Shoppers on foot spend more than those who drive there

New research shows that Christmas shoppers who walk to high streets could be spending more than those who drive there. Living Streets Scotland, part of the UK charity for everyday walking, has launched its updated research, The Pedestrian Pound in Edinburgh this week. A review of academic evidence in the report shows that shoppers on…

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Finding the positives in a poor grouse season

Scotland’s grouse sector has taken a hit this year due to the poor weather – but that has not dampened enthusiasm for private investment in vital conservation work. The financial impact of the poor season, ending today, 10 December, is very significant – due to widespread cancellations of shooting programmes and reduced trade with local…

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Celebrating the best of the Scottish Highlands

North Coast Journey: the Magic of Scotland’s Northern Highlands is beautiful compendium of all that the Northern Highlands of Scotland has much to offer. Brigid Benson has created a comprehensive, yet beautifully presented guide to taking a North Coast journey. Highlighting curiosities and beauty spots and emphasising the importance of respecting the locals, she provides a…

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How the Romans tried to keep the Scots out

People have been building boundary walls to keep their enemies out for millennia. In the 3rd century BC work began on the Great Wall of China as a defence from the Mongols. Famous modern day examples include the Berlin Wall, dividing the communist east from our allies in West Germany, and the current West Bank…

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Go wild with the children in the great outdoors

The Wild Year Book is full of great ideas on how to entertain children while rediscovering the great outdoors at any time of year. It is packed with great activities that will help children to cultivate an appreciation for all that nature has to offer. Some fun suggestions included are nest building in spring, or…

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A sentimental journey from Italy to Orkney

The Highland Games Ambassador by Jackie Roy sees Luca travel from his home in Italy to Orkney, where his father was interned as a prisoner of war in World War II, to fulfil his father’s dying wish. Attracting media attention by financing Scotland’s first Highland Games Ambassador leads to secrets of his past being unravelled. This…

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Why peat is so important to life on the islands

Into the Peatlands: A Journey Through the Moorland Year book demonstrates how the peatlands in the Outer Hebrides are central to island life.  It explains the significance of peat in local folklore and wildlife. The seasonal processes surrounding peat reveal a significant amount about life on the islands both in the present and in the past as…

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A sense of history at Edinburgh’s Calton Hill

Kirsten Carter McKee has provided a delightfully in-depth treasure trove of information for anyone with an interest in Scottish architecture or history, more specifically in that of Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. The knowledge Carter McKee demonstrates in Calton Hill and the Plans for Edinburgh’s Third New Town, on the history of Calton Hill and all…

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Living and cooking on the edge of the world

Father and son duo Tom and James Morton have written a fantastic book. Shetland: Cooking on the Edge of the World should be recognised as far more than a simple recipe book as it contains a great deal on the history and culture of Shetland too. The authors convey the information in a humorous and friendly…

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Tide and time waits for no one in this thriller

The Relentless Tide, the newest instalment of the DCI Daley thrillers series is well-written and engaging from beginning to end. While searching for Viking remains, archaeologist Professor Francombe stumbles across the missing remains from the ‘Midweek Murderer’ case that occurred in the 1990s, a case from DCI Daley’s past that has been haunting him for…

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