Posts by Peter Ranscombe
Rural college remembers Doddie Weir
TRIBUTES have been paid to Scottish rugby legend and motor neurone disease (MND) campaigner Doddie Weir, who died at the weekend. Professor Wayne Powell, principal of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), said: “We were saddened to learn of the death of Doddie Weir – who gained a higher national diploma in agriculture at SRUC – at…
Read MoreHill paths repair campaign begins at An Teallach
A CAMPAIGN is underway to raise money to repair Scotland’s hill paths, beginning with An Teallach in Wester Ross. Mountaineering Scotland and the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS) have teamed up for the “It’s Up to Us” project, which aims to highlight the lack of funds for building and maintaining hill paths. Stuart Younie,…
Read MoreComedian Jim Smith tells farmers ‘keep talking’
COMEDIAN Jim Smith is backing this winter’s “Keep Talking” campaign for farmers and crofters. Organised by the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI), the camaign encourages people to get together over the darker months. “We can all get a bit down at this time of year and this is a fantastic initiative by RSABI to…
Read MoreFrom wind turbine to bus shelter?
COULD old wind turbine blades be turned into bus shelters and park benches? That’s the question at the heart of a project that’s secured a ÂŁ50,000 grant from Innovate UK, the UK Government agency that used to be called the Technology Strategy Board. ReBlade, a Glasgow-based company set up last year to specialise in decommissioning…
Read More20 PERFECT CHRISTMAS STOCKING FILLERS
Editor Richard Bath’s family always complain that they don’t know what to buy him for Christmas, so he’s taken to compiling an annual list of stocking fillers whose unwrapping would start the big day on the perfect note. With a month to go until Santa’s arrival, here’s his 20 must-haves for 2022:   1) Vango…
Read MoreBuying at auction with art for every budget
May Matthews, managing director at Bonhams Scotland and head of the auctioneer’s Scottish art department, shares the secrets of buying art at auctions. AUCTIONS can be exhilarating affairs, as bidders compete with each other until finally one emerges triumphant. But aside from the drama, buying at auction makes sound practical sense. Here are some reasons…
Read MoreTigerlily tequila garden opened by Miss Scotland
MISS Scotland has launched the Herradura tequila garden at Tigerlily on Edinburgh’s George Street. Lucy Sophia Thomson was joined by Tigerlily general manager Luke Trodden to officially open the garden, which was designed by Edinburgh-based florist Wild Flowers. More than 10,000 Christmas baubles were used to create the garden, which comes hot on the heels…
Read MoreWhite reindeer go on Christmas tour
THREE white reindeer are heading out on the road for the first time as part of the Cairngorm herd’s Christmas tour. The trio of calves, which was born over the summer, was named after ice creams – “Mr Whippy”, “Ninety-Nine”, and “Vanilla”. The first reindeer were brought to the Cairnforms from Swedish Lapland in 1952…
Read MoreFilm and TV news round-up: Wildlife, Stella, and more
Lights, camera, action as Peter Ranscombe shares the latest film and television news. A SCOTTISH filmmaker has won the on-screen talent pitching contest at the Wildscreen international wildlife film festival. Libby Penman teamed up with renowned filmmaker Doug Allan to pitch the idea of exploring the wildlife in Fife. “This is an environmental nature investigation…
Read MoreDunvegan Garden scoops RHS award
DUNVEGAN Castle & Gardens has been selected as this year’s top Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) partner garden in Scotland. The RHS said that the award recognised the “sizeable investment, hard work, and passion” that has gone into the five acres of formal and semi-formal gardens since 1978. Estate director Hugh MacLeod, who is also his…
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