Scotland
Dundonald, Best of the West?
Editor Richard Bath travelled to his old stamping ground of Ayrshire to try out the acclaimed £25 million Dundonald Links golf course, plus its restaurant and lodges. Dundonald Links is right at the heart of Ayrshire’s golf coast, just a 45-minute drive south west of Glasgow. Formed from what was once Southern Gailes, it is…
Read MoreRunning up that hill: The spaniels climbing Scotland’s highest mountains
Meet the two adorable spaniels climbing Scotland’s highest mountains – with more than 250 scaled in less than two years. Pooches Hugo, aged six, and Spencer, aged three, have bagged 268 of Scotland’s 282 Munros – mountains over 3,000 feet high. Owner Hollie Jenkins, 27, began hiking the Munros with her faithful dogs in 2021…
Read MoreReview: Karma Lake of Menteith
Megan Amato enjoys a stay at Karma Lake of Menteith. As the sun begins to shine in Scotland, those of use keen to escape from dreich weather may start looking for breaks a little closer to home. Located in Stirlingshire on Scotland’s only lake – and from what I’ve been told, great for fishing –…
Read MoreNature meets luxury at Rufflets in St Andrews
Morag Bootland gets back to nature with a relaxing stay at Rufflets Hotel, St Andrews. SCOTLAND is experiencing the little known phenomenon that I’m told is known as ‘summer’. So, when the opportunity to head to St Andrews arose I was over the Queensferry Crossing before you could say ‘seaside’. The reason for my visit…
Read MoreWhat’s on: Book and whisky festivals and an epic car boot sale
Book festival The Borders Book Festival opens on 15 June. Highlights from the four day event Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, The Great British Bake Off, Peter Sawkins, crime-writing royalty Val McDermid, Mark Billingham and Doug Johnstone. It will open with the announcement of the winner of one of…
Read MoreNearly £1m in funding for extra rangers at nature hot spots this summer
Scotland’s nature hot spots will benefit from extra rangers this summer after receiving nearly £1million in funding. The NatureScot Better Places funding will go directly to 24 countryside, coast and island projects enabling an additional 62 staff to be employed. The extra ‘boots on the ground’ help manage visitor pressure in hotspots like Shetland, Glencoe,…
Read MoreGood vibrations will leave guests buzzing at UK’s first bee therapy retreat
The UK’s first ever ‘bee therapy’ centre is opening in Scotland this summer. Sustainable bee-based therapy, known as apitherapy, is a fast-growing trend in Eastern Europe. And now the first retreat in the UK is set to open on the grounds of Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Crieff, Perthshire. It is thought the scent of honey…
Read MoreHospitality news round-up: Cameron House, Muse, and more
Peter Ranscombe rounds-up the latest hospitality news. CAMERON House Hotel has named Allan Wilson as its next general manager as the estate prepares to marks its 200th anniversary. “I have always regarded Cameron House as being at the pinnacle of the finest hospitality in Scotland,” he said “It’s a dream come true to work at…
Read MoreUnion Chain Bridge to Northumberland reopens
THE Union Chain Bridge has reopened to link the Borders to Northumberland once more. Restoration work on the oldest vehicle suspension bridge in the world began in October 2020. Each part of the bridge – which opened in 1820 – was removed, checked, and replaced. Councillor John Greenwell, executive member for roads development and maintenance…
Read MoreSt Kilda viewpoint planned for North Uist
PLANS for a St Kilda viewpoint centre on North Uist have been unveiled. Sealladh Hiort is part of Slighe Hiort – the St Kilda trail – which will consist of three centres in the Outer Hebrides that will give visitors information about the remote islands. The exhibition at the centre will be designed by Mather…
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