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Shop till you drop at Bicester Village in Oxfordshire
Morag Bootland enjoys some retail therapy on a trip to Oxfordshire. HAS the panic set in yet, or are you holding off for the start of December? Shopping. Love it or loathe it, the run up to Christmas means that you have little chance of avoiding it. This year I decided that if you can’t…
Read MoreREVIEW: A West Coast wildlife cruise that ticks all the boxes
Morag Bootland grabs her binoculars for a wildlife cruise on the West Coast. AN INVITATION to cruise around the Inner Hebrides and Scotland’s West Coast on an ex-Norwegian ice-class rescue vessel named Hjalmar Bjorge (which will henceforth be known as HB) was always going to pique my interest. What with my probable Viking heritage, Piscean…
Read MoreBallater gears up for Thrive Bike festival
THE inaugural Thrive Bike festival is taking place in Ballater on 23-25 September. Riders will be able to test their navigation skills during the “Ballater Dash” and “Reliability Rides”. The festival will also include children’s activities, food, music, and stories told by Lee Craigie, director of The Adventure Syndicate. Susan Allum, one of the organisers,…
Read MoreREVIEW: Venture North this autumn and winter
Morag Bootland discovers that it is very far from grim up north on a trip to Sutherland. I DON’T know the far north of Scotland well, but I really want to. So, when Venture North asked if I’d like to take a trip to Sutherland to explore what the area has to offer I jumped…
Read MoreBaern and Aeble team up for cider dinner
BAKERY Baern and cider shop Aeble have teamed up to run a dinner at Bowhouse in the East Neuk of Fife. Founded by Hazel Powell and Giacomo Pearce, Baern uses a wood-fired oven for its sourdough, and sources ingredients from fellow businesses at the Bowhouse farmers’ market, including flour from Scotland The Bread, meats from…
Read MoreNick Gardner’s Munro challenge of a lifetime
Morag Bootland speaks to the remarkable Nick Gardner about his mountaineering challenge. I’VE heard some incredible tales of adventure, tragedy, and love in my years as a journalist. But few have touched me as deeply as Nick Gardner’s real life love story. Nick is now 82, and has spent the last two years of his…
Read MoreREVIEW: Island Hopping Adventures
Morag Bootland finds a family camping and island hopping adventure in the Outer Hebrides has something for everyone. PLANNING a family holiday can be tricky. The about-to-be-teen wants to lie on the beach in the sun eating ice cream, the all-action boy wants to camp somewhere he has lots of space to run around, Dad…
Read MoreAultguish Inn installs ‘wilderness’ electric charger
THE Aultguish Inn at Garve in Wester Ross has installed “one of the most remote electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the UK”. The move comes after a survey found that 34% of EV owners would go on more staycations if they had more confidence in the availability of charging points. Ian Exworth, head of…
Read MoreREVIEW: Eòrna restaurant pop-up triumph
Morag Bootland visits a pop-up by Eòrna restaurant in Edinburgh. AS HUMANS, it’s in our nature to want to be the first to do things. For some it’s scaling a mountain the hard way, or rowing single-handedly around the world. But for me there’s nothing better than being one of the first to try out…
Read MoreIsland Dark Rum from Barra
Morag Bootland takes a look at the new rum from Barra. ISLE of Barra Distillers is delighted to announce the launch of its very first Island Dark Rum. If you’re planning a trip to the Outer Hebrides this summer, or if you fancy a taste of the islands at home then you’ll be pleased to…
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