Taking the plunge to enjoy the power of wild swimming

Heart-warming and fascinating, Taking the Plunge: The Healing Power of Wild Swimming for Mind, Body & Soul is fantastic. Written by two women who formed a bond through their love of wild swimming, reading this book feels like having a conversation with old friends. Deacon and Allan detail the lives of wild swimmers, showing how…

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Everything you wanted to know about whisky

If you’ve ever had a question about whisky, this book is sure to answer it. Written by three chaps who are leading experts in all things boozy, the book strips things back to the very beginning and attempts to uncover how the world’s obsession with the ‘water of life’ began. Including stunning images and recipes,…

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Discovering the darker side of her family tree

Cal Flyn was holidaying at her childhood home in the Highlands of Scotland when she stumbled upon a little-known, dark family secret. The journalist discovered that her great-great-great uncle, Angus McMillan, who had been mythologised as a great explorer and pioneer of early Australia, had in fact been the leader of a number of gruesome…

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Diver survived 35 minutes – on 6 minutes of air

This compelling true story of a diver trapped on the bottom of the North Sea is to be shown on TV. Chris Lemons’ body amazingly was able to survive for 35 minutes on a six-minute emergency air tank. At the time of the incident Chris was relatively new to saturation diving. It was an exciting…

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Daring to dream to discover more of Gavin Maxwell

Being offered a position as warden of Kyleakin Lighthouse Island, the last home of Ring of Bright Water author Gavin Maxwell, was a dream come true for Dan Boothby. This book tells of his time living on this tiny island on the Western seaboard of the Highlands; the people he met, and the history that…

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The latest weekend bag from Gandys – tried and tested

We try and test the new Gandys Large Dusty Terrain Waxed Weekend Bag. WHAT IS IT? Large sand waxed weekend bag. RRP £119.99. www.gandyslondon.com I WANT IT BECAUSE: It is very functional and spacious but is also the epitome of shabby chic. It has a water-resistant sandy-coloured 100% cotton exterior and 100% polyester interior that’s completely waterproof, plus…

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Grow your own pain relieving chillies at home

There’s nothing quite like growing your own plants – especially if they can help with your health. We gave you five plants which can help you beat Blue Monday yesterday, and one of those suggested by our friends at Dobbies Garden Centres  was chilli peppers. Chillies are rich in antioxidants and contain even more vitamin C…

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Laser hair removal can make you beam and save time

Who’s ready to ditch lengthy, tedious grooming routines? To sleep in an extra five or ten minutes in the morning? To say ‘goodbye’ to pain and hassle – and ‘hello’ to gorgeous results? We thought so! So how can you do all of this? Laser hair removal. Many people consider laser hair removal because of…

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Delicious shortbread but with a bit of heat

Today we bring you our fifth and final shortbread with a twist recipe.  And today, we put a bit of heat into the old Scottish favourite, with this Cracked Black Pepper & Crowdie shortbread. Scottish Blend, a brew specially blended for Scottish water, have teamed up with independent Scottish bakery, Pinnies and Poppy Seeds to…

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At last we can eat Irn Bru – in shortbread!

Is there a treat that could be any more Scottish than Irn Bru shortbread?  We think you’d be hard pressed to find one. Scottish Blend, a brew specially blended for Scottish water, have teamed up with independent Scottish bakery, Pinnies and Poppy Seeds to create five special shortbread flavours. Shortbread extraordinaire, Jennifer Hunter, runs her…

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