Loch Ness hosts world’s first rewilding centre

DUNDREGGAN, the world’s first rewilding centre, opens tomorrow at Glenmoriston near Loch Ness. The site will act as a visitors’ centre for the 10,000-acre Dundreggan estate, where conservation charity Trees for Life is restoring the Caledonian forest to help wildlife. The centre includes a café, a space for events, and 40 bedrooms. Steve Micklewright, Trees…

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Futtle makes beer with organic Scottish hops

FIFE brewery Futtle is launching a beer tomorrow that was made using organic Scottish hops. The hops were grown in the kitchen garden at the Rufflets Hotel in St Andrews. Head gardner Logie Cassells harvested the hops on 21 September and they were used to brew a beer that day. Lucy Hine, brewer and co-founder…

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House of Dun displays pupils’ art

ART by 159 pupils from three local primary schools is going on show at House of Dun near Montrose. The National Trust for Scotland, which runs the historic property, will exhibit the pictures from Earth Day on 22 April until 21 May. The exhibition features 100 birds imagined by pupils from Borrowfield, Lochside, and Southesk…

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Highland Book Prize shortleet unveiled

FOUR authors have made it onto the shortleet for the Highland Book Prize. A longlist of 12 was whittled down to Companion Piece by Ali Smith, Confessions of a Highland Art Dealer by Tony Davidson, Crann-Fìge by Duncan Gillies, and WAH! Things I Never Told My Mother by Cynthia Rogerson. The winner of the competition…

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Veterans with sight loss given taste of hills

VETERANS who have lost part of their sight are being given the chance to continue their passion for hillwalking thanks to virtual reality (VR). Jason Turnbull, who works at charity Sight Scotland Veterans’ Hawkhead centre in Paisley, has been shooting 360-degree photographs during his walks on Scotland’s hills. He then shows the images to the…

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St Kilda viewpoint planned for North Uist

PLANS for a St Kilda viewpoint centre on North Uist have been unveiled. Sealladh Hiort is part of Slighe Hiort – the St Kilda trail – which will consist of three centres in the Outer Hebrides that will give visitors information about the remote islands. The exhibition at the centre will be designed by Mather…

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Dinosaurs descend on Floors Castle

DINOSAURS will descend on Floors Castle at Kelso for the first time in more than 60 million years. The stately home is welcoming the models into its grounds for one day only on 3 June. “The event includes interactive, educational, and musical entertainment shows, selfie photo-opportunities with the dinos, and meet and greet walkabouts offering…

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Duke of Northumberland gives Scottish eagles a boost

AN ESTATE owned by the Duke of Northumberland has built two artificial nests to help the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. Conservationists hope that the nests – or “eyries” – on Burncastle Estate near the Lammermuir Hills will be used by birds that have been moved to the South of Scotland to try to…

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Endangered pearl mussels discovered in Scottish lochs

FRESHWATER pearl mussels have been found in two of Scotland’s lochs, according to researchers. Up until now, freshwater pearl mussels were thought to live only in Scotland’s rivers, but researchers – who used remotely-operated underwater drones and snorkelling equipment – discovered a small number of the crticially-endangered mussels in Sutherland and the Trossachs. The survey,…

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