Something to crow about with the falconers

Hunting their quarry on horseback, the Northumberland Crow Falconers are ensuring a time-old tradition of hawking is kept alive in the borderlands. Mounted on a bay mare, dressed in the traditional dark green livery worn by hawk hunters of the late 1700s and carrying a falcon on his arm, Dr Nick Fox calls his party…

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Angels on wheels volunteer to save lives

Biker Stewart Priest is part of a team who give up their spare time to run a free, life-saving medical transport service for the NHS. Who set the service up in the first place? The service was started by Jason Kelly. One of his family members was a patient at the old Yorkhill Hospital in…

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A First World War tragedy off the coast of Scotland

A First World War naval ‘battle’ off the coast of Scotland on a wintery night in 1918 involved no enemy contact yet resulted in the tragic deaths of 270 British submariners. It was a sea ‘battle’ that claimed 270 British submariners but which until recently remained shrouded in secrecy. As well as a loss of…

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Going on a Witch Hunt with new BBC radio podcast

BBC Radio Scotland has launched Witch Hunt – a podcast on Halloween. Witch Hunt is from the team that produces Time Travels, BBC Radio Scotland’s history magazine programme. Over six episodes, Susan Morrison and Dr Louise Yeoman take an in-depth look at one of Scotland’s biggest historical miscarriages of justice. About 450 years ago, the…

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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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Crime and punishment – 10 infamous Scots trials

Some of Scotland’s most infamous criminals have fallen foul of the law and ended up in the dock in ten of the country’s most remarkable and high-profile trials. Here, we highlight 10 of them. 1. William Burke (1828) Most people are familiar with the story of Burke and Hare, who murdered 16 people in order…

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Search for singer/ songwriter down to the final four

The final contestants for the inaugural BBC Radio Scotland Singer/Songwriter Award have been revealed. Following a public vote, four outstanding musical talents have earned a place in the live final on BBC Music Day, 26 September. They are: Liv Dawn from Loch Lomond area, who has a pop country style and crafts powerful stories through…

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Fringe: Discover radio’s hidden gem Fags, Mags and Bags

One of the best kept secrets on radio, Fags, Mags and Bags, is currently shopping for laughs at the Fringe. While many shows have made the move from radio to TV, for some reason, the quiet genius that is Fags, Mags and Bags has somehow not made the transfer. Fags, Mags and Bags is a…

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Baby Wants Candy will improvise some festival fun

After years of sell-out runs and critical acclaim anon, Fringe institution smash-hit wonder Baby Wants Candy has become one of the most celebrated improv shows in the world. It returns this August with more brand new, ad-libbed, exhilarating 55-minute musicals, all taken from audience suggestions. With a full band in action, the company create the…

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Cult Scots radio series is coming to the festival

A Scots radio show is transferring to the stage as part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Fags, Mags and Bags, the Radio 4 series written and performed by Sanjeev Kohli and Donald McLeary, will be presented live on stage at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. With nine series on Radio 4, the show received a…

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