Early departure for Loch of the Lowes ospreys

THE ospreys nesting at the Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve at Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire have made their earliest departure. Female NC0 hasn’t been spotted at the loch since 15 July, while male LM12 was last seen on 12 August. Both birds arrived back at the reserve after wintering in Africa on the…

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Cal Major becomes National Trust for Scotland ambassador

VET and adventurer Dr  Cal Major has been named as a new ambassador for the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). Major recently visited the Treshnish Isles, the NTS’s newest site, to film a video. In her new voluntary role, Major will raise awareness of and support for the trust’s conservation work. Major – who has…

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Famous penguin Sir Nils Olav gets promoted

ARGUABLY the world’s most famous penguin, Sir Nils Olav, has been promoted once more. Olav was raised from the rank of brigadier to major-general during a ceremony at Edinburgh Zoo. More than 160 members of the King’s Guard Band & Drill Team of Norway attended the event and bestowed Olav with his latest honour. The…

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Biggest search for Nessie – from home

THIS weekend will mark the largest search for the Loch Ness Monster – with Nessie hunters taking part from their homes around the world. The search on 26 and 27 August is billed as the largest for more than 50 years. A global audience is taking part thanks to video cameras set up along the…

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Art news round-up: Great Tapestry of Scotland, chainsaws, and more

THE tenth anniversary of the unveiling of the Great Tapestry of Scotland will be marked on 1-3 September at the community arts project’s purpose-built visitors’ centre in Galashiels. King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the tapestry last month. Sandy Maxwell-Forbes, the centre’s director, said: “As well as placing our new royal panel in its permanent…

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Respite centre renamed after Doddie Weir

A HOLIDAY cottage that provides respite for people with conditions including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neuron disease (MND) has been renamed in honour of rugby legend Doddie Weir. The My Name’5 Doddie Foundation donated £25,000 to neurological charity Leuchie to refurbish the holiday home at Dirleton in East Lothian. Leuchie has renamed the…

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Edinburgh Riding of the Marches returns

THE Edinburgh Riding of the Marches will return on 10 September following a three-year gap. The event traces its roots to the historic riding of the boundaries – or “marches” – of the city, which dates back to 1579. The practice died out after 1718 but was revived in 1946 to mark the end of…

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National Theatre unveils Dracula and Mina

THE National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) has today unveiled the first look at its production of Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning. The play was written by Morna Pearson and shifts Bram Stoker’s narrative to the North-East. The NTS has assembled an all-female and non-binary cast for the production, which will tour Scotland, Liverpool, and Coventry in September…

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Edinburgh and Glasgow most expensive student cities

EDINBURGH has topped a league table as the UK’s most expensive city for students for the second year running, with Glasgow in second place. NatWest bank’s student living index, which was published this morning, showed that students in Scotland’s capital have a monthly term-time income of £1,453 – the lowest of all the cities ranked…

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