News from Scotland’s castles

CASTLES throughout Scotland are preparing for a busy few months ahead. Blair Castle, the 13th century stronghold at Blair Atholl in Perthshire, is preparing to welcome brides- and grooms-to-be. The castle is holding a wedding open day on 5 February. Emma Henderson, Atholl Estates’ events manager, said: “Our wedding open day is a fantastic opportunity…

Read More

Scotland prepares for Burns Night

Simone Waters takes a look at how Scots are getting ready to celebrate Burns Night, from classic suppers to aerial acrobatics. THERE’S more to Burns Night than haggis and whisky. Scots around the country are preparing to mark national poet Robert Burns’ birthday on 25 January in a wide variety of ways. Notching up 12…

Read More

Hidden in plain sight

Broadcaster Pennie Stuart shares the story behind her latest podcast and radio series, Hidden in Plain Sight, about one township’s experience of the Highland Clearances. DUNCAN MACKENZIE parks his landrover beside a rough forestry track where plantation pines part to give a view down to the fertile flatlands at the head of Lochbroom. Ullapool glints…

Read More

New Highland Clearances podcast and radio series

A NEW podcast and radio series is shining a light on an untold story from the Highland Clearances. Local resident Duncan Mackenzie, Ullapool Book Festival honorary president Chris Dolan, and Ullapool Museum have worked together on Hidden in Plain Sight. The eight-part docu-drama stars a cast of voices including actor David Hayman and broadcaster Mark…

Read More

Edinburgh’s Christmas revealed in numbers

ORGANISERS have highlighted the popularity of Edinburgh’s Christmas by unveiling the numbers behind the celebrations. More than 2.4 million visits were made to Princes Street Gardens and George Street during the five and a half weeks of festivities. The capital’s big wheel lifted more than 140,000 people up into the skies above Princes Street, while…

Read More

February’s issue of Scottish Field is out now…

THE latest issue of Scottish Field magazine is on sale now, both in shops and online. Inside our February edition, Galloway farmers David and Wilma Finlay share the story of how they became “The Ethical Dairy”. “It’s a tale of triumph over adversity, which is enough to put even the most difficult of times into…

Read More

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is ‘sold out’

EDINBURGH’S Hogmanay is sold out, the festivities’ organisers have announced. All tickets have been sold for Saturday’s concert in Princes Street gardens, the world-famous street party, the candlelit concert in St Giles’ Cathedral, and the “Festival of Ceilidhs’ Countdown to Hogmanay”. Organisers said there are still limited gardens tickets for tomorrow’s “The Night Afore Party”…

Read More

Highland women celebrated in podcast

THE stories of Highland women are being celebrated in a new series of podcasts. The programmes were commissioned by Museums & Heritage Highlands and XpoNorth Digital, which supports creative businesses. The series, which is hosted by Pauline Moore, uses archive material to tell the stories of women from the Highlands. Jewel thief Mary Marjory MacDonald,…

Read More

National museums unveil festive events

SCOTLAND’S four national museums are running a series of festive events. The National Museum of Rural Life at East Kilbride has hidden miniature festive scenes in displays throughout the museum. Visitors can follow Clyde’s winter trail until 8 January. In Edinburgh, the National Museum of Scotland is running “Drawn Together at the Museum”. Artists can…

Read More

Christmas Day reading ideas from Scottish Field

IF YOU want stories to read on Christmas Day then you’ve come to the right place. What could be better than having a whole issue of Scottish Field magazine to enjoy? If you haven’t read the January issue then you can buy the digital edition online and get stuck straight in. Even if you’ve read…

Read More