A book celebrating 10 real masterpieces

Masterpieces from the Scottish National Gallery is an eye-delighting collection of the ten greatest paintings from the gallery in Edinburgh – widely regarded as one of the finest small galleries in the world. Alongside a broad selection of jewels from Scotland, the stand-out canvases are by Antoine Watteau, John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough and John Singer…

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An indoor pool at impressive Victorian home

Beechwood is an impressive house in a private setting in a most desirable Scottish town. Presented for sale by Savills, this property in Melrose was originally built in the 1870s as a Victorian house, the current property has been extended in recent years to include a stunning conservatory and indoor pool. The stone building with…

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Her life was ruined by a blood transfusion

This is the truly tragic tale of how one woman’s life has been affected by one of the UK’s biggest medical scandals –blood transfusion contamination. Gill Fyffe received the transfusion after undergoing a traumatic birth. Several unexplained side-effects followed and seven years later she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Now in seriously deteriorating health and…

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Danger and excitement with Darke matter

Action-packed and thrilling, Darke Mission follows JJ Drake, a former MI5 spy, lone parent and now apparently head-down worker in the finance sector.  Caladon’s contemporary scenes are set in several places – London, Scotland and North Korea. With the British government at the brink of bankruptcy, the ex-spy is forced to lead an audacious heist…

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Getting more from Scotland’s woodlands

Forestry professionals are set to share their expertise on how to boost the productivity of existing woodland. Organised through the Scottish Government’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS), a free event will take place near Stirling later this month which will cover the best way to manage woods, from thinning to restocking, and provide details of Felling…

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Be one of the first on Scotland’s most green ferry

A new ship which will provide the most environmentally-friendly ferry service in Scotland is set to arrive in Orkney tomorrow (Wednesday 9 October) after making the journey from its shipbuilders in Vietnam. After final fittings and trials, MV Alfred will connect passengers from Orkney to the Scottish mainland on the service already operated by family…

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Celebrating Glasgow’s Gaelic culture ahead of the Mod

To celebrate the return of the Mod,  a new display entitled Glasgow Gaels, which charts some of the history of the Gaelic community in the city since the late 18th century, has been created. After an absence of almost thirty years, the Mod – a celebration of Gaelic language and culture – is set to…

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Saving the wildcats – Scotland’s Highland tiger

For someone who initially had no particular interest in wildcats, I finished this book feeling massively concerned for their welfare and vulnerability.  Marianne Taylor delves into the fascinating lives of Scottish wildcats in her Highland journey, during which she hopes to catch sight of these elusive animals. They face alarming endangerment so a need for…

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An outsider’s look at Scotland’s capital

Chiang Yee offers an insightful and refreshing view on the capital in The Silent Traveller in Edinburgh. Refusing to let the unpredictable Scottish weather hinder his expeditions, Chiang Yee always finds beauty in the dreariest of rainstorms. He employs the technique of defamiliarisation, opening his readers’ eyes to alternative perspectives of the city through astute…

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Dame Evelyn Glennie shares her love of music

Dame Evelyn Glennie, multi-percussionist who has been profoundly deaf since the age of 12, believes listening and music is a whole body experience. I was brought up on a farm in Aberdeenshire. I went to Ellon Academy and a tiny country primary school called Cairnorrie. It only had about 37 to 42 pupils. In such…

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