Posts by Ellie Forbes
Center Parcs plans first Scottish holiday village
Center Parcs has unveiled plans for its first site in Scotland. The new resort near Hawick in the Scottish Borders would represent a £350m investment and could create up to 1,200 jobs. Proposals are at an early stage and Center Parcs intends to submit a planning application in 2025. It will offer a range of…
Read MoreSail into Christmas with new Festive Afternoon Tea aboard Scotland’s luxury floating hotel
Scotland’s only five-star luxury floating hotel will be adding some festive magic to one of Edinburgh’s ultimate afternoon tea experiences. Permanently berthed in Edinburgh’s historic Port of Leith, Fingal will provide a classic setting for friends, family and colleagues to indulge in the ship’s new five-course Festive Afternoon Tea. Available daily in the Lighthouse Restaurant…
Read MoreA Weather Eye: Scotland’s enduring relationship with our changing weather
Whether it’s blowin’ a hoolie or the sun is crackin’ the pavey, Scotland, its people and its language have long had an enduring relationship with our changing weather. And our unpredictable weather is also reflected in our Scots language and dialects – Scots boasts 421 different words for snow. Now an exhibition at The McManus:…
Read MoreHistoric Lewis chessmen redisplayed to allow visitors to see their backs for the first time
The historic Lewis chessmen have been redisplayed in a case which allows visitors to see their backs for the first time. Made from walrus ivory and sperm whale teeth, the pieces range from the wide-eyed ‘Berserker’ who gnaws frantically on his shield, to a Queen who rests her chin in her hand, a rather fed-up…
Read MoreNumber of endangered Corncrakes soar on Canna thanks to farmers
The number of endangered corncrakes on Canna has soared after years of low populations, and experts say it’s all thanks to farmers. At least 12-14 calling males were recorded on Canna this year, which is the first time the National Trust for Scotland has conducted formalised corncrake monitoring on the island for many years. Data…
Read MoreLochaber’s Skipinnish oak wins UK Tree of the Year
A 1,000-year-old tree named after Scottish band Skipinnish has been named UK Tree of the Year. Hidden away in a Sitka spruce plantation on Achnacarry Estate, in Lochaber, it supports an island of native ecosystem including rare lichens such as the black-eyed Susan. Native woodland experts had no idea the tree existed until a gathering…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Alan Tylor: ‘Muriel Spark epitomised what a writer should and can be if you stick to your principles’
Alan Taylor on being inspired by Muriel Spark, the novel he most recommends and knowing if he’ll stick to a book after the first page. The first book I remember reading: I learned to read with a series of books in which the two main characters were called Janet and John. These just happened…
Read MoreTiny home microbakery wins title of ‘Scotland’s Best Croissant’
A small home-based microbakery in Glasgow has won the title of Scotland’s Best Croissant. Run by Rebecca Slade, Maple Leaf Bakery has built a loyal following with its wide selection of baked goods, including its award-winning croissants. Rebecca won after a panel of taste testers assessed 20 bakers’ wares, all made with Edinburgh Butter Company’s product,…
Read MoreJolomo opens new exhibition in Glasgow and reveals where he discovered his trademark colours
Bestselling Scottish artist John Lowrie Morrison – known as Jolomo – is famous around the world for his colourful paintings of Scotland’s landscapes. Now, in a new exhibition in Glasgow, he reveals the place where he discovered the high-key colour which has become his trademark – on a special trip to Switzerland more than 50…
Read MoreReview: Sotto, Edinburgh
Nothing epitomises the upturn in Stockbridge’s fortunes like the arrival of stylish Italian enoteca-trattoria Sotto, says Richard Bath It’s all change in Stockbridge, within living memory a down-at-heel working-class suburb of Edinburgh but now one of the most up-and-coming and desirable places to live not just in the capital but in the whole of the…
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