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BBC Radio Scotland


A topical guide to life in the Scottish outdoors.


Scotland Outdoors

A new initiative in Buchan called Sma Wids to encourage farmers and landowners to plant trees, the largest surviving ice house in the UK at Spey Bay, lapwing chick ringing in Upper Deeside, the rare dandelions of Shetland, the seabird village of Fowlsheugh near Stonehaven and the latest news from the osprey nest at Loch Garten plus the tale of a medieval drain at Paisley Abbey along with the dramatic demise of an orca whale at Spey Bay on the Moray Firth in the 1960s

Shetland Dandelions, a Moray Firth Whale and a Paisley Drain

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel start with a quick stop off at Renfrew to contemplate the motivation for pilgrimage in medieval times. Then they head to Paisley Cathedral to learn about the unearthing of a drain which revealed a slate containing musical notation from the 1400's. And they end up at the RSPB's Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve for a bit of wildlife watching and poetry.

The Whithorn Way - Part 2 - Paisley to Lochwinnoch

Rachel catches up with Nick Ray who previously kayaked around the coast of Scotland, sharing his journey and mental health challenges on social media throughout that year.
He’s just completed another journey but walking this time, from far north to south via east and west. Rachel finds out why he decided to hang up his kayak for this challenge.

Mark’s in Aberdeenshire and hears from Jim Wilson from Soil Essentials .who tells him how a spot sprayer is going to change the world!

Bobby Motherwell, the poet in residence at RSPB Lochwinnoch has been keeping a close eye on the wildlife there. He shares a poem, inspired by his surroundings.

The Mounthooly Roundabout in Aberdeen is one of the city’s busiest roundabouts and it’s a spot where hundreds, if not thousands of people pass by every day – But this is no ordinary green oasis!
Recently a community group have been transforming the roundabout into a food forest – Last week, I took a wander down to Mounthooly to meet up with Graham Donald, community development officer along with some of the other folk involved in the project to see their progress.

Mark and Rachel chat with Richard Reynolds, who, 21 years ago, was one of the UK’s first modern guerrilla gardeners, and ask how attitudes have changed over the years.

Tucked away on the Moray Coast lies Culbin Sands, a remote stretch of fragile shoreline where the golden sands meet the crystal clear waters of Findhorn bay. It's not the easiest place to reach, unless you're up for a three-hour hike through the Culbin Forest, or you could go for the slightly less strenuous option which is to go by water taxi.
Morven Livingstone and Phil Sime, along with guide dog Striker met up with Jane Campbell Morrison from Findhorn Water-Sports who gave them a tour around the bay.

Sand in Your Eye are a sand sculpture group who depending on the tide are creating a sand sculpture of Beethoven on Elie Beach. Rachel pops along hoping to see the end result.

Scotland’s last remaining Timeball has just been restored and is back in place at the top of Edinburgh’s iconic Nelson Monument.
Once a vital tool for sailors navigating the Firth of Forth and Port of Leith, this Timeball helped ships set their clocks precisely to 1pm Greenwich Mean Time 365 days of the year.
Earlier this week, Mark caught up with Karl Chapman, Head of Heritage at Cultural Venues, Museums and Galleries, to learn all about the fascinating restoration project and why this historic timekeeper still matters today.

Findhorn Water Taxi, Roundabout Gardens and Elie Sand Portraits

The Perthshire scientist hopes the wheel will encourage people to rediscover some of the lost tastes and uses of our wild plants.

Wild Scottish Flavour Wheel

Mark and Helen visit Ingliston for this year’s Royal Highland Show. They meet a nurse with her prize winning Highland cow and They also explore the history of the Highland pony, and its enduring connection to Scotland’s rural heritage.

A festival devoted entirely to composting is taking place in Fife. Rachel visits Cambo Gardens to discover what it's all about, with head gardener Callum Halstead as her guide.

Mark and Rachel will be speaking to author Keli Tomlin about the significance of the summer solstice which marks the longest day and shortest night of the year.

In Perthshire, Rachel meets scientist Dr Marion Bruce to learn about an exciting new project: The Wild Scottish Flavour Wheel. From seaweed to sticky willy, it’s a guide to the diverse—and often surprising—tastes found in Scotland’s wild landscape.

Mark chats with Jim Wilson from Soil Essentials about how autonomous tractors are helping to ease the workload for farmers and transform the future of agriculture.

Whatever the weather, a group of over-50s in West Lothian meets each week to take part in a variety of activities organised by the Xcite Ageing Well programme. This week, Rachel joins the Linlithgow walking group—some of whom have been coming for years—to find out what keeps them coming back.

Summer Solstice, Royal Highland Show and Composting

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel visit the Lochwinnoch Community Larder where food waste from supermarkets is re-distributed to the community. This is followed by a refreshing visit to the Lynn Sprout waterfall. Then it's off to Kilwinning to meet the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers. Mark and Helen then take the Garnock Valley Cycle Way to Irvine, whilst Rachel stops off at the Garnock Floods Wildlife Reserve. We end on the waterfront in Irvine with ice cream and sunshine.

The Whithorn Way - Part 3 - Lochwinnoch to Irvine

We have another excerpt from the teams Whithorn Way pilgrimage, this time Rachel meets Stuart Wilson and Brian Boyd from the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers and hears all about a very surprising annual event!

Mark has a trip on a Loch Ness with Frida Newton as they celebrate Jacobite Cruisers 50th anniversary

Rachel visits the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther where they have the only Zulu fishing boat in the UK. Curator Julia Branch and musician Esther Swift - who has composed a piece of music inspired by the vessels, are there to meet her.

Give Peas a Chance is a pilot project whose aim is to get locally grown organic split peas into school meals.
This week, Rachel and some pupils who’ve been enjoying the peas, visited farmer Phil Swire and heard all about the journey from the soil to plate.

Rachel is in Dundee to view a new whale memorial by Scottish artist Michael Visocchi. The sculpture which is heading to Georgia very soon, represents the shift from hunting whales in the past to conservation. Alison Neil from the South Georgia Heritage Trust has positive news regarding whale numbers in the area.

Mark is in Cromarty to visit a very unusual cemetery nicknamed The Pirates Graveyard. David Alston explains what the engravings mean and who or what is in the oldest part of Cromarty - the Crypt!

After some positive news regarding the ever elusive Capercaillie hit the headlines this week, Mark and Rachel find out more from Dr Jack Bamber from the University of Aberdeen.

The Pirates Graveyard, Peas and a Zulu Fishing Boat

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith with this Saturday's Scotland Outdoors podcast.

Cabbage, swifts, charts,John Muir and clouds

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith with a bonus podcast on the life of John Muir.

Celebrating the life of John Muir in Yosemite National Park.

The regeneration of Glenfeshie, the secrets of Banff and a very unusual ice sculpture

Mark discovers the secrets of Banff, pays a visit to an ice sculpture whilst Euan's hears about the regeneration of Glenfeshie

A new species of trout, a boat trip on the Tay and some listeners from Nashville drop by

Mark and Euan discover a new species of trout, take a trip along the river Tay and some listeners from Nashville drop in past

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