A topical guide to life in the Scottish outdoors.
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Love Scotland is a podcast series from the National Trust for Scotland. Hosted by TV star, expert broadcaster and National Trust for Scotland president Jackie Bird, Love Scotland features big names, experts and enthusiasts from all walks of life. Each episode delves deep into the detail of Scotland’s history, its wildlife and its landscapes.
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Hear how Scotland’s leading nature conservation charity is protecting and restoring wildlife across Scotland. For 60 years, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has been taking action to protect wildlife. Join hosts Ed and Rachel to hear about the breadth of work the Trust does, from practical action on its network of over 100 wildlife reserves to engaging with communities and campaigning for better protection of Scotland’s land and sea.
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Montrose Mosquitoes, the Grey Lady of Glamis Castle and Life as a Lighthouse Keeper
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Mark is back at the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Montrose Basin site, but this time it isn’t geese he’s looking for, it’s mosquitos. Mark hears about the monitoring programme that the Basin is part of and why it’s important to track mosquitos for human health and also bird health. Back in 2021 Storm Arwen wreaked havoc on the North East causing lots o…
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The Wicker Man is widely regarded as one of the best British horror films of all time. The strange tale of Sergeant Neil Howie’s doomed trip to Summerisle has cemented itself in popular culture since the film’s 1973 release, and with it, immortalised several of the National Trust for Scotland’s places on screen. Joining Jackie Bird to dissect this …
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Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at the Beaver Trust
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Mark Stephen meets Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at the Beaver Trust. They meet at the Argaty Beaver Project near Doune in Perthshire to discuss her love of the mammal and how the reintroduction of the species is progressingPar BBC Radio Scotland
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Mark and Rachel with the second part of their visit the island of Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. The RSPB has two reserves on the island, one at Loch Gruinart and one at The Oa, which is where Mark and Rachel met warden David Dinsley to try and spot one of the bird species Islay is known for, the chough. Artist Heather Dewar …
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Sculptor Andy Scott, the creator of the iconic Kelpies, joins Jackie Bird to discuss his incredible work, Scotland’s position in the art world, and his aspirations for the future. Together, they talk about the physical demands of working on such large pieces of metalwork, the catharsis of sculpting, and how his Scottish identity influences his crea…
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Mark and Rachel visit the island of Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. They take a walk with gamekeeper turned outdoor guide, DJ MacPhee, to get an overview of the island which has a diverse range of landscapes and habitats. They then head to Loch Finlaggan, the seat of the Lord of the Isles, a site of huge significance for hundr…
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Slugs, Surfing and Tattie Picking
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Slugs are sometimes regarded as a garden pest, but they are more important than people might think. Rachel meets with retired teacher and slug expert Chris Du Feu after one of his workshops in Rosyth run by the Fife Nature Records Centre to ask whether he had noticed more slugs than usual this year. It’s rare these days to see a mature elm tree be …
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Behind-the-scenes at Robert Smail's Print Works
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This week, host Jackie Bird is at Robert Smail’s Print Works in the Scottish Borders to see the oldest working commercial letterpress printers in the UK. She meets the team that keeps the printing works running today and hears about the history of the press and its eponymous owner. Jackie also discovers secrets of the ever-changing publishing indus…
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Saving the Great British Elm with David Shreeve and Max Coleman
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Dutch Elm disease has killed millions of elms across the world over the past century. But there is still hope that this mighty tree can be saved. Helen hears from David Shreeve of the Conservation Foundation about his new book Great British Elms. And from Max Coleman of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh about a conservation project in Scotland…
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Tree Hugging, Firth of Forth Wildlife and Fyvie Castle
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In this week’s Scotland Outdoors episode, Mark meets Tim Simons of Scotways to learn more about the history of outdoor access in Scotland. Celebrations were held last month to mark the 60th anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge and honour the structure, which at the time of construction was one of the longest in the world. Recently, Rachel was invit…
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The people who shaped Robert Burns
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We all know the songs and poems written by one of Scotland’s most famous sons – but who were the people that most influenced his life and his writing? Host Jackie Bird is on a mission to find out. This week, she’s joined by Christoper Waddell, learning manager at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, and Professor Gerard Carruthers, Fellow of the Roy…
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A History of Outdoor Access in Scotland with Tim Simons of Scotways
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Mark Stephen meets Tim Simons of the Scottish Rights of Way and Access SocietyPar BBC Radio Scotland
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Turn Table Ferry, Lady of the Lake and Tile Whipping
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ScotWays (Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society) have published the sixth edition of Scottish Hill Tracks in around 100 years. The book launches on Saturday 28th September. Over the last five years hundreds of volunteers have helped to compile the book. Mark meets with ScotWays Director Tim Simons to discuss the book and its importance. The imp…
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An Autumn Equinox Walk up Aberdeenshire's Bennachie with Ian Grosz
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A weaving of Ian's essay 'The Sacred Mountain' with a walk up Aberdeenshire's most prominent hill, Bennachie. As we pass through the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, we offer an invitation to reflect on the changing of the seasons by visiting a special place.Par BBC Radio Scotland
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Saltmarshes, Shipwrecks and Honey Bees
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With many parts of Scotland finally getting harvest underway, and planting for 2025 harvest being undertaken, NFU Scotland is asking growers to now complete its 31st consecutive annual harvest survey. Mark meets with Scott Campbell, North East representative on the NFUS Crops Committee, to chat about how the harvest has been so far and what the imp…
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Putting Nature at the Heart of Decision Making with Gretchen Daily of the Natural Capital Project
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Helen Needham meets Gretchen Daily of the Natural Capital Project at Stanford UniversityPar BBC Radio Scotland
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Wildflower Meadow Skincare, the Love Tree and Newburgh Beach
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Phil Sime visits an RSPB reserve on North Uist where local crofters work alongside the charity to improve the habitat for birds including corncrake and Golden Eagle. Rachel is in Milton near Invergordon hearing about a rather impressive beech tree that has an important place in local history. She hears about efforts of the community woodland to hel…
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A Sound Journey Along Scotland's National Trail with Musician Jenny Sturgeon
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In 2023, Musician and Sound Artist Jenny Sturgeon spent 37 days walking the 864 km trail from Kirk Yetholm in the Borders to Cape Wrath in the North West Highlands. Along the way, she recorded sounds and wrote about her journey which have been mixed together for this podcast to produce an immersive and inspiring piece.…
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Bogs, Bairns, Stovies and Scything
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There was much celebration in Caithness a few weeks ago when it was announced that, after decades of planning and preparation, The Flow Country has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. It’s the first in Scotland to be granted this status on purely natural criteria and is also the only peatbog in the world with World Heritage status. At one ti…
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Dan Richards on the Remarkable Life of Pioneering Climber Dorothy Pilley
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Dorothy Pilley was a pioneering climber who wrote of her adventures in the high peaks in her book 'Climbing Days' which was published in 1935. Thanks to the efforts of her great great nephew, Dan Richards, it has been republished. It contains vivid descriptions of her adventures around the globe and is testament to her personal strength and bravery…
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Hercules The Bear, Ryeland Sheep and A Pink Tablecloth
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It's time for the second Big River Watch of the year. It’s a chance to spend time observing the health of your local river between the 6th and 12th of September. The River Dee trust are taking part in the forthcoming survey and Keilidh Ewan, education and outreach officer for the trust gave Mark some more information. A new trial is underway in Sco…
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Travels With A Pink Tablecloth
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Mark Stephen meets long distance walker Claudia Zeiske in Peterhead after the completion of her 220 km walk from the Cairngorns to the coast of Aberdeenshire. Along the way she has been collecting stories of the effect COVID had on the communities she passed through. In her rucksack has been a bright pink tablecloth which she has embroidered messag…
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Natural History Film Maker and Musician, Andrew O'Donnell aka Beluga Lagoon
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Andrew O'Donnell is a natural history film maker but he's also a musician who records under the moniker of Beluga Lagoon. Maud Starts meets up Andrew on a river bank where they watch dippers and talk about his latest albumPar BBC Radio Scotland
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Invasive species, red squirrels and stories from Carstramon Wood
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In our final episode, we find out more about invasive non-native species (INNS). To start, Ed chats to Hazel Forrest, Species Advocacy Officer at the Trust, to find out more about INNS and the threat the pose to native wildlife. We then hear from some of the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels team about the vital work they are carrying out across Scot…
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Saskatoons, a Sunken Sugar Ship, Mighty Oaks and Inverness Castle
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In January 2015, Margaret and Angus Mackenzie’s son Neil died in a climbing accident in Canada. Neil loved the outdoors, and to continue his memory, the couple set up a trust in his name to provide funding for those wanting to access outdoor pursuits. This year they’re undertaking a bit of a walking challenge as Mark found out when he went to meet …
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How do you restore a 200-year-old church on one of Scotland’s most remote islands? Jackie Bird sits down with Susan Bain, property manager of St Kilda, to find out. A dual UNESCO World Heritage Site that sits on the edge of the Atlantic, St Kilda is vital to Scottish history but a big challenge for the Trust to care for properly. Once inhabited yea…
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Poet and Writer Kenneth Steven on Seil Island and Wildscape Encounters
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Mark Stephen visits Kenneth Steven at his home on Seil Island in ArgyllPar BBC Radio Scotland
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Conservation in Cumbernauld, the Falls of Clyde and folk tales from Largiebann
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In our sixth episode, we explore wellbeing and nature. We start by hearing about the work of the Cumbernauld Living Landscape and how important it is to connect to nature every now and then. We then head to the Falls of Clyde for a walk up to the waterfall of Cora Linn. Finally, we hear from poet, writer and historian, Angus Martin, who recounts so…
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Meteor Showers, A Dusk Chorus and Stone Skimming
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Glenmore Lodge, the Scottish National Outdoor Training Centre, has recently established Scotland’s first hill navigation training course to be delivered in British Sign Language. One of those involved in setting it up was deaf climber and mountaineer Morag Skelton. Mark chatted to Morag for the Scotland Outdoors podcast, and we hear an excerpt wher…
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Hugh Miller: the Victorian David Attenborough
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Meet Hugh Miller: the man regarded as the David Attenborough of his day. Though often overlooked in the history books, this self-taught geologist helped to popularise natural history to his Victorian audience. What did he help to discover about prehistoric Scotland? How were his scientific findings viewed by his peers? And why has he not remained b…
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Nature-Friendly Gardening with M.T. O'Donnell
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Scottish gardening expert M.T O'Donnell talks about what measures people can take to make their gardens more appealing to nature. She shows Rachel Stewart around her own garden near Glasgow and discusses how to create useful habitats for wildlife and plant good food sources for birds and insects.Par BBC Radio Scotland
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Snorkel trails, the mudflats of Montrose and the community that bought an island
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Ed and Rachel head to the beach! In this episode, we hear from the our Living Seas team on the Trust’s marine policy and engagement work. We take a look back at the historical community buyout of the Isle of Eigg and hear how the island is being managed for both people and wildlife. And we head across to the east coast for a walk on the tidal mudfl…
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Live from the Edinburgh Festivals
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Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart present Out of Doors live from Dynamic Earth as part of BBC at the Edinburgh Festivals. We are joined by an amazing panel of guests, all with their own connections to Scotland and the outdoors. James Crawford is a writer, publisher and broadcaster. His latest book, Wild History: Journeys Into Lost Scotland, was publi…
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Murder and mayhem on Edinburgh's Royal Mile
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As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe gets into full swing, Jackie Bird takes a walk from Gladstone’s Land along the Royal Mile to discover the dark side of this city centre street. Guiding Jackie through the murky past is Eric Melvin, veteran tour guide and author of A Walk Down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Expect tales of body-snatching, the exploits of De…
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Breaking Down Barriers in the Outdoors for Deaf People with Climbing Instructor Morag Skelton
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Mark Stephen meets Morag Skelton at Glenmore Lodge in the CairngormsPar BBC Radio Scotland
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Nectar networks, conservation grazing and a walk round Shewalton Wood
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In this episode, Ed and Rachel investigate the Trust’s work with grazing and pollinators. We start with a walk at Shewalton Wood Wildlife Reserve in Ayrshire to discover how the site has been transformed from a landfill to a thriving site for nature. Ed has a chat to our conservation shepherd, Laura MacGregor, to find out more about the role livest…
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Scottish golf: history and hickory
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Whether you’re out every week hitting the links, or consider golf a good walk spoiled, the sport is undeniably a key ingredient in Scotland’s social tapestry. At Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course, the only remaining course of its kind in the UK, Jackie meets Dave Allan, visitor services assistant at the Hill of Tarvit venue. She also meets Hannah Flem…
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Peatlands, nature-based solutions and creating a nature network in Edinburgh
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In our third episode, the Trust's Terrestrial Policy Manager, Rebekah Strong, explains how nature can provide solutions to some of our problems. Ed speaks with Leo Charlesworth about the pioneering Edinburgh Nature Network and we hear from Julian Warman on the importance of the Trust's lowland raised bog reserves. Words of the Wild is a podcast fro…
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James VI: wise man or fool?
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Recorded in Falkland Palace’s chapel royal, host Jackie Bird and her guest Steven Veerapen discuss the adult life and legacy of James VI of Scotland and I of England. During his reign, the king faced a host of challenges, from religious tensions to anti-Scottish sentiment in his London court, not to mention Guy Fawkes’ gunpowder plot. Veerapen’s bo…
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Riverwoods, beavers and stories from our largest wildlife reserve
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Ed and Rachel head to the woods as we hear from some of the people involved in the Riverwoods project. We take a look back at the Scottish Beaver Trial and some of the impacts it continues to have on conservation today. We then head back north to hear some of the stories of Ben Mor Coigach. Kenny Taylor explores some of the stories of the area and …
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Alpacas, Osprey, Stone Stacking and Rally Driving
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Scotland’s first new vet school in over 100 years has opened to applicants. Mark went to visit the School of Veterinary Medicine at Scotland’s Rural College in Aberdeen and spoke to the Dean, Professor Caroline Argo about how and why the school has been established. When you visit the Isle of Seil, one of the main visitor attractions is the An Cala…
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The Munros: mountain myths and milestones
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How many have you bagged? Mountaineers and hikers from across the UK and beyond have flocked to Scotland to take on the Munros – Scottish peaks more than 3,000 feet high – ever since the list of such mountains was created by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. The National Trust for Scotland cares for 46 of these Munros, including Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers, Ben M…
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Operation Osprey - 70 Years of Breeding Osprey in Scotland
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In the early twentieth century, very few ospreys were breeding in Scotland. They had been persecuted for decades and their eggs stolen by collectors. In 1954, a pair successfully raised two chicks near Loch Garten which gave conservationists hope that they could return to Scotland as nesting birds. Operation Osprey was launched to protect them from…
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Origins, ospreys and one of the largest landscape-scale projects in Europe
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In the first episode, we talk to the Chief Executive, Jo Pike, about the past, present and future of the Scottish Wildlife Trust. We also explore the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape, one of the largest landscape-scale projects in Europe and head to Loch of the Lowes where the Trust’s Chair, Kenny Taylor, chats to some of our volunteers about th…
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Pine Hoverflies, A Solar Powered Boat and a Stand Up Comedian Farmer
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We are in East Lothian with Patricia Stephen, founder of Phantassie Organic Produce. They head out to the fields during pumpkin planting and chat about the growth in organic food and farming over recent years. Friday 12th July was the launch of this year’s Big Butterfly Count organised by the charity Butterfly Conservation. Mark met Apithanny Bourn…
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The real story of Whisky Galore
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In 1941, cargo ship the SS Politician ran aground near Eriskay, an island in the Hebrides. On board? Some 22,000 cases of whisky. What followed has been immortalised on page and screen in Whisky Galore, a retelling of how local islanders made the most of the unexpected arrival of so much alcohol, and how the authorities tried to stop them. But what…
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Living in a Housing Cooperative with Owen Shiers
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Rural Wales and rural Scotland face many of the same issues: a lack of affordable housing, limited opportunities for young people and the prospect of rewilding. In this podcast, Helen visits Welsh musician Owen Shiers who lives in a housing cooperative up a long steep track in West Wales. They discuss culture, trees, housing, farming and the nuance…
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Surfing, Swimming and Sauna on the Beach at Cullen
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This week Out of Doors is live from the village of Cullen in Moray. The village is popular with holiday makers over the summer months but it’s home to a thriving community all year round. Mark went for a wander to hear more about what people are up to. And we’re joined live by David McCubbin from Discover Cullen who tells us about what attracts vis…
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Fashion stories from Georgian Edinburgh
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Host Jackie Bird is joined by curator Antonia Laurence-Allan and historian Sally Tuckett to discuss all things 18th-century fashion. Recorded inside the Georgian House, just days before the exhibition Ramsay & Edinburgh Fashion opened its doors, the trio talk about the artist Allan Ramsay and the women behind the paintings. What was life like for s…
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A Life in Market Gardening in Scotland with Tricia Stephen
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Rachel Stewart visits Tricia Stephen of Phantassie Organics in East LothianPar BBC Radio Scotland
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