10 fantastic places to visit in… Loch Lomond & the Trossachs

Head to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, and you’re in for a treat. There’s wide open spaces of natural beauty in abundance, but there’s plenty of other attractions to see and enjoy. We round up 10 of the best. LINN BOTANIC GARDENS & NURSERY On a cliff overlooking the Firth of Clyde in Helensburgh, this…

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Nine new books in Scots given funding grants

Nine new titles in Scots have been awarded funding by the Scots Language Publication Grant. Funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Scottish Book Trust, the Scots Language Publication Grant was created by the Scots Language Resource Network to support Scots publishers and to encourage Scots writers. Applications were assessed by a panel with…

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Ten fascinating facts about… Dundee and Angus

Dundee has become one of the most cool and attractive cities in the UK in the past year. The opening of the V&A Dundee has given it a new cultural vibe, bringing visitors from all over the world to the shores of the River Tay. Here we present 10 fascinating facts which you may not…

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A tale of two sisters at the Fringe

The story of two sisters who make different choices in life feature in Daughterhood at the Fringe. One sister stayed at home to care for their dad, the other set out to ‘make a difference’. Reunited under their childhood roof, Pauline and Rachel unearth more than the 10 years between them. It’s a huge gap.…

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How she helped injured owls back to good health

In rescuing and nursing injured birds, our wildlife writer has discovered that owls have much to teach us about how to adapt to changing habitats and overcome natural and man-made hazards. My passion for our most widespread and common owl, the tawny, began before I started school. I would creep to the corner of the…

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A carefully curated collection of summer writing

Carefully selected by Melissa Harrison, this anthology has been put together to capture the spirit of summer. The physical wonders are captured through the writings of well-known authors such as Charles Dickens, George Elliott and Edward Step, to name a few, and together they form a collection which reconnects the reader with the natural world.…

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The masked raiser invading gardens and trees

With its Zorro-style eye markings, the distinctive nuthatch has northern Scotland in its sights. I am peering out of my office window at the sodden garden, hoping for inspiration to strike. Suddenly I see it; a flash of grey-blue back with a soft apricot-coloured breast, it lands on the cotoneaster and I register the long…

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10 fantastic places to visit on… Skye

The Isle of Skye has a romantic mysticism about it, being covered in fog, with stunning imagery. Skye has a history that it is rightly proud of, but it boasts a number of attractions – natural, historical and new – that make it worth a visit. Here’s our round-up. DUNTULM CASTLE Perched on a cliff…

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Marking a decade of bringing opera to Scotland

Opera Bohemia is celebrating 10 years of bringing live opera round Scotland and providing opportunities for young professional singers and musicians. And it will celebrate with its biggest tour ever and a special production of Lehar’s The Merry Widow. In its first decade, Opera Bohemia has given 135 performances of fully staged operas all round…

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Yardhead whisky looks to the past – and the future

 John Crabbie & Co has released a very special single malt whisky aimed at a different market. Described by managing director David Brown, as the company’s most significant release to date, Crabbie’s Yardhead is aimed squarely at the growing sector of young spirits drinkers who want to do more with whisky than just sip it.…

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