Prince William’s photographer snaps Knoydart residents

PORTRAITS of Knoydart residents have been taken by the photographer behind the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay’s latest family images. Matt Porteous took the portrait for last year’s royal Christmas card. Now, he’s taken pictures of people living and working on Knoydart – using a mobile phone strapped to a drone. Porteous used a satellite…

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Bonnie & Wild hosts landscape photographs

THE Scottish landscape photographer of the year exhibition has opened at the Bonnie & Wild food court within Edinburgh’s £1 billion St James Quarter shopping centre. Almost 200 images from nearly 100 photographers are on display in the show. Now in its eight year, the competition’s top prize went to Isabella Hillhouse, whose portfolio of…

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Open letter by Upper Deveron Valley wind campaigners

RESIDENTS and businesses in the Upper Deveron Valley have called on Aberdeenshire and Moray councils to develop a joined-up plan for wind farms in their communities. In an open letter signed by Patti Nelson, chair of the Cabrach Community Association, campaigners called for an “inter-authority regional landscape capacity assessment”. The letter called for the councils…

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‘Talk to a Farmer’ week live in schools

CHILDREN will be asking questions about the countryside through online broadcasts during the second “Talk to a Farmer” week, organised by The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET). Farmers from throughout Scotland will be answering questions via video links to school classrooms. This year’s sessions will focus on farmers producing seeds and grains. There’s still time…

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GWCT training courses return for 2023

THE Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has unveiled its spring training courses. The charity’s advisory service runs half-day courses on topics including “snaring, heather burning, corvid control, mustelid control, and grouse health and disease”. People who pass the courses receive a GWCT certificate to demonstrate “due diligence and responsibility” under the 2011 Wildlife &…

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Army veteran launches this year’s Cateran Yomp

AN ARMY veteran, who was forced to give up military life due to injury, is pledging to plough “every penny” back into the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) by embarking on the Cateran Yomp, one of Scotland’s toughest endurance challenges. Royal Artillery veteran Lee Harris-Hamer, 31, from Thirsk in North Yorkshire, is the new ambassador for…

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Waverley paddle steamer in ‘urgent’ cash appeal

THE team behind the Waverley paddle steamer has this lunchtime issued an “urgent” funding appeal to raise £180,000. The cash is needed to pay the boat’s winter dry dock costs and recommission the vessel for this season’s sailings. Waverley, which is the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer, carried more than 100,000 passengers last year as…

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Tiso hosts its first mini-festival

CLIMBER Leo Houlding will visit Glasgow next week for outdoor equipment store Tiso’s first mini-festival. Houlding will read from his new book, Closer To The Edge. The company is erecting tents in its car park to welcome 100 guests to the event on 26 January. Inside the tents, Tiso is placing a cinema screen, theatre…

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Royal marines help farmers with mental health

FORMER royal marines and the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) are launching a mental health initiative this month to help farmers. The programme involves mental health first aid training for those who regularly interact professionally with farmers or crofters, such as assessors, inspectors, and consultants. Topics included in the course – which is being…

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AUSTRIA: THE POWER OF FOUR

The four-resort Skicircus – which includes the grand old ski area of Saalbach – has undergone a radical transformation, writes editor Richard Bath. Why would I ski here? “Skicircus” is basically shorthand for a conglomeration of four alpine towns – Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Leogang, and Fieberbrunn – which together make up the ninth biggest ski region…

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