Posts by Kenny Smith
Daring to dream to discover more of Gavin Maxwell
Being offered a position as warden of Kyleakin Lighthouse Island, the last home of Ring of Bright Water author Gavin Maxwell, was a dream come true for Dan Boothby. This book tells of his time living on this tiny island on the Western seaboard of the Highlands; the people he met, and the history that…
Read MoreStrong pork campaign delivers positive results
A campaign to raise awareness of the versatility and health benefits of Specially Selected Pork has produced impressive results. Quality Meat Scotland’s campaign, which kicked off on the 21 January, received a major boost in the form of additional funding of ÂŁ125,000 from the Scottish Government to support the Scottish pork industry strategy aim of…
Read MoreBig change for the Wigtown Poetry Prize
Wigtown’s international poetry prize has announced major changes designed to celebrate the richness of Scotland’s three national languages. For the first time the ÂŁ1500 prize will be open to English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots language poems, with entries invited from around the globe. The change marks the United Nations International Year of Indigenous Languages in…
Read MoreThe power of the Picts is behind new gin
A new Scottish gin powered by the spirit of the Picts has been launched this week. Theodore is inspired by the ancient tribe that once settled near the brand’s home in the Northern Highlands. Not much is known about the Picts, but that sense of mystery has inspired the creation of this new spirit. The…
Read MoreA celebration of the acclaimed Ernest Gimson
Bonhams is to sponsor a study day at Marchmont House celebrating the life and work of the designer and furniture maker Ernest Gimson. The event Ernest Gimson and the art, craft and business of furniture design takes place in Berwickshire on Saturday 12 May and costs ÂŁ85. Ernest Gimson (1864-1919) was a central figure in…
Read MoreWhat’s stacked up for our pair of whisky lovers?
There’s a surprise reveal for our whisky loving pair in this week’s 60 Second Dram. Over the course of the last nine weeks, experts James Robertson and Blair Bowman a wee dram to nose and sample, and to give us their thoughts on it. This week we give them their 10th tasting. But, there’s a…
Read MoreExhibition to celebrate Scots engineer James Watt
An exhibition dedicated to the life, work and legacy of Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt is now open. Taking place at The Engine Shed in Stirling, it celebrates the 250th anniversary of his invention of the condenser engine. The exhibition will focus on James Watt’s improvements to the steam engine and features historic artefacts…
Read MoreThe perfect afternoon tea – tasty food and great views
On a warm, sunny afternoon, what can be more relaxing than sitting back, enjoying a stunning view, and having a filling afternoon tea? The Cannonball Restaurant on Castlehill, Edinburgh, is offering a new dining experience for foodies and tourists, whilst enjoying wonderful views over Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile and the general capital cityscape. My…
Read MoreWorld’s largest Scotch whisky packaging site is 40
The world’s largest dedicated Scotch whisky packaging site is today celebrating 40 years at the forefront of the global Scotch industry. Scotland’s Economy Secretary Derek Mackay and Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Gavin Newlands, joined workers at Diageo Shieldhall, to congratulate them on their contribution to Scotland’s greatest global export. Opened in April 1979, Diageo…
Read MoreThe Scotsman who made a lasting mark on Russia
Catherine the Great’s favourite architect was the brilliant, mysterious Scot, Charles Cameron. Charles Cameron came from mysterious beginnings, origins which he deliberately made foggier. By his mid-thirties, in 1779, without ever having created a building in his life, he was appointed by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, to lead a classical architectural revival. Talented…
Read More