Mountain photos with a view to a hill

Sven Soell’s photographs capture the mood, moment and sheer joy of being out and about on Scotland’s mountains. Photography had simply been a bit of a hobby for German-born Sven Soell before he rehomed Bert, his border collie, in 2013. ‘I had a camera and I like hill walking, and it started to become a…

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Some good ideas to mark Burns Night 2020

A celebration of music, poetry, food, drink and friendship, few birthdays are as unifying as that of Robert Burns on 25 January. Haggis takes centre stage at any Burns supper so here are a few ways to celebrate this ‘Great chieftain o the puddin’-race’. Haggis at home from Balgove Larder, St Andrews If you’re hosting…

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An almighty roar for team BROAR

After over a month at sea, three Scottish brothers have set three World Records in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – dubbed the toughest row in the world. Not only are they the fastest trio to ever have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, beating the previous record by a whopping six days, they are also…

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See inside The Balmoral in the World’s Greatest Hotels

Edinburgh’s The Balmoral is to feature in a TV series about the World’s Greatest Hotels tonight, Friday. This brand new Channel 5 series features the world’s most iconic and amazing hotels from around the world. With each episode dedicated to a single world famous hotel, the show will unravel what it takes to become an…

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Flexitarian menu offering every diet option launches

Vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and omnivores can enjoy stress-free dining together with the launch of Edinburgh’s first fully flexitarian menu by Otro restaurant. To coincide with Veganuary, the award-winning Edinburgh restaurant has crafted a carefully-selected menu with eighteen new seasonal dishes to suit the widest range of dietary requirements. Otro’s Flexitarian À La Carte menu combines…

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Mountain film festival returns after two years

Youth – or lack of it – is no barrier as the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival highlights adventurers aged from four to 97. As the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival (EMFF) returns in February after a longer-than-normal two-year break, you might feel that you’ve aged since the last event in 2018. Don’t worry, you’ll feel more…

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Stars shine brightly in this Scots novel

Cameron Sparks’ life isn’t going to plan, in Bright Stars by Sophie Duffy. He and his wife have separated and he is being forced to move back in with his widowed dad, plus he’s awaiting a disciplinary at work following an incident in the underground vaults of Edinburgh where he works as a Ghost Tour…

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A Burns Supper with a rather different twist

A modern take on the Burns Supper is coming to The Ivy on the Square in Edinburgh. From Monday, 20 to Sunday, 26 January, the St Andrew Square brasserie will be adding two new whisky cocktails to the menu as well as a modern take on the national Haggis dish with a brace of limited-edition…

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New tourism drive for the Borders and Midlothian

Tourism businesses in the Scottish Borders and Midlothian are embarking on a new marketing campaign designed to revolutionise the area’s visitor economy. Launched this week, Scotland Starts Here, a travel inspiration website has been created to raise the area’s profile as a year -round tourism destination as well as encouraging more visitors to the Scottish…

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When Burns became the talk of the capital

Robert Burns arrived unknown in Edinburgh in 1786, but within days the ‘Ploughman Poet’ was the talk of the town. This colourful guide to Burns’ associations with the city chronicles the places he visited and people he met. With easy-to-follow routes through Edinburgh arranged by the people and places who influenced the Bard, this is…

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