Stanley Tucci praises St Andrews film festival

ACTOR Stanley Tucci presented his directorial debut at the Sands international film festival in St Andrews. The American star showed Big Night, which he directed in 1996. “I’m excited that people still like the film, and it holds up – because films, sometimes, they don’t,” he said. “I’m excited to hear what their reactions are…

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Why don’t more women play the bagpipes?

THE National Piping Centre today launched a study to find out why more women don’t play the bagpipes. Its six-month “Women in Piping and Drumming: Equality, Inclusivity, and Diversity” project is being run in collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The study includes an online survey, which runs until 2 June. Lady Oona Ivory,…

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House of Dun displays pupils’ art

ART by 159 pupils from three local primary schools is going on show at House of Dun near Montrose. The National Trust for Scotland, which runs the historic property, will exhibit the pictures from Earth Day on 22 April until 21 May. The exhibition features 100 birds imagined by pupils from Borrowfield, Lochside, and Southesk…

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Veterans with sight loss given taste of hills

VETERANS who have lost part of their sight are being given the chance to continue their passion for hillwalking thanks to virtual reality (VR). Jason Turnbull, who works at charity Sight Scotland Veterans’ Hawkhead centre in Paisley, has been shooting 360-degree photographs during his walks on Scotland’s hills. He then shows the images to the…

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Duke of Northumberland gives Scottish eagles a boost

AN ESTATE owned by the Duke of Northumberland has built two artificial nests to help the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project. Conservationists hope that the nests – or “eyries” – on Burncastle Estate near the Lammermuir Hills will be used by birds that have been moved to the South of Scotland to try to…

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Endangered pearl mussels discovered in Scottish lochs

FRESHWATER pearl mussels have been found in two of Scotland’s lochs, according to researchers. Up until now, freshwater pearl mussels were thought to live only in Scotland’s rivers, but researchers – who used remotely-operated underwater drones and snorkelling equipment – discovered a small number of the crticially-endangered mussels in Sutherland and the Trossachs. The survey,…

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Stroll through May’s issue of Scottish Field…

PERTHSHIRE is the star of the show in the latest issue of Scottish Field magazine, which is on sale now, both in shops and online. Taggart actor Colin McCredie explains why he has his hometown of Perth and its theatre to thank for kick-starting his career. Michelle Maddox and her team at Clootie McToot lift…

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Call for action after final Wild Isles episode

THE Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is calling on viewers to take action following tonight’s final episode of the BBC’s Wild Isles programme. The five-part documentary series, which was presented by Sir David Attenborough, has featured wildlife from throughout the UK and Ireland. Tonight’s final show profiled creatures living in the seas surrounding Scotland and the…

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Blair Castle Horse Trials aim to be ‘best yet’

ORGANISERS of the Blair Castle International Horse Trials hope that this year’s event will be “the best yet”. Tickets have gone on sale for the trials, which take place on 24-27 August. The event marks its 33rd anniversary this year. Bertie Troughton, resident trustee of Blair Charitable Trust, said: “Blair Castle hosts the largest and…

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Scottish Field’s Rosie Morton returns with Landward

LANDWARD, the rural affairs television programme, returns to BBC Scotland tonight, with Scottish Field writer Rosie Morton among this series’ presenters. Morton joined the show as last summer and travelled the length and breadth of our nation, sharing the stories of people who live and work in the countryside and on the coast. The programme,…

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