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Life With VisitScotland: ‘Scotland looks stunning on screen, we want to capitalise on that’
Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager at VisitScotland, has worked on some of the biggest movies filmed in Scotland. From The Da Vinci Code, Outlaw King, Mary Queen of Scots and Macbeth to Brave and T2 Trainspotting, she talks to us about the rise of screen tourism and how the Outlander effect has impacted Scotland. …
Read MorePropeller thought to be from WWII plane discovered in Isle of Arran peat bog
A propeller thought to be from a WWII plane has been found buried in a peat bog on the Isle of Arran. The blades are believed to be from a B17 Flying Fortress or a B24 Liberator, and were found wrapped in potato sacks during peatland restoration work at Coire a’Bhradain. A contractor initially feared…
Read MoreRosslyn Chapel: More than 20 years on The Da Vinci Code still has an impact for visitors
It was published more than 20 years ago, but Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code is still having an impact on Rosslyn Chapel two decades later, with nearly half of visitors visiting because of the book. The 15th-century chapel in Midlothian shot to fame after Brown based the finale of his 2003 story there, believing it was…
Read MoreLife With a Scottish tour guide: ‘Shetland runs through my veins, we have to protect places from mass tourism’
Scottish travel writer and tour guide Laurie Goodlad on writing for Lonely Planet, being snubbed by a Hollywood celebrity, and filming with Ben Fogle who turned down a lovingly hand knitted jumper from her mum. I wake up at 7am, enjoy a cup of tea in bed from my husband (thanks Aaron), before getting…
Read MoreNorth Berwick: Scottish seaside town named best place to live in UK
The Scottish seaside town of North Berwick in East Lothian has been named the best place to live in the UK. It topped a list of 72 locations chosen by The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide and is the first Scottish winner in the 12-year history of the guide. The guide said it…
Read MoreLife With a composer: ‘Queen Margaret of Scotland was an extraordinary woman, I wanted to celebrate her’
Scottish composer Helen MacKinnon on leaving her job to peruse her music career and taking inspiration from Queen Margaret of Scotland for her latest work. I get up around 7.30am. We live beside a rail track in Perth so are usually woken by the first train of the day rattling past the window. My…
Read MoreLife With Scottish Opera: ‘I have been working in costume design for 37 years, no two days are the same’
Scottish Opera’s Head of Costume, Lorna Price, on falling in love with her Grandmother’s Victorian sewing machine, using swimming to help her switch off and getting ready for a production of La Traviata. I start work around 9.30am, reading morning emails. I am not very good at eating lunch so it is straight through…
Read MoreLife with Edinburgh Zoo: ‘I grew up watching Animal Planet. Sometimes I wish I was Doctor Dolittle’
Zookeeper at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo, Natalie Booth, on growing up watching Animal Planet and her love of training animals. I always knew I wanted to work with animals. I watched a lot of Animal Planet with my grandad when I was young. I think I settled on wanting…
Read MoreLife with The National Trust for Scotland: ‘I travel all over Scotland as a plant detective’
Inventory Officer on the PLANTS (Plant Listing at the National Trust for Scotland) project, Charlotte Bottone talks about surveying thousands of Scotland’s plants and what you can do in your own garden to help often forgotten about species. I normally get to work between 8 and 8.30am. I start the day by planning which area…
Read MoreCrufts: Scottish Labrador Tweed takes home top spot
A Labrador retriever from the Scottish highlands was crowned overall winner of BASC’s gamekeeper classes on Gundog Day at Crufts 2024. Four year old Tweed (Nithvalley Tweed at Foxhope), owned by Emma Bamford and her gamekeeper husband, took home the Northesk Memorial Trophy on his first ever visit to Crufts. Following a day of hot…
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