took a team of 20 to look for the Loch Ness monster, the first organised search for the legendary creature. But now NASA has been asked to help in a fresh search for Nessie. The Loch Ness Centre has urged the space agency to lend its expertise…
Read MoreBrodick Castle: Evidence unearthed showing castle was protected by a 17th-century drawbridge
It was once a seat of the Dukes of Hamilton, and has seen many battles in its 800 year history. But now evidence has been unearthed showing Brodick Castle, on the Isle of Arran, was protected by an early 17th-century drawbridge. Archaeologists discovered vertical slots above the entrance to Brodick Castle’s battery which are thought…
Read MoreLife With a blacksmith: ‘We need to hold on to this craft, if we let it die out historic ironworks will suffer’
Historic Environment Scotland blacksmith, Stacey Hibberd, on growing up playing with tools, working on the King’s Coronation and delving into some of Scotland’s most historic buildings. When I was a child I was determined to be a vet up until I was about 12 when I decided to be a farrier. I suppose I…
Read MoreBalmoral Castle: King Charles opens Royal Family home to public for first time
For the first time in its 169 year history, visitors will be able to tour parts of Balmoral Castle used by the Royal Family this summer – after King Charles granted permission for internal tours. Guided Castle Interior Tours will take visitors to parts of the building used by the Royal Family between 1 July…
Read MoreLife With a potter on Skye: ‘It’s really satisfying to see a ball of clay turn into something beautiful’
A year ago potters Kayti Peschke and Luke Seaton moved 440 miles to Skye from Yorkshire to set up SkĂĹŤ Pottery in Waternish. Kayti tell us about being welcomed into the island community with open arms, their stunning workshop on the Waternish peninsular and how she fell in love with pottery. I tend to…
Read MoreArchaeologists discover lost monastery of St Moluag on Isle of Lismore
It has long been believed that St Moluag was one of the earliest saints to arrive in Scotland after he made it to the Isle of Lismore from Ireland around 560AD on a mission to bring Christianity to the Picts. But his monastery on the island near Oban has never been located, and until recently…
Read MoreAye Write: Glasgow book festival called off after event turned down for funding
It has been attended by some of the biggest authors in the country, from Ian Rankin to Val McDermid. But Glasgow’s long-running Aye Write book festival has been cancelled after the event was turned down for Creative Scotland funding. The event, which has been running since 2005, regularly attracts leading authors to the city to…
Read MoreLife With the National Library of Scotland: ‘I have conserved incredible material from Jane Austen to Charles Darwin’
Conservator Claire Hutchison on having the patience to handle delicate archive material, working on a first edition of Darwin’s The Origin of Species, and safeguarding national collections. When I was a kid, I was very much into painting and drawing, but I didn’t know about conservation until I was at high school. I was lucky enough…
Read More