Royal Highland Show to host a live showcase

The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland has confirmed that a live showcase will go ahead behind closed doors. Taking place week commencing June 14, the showcase will see the best in livestock judging, equestrian, food and drink and rural skills and will be livestreamed from the showground in Edinburgh to a global audience.…

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Explore north west Scotland from the Eddrachilles Hotel

The John Muir Trust recently published a report, Rural Communities and Visitor Pressures, in which it calls for the promotion of ‘slow’ tourism and encourages multiple night stays rather than fleeting visits, in order to maximise local economic value and minimise the carbon footprint of tourism. Eddrachilles Hotel owner, Fiona Campbell Trevor agrees that those…

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Huge demand to buy in rural Scotland despite pandemic

Brexit and Covid-19 are proving no barrier to people wanting to purchase rural property in Scotland. In the face of Brexit negotiations and the global pandemic, 2020 was an extraordinary year for the Scottish estate market: it has entered a new era, where newly perceived attributes are enhancing its appeal and subsequent value. Analysis of…

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Horses must be given more attention on the roads

An estimated three million horse riders in the UK use public roads, so it is inevitable that accidents will happen. But is enough being done to prevent them? Recent figures reveal an alarming trend. The British Horse Society (BHS) has received more than 2,000 reports of road traffic incidents involving horses in the last five…

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Keep your dog on the lead as lambing season begins

Several Scottish organisations have united in an urgent plea to dog owners across the country to keep their dogs under proper control around livestock. Lambing season is already well underway in Scotland, and most of the ewes we see now grazing the hills and fields are heavily pregnant at this time of year. Already farmers…

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Pledge to redouble fight for Galloway National Park

The Galloway National Park Association has pledged to fight on after being turned down in its bid to create Scotland’s third national park. Emma Harper MSP put a motion to the Scottish Parliament to support moves towards the creation of a new National Park in Galloway and received all party backing, to join Loch Lomond…

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School donates winter coats to those in need

Strathallan School has donated more than 75 winter coats to those experiencing hardship this winter. The school based in rural Perthshire organised an appeal for winter coats to help families in need in the Perth and Kinross area. Strathallan Prep School Pupil Alexander Wright, who volunteered with his sister Francesca to help pack the coats,…

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New initiative makes it easier to fish in lockdown

The Scottish salmon fishing season begins today, February 1. Angling clubs, charities and a fishery board have come together to remove barriers for angling enthusiasts and those curious to know more about fishing this year in the Forth basin as a pilot project to reinvigorate some of Scotland’s best loved rivers is launched. With preparations…

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Minister appalled by abuse of gamekeepers

SCOTLAND’S new rural affairs minister has condemned “the abuse and unfair harassment” of gamekeepers and their families. In a letter to the British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC), Ben Macpherson said he was “appalled to hear of the experiences” reported by Scotland’s gamekeepers. Almost two thirds of keepers have experienced abusive behaviour, according to…

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Calls to ‘care for the countryside’ this Christmas

SCOTTISH Land & Estates (SLE) – which represents farmers, land managers and rural businesses – has called on Christmas walkers to take litter home, not disturb wildlife, and keep dogs under control near cows and sheep. The organisation’s plea follows high-profile issues of littering, anti-social behaviour, vandalism, and flytipping in rural Scotland during the pandemic.…

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