Remote fragment of ancient Caledonian pinewood restored

A remote fragment of Scotland’s ancient Caledonian pinewood in Sutherland has been restored thanks to two decades of effort. This globally unique habitat can only be found in the Scottish Highlands.  It provides a home for a wide variety of rare and specialised species, including pine martens, conifer specialists like crossbills and red squirrels, as…

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Dàna: Adventure series showcases Scotland’s wild side

From iconic sea stack climbs to winter mountaineering expeditions, series three of BBC ALBA’s Dàna | Scotland’s Wild Side returns this autumn. The new series follows 27-year-old rock climber, runner and adventurer Coinneach Rankin as he seeks out some of the toughest but most scenic climbs the country has to offer. Taking on Scotland’s rugged…

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Cyclists gear up for Sunday’s Etape Loch Ness

A TOTAL of 6,000 riders are gearing up for the Etape Loch Ness cycle race on Sunday. Slots to take part in the race sold out within 50 hours, with 26% of the competitors coming from Scotland, and nearly 2% from overseas. Event director Malcolm Sutherland said: “The 2023 Etape Loch Ness looks set to…

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Scotland in the cold light of day

Landscape photographer Dougie Cunningham captures the bleak beauty of Scotland’s winters. Bitter winters consisting of long nights and cold, short days might not be everyone’s favourite time of year, but landscape photographer Dougie assures us there is no better time to capture the beauty of Scotland than through the winter months. Having spent the majority…

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A wartime thriller with the action in Orkney

This is one of three fast-paced thrillers written by Ken Lussey and set in Scotland during wartime. Located in Orkney in 1942, it’s a story of war and deception, and centres around group captain Bob Sutherland and his MI11 team. Flown in to inspect the naval base in Orkney, they find that things are far…

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Stepping up fight against homelessness

The Sheltersuit Foundation is a non-profit social venture which designs and manufactures products that provide immediate shelter to people experiencing homelessness. Sheltersuit UK, a branch of the foundation, is collaborating with Vango, one of Europe’s leading camping and outdoor equipment brands, to produce its Sheltersuits and Shelterbags. Established in the Netherlands in 2014, the Sheltersuit…

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One small step for Sutherland spaceport

PLANS to launch rockets into space from the Highlands have taken “one small step” forward after The Highland Council granted planning permission. Economic development agency Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) has been given the green light by councillors to build a “vertical launch spaceport” in Sutherland. Scottish ministers will now have their say on the…

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Tourism firms cry out for help from ministers

Pressure is growing on the Scottish Government to provide further help for tourism businesses – especially in the Highlands – so they can get ready to welcome back visitors. Marc Crothall, chief executive at the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), which represents more than 250 members, has warned that the industry is “on the brink of…

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Etape Loch Ness rescheduled from April to September

A cycling event around Loch Ness, which raises money for Macmillan Cancer Support, has been delayed. Caledonian Concepts, organisers of the Etape Loch Ness which was scheduled to take place on Sunday 26 April have announced the postponement of the 2020 event. The 2020 Etape Loch Ness is now scheduled to take place on Sunday…

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Entries on the rise for Scots city’s half marathon

The Inverness Half Marathon, the first half marathon of 2020, looks set to benefit from a growing trend to get mentally fit. Taking place on 8 March, Inverness Half Marathon has seen a 74% increase in entries between 2011 and 2019. The event also includes a 5K, in which entries have increased by a third…

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