Old Man of Storr footpaths restored

FOOTPATHS at the Old Man of Storr on Skye have been relaid ahead of the busy summer tourist season. Phase two of the project involved relaying the path near the top of the “Photographer’s Knoll”. Duncan Bryden, chair of the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS), said: “OATS [is] delighted that the paths at the…

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Waverley paddle steamer in ‘urgent’ cash appeal

THE team behind the Waverley paddle steamer has this lunchtime issued an “urgent” funding appeal to raise £180,000. The cash is needed to pay the boat’s winter dry dock costs and recommission the vessel for this season’s sailings. Waverley, which is the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer, carried more than 100,000 passengers last year as…

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Lights! Camera! Winton!

WINTON Castle in East Lothian has hosted its first film shoot. Heehaw, an Edinburgh-based production company, spent two weeks filming at the castle. The as-yet untitled film is due to be released next year. It wasn’t Heehaw’s first visit to the castle though – its team enjoyed its second post-lockdown staff party there over the…

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Gin Extremes: From Shetland to Scilly

Drinks blogger James Robertson reviews gin from either end of the UK. WHO would have thought that you would find a gin distillery on the southern tip of the UK on the island of St Mary’s, part of the Isles of Scilly, and then 776 miles as the crow flies there is another one on…

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What’s up with whisky: A Tale of Two Elchies

Mark Littler returns with his monthly look at the world of whisky auctions. WELCOME back, and welcome to September. This month we come to you with tales of the Elchies as we chat about the split that is appearing in the whisky bottle market. As we begin autumn, there are signs of softening across areas…

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Look out for shelduck feathers at the beach

SCIENTISTS are asking visitors to beaches to look out for shelduck feathers this summer. Shelduck replace their feathers by moutling over the summer. They can’t fly for between two and four weeks, and so need to find safe places to moult. British shelduck either moult on mudflats in the UK or fly across the North…

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Scottish Pipe Band Championships head to Dumbarton

LOCAL pipers Rowan Murdoch and Beth Turner will be hoping for strong home support when the Scottish Pipe Band Championships begin in Dumbarton on Saturday. More than 100 pipe bands will play for 25,000 visitors at one of the biggest free bagpipe competitions in the world. Rowan, 19, who will compete in the drum majors…

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Have you seen a spotted flycatcher?

THE spotted flycatcher is one of six species of migratory birds returning home to Scotland right now – and scientists need your help if you spot one. Researchers at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) are fitting spotted flycatchers with tags so that they can track their flights between Scotland and Africa. Monitoring the birds…

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Strathallan pupil is all set to fence for Scotland

Strathallan School pupil Joshua Bryden will take up his sabre for Scotland this summer as he prepares to fence at the 2022 Commonwealth Fencing Championships in London. The 13-year-old from Auchterarder will take to the piste in both the cadet (under-17) and junior (under-20) sabre categories, after he came top of his age-groups in qualifying.…

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Retro beats with a futuristic touch in new song

December Morning Remix is the nostalgic debut single from futuristic artist Chuck Destiny. The synth-pop track, which features Glasgow-based singer-songwriter Iain Wilson, will be released on Friday, 22 April. Chuck Destiny is the project by an unnamed artist creating retro beats with a futuristic garnish. The track features vocals from Iain Wilson, who infuses current…

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