News
Mountain rescuer ‘Heavy’ Whalley honoured
THE Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture has been presented to David “Heavy” Whalley. Heavy has spent more than 40 years rescuing people from Scotland’s mountains and teaching hillwalkers about safety. He was part of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) mountain rescue service for 37 years, and spent a further three years with the…
Read More£1m Scottish castle bought by American
KNOCKDERRY Castle, a category-A listed Baronial pile at Cove on Loch Long, has been sold to a buyer from the United States. The castle, which was on the market for offers over £1.25 million, was built in the mid-19th century for James Templeton, a Scottish textile manufacturer. Knockderry was designed by Alexander “Greek” Thomson, with…
Read MoreScotch £6bn exports bonanza and more whisky news
SCOTCH whisky exports broke through the £6 billion barrier last year for the first time. Distillers exported £6.2bn-worth of our national drink, climbing from £4.52bn in 2021, and up from £4.92bn in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic struck. The equivalent of 1.67 billion 700ml bottles left Scotland’s shores last year, up by 21% year-on-year. That…
Read MoreInstagram star Less Waste Laura helps NatureScot
NATURESCOT, the government agency known previously as Scottish Natural Heritage, has teamed up with Instagram star Laura Young, better known as “Less Waste Laura”. Young will help to promote the organisation’s “Make Space For Nature” campaign on social media. The partnership includes social media posts and an episode of the “Make Space For Nature” podcast.…
Read MoreNHS Lothian unveils hospital art project
TWO hospitals are running art workshops and displaying art on their walls to help improve the wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors. Art is now on display at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh and at Haddington’s East Lothian Community Hospital. The East Lothian facility also hosted community craft events. The artworks includes a tactile…
Read MoreStirling opens ‘pay what you can’ winter shop
A SHOP inviting customers to “pay what you can” for coats and other winter warmers has opened in Stirling. The Thistles shopping centre has opened the store in partnership with local charity Transition Stirling. The shop sells coats, rain jackets, jumpers, accessories, and boots for adults and children. Gary Turnbull, Thistles’ centre director, said: “These…
Read MoreOutdoor breaks return on Mach a Seo
PRESENTER Ramsay MacMahon returned to the gogglebox last night with a sixth series of Mach a Seo, the BBC Alba show that features weekend breaks in Scotland. Locations starring in the new series include: the Angus coast; Ayrshire; Comrie and Crieff; Eigg; Eriskay; and Ullapool and the Coigach peninsula. “The new six-part series of Mach…
Read MorePerth event to examine grouse conservation
SCOTLAND’S four grouse species will be under the spotlight during an event in Perth. The symposium – entitlted “Practical Conservation for Scotland’s Grouse species” – is being organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and the World Pheasant Association (WPA). Taking place at Balhousie Castle on 5 May, the event will examine the…
Read MoreEstates’ contribution to ‘wellbeing economy’ measured
A NEW report has examined the contribution that Scotland’s country estates make to our nation’s “wellbeing economy”. The Scottish Government set 11 national outcomes to measure progress towards a “wellbeing economy”, which it defined as “an economic system that places the wellbeing of current and future generations at its core”. A report by Biggar Economics…
Read MoreVenison canapé selected for Eat Game Awards
A “SHOW-STOPPING venison anticucho with nori and puffed wild rice” canapé has won the top prize at the Colleges’ Cookery Competition. The contest, organised by the British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC) and Highland Game, was won by George Oakes, a third year student at Westminster Kingsway College. More than 70 students entered their…
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