Scottish Field’s July 2021 edition is out now

If you love dogs, then you won’t be barking up the wrong tree when it comes to the July edition of Scottish Field.

Olive, Mabel and Me is our lead feature this month, as TV sports commentator Andrew Cotter highlights his fantastic dogs, which brought so much joy online during lockdown.

Editor Richard Bath said: ‘Like much of the world, the Scottish Field office has become completely obsessed with dogs.

‘I’ve got a “new” hound (a ten-year-old German wirehaired pointer who has served her time as a working dog and is instead jostling for space in front of the fire with my distinctly unamused 13-year-old cairn terrier) while the four colleagues with whom I currently work most closely have somehow accrued four puppies during the lockdown.

‘So there was widespread excitement at the news that I was planning to run an interview with Andrew Cotter this month.

‘Andrew, for those who aren’t big on social media, is a successful BBC sports commentator who became a lockdown legend when for a bit of fun he started commentating on his two labradors, Olive and Mabel, during their daily walks, and then posted the resulting films online.

‘Several months later, almost ninety million people have seen his videos and his fame has, if not been eclipsed, at least been matched by his two hungry beasts. Even friends who know nothing about dogs are now aware of Cotter and his girls, and so news of our chat created a buzz of excitement.

‘However, even more interesting were his memories of a childhood spent in the outdoors, with dogs or his golf clubs. His ruminations on the future of Scotland’s wild places were as unexpected as they were thought provoking, and I’d recommend them to everyone who cares about our great outdoors.’

We also speak with Game of Thrones actress in our Credo feature, as Kate Dickie tells us about spine tingling ghost stories and her love of Jaffa Cakes.

Photographer Steven Marshall found a shutterbug’s paradise when he moved to Ardnamurchan, while Rosie Morton takes a walk on the wildside as she heads off on a unique three-night trip to the Cairngorms, camping beneath the stars accompanied by two ponies.

We also feature a relic of the Ice Age in Scotland’s water, the Ferox Trout, while Nick Drainey gives us a round-up of walks, hotels and eateries to help us enjoy a staycation this summer.

And in food, we meet the owners of Edinburgh’s Salt Cafe, Liv and Steve Connolly-Bastock, who share some tasty recipes.

In our regular columns, Alexander McCall Smith’s research reveals that many of us may share Neanderthal heritage, Guy Grieve reminisces after his son’s landmark birthday and is proud of the man his boy has become, Fiona Armstrong is not too keen to follow the Chief’s good example by cleaning out her old jalopy, and whisky expert Blair Bowman is excited to uncover some excellent blended malt whiskies that are full of flavour and good value for money.

To find out more about how to subscribe, just visit www.scottishfield.co.uk/subscriptions

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