National Trust for Scotland launches walking campaign

THE National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has launched a walking campaign to raise money for its sites. Its “Stride out for Scotland” initiative aims to encourage people to take more exercise while fundraising for the charity. The latest move is part of its wider “Save our Scotland” campaign, which has so far raised £2 million…

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Artist supports golden eagle project

PRINTMAKER Lisa Hooper has won a competition to create a print that will promote the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. The Wigtownshire-based artist’s design will be used on a poster and information leaflets. Hooper said: “I don’t normally do commissioned work, but this brief really grabbed me because of the subject matter and the…

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Battle lines drawn over Culloden holiday complex proposal

THE National Trust for Scotland (NTS) has signalled its opposition to proposals to turn TreeTop Stables at Faebuie on Culloden Moor into a holiday complex. The conservation charity opposed a previous planning application in 2018, which was turned down by The Highland Council. While the NTS owns parts of Culloden battlefield, it doesn’t hold the…

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Ten birds to spot in your garden this spring

The warmer months of spring promise the start of the nesting season and a chance for nature lovers to spot busy birds as they hurry to build nests. To help stay-at-home wildlife explorers identify their sightings, Swarovski Optik, a world-leading manufacturer of long-range optics, has shared a list of ten British birds that can easily…

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Call to join daily Scottish birdwatch

Scots are being invited to join in with the RSPB’s daily breakfast birdwatch. It is taking place between 8-9am weekdays, at a time when many of us would have been commuting to work, doing the school run, or otherwise unable to enjoy the splendour of nature, from the safety of our homes. Using #BreakfastBirdwatch on…

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Attractive contemporary home in a charming village

An attractive contemporary house in a charming conservation village is now for sale. Kirkbrae House is an attractive modern home situated in a lovely position in the heart of the conservation village of Collessie, presented for sale by Galbraith. Completed about nine years ago and built to a thoughtful high-quality design, Kirkbrae House has been…

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Burns Cottage rethatched in conservation project

Burns Cottage is ready for anything the weather can throw at it. Thatcher Dave Brooks this week added the final sheaf of wheat to the roof of the Bard’s cottage in Alloway. The cottage, owned and looked after by the National Trust for Scotland is undergoing extensive conservation work by the charity, including the replacement…

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Shocking growth as giant hogweed returns early

Scots are being warned to beware robust new growth of one of the country’s most troublesome invasive species – more than a month earlier than it would usually appear. Keith Gallacher of Complete Weed Control found fresh Giant Hogweed growth of a foot or more while quoting for a job in Musselburgh in mid-February. He…

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More than two tons of rubbish pulled from Borders rivers

The second Great Borders River Clean at the weekend was a huge success despite the weather and high river levels. More than 450 volunteers collected more than two tons of rubbish. This was a remarkable amount considering that most of the heavy items like car tyres and scrap metal are still under several feet of…

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Scotland’s sealife at heart of whale and dolphin watch

Scotland played a major part in the Sea Watch Foundation’s 2019 National Whale and Dolphin Watch event. The survey revealed striking biodiversity with an impressive 13 species of cetaceans seen around the British Isles. This was a number which has only been recorded twice before in the history of the event. The total number of…

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