An international flavour to the military tattoo

Performers from all over the world are coming to Scotland to this year’s Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. From Australia and Oman to Malawi and the Shetland Isles, producers have explored all points of the compass to select a world-class programme of home-grown and overseas talent to bring this year’s spectacle to life between 3-25 August.…

Read More

Another warning over blue-green algae in loch

Another warning over blue-green algae has been issued after being found in Scotland. Yesterday, Scottish Field warned dog owners to keep their pets away from the toxic scum, which is found in fresh waters in Great Britain and throughout the world, after the deaths of two pets who ingested it. The new warning relates to…

Read More

Book review – The Cod Hunters by John Goodlad

For the best part of a century, cod was the mainstay of the Shetland fishing industry, and intrepid skippers criss-crossed the north Atlantic in search of the richest grounds. Trips of three months’ duration were not uncommon, and the lives of fishermen, many as young as 14, were fraught with incredible danger and discomfort. In…

Read More

Athletes are coming to Orkney for international games

International athletes will be heading to Orkney after it was revealed they had successfully bid for the 2023 Island Games. The news was revealed at the International Games Association (IIGA) in Gibraltar at the weekend. The last time Scotland hosted the event was in 2005 when it was held in Shetland. Twenty-four member islands take…

Read More

A visit to the most northern distillery in Scotland

We all like to travel to the far flung parts of the planet visiting places that we have heard about or seen on our screens. But how many of us have ventured to the most northerly part of the British Isles; not that many if the truth be known? However the islands of Shetland have…

Read More

Scotland’s land-based traditions will be shared

Youngsters are set to learn more about Scottish farming, food and the land at the Dumfries House Estate. Staff at the Ayrshire estate have welcomed a new colleague who will help deliver the growing number of education and training initiatives at the Ayrshire site. Arianne Knowles, who is originally from Annan, has recently been appointed…

Read More

Killer whale spotters descend on the north coast

Whale spotters have descended on the north of Scotland for the Sea Watch Foundation’s annual Orca Watch event. At the end of May, the Pentland Firth welcomes back the charity’s Orca Watch, when the north coast of Scotland is visited by hundreds of whale enthusiasts, tourists and local media wanting to witness the passage of…

Read More

Animal magic in bid to preserve at risk creatures

New arrivals have appeared in all shapes and sizes during recent weeks at Dumfries House estate in Ayrshire. For the past month, dozens of newborn lambs, calves, ducklings, turkeys, goslings and chicks have arrived at the estate’s Home Farm and Valentin’s Education Farm. Education farmer Denise Richardson-Rowell, with Home Farm manager and husband John, has…

Read More

Scotland’s islands are proving a huge draw to visitors

An alluring mix of stunning scenery and fascinating history and culture of Scotland’s islands has brought an extra £36.9 million to the local economies. The islands have seen visits rise by up to 22%, according to the latest Islands Visitor Survey. The Islands Visitor Survey 2017 found that there were 466,125 total visits to the…

Read More

Enjoy some jurassic larks in Scotland

They have been extinct for millions of years, but that doesn’t stop people having a fascination with dinosaurs. Dino fans will rushing to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, as it hits cinemas in the UK on 6 June, but before they can then take a trip to Scotland to explore its many paleontological links and…

Read More