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BBC Radio Scotland


A topical guide to life in the Scottish outdoors.


Scotland Outdoors

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors.

Daydreaming, Rare Moss and Photographing the River Spey

Mark Stephen visits Culloden Battlefield to meet archaeologists involved in a recent dig there to find out what they have uncovered

The Battle of Culloden

The Mither Tap forms part of the range of hills collectively known as Bennachie in Aberdeenshire. Mark takes a stroll with Peter Stock and Alan Henderson of Bailies of Bennachie to discover plans to restore the path to the Mither Tap.

Jenny Graham joins the Strong Mum Club baby hike near Inverness to find out how mums in the group are benefitting from getting outdoors and socialising together.

In this week’s podcast excerpt, Rachel meets Tom Bowser, author of Waters of Life, Fighting for Scotland’s Beavers at his farm in Perthshire where in November 2021 a family of beavers were relocated.

A new permanent exhibition which showcases the history and future of Shinty in Scotland opens this weekend in Inverness. Mark visits as the final touches are taking place and chats to artist and former Shinty player Tom Smith and Steven MacKenzie of the Camanachd Association.

Rachel visits this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival and chats to Georgiana Keable who has written a book exploring Norwegian Folk Tales. Also appearing at the Festival is Beatrix Wood, the Director of Tim Stead: Magician with Wood. Rachel joins Beatrix and Tim’s former colleague and friend Eoin Cox from the Big Tree Society in Tim’s workshop in Jedburgh.

Green Shores is a St Andrews University based initiative aiming to restore saltmarshes. Mark meets a volunteer group on the Tay Estuary and chats to Dr Clare Maynard, Dr Helena Simmons to discover why saltmarshes are so important.

The Scottish Ploughing Championships take place this weekend and Rachel and Mark are joined by Chairperson Gordon Beattie who explains what it takes to impress the judges.

Mark takes a wander up Ben Rinnes to admire the autumnal colours of a landscape in flux.

Saltmarshes, Shinty and A Horse's Tooth

Rachel Stewart meets Tom Bowser, author of Waters of Life, Fighting for Scotland's Beavers at his farm in Perthshire where in November 2021 a family of beavers were relocated

Tom Bowser, author of Waters of Life, Fighting for Scotland's Beavers

Mark Stephen and Jenny Graham with stories from the great outdoors.

Campervans, Catching Leaves and a Community Garden

A conversation between geographer and writer Hayden Lorimer and Alec Finlay, in which Alec describes his creative practice around limit and how he came to appreciating and celebrating the View.

The Power of the View with Alec Finlay

A multimedia installation which explores the role of beavers on an estate in Perthshire is part of this year’s soundfestival in the north east. Rachel joins composer and musician Dave Maric to learn more about Silent Architects.

Mark takes a stroll in Falkirk with writer Rebecca Smith to appreciate the beauty of larch trees and new techniques to protect them.

One of Shetland's small outer Isles recently saw the first working tractor in over thirty years tend to the land. Eva Runciman meets Ethan Arthur, who grew up in Skerries, to find out how an old Massey Ferguson left its shed and was put to work on wildlife crop.

Mark meets conservationist Roy Dennis at an innovative project in Moray, where the introduction of highland cows could be helping to restore Scotland’s capercaillie population.

Rachel meets gardeners Mark Armour and Euan Shelley to find out about the unusual pumpkin varieties at The National Trust for Scotland’s Hill of Tarvit in Fife.

Mark is in Glasgow to explore Hamiltonhill Claypits, an inner-city Local Nature Reserve. The Reserve's Julieanne Levett, Bob Alston and Scott Milligan explain the benefits to local communities.

A new book reveals results of a major archaeological project at Finlaggan, the site of a medieval kingdom’s centre of power. Mark and Rachel are joined by author of The Archaeology of Finlaggan, Islay, Dr David Caldwell.

Rachel is off to Tamala Farm in Aberdeenshire to try her hand at tattie howking and to catch a glimpse of harvest life before machinery took over.

Mark checks out the ‘The Air We Breathe’ exhibition in Glasgow. Ingrid Shearer, Heritage Engagement Manager at Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, shares the history of Glasgow’s air quality and just how far the city has come.

The Sound of Beavers, Larch Trees and the Home of the Lord of the Isles

Mark Stephen meets conservationist Roy Dennis to explore an innovative project in Moray, where the introduction of Highland cows to a wooded landscape is helping to restore Scotland's capercaillie population.

Roy Dennis - Highland Cows and Capercaillies

Since 2021, Argyll Hope Spot’s Snorkelling Artists Residency has been offering artists the opportunity to explore the marine habitats of Argyll and create artwork inspired by what they find beneath the waves. Mark dons his wetsuit to join printmaker Louise Scammell and artist and writer Jane Smith who are helping to run the residency.

Last week, Scottish Ministers approved a new seasonal byelaw to ban campfires and barbecues in the Cairngorms National Park at the most high risk times of the year. Rachel meets the Park’s Grant Moir to chat about how the byelaw will work.

Producer Phil heads to Inverness Marina to talk to former professional rugby player Iain Sinclair about becoming the first person to swim the entire length of the Caledonian canal.

Mark catches up with Ramblers Scotland Director Brendan Paddy in Edinburgh to discuss the challenges and opportunities for walking, paths and access rights in the country.

Rachel visits an oak woodland and speaks to Eilidh Mair from Woodland Trust Scotland about why this appears to be a mast year.

In this week's podcast excerpt, we hear about the Bessie Ellen, a unique sailing ship that has been lovingly restored by Nikki Alford. Writer Linda Cracknell has a personal association with the ship and Helen Needham joins her on board in Inverness to hear about her new book ‘Sea Marked’.

With a focus on responsible access this week, Mark and Rachel are joined by Senior Lecturer in Law Malcolm Combe to explore more about what our rights are.

Walter Micklethwait lives at Inshriach in the Highlands and has been noticing some negative impacts of tourism in the area. Rachel talks to him about what he’s been seeing, including a bit of an unpleasant poo related discovery.

Snorkelling Artists, Acorns and Access

The Bessie Ellen is a unique sailing ship which has been lovingly restored by Nikki Alford. Originally from the South West of England, she spends most of her time sailing in Scottish waters. Writer Linda Cracknell has a personal association with the ship after she started looking into her family history and discovered that she comes from a long line of sea farers. Helen Needham gets a tour of this beautiful ship whilst she was moored up in Inverness and hears about Linda's book 'Sea Marked'.

An Historic Sailing Ship - The Bessie Ellen

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, we begin on the waterfront at Irvine looking at the unique remains of an automatic tide signalling apparatus - we learn more about it at the Scottish Maritime Museum. This is followed by a walk along Irvine beach which can only be described as 'hoaching'. As they wander along the beach to Troon, Mark and Rachel contemplate the appeal of modern day pilgrimage. We also hear some reading recommendations from Christina Riley of the Nature Library. Then it's off to Prestwick to visit Bruce's Well and the site of the leper colony there. We end at St John's Tower in Ayr, a building that has seen many a significant event within its walls.

The Whithorn Way - Part 4 - Irvine to Ayr

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