Outdoors
Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture
THE Scottish Youth Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture has been presented to Steph McKenna from Lochaber. McKenna divides her time between local charity Lochaber Hope and local business Off Beat Bikes. Last summer, she worked as a seasonal ranger with the John Muir Trust and ran a junior ranger scheme. “We live in such…
Read MoreMountain rescuer ‘Heavy’ Whalley honoured
THE Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture has been presented to David “Heavy” Whalley. Heavy has spent more than 40 years rescuing people from Scotland’s mountains and teaching hillwalkers about safety. He was part of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) mountain rescue service for 37 years, and spent a further three years with the…
Read MoreCairngorms star in new Markus Stitz bike film
A NEW film about a 165-mile bike journey through the Cairngorms has been released online for free. The film, made by biking veteran and author Markus Stitz, documents the connection between the environment of the national park and its residents, along with the businesses they run. “Home Is Where The Trails Take You” captures a…
Read MorePrince 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…
Read MoreBonnie & 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…
Read MoreOpen 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…
Read More‘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…
Read MoreGWCT 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 &…
Read MoreArmy 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…
Read MoreWaverley 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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