REVIEW: Regatta Men’s Birchdale Waterproof Jacket

What is it? Regatta Men’s Birchdale Waterproof Jacket (RRP £100) I want it because: With its waterproof and breathable Isotex 10000 100% polyester stretch fabric this shell jacket is light and breathable yet completely waterproof so it’s perfect for summer showers. Useful for: It’s a good summer all-rounder so I keep this jacket in my…

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Aye Write announces its full cast for digital book festival

The Aye Write book festival has announced its full programme of online events featuring 140 authors from Scotland and around the world, over two weekends this month. Taking place from 14 May to 16 May and 21 May to 23 May, Aye Write is Glasgow’s Book Festival and is produced by Glasgow Life, the charity…

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Mackie’s invests in the future after recording a strong year

One of Scotland’s top food brands has recorded bumper chocolate and take-home ice cream sales. And now it aims to reinvest millions into its sustainability drive. In the year ending 31 May 2020, Mackie’s of Scotland saw its revenue increase 1% to £16.7m and operating profits increasing 61% to £3.4m. Chocolate sales increased by 46%…

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Caledonia on my mind

Like many of those born outside Scotland to avowedly Scottish families, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart has a complicated relationship with the mothership. “WITH a name like Dugald Alastair Roddick Bruce-Lockhart, you must be Scottish,” says the casting director, studying my CV with a frown. It’s a good question – and one I’ve never known quite how to…

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River Tweed fishing museum set to open

A MUSEUM telling the story of rod and line salmon fishing on the River Tweed will open in Kelso on 4 September. Rod and line techniques were developed on the Tweed during the middle of the 18th century and influenced the economic and cultural development of the Eastern Borders. The River Tweed Salmon Fishing Museum…

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Fairways from heaven

Editor Richard Bath visits the outstanding Dumbarnie Links in Fife, that rarest of things – a new golf course that lives up to the hype. I TRAVELLED to Fife determined not to be swayed by the hype surrounding Dumbarnie, but came away as an ardent evangelist for this astonishingly good new course on the banks…

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Islay pub owner sparks community initiative

DURING lockdown, our beloved pubs and restaurants have been cruelly snatched away from us but, while some pub owners closed their shutters and awaited the easing of restrictions, David Graham of Ballygrant Inn on Islay saw this difficult time as a shining opportunity to help those in need. “At the start of the lockdown we…

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Five of the best from Lidl’s latest wine tour

Head to Italy is Peter Ranscombe’s advice when it comes to the German supermarket’s latest summer special offer. IN THE big scheme of things, this definitely ranks as a #FirstWorldProblem – but the coronavirus lockdown has played havoc with wine writers’ routines. While many masterclasses with individual producers have shifted online, it’s much harder for…

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It’s Bordeaux, but like you’ve never seen it before

Before the lockdown, Peter Ranscombe travelled to Bordeaux to visit winemakers who are caring for the environment as well as their vines. JEAN-BAPTISTE Cordonnier knew he was doing something right when the baby grass snakes started coming back into his kitchen. His father, Pierre, had farmed the family’s vineyards near Moulis in Bordeaux organically “without…

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A wildlife visit to the remote St Kilda

The isolated archipelago of St Kilda, Great Britain’s most westerly point, needs our help to ensure that it remains rich with wildlife and history. St Kilda always provokes a passionate response. So many people would love to go there, while those lucky enough to have done so will tell you colourful tales of their voyage…

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