Raising a glass with a Scotch whisky – at the South Pole

Whisky lovers around the world no doubt brought in the New Year with a tipple of Scotland’s national drink. But you can be sure no one enjoyed a more remote dram than Antarctic explorer Barney Swan – who is currently en route to the South Pole. On Hogmanay he and his team of three toasted…

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Top crime authors line up for Aberdeen’s Granite Noir in 2018

  Aberdeen’s second Granite Noir festival celebrating crime fiction is to take place in February. Some of the biggest names in crime fiction, a poisoned cocktail party, chilling film screenings and workshops are part of the schedule. Ann Cleeves, Chris Brookmyre, Val McDermid, Hugh Fraser and Robert Daws will headline the festival, which runs in…

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Outstanding chance for writers to develop their skills with Fellowship

Writers are being encouraged to apply for the Scottish Book Trust’s Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Scotland-based professional writers, who would benefit from time away from their usual environment to develop their work, are encouraged to apply. The Fellowship was initiated in 1994 by Franki Fewkes, a Scottish Robert Louis Stevenson enthusiast then living in France,…

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Harbour festival is all set to be a blazing success

There’s just over two weeks to go until a flaming hot programme of entertainment by the sea. Dazzling fire performances have been added to the programme in preparation for the Scottish Maritime Museum’s award-winning Illumination: Harbour Festival of Light in Irvine, North Ayrshire. One of the major highlights of illumination, which runs from Thursday, November…

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Waterfront will be brought to life in a festival of light

A historic Scots waterfront will twinkle with lights once again at the endof this month. The Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine’s award-winning four day winter spectacular illumination, Harbour Festival of Light, returns with even more sparkle and some giant, kaleidoscopic seaweed. Over 15,000 visitors enjoyed the inaugural, award-winning illumination festival held at the Scottish Maritime…

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StAnza returns with another outstanding programme for its 20th festival

  StAnza, Scotland’s International Poetry Festival is set for another outstanding festival as it prepares to open for its 20th year celebrations in Fife. The annual festival which once again boasts a fantastic line-up of literary talent, gets underway next week with traditional Scottish singer Sheena Wellington opening the festival in St Andrews. Sheena, who…

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Nominations are now open for the crofting elections

The process of nominating candidates opened this week, with Scotland’s 16,000 crofters able to put forward candidates or stand themselves for election to the Crofting Commission’s board as commissioners. The Commission regulates and promotes the interests of crofting. March’s postal election is to elect commissioners from the six crofting constituencies: East Highlands, Orkney and Caithness,…

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