Fort William prepares to hold its 2018 Mountain Festival

The Fort William Mountain Festival is less than two weeks away, with a superb line-up of uplifting talks, exhilarating film screenings, mountain skills workshops and exhibitions. It’s a chance to celebrate everything that the great outdoors has to offer at the festival in association the Nevis Landscape Partnership, Heritage Lottery Fund, the Outdoor Capital of…

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Book review – Making For Home: A Tale of the Scottish Borders

A former art historian, farmer and writer, Alan Tait has lived in the Moffat Water Valley for over 40 years. He describes his third book as a memoir, a meditation on the nature of buildings in the area and a history of the valley. Tait skillfully weaves together the history and tales of the landscape…

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Book review: Alexander Henry – Rifle Maker, by Donald Dallas

The fascinating story of an acclaimed Scots rifle maker is chronicled in a fascinating new biography. Released as a private publication for Donald Dallas, this book gives an in depth history of Edinburgh rifle maker Alexander Henry. Alexander Henry (1818–1894) was in business in Edinburgh for only a short period, 42 years, but in that…

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A Shetland writer in the World War 1 trenches

Shetland Library is to host an afternoon talk about Jack Peterson. Jack’s poetry was used in last year’s Shetland Youth production, In the Still of the Night have We Wept, writes Cameron Avery. The talk and readings will be delivered by Dr Mark Smith of Shetland Museum and Archives as part of a joint project…

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Guid Scotch ideas from all over the world to celebrate Burns Night

Dram O’ Shanter, The Speyside Grace and Best Laid Drams – the most famous works of Scotland’s national bard have been immortalised in the form of cocktails by the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. Festival organisers asked some of the world’s leading mixologists and whisky connoisseurs to blend together whisky and words in toast to…

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Wines for Christmas 2017

Peter Ranscombe goes on a shopping spree to suggest some stonking wines for the Christmas dinner table. INSTEAD of The Grape & The Grain’s usual “100 wines for Christmas”, I thought I’d try something a wee bit different this year. I’ve grouped together these recommendations according to the shops that sell each wine, as opposed…

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Lifestyle of the Scots is brought to book

A new book on Scottish lifestyle is to be released next year. Scottish journalist and editor Gabriella Bennett’s lifestyle book The Book of Coorie will be published in September next year by Black & White Publishing, writes Olivia Dobson. Coorie (or còsagach in Gaelic) is the Scottish word to describe being snug or cosy. In…

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