A chance for Scots writers to fire up their career

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity transforming lives through reading and writing, has announced that applications are open for the Ignite Fellowship. Now in its second year, the Ignite Fellowship recognises the achievements of professional writers and will offer tailored, practical and financial support to help writers find time and space to fire up their…

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Bubbles under a fishing line mean otters

Having whiled away many hours along the banks of the River Dee, wildlife aficionado Hans Kruuk has followed an interesting group of otters. He has found that each has their own intriguing personality. Walking along a narrow path on the river bank of a beautiful, majestic stretch of the River Dee, ahead of me I…

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The enduring appeal of the adorable puffins

The puffin is one of our best loved seabirds, but its appeal goes far beyond its quirky appearance. ‘Puffin therapy’ is for many people apparently more powerful than all the wonder nerve-calming drugs on the market. Ian and Colin Morrison of Mull have been running their Turus Mara trips out to the Treshnish island of…

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MacCrimmon pipes up for a fun children’s book

Young MacCrimmon and the Silver Chanter is a comical children’s story tells the story of a piping school and the struggle of a young pupil, Donald MacCrimmon, to master the instrument. When a Fairy Queen steps into help, she does so with a warning, presenting Donald with a life changing dilemma. Based on the tales…

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Restaurant on Calton Hill worth a Lookout 

I have a list of 30 go-to Edinburgh restaurants of all hues for when friends come to visit the city. I’ll go through phases when a particular establishment pushes my buttons (current favourites: The Little Chart Room on Leith Walk, and The White Horse on the Canongate), but for many months now my consistent –…

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A passionate affair in The Sound of the Hours

Occupation during the Second World War in Barga, Tuscany, turns plans for the future of 17-year-old Vita on their head, in The Sound of the Hours by Karen Campbell. The arrival of Frank Chapel, a young black US soldier, finds the Scottish-Italian heroine falling deeply in love. The vividly portrayed characters embark on a passionate…

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The Exorcist can still provide its share of shocks

On its original cinematic release, The Exorcist became one of the most shocking films of the 1970s. Whilst it’s hard to replicate 1973 sensibilities in 2019, The Excorcist stage production, currently at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow, still manages to pull of a few moments that make it uncomfortable viewing. But let’s rewind a little.…

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Second Bowmore internet exclusive from Amazon

Due to the overwhelming success of the first release of Bowmore 19-year-old on Amazon, a small number of casks have been made available for a second release. This unique bottling combines the rich flavour of the French Oak Barriques and the signature Bowmore style created in the worlds oldest maturation warehouse, the famous No.1 Vaults.…

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Scotland’s island population is on the rise

The population of Scotland’s islands is on the increase, according to research institutes, community groups and public sector organisations. They have issued a joint statement which says there is credible evidence of ‘green shoots’ of population turnaround, which as yet does not show up in official statistics. The Islands Revival Declaration, developed by social scientists…

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Students lent a hand at Stranraer Oyster Festival

Dumfries and Galloway College students have played an important role in Stranraer’s annual Oyster Festival. Supported Learning students from the college’s Stranraer campus were in charge of running the volunteer hub, a rest and recreation space for volunteers of the festival, which took place at the weekend. The students undertook significant preparations before running the…

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