City dwellers eye farms in search of ‘The Good Life’

URBANITES have spent lockdown dreaming of a move to the countryside, according to figures from an estate agent. Savills said that the number of searches on its website for rural properties have jumped by 50% since March. The firm also carried out a survey, which found a village or country location is now more attractive…

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Pinot punch-up: New Zealand v Oregon

Who will come out on top in a comparative tasting between Oregon and New Zealand? Peter Ranscombe grabs his whistle to act as referee. ONE grape unites most if not all wine lovers – pinot noir. Its spiritual homeland is Burgundy in France, yet winemakers around the world use the variety to test their mettle, from…

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Fiona Kennedy releases ‘remembering’ EP

SINGER Fiona Kennedy drew on inspiration from Robert Burns, the Highland clearances, and the death of family friend for her latest extended play (EP), The Maple Tree (I’ll Remember You). The EP was produced by award-winning musician Calum MacColl, one of Kennedy’s friends and long-time collaborator. Kennedy said: “The theme of the EP is ‘remembering’ –…

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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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Horse trials will gallop back with ‘special’ 2021 event

Organisers of the Land Rover Blair Castle International Horse Trials have promised that 2021’s event will be all the more special after being forced to cancel this summer’s meeting due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s event, which had been due to take place on 27-30 August, was cancelled last night. In a joint statement,…

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Albarino: how will lockdown affect the way wine is made?

Two very different vintages and two very different tastings demonstrate how the weather still plays a crucial role in winemaking, writes Peter Ranscombe. WHAT a difference a year makes; nearly 12 months ago, I was sitting in a London tapas bar – remember when we could go out for tapas? – listening to Paula Fandino,…

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A traditional farmhouse placed on the market

A farmhouse with traditional farm buildings is now for sale. Presented by Galbraith, Holehouse Farm comes with 68.9 acres of land. Holehouse Farm is a traditional stone and slate farmhouse with a rendered finish built over two storeys. The farmhouse has been in the current owner’s family for 113 years has been upgraded over recent…

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Six book shortlist for the Walter Scott Prize

The judges of the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction announced its eleventh shortlist today. The six-book shortlist is: The Narrow Land by Christine Dwyer Hickey (Atlantic); The Parisian by Isabella Hammad (Jonathan Cape); To Calais, In Ordinary Time by James Meek (Canongate); Shadowplay by Joseph O’Connor (Harvill Secker); The Redeemed by Tim Pears…

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When you discover a murderer in the family

When writer Cal Flyn discovered the dark secret in her family’s past it started a long but cathartic investigation. In the summer of 2011 I made a discovery about my family history that has dominated my work and thoughts ever since. I learned that I was the great-great-great niece of Angus McMillan, who left Scotland…

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