Scotland Outdoors

Moray Ocean Community is a group of citizen scientists aiming to raise awareness of the importance of marine habitats and species. A couple of weeks ago, Mark joined members as they conducted seagrass surveys in Findhorn Bay and learned all about the range of work they carry out.

Rachel is in Leven in Fife where a multi-million pound project is underway to refurbish a former flax mill. She hears about the plans including a visitor centre, a community hub and an area to show off the mill’s history.

Scotland's first Alpine Coaster has opened at the Midlothian Snowsports Centre at Hillend near Edinburgh. We sent our rollercoaster expert Paul English along to experience the new way to enjoy the rolling Midlothian hills.

Next month the winners of the BBC’s Food and Farming Awards will be unveiled at a ceremony in Glasgow. Out of Doors and Landward have our own category – the BBC Scotland Food Hero award. Over the past few weeks Rachel has been visiting the three finalists and this week we hear her trip to the Stranraer Oyster Festival. She headed out on a boat on Loch Ryan harvesting oysters ahead of the 2024 festival kicking off.

We chat live to the Glasgow Poet Laureate, Jim Carruth. Much of Jim’s writing is inspired by the rural landscape and those who live and work in it and next week he’s organised an event to raise money for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution or the RSABI. We chat to Jim about where the idea for the event came from and why he finds raising money for the RSABI so important.

Portmoak Moss is one of the few remaining raised bogs in central Scotland. The Woodland Trust site near Glenrothes holds a special place in the heart of the community as St Andrews University student Natasha Currie discovered when she set out to make a soundscape about it. She met up with Mark to tell him what’s so special about Portmoak and we hear excerpts of her recordings.

Matt Sowerby is a climate activist, writer and performer who was visiting Aberdeen recently. For this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Helen Needham met up with him on Aberdeen Beach where he explained what climate anxiety means for him and how he finds a sense of hope in what appears to be a crisis.

And Rachel heads along to a moonlit dip at Monikie Country Park in Angus. The ‘Dook n Chat’ under a (nearly) full moon was part of the Angus Outdoor Adventure Winter Festival which comes to a close this weekend.

Helen Needham speaks with climate activist and writer Matt Sowerby

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors

We've dug into our archive to bring you a programme originally broadcast in 2012 when Mark Stephen followed the route taken by protagonist David Balfour in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel, 'Kidnapped'.

In this first section, it's a brief visit to the Hawes Inn in South Queensferry before taking a boat to the Island of Erraid - which sits off Mull - and the magnificent beach where Davey found himself shipwrecked.

Mark is following the Stevenson Way.

A recent report showed that almost a quarter of all ancient pinewoods are at risk of disappearing altogether. Earlier this week, Mark attended Scotland’s Pinewood Conference in Fort William to find out what’s being done to preserve these woodlands

It’s prime cider making time. Rachel visits Digby Lamotte at his cider making business in Perth to follow the process of producing this increasingly popular drink

In the late 1700s, Dr James Mounsey, a physician, is said to have smuggled out several pounds of rhubarb seeds - worth more than gold - out of Russia to his home of Edinburgh, where he was soon honoured with the Freedom of the City. Author Barclay Price has written about James Mounsey and others in his new book Honoured by Edinburgh

The North Coast 500,a hugely popular tourist route in the North of Scotland, attracts thousands of visitors each year. David Richardson of the NC 500 joins the programme to talk about the new NC500 pledge - an initiative created to encourage visitors to experience the route responsibly and respectfully

Kiri Stone is the person behind woodswoman workshops in Fife. Rachel went along to one of the outdoors workshops

Tracey Howe has just embarked on 5000 mile walk round the UK coastline. Following the death of her wife of nearly 40 years, Tracey found herself depressed and unable to leave the house but owning a dog forced her to get outside. Linda Sinclair met Tracey on one her final training walks

Mark is back at the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Montrose Basin site, but this time it isn’t geese he’s looking for, it’s mosquitos. Mark hears about the monitoring programme that the Basin is part of and why it’s important to track mosquitos for human health and also bird health.

Back in 2021 Storm Arwen wreaked havoc on the North East causing lots of damage including to some of the buildings at the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh. Recently Rachel went for a visit to see how the repair work was progressing.

The archipelago of St Kilda, the most westerly islands of the UK, is a wild place with a fascinating history. It was inhabited until 1930 by very hardy folks, many of whom were adept at climbing the cliffs and sea stacks to hunt for birds and their eggs. St Kilda’s climbing history is now being explored in a new film by professional climber and filmmaker Robbie Phillips. Helen Needham met up with Robbie to hear about how the film came about.

Earlier in the week, it was announced that Jim McColl had died at the age of 89. Jim was one of the presenters of BBC Scotland’s Beechgrove Garden from its outset until his retirement from the programme in 2019. We hear an archive clip of Mark chatting to Jim about how he got involved in the first place.

Back to the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses in Fraserburgh where Rachel hears about a project to restore one of the old lighthouse keepers’ cottages to how it might have looked in 1963.

And we chat live to Mike Bullock, chief executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board, about the role of modern day lighthouse keepers.

From now until Halloween, Glamis Castle near Forfar will be running what they are calling Ghosts of Glamis tours. Mark recently went along to hear some of the ghostly tales and see if he could spot any spooky goings on…

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast Mark chats to Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at the Beaver Trust. We hear an excerpt where Roisin tells Mark about her early involved in the re-introduction of beavers to Scotland.

If you read the Guardian newspaper, you may be familiar with the Country Diary. It’s a daily natural history column which offers the reader seasonal observations and snapshots of the British Countryside. Recently Rachel met one of the regular contributors, Merryn Glover, at Loch Inch in the Highlands and asked her to reflect on what autumn means to her.

Mark Stephen meets Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, Head of Restoration at the Beaver Trust. They meet at the Argaty Beaver Project near Doune in Perthshire to discuss her love of the mammal and how the reintroduction of the species is progressing

Mark and Rachel with the second part of their visit the island of Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides.

The RSPB has two reserves on the island, one at Loch Gruinart and one at The Oa, which is where Mark and Rachel met warden David Dinsley to try and spot one of the bird species Islay is known for, the chough.

Artist Heather Dewar was born on Islay in the 1940s, and although she moved away as a child, she returned regularly until she retired there. We chat to her about what makes Islay such a special place and hear some of her childhood memories.

Islay is in a strategically important place in terms of shipping and trade. And between 1914 and 1918 the waters around it were an important route for troopships. Two incidents brought the First World War to the doors of the islanders, and author Les Wilson tells us about one of them and the impact it had on Islay. We also hear about a rather remarkable American flag which was made on the island and has been returned there after spending quite some time in the USA.

And we couldn’t visit Islay, and island with ten, nearly 11 distilleries, and not talk about whisky. People come from all across the world to visit the distilleries and taste the drams with their unique Islay style. Rachel chats to Rachel MacNeill from the Islay Whisky Academy about how she gets people passionate about whisky. And we visit the Kilchoman Distillery to hear from Sharon McHarrie about how they are continuing some of the old traditions in their comparatively young distillery.

Mark and Rachel visit the island of Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. They take a walk with gamekeeper turned outdoor guide, DJ MacPhee, to get an overview of the island which has a diverse range of landscapes and habitats.

They then head to Loch Finlaggan, the seat of the Lord of the Isles, a site of huge significance for hundreds of years, and hear all about its history from Mairead Mackechnie of the Loch Finlaggan Trust.

Next they visit a re-discovered ancient lifting stone on the shores of Loch Gruinart. Niall Colthart tells them about the legends attached to it and Mark tries his hand at lifting it.

Slugs are sometimes regarded as a garden pest, but they are more important than people might think. Rachel meets with retired teacher and slug expert Chris Du Feu after one of his workshops in Rosyth run by the Fife Nature Records Centre to ask whether he had noticed more slugs than usual this year.

It’s rare these days to see a mature elm tree be it in the countryside or in our towns and cities. That’s because of Dutch Elm Disease which, over the past sixty years, has killed millions of trees throughout the UK. In this week’s Scotland Outdoors episode, Helen Needham visits Max Coleman of the Royal Botanic Gardens who has been involved in a Scottish project to create resilient elms for the future.

Montrose Basin have recently been welcoming annual visitors pink-footed geese, who migrate from Iceland every year. Mark hears more about these spectacular birds from Visitor Centre Manager Joanna Peaker and freshwater ecologist Rachel Mackay-Austin.

The harbour in Stranraer is at the heart of much of the regeneration of the town. Rachel met with historian Elaine Barton at the West Pier overlooking Loch Ryan to discuss the major role the loch played in the local economy.

The October holidays in Scotland are traditionally called tattie holidays, as this is the time when children would be taken out of school to help with the potato harvest. Potato expert and “Tattie Talks” organiser John Marshall joins Mark and Rachel live to tell us more about how tattie picking has changed over the years.

When we think of surfing, we don’t usually associate it with the cold waters of the north of Scotland. University of Edinburgh lecturer Dr Matthew McDowell has recently published a book looking at the history of surfing in the north of Scotland. Mark meets him at Dunbar beach, one of Scotland’s best surfing beaches, to discuss his findings.

Returning to Stranraer, Rachel visits Aldouran Wetland Garden, a garden managed by volunteers, which lies just a few miles out of town. The site sits on the edge of woodland and features a pond, raised flower beds and a bird hide, as well as a rather interesting hungry caterpillar. Gordon Weymss and Jane Sloan gave Rachel a guided tour.

Now that we are further into the autumn months, we start to notice the leaves changing on the trees. Mark meets artist Jonathan Mitchell to discuss the many colours involved in autumn leaves, and how they inspire his paintings.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited staff have teamed up with conservation programme Species on the Edge to create safe nesting habitat for the rare Little Tern at Islay Airport. Rachel meets Project Officer Lucy Atkinson to learn more about the project and the birds.

Dutch Elm disease has killed millions of elms across the world over the past century. But there is still hope that this mighty tree can be saved. Helen hears from David Shreeve of the Conservation Foundation about his new book Great British Elms. And from Max Coleman of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh about a conservation project in Scotland to plant resilient elms.

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors episode, Mark meets Tim Simons of Scotways to learn more about the history of outdoor access in Scotland.

Celebrations were held last month to mark the 60th anniversary of the Forth Road Bridge and honour the structure, which at the time of construction was one of the longest in the world. Recently, Rachel was invited to view it from a slightly different angle on a Forth Boat Tours trip with Alastair Baird as her guide.

To mark 40 years since they took over the running of Fyvie Castle, the National Trust for Scotland has appointed Architects to develop a masterplan for the castle and its 123 acres of landscaped grounds and gardens which will inform future investment in conservation, storytelling, engagement and enhanced visitor facilities. Mark visited the castle to find out more from project director Annie Robertson and community engagement officer Sarah Eggleton.

The first-ever Glasgow Tree Hugging Tournament is coming to Dams to Darnley Country Park on Sunday, October 6th. This unique and joyful family-friendly event promises an afternoon of fun, connection, and celebration of the natural world. Co-founder Shuna Mercer joins Mark and Rachel live to tell us more.

Following the tree hugging discussion, Mark revisits his favourite tree, the Ash tree.

Returning to the Forth Road Bridge, Rachel was lucky enough to head out on the water not only to view the bridges from below, but also to spot some of the fantastic wildlife in the area. Guide Alastair Baird is also a nature enthusiast who talked her through the rich variety of birdlife and mammals people have spotted from the boat.

The spectacular Enchanted Forest light and sound show is back in Faskally Woods in Pitlochry for the next month, and this year the theme is symphony of nature. Rachel joins Karen Bothwell, chair of the Enchanted Forest Community Trust, on the opening night to find out more about this fascinating show.

Mark Stephen meets Tim Simons of the Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society

ScotWays (Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society) have published the sixth edition of Scottish Hill Tracks in around 100 years. The book launches on Saturday 28th September. Over the last five years hundreds of volunteers have helped to compile the book. Mark meets with ScotWays Director Tim Simons to discuss the book and its importance.

The importance of seed saving is increasingly being recognised across the world as a way of establishing resilience in the natural environment. It is also the principle behind the tree nursery at Corrary Farm near Glenelg where there is a big push to expand native woodland cover in the area using trees grown from locally collected seed. Rachel went there recently and met Manager Rowan Doff who explained their approach.

Last year, Mark visited Loch Katrine in the Trossachs to hear about an ambitious plan to build a look-out tower to give splendid views over the loch and hills beyond. The build was completed a couple of months ago and has already attracted many visitors to the site which back in the early 1800s was a regular stomping ground for Sir Walter Scott, William and Dorothy Wordsworth and John Keats. The project was co-ordinated by the Sir Walter Scott Steamship Trust and James Fraser from the Trust gave Mark a guided tour.

The turntable ferry operating on Kyle Rhea between Glenelg and Skye is the very last of its kind still in operation in Scotland, and maybe even, the world. It’s now run as a social enterprise, and Rachel stepped aboard to hear all about it from General Manager, Jo Crawford.

In the latest edition of Scotland Outdoors, Helen Needham joins Aberdeenshire based writer Ian Grosz on the walk described in his essay Sacred Mountain; a dawn walk up Bennachie at the time of the Autumn equinox.

The national Tegelwippen (tile whipping) contest is underway in Netherlands, as cities compete to remove the most paving slabs to greenify gardens and rewild urban spaces. This year marks the fourth annual contest, and Remco Moen Marcar, co-founder of the creative agency Frank Lee, who is behind the contest, joins Mark and Rachel live to tell us more.

In recent years – since their re-introduction – white tailed sea eagles have been on many people’s ‘must see’ list. One of the finest places to spot them is around Glenelg in the West Highlands. They are regularly seen near Kylerhea which is a real magnet for all sorts of wildlife. Rachel meets Cammy McMurdo, who explains why so many creatures are attracted to the place.

A listener got in touch last week about how much they enjoyed an archive piece from Mark’s trip along the West Highland Way. We hear a snippet from this special trip.

A weaving of Ian's essay 'The Sacred Mountain' with a walk up Aberdeenshire's most prominent hill, Bennachie. As we pass through the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, we offer an invitation to reflect on the changing of the seasons by visiting a special place.

With many parts of Scotland finally getting harvest underway, and planting for 2025 harvest being undertaken, NFU Scotland is asking growers to now complete its 31st consecutive annual harvest survey. Mark meets with Scott Campbell, North East representative on the NFUS Crops Committee, to chat about how the harvest has been so far and what the implications are further down the line.

Helen Needham meets Gretchen Daily of the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University.

A special festival gets underway this weekend in the north east giving people the chance to go “behind the scenes” with a number of food and drink producers. One of the businesses taking part is the Tullynessle Deer Farm near Alford which is offering guided tours to visitors. Rachel speaks to Janet and Willie Keith say it’s a challenging time for the farmed deer industry in Scotland which is why they want more people to at least consider giving venison a try.

Mark meets with Harold Hastie at the harbour in Port Ellen to discuss the many shipwrecks around Islay’s coastline.

Over the past couple of years, Mark has been following the story of the Ash Rise project, a collaborative project between the Scottish Furniture Makers Association, Scottish Forestry and the Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers to highlight the effect of ash dieback on Scotland. It has now reached the point where the diseased trees Mark witnessed being felled in 2022 have been turned into an array of exquisite objects as part of an exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. He went along to have a look and met up with Tom Addy, Furniture Maker and Director of Ash Rise who pointed out a rather wonderful creation.

Recently, Rachel visited the Tarland Bee Group in Aberdeenshire to hear what the season has been like for them and to find out a bit more about how they entice younger people to take an interest. After getting kitted out in a bee suit, she joined Yvonne Davidson and her young helper Imogen as they prepared to smoke the bees prior to entering the hives.

The new ImMerse festival takes place on the 22nd of September at Annan Harbour and in the surrounding merse (saltmarshes) and river. It will be a fun-filled chance to discover and celebrate the amazing saltmarshes – and the wider natural environment – across the south of Scotland focusing particularly on the Solway. Jan Hogarth from SCAMP (Solway Coastal and Marine Project) joins Mark and Rachel live to tell us more about the festival and how listeners can get involved.

Helen Needham meets Gretchen Daily of the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University

Phil Sime visits an RSPB reserve on North Uist where local crofters work alongside the charity to improve the habitat for birds including corncrake and Golden Eagle.

Rachel is in Milton near Invergordon hearing about a rather impressive beech tree that has an important place in local history. She hears about efforts of the community woodland to help preserve it for future generations.

The Forth Bridge is a railway bridge and a UNESCO world heritage site, and it never fails to impress Mark when he’s travelling down to Edinburgh. This week, he stopped to record and wonder at this engineering marvel.

Botanist Dr Sally Gouldstone spent her career passionately caring about nature. An epiphany in a supermarket aisle one day led her to develop her own skincare products made entirely from ingredients she grows in her wildflower meadow just outside Edinburgh. Rachel went to visit her and hear more about Sally and how her business has grown along with the meadow.

Last year, musician and sound artist Jenny Sturgeon completed the 864km Scottish National Trail from Kirk Yetholm in the Borders to Cape Wrath in the North West Highlands. She recorded the sounds of her journey over 37 days, and you can hear them in the latest Scotland Outdoors podcast. We hear an excerpt of a rather noisy section of her route.

Mark is in Newburgh in Aberdeenshire, where a new section of boardwalk has recently opened improving the accessibility to the beach for all users.

And we chat live to Ben Dolphin, a ranger with the National Trust at Mar Lodge, about this year’s midge numbers - there seems to have been a lot of them! And the signs of the changing seasons on Deeside, including the first dusting of snow.

In 2023, Musician and Sound Artist Jenny Sturgeon spent 37 days walking the 864 km trail from Kirk Yetholm in the Borders to Cape Wrath in the North West Highlands. Along the way, she recorded sounds and wrote about her journey which have been mixed together for this podcast to produce an immersive and inspiring piece.

There was much celebration in Caithness a few weeks ago when it was announced that, after decades of planning and preparation, The Flow Country has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status. It’s the first in Scotland to be granted this status on purely natural criteria and is also the only peatbog in the world with World Heritage status.

At one time, scything would have been common practice in Scotland, for making hay or harvesting crops. But, with the advent of machinery, land managers were no longer reliant in this ancient bit of kit. But it would appear that this traditional practice is undergoing a bit of a revival, not least for conservation purposes where a low impact approach to the land is being encouraged. Last week, Crown Estate Scotland organised an event offering people the chance to have a go at a wildflower meadow in Tomintoul.

Alarming news this week that five more seabirds have been added to the red list which puts them at greater risk of extinction. The state of the oceans is behind a lot of this, and this is being recognised by one group of very active young people in Ullapool who are doing their bit to improve the marine environment. They are the Ullapool Sea Savers.

Back in October Mark visited the Huntly TOADS after school club as they were about to embark on a project to build a garden shelter out of traditional materials. Mark visited a session recently involving water, mud, straw and a paddling pool.

This week’s callout is about the World Stovies Championships at the annual Huntly Hairst Festival.

We hear an extract from the Scotland Outdoors podcast as Helen Needham discusses the republishing of pioneering climber Dorothy Pilley’s book ‘Climbing Days’ with her great great nephew Dan Richards.

Rachel has a mindful moment at the Falls of Clyde.

Dorothy Pilley was a pioneering climber who wrote of her adventures in the high peaks in her book 'Climbing Days' which was published in 1935. Thanks to the efforts of her great great nephew, Dan Richards, it has been republished. It contains vivid descriptions of her adventures around the globe and is testament to her personal strength and bravery as a woman breaking new ground in this domain.

It's time for the second Big River Watch of the year. It’s a chance to spend time observing the health of your local river between the 6th and 12th of September. The River Dee trust are taking part in the forthcoming survey and Keilidh Ewan, education and outreach officer for the trust gave Mark some more information.

A new trial is underway in Scotland which could cut the harmful emissions associated with manure on farms. Two farmers are trying out a system called Bokashi which the Soil Association hopes may lead to improvements in the soil while also being a little kinder to the environment. Rachel spoke to farmer Andrew Barbour at Glen Fincastle and Field Lab Co-ordinator Audrey Litterick who explained what this process actually involves.

Producer Phil met up with Ada Campbell, chair of Langass Community Woodland Trust to have a walk round one of the few forested areas on north Uist and hear the story of Hercules the bear.

Rachel recently bumped into an artist in Aberdeenshire who was on her way to a farm to collect a fleece for one of her new collections. Lucy MacDonald who is also a weaver likes to use local materials including wool and plants to make her work sustainable, traceable and authentic. Rachel joined her as she visited Diana Milligan and Cobweb – one of Diana’s rather interesting looking Ryeland Sheep.

The Isle of Rum has been designated as Scotland’s first International Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International. The designation recognises the efforts of the community to protect and promote the island’s starry skies and nocturnal environment. Isle of Rum Community Trust Director Fliss Fraser joins Mark and Rachel live to tell them more about Rum’s dark skies and the benefits the nocturnal environment brings to us and to the natural world.

The forest trails near Aberfoyle in the Trossachs have become increasingly popular in recent years for mountain bikers and gravel riders keen to get away from busy roads. The waymarked trails, in the shadow of Ben Lomond, have been named Gravelfoyle. Now, in a bid to attract more people to them a pilot called Parkride has been taking place; a bit like Parkrun but replacing running with biking. Alongside it parents can drop off their kids at ‘Bairns On Bikes’ where professional coaches teach youngsters basic and more advanced bike skills. Linda Sinclair went along to find out more.

Claudia Zeiske is a long distance walker and she has been walking from mountain to sea across Aberdeenshire. Mark met up with Claudia at the end of her journey at a place called Gadle Braes in Peterhead in what was a very blustery day to find out why exactly she had undertaken the walk

Lucy MacDonald's an artist who uses local fleeces and plants in her work. After she’s sorted through the fleece and given it a wash, she will put it through a carding machine before spinning it and weaving it. Rachel watched her in action at her studio in Aberdeen.

Mark Stephen meets long distance walker Claudia Zeiske in Peterhead after the completion of her 220 km walk from the Cairngorns to the coast of Aberdeenshire. Along the way she has been collecting stories of the effect COVID had on the communities she passed through. In her rucksack has been a bright pink tablecloth which she has embroidered messages on and invited those she has met to sign

Andrew O'Donnell is a natural history film maker but he's also a musician who records under the moniker of Beluga Lagoon. Maud Starts meets up Andrew on a river bank where they watch dippers and talk about his latest album

In January 2015, Margaret and Angus Mackenzie’s son Neil died in a climbing accident in Canada. Neil loved the outdoors, and to continue his memory, the couple set up a trust in his name to provide funding for those wanting to access outdoor pursuits. This year they’re undertaking a bit of a walking challenge as Mark found out when he went to meet them.

Across the country, a growing number of citizen scientists are monitoring the state of our rivers. Rachel heads to the Clyde Valley to catch up with a ranger who is testing her stretch of the river for signs of pollution.

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Mark meets poet and artist Kenneth Steven who lives on Seil Island. Kenneth’s recent book, Atoms of Delight, focuses on the idea of pilgrimages in nature. He explained the concept to Mark.

Rachel is in Aberdeenshire meeting the only commercial grower of Saskatoons - a type of super berry. Grower Charlie explains more about the fruit, which is common in Canada, and why he started growing them.

The shortlist for this year’s Woodland Trust Tree of the Year competition has been unveiled, and there are three oaks from Scotland in the running. We chat to George Anderson from the Woodland Trust about the competition and get an update on the Loch Arkaig Ospreys.

Inverness Castle is currently undergoing a major transformation to turn it into a tourist attraction. Mark visited the site and spoke to the project manager about what they’re doing and also heard about the restoration of the impressive rose window.

Fifty years ago this year, the MV Captayannis, a Greek-registered ship carrying a cargo of sugar, foundered in a storm in the Firth of Clyde, between Greenock and Helensburgh. The ship was never salvaged and became a bit of local landmark. Paul English went on one of the sightseeing trips run by Clyde Charters to get up close with the sugar ship wreck.

If you’ve been in Perthshire over the last few weeks, you may have noticed some rather striking Highland Coos. Thirty giant sculptures painted by artists have been dotted around the region as part of a new art trail. Rachel met one of the artists, Charlotte Brayley, and her colourful coo creation in Perth.

Mark Stephen visits Kenneth Steven at his home on Seil Island in Argyll

Glenmore Lodge, the Scottish National Outdoor Training Centre, has recently established Scotland’s first hill navigation training course to be delivered in British Sign Language. One of those involved in setting it up was deaf climber and mountaineer Morag Skelton. Mark chatted to Morag for the Scotland Outdoors podcast, and we hear an excerpt where they speak about her childhood outdoors and the practicalities involved in climbing when you can’t hear.

For our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel went to meet M.T O’Donnell in her garden near Glasgow. M.T is the founder of Scotland Grows magazine and the host of the Scotland Grows Show podcast. She’s keen on looking after her garden in a way that’s nature friendly and as she tells Rachel, that even extends to dealing with slugs.

On the shores of Loch Awe near Dalmally lies the very striking St Conan’s Church. Mark went for a visit to explore its remarkable architecture, both inside and out.

A few weeks ago, Mark and Rachel headed across to the island of Easdale which lies 15 miles south of Oban. They got the ferry from Seil and chatted to the boatman, Alan, about who lives on Easdale and who visits. Mark also chats to Bethan Smith who owns a soap making business on the island. And Rachel catches up with Mike Mackenzie who has lived there for decades. He tells her what the community is like and how he came to live on the wee island.

If you looked up to the sky earlier this week you might have been lucky to catch a glimpse of the Perseid Meteor Shower. The Perseids are one of the most dramatic things to see in the night sky and the shower will be active for another week or so. We chat live to the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Catherine Heymans, to get her hints and tips on how to spot the meteors and what else to look out for in the night sky at this time of year.

The Countryside Rangers at Mugdock Country Park in East Dunbartonshire have been taking groups out to help them learn how to identify bird species by their sound. Linda Sinclair joined a group, led by Ranger Alan MacBride at Clachan of Campsie, at dusk to listen out for our birdsong and try to identify what they could hear.

Poet Matt Kinghorn decided to walk more than 200 miles from his home in Aberdeenshire to North Berwick just to offer a listening ear to anyone who needed it. Rachel met up with him at the start of his challenge to hear more about why he’d decided to do it.

And to round off their trip to Easdale, the home of the world stone skimming championships, Mark and Rachel try their hands at skimming despite the rather inclement weather.

Scottish gardening expert M.T O'Donnell talks about what measures people can take to make their gardens more appealing to nature. She shows Rachel Stewart around her own garden near Glasgow and discusses how to create useful habitats for wildlife and plant good food sources for birds and insects.

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart present Out of Doors live from Dynamic Earth as part of BBC at the Edinburgh Festivals. We are joined by an amazing panel of guests, all with their own connections to Scotland and the outdoors.

James Crawford is a writer, publisher and broadcaster. His latest book, Wild History: Journeys Into Lost Scotland, was published in 2023 and he has written and presented three series of the BBC One landmark documentary series Scotland from the Sky, which was Shortlisted as ‘Best Factual Series’ at the Royal Television Society Awards Scotland.

Adventurer Mollie Hughes is certainly not afraid of a challenge. By the age of 30 she had summited Mount Everest twice and solo skied to the South Pole. Growing up in Dorset, the sea was her first connection to the outdoors and its Scotland’s coast and rivers that she’s turned her attentions to in her book, Blue Scotland: The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Scotland's Wild Waters.

Paul Murton is a writer, producer and director who’s most widely known for his Grand Tours television series, which include Grand Tours of Scotland, Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands, Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs and most recently, Grand Tours of Scotland’s Rivers. He’s loved the outdoors since his youth, but it was a chance decision that led him to step in front of the camera and share his passion with an audience.

And Maggie Sheddan had no real clue about seabirds or the Bass Rock when she volunteered to help at the newly established Scottish Seabird Centre 20 odd years ago. Little did she know that she would end up being the Custodian of the Bass Rock and one of the leading experts on the birds that make their homes there.

Mark Stephen meets Morag Skelton at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms

Scotland’s first new vet school in over 100 years has opened to applicants. Mark went to visit the School of Veterinary Medicine at Scotland’s Rural College in Aberdeen and spoke to the Dean, Professor Caroline Argo about how and why the school has been established.

When you visit the Isle of Seil, one of the main visitor attractions is the An Cala Garden. The garden was created in the 1930s and Rachel was shown around by Sheila Downie who has owned it for the past 40 years.

Earlier this month the European Land Art Festival was held in Dunbar. It’s a week full of workshops, exhibitions and concerts, but the highlight of the week for some was the World Rock Stacking Championships. Katie Revell went along for Out of Doors and chatted to some of the competitors who had come from as far afield as Texas.

Mark is in Grantown on Spey finding out that you don’t always need a huge space to create a wildlife haven. Ranger Saranne Bish shows him one of the parts of the Highland Wildflower Meadow Mosaic Project and explains how it works.

During the covid pandemic, a cancer diagnosis left Michelle Cloggie feeling isolated. A trip to do some alpaca trekking gave her husband an idea and soon they were welcoming three alpacas. Fast forward to the present day, and the family run Stormcloud Alpacas near Strathaven. Michelle tells Rachel how their flock has grown and what a great emotional support they are to her and many others.

Last week a pod of 77 pilot whales died after washing ashore on a beach in Orkney. It was the biggest mass standing of the species in Britain and has had a big impact on the Sanday community. We chat live to Rob Flett from BBC Orkney about the stranding and how locals have worked together to deal with it.

The Victoria Swing Bridge at the Port of Leith has recently reopened following a major refurbishment. Mark went to take a look and find out about the Grade A Listed structure’s history and its new lease of life.

In our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel has been delving into the history of Osprey in Scotland. It’s 70 years since the species began breeding here again following years of persecution. We hear an excerpt where Jess Tomes from RSPB Scotland tells Rachel the story of those behind Operation Osprey.

Louise Aitken Walker became a household name when she became the first ever female World Rally champion in 1990. She grew up on a farm in Duns in the Scottish Borders where horses were really her first passion, and it was a jokey competition entry by her brothers that propelled her into the world of rally driving. She tells Mark about her life on and off the track.

In the early twentieth century, very few ospreys were breeding in Scotland. They had been persecuted for decades and their eggs stolen by collectors. In 1954, a pair successfully raised two chicks near Loch Garten which gave conservationists hope that they could return to Scotland as nesting birds. Operation Osprey was launched to protect them from those intent on raiding their nests, with volunteers watching the nest at Abernethy twenty four hours a day. It proved a difficult journey but seventy years on, there are now numerous nesting ospreys in the UK. Jess Tomes from RSPB Scotland talks about the effort involved in the operation and wildlife ecologist Roy Dennis recalls the role he played in the 1960s.

We are in East Lothian with Patricia Stephen, founder of Phantassie Organic Produce. They head out to the fields during pumpkin planting and chat about the growth in organic food and farming over recent years.

Friday 12th July was the launch of this year’s Big Butterfly Count organised by the charity Butterfly Conservation. Mark met Apithanny Bourne, their East Scotland branch chair, at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to find out more about the count and see if they could spot the elusive Holly Blue.

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Helen Needham is in rural Wales with musician Owen Shiers. Owen lives in a housing cooperative in Ceredigion which was formerly a sheep farm and is now a woodland. He explained how that process had happened and they chat about the concept of rewilding.

A year ago, Mark headed out on a trip with Hans Unkles, co-owner of Scotland’s first ever electric, solar-powered fishing vessel. A couple of weeks ago, Mark and Rachel caught up with Hans to hear how the first year of the boat has gone and if anyone has been inspired to follow in his footsteps.

The Pine Hoverfly is one of the rarest species in Scotland. It used to thrive in Pine woodlands across the country but is now confined to just a small area of the Cairngorms. Rachel visits the Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie where the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are working on a breeding programme. Dr Helen Taylor told her about the project which has involved releasing thousands of eggs and larvae into the Cairngorms National Park in an attempt to save the species from extinction.

Farmer turned comedian Jim Smith has become pretty well known across Scotland over the last few years, especially in farming circles. He’s appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, on TV and radio and now he has his own BBC Radio 4 series- Me and the Farmer. Jim chats to us live about his journey from cattle to comedy.

Two years ago, journalist Paul English encountered a team of archaeologists exploring a patch of land in Govan in Glasgow. The team, from the University of Glasgow, were taking part in a research project to uncover what they could of the one remaining site of the Glasgow Garden Festival of 1988. Paul recently went back to catch up with the team and see what treasures they’d uncovered.

While on the outskirts of Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago, Mark bumped into a man on a strange looking electric bike. It turned out to be Jim Gayes who is working with the charity Sustrans on mapping the off-road National Cycle Network. He explained more about how the bike system works and why the mapping is important.

Rural Wales and rural Scotland face many of the same issues: a lack of affordable housing, limited opportunities for young people and the prospect of rewilding. In this podcast, Helen visits Welsh musician Owen Shiers who lives in a housing cooperative up a long steep track in West Wales. They discuss culture, trees, housing, farming and the nuances surrounding rewilding, and discover that there are many similarities between this area and Scotland.

This week Out of Doors is live from the village of Cullen in Moray.

The village is popular with holiday makers over the summer months but it’s home to a thriving community all year round. Mark went for a wander to hear more about what people are up to. And we’re joined live by David McCubbin from Discover Cullen who tells us about what attracts visitors to the area.

Rachel finds out that the Cullen we know now, is not the original Cullen. Two hundred years ago the village was demolished and rebuilt in its current location. She hears more from the local heritage group and visits an incredible model of Old Cullen.

Its coastal location makes Cullen the ideal spot for sea swimming. We’re joined live by members of the Wild Dookers swimming group before they head out for an early morning dip. And we catch up with them afterwards to hear about the benefits of a cold-water swim.

Artist Rob Greenwood can often be found at the harbour or on the beach at Cullen sketching the wildlife and fishing boats. We chat to him about what inspires him about the area and challenge him to create a masterpiece during the programme.

Rachel spends some time with local bird recorder Martin Cook in nearby Portknockie to see if they can spot some of the seabirds that the area is known for.

We couldn’t visit Cullen without tasting some Cullen Skink. The famous haddock and potato soup originates from the village, and we’re joined by the current Cullen Skink champion, Kellie Spooner, to hear about the key to making a good Cullen Skink.

As well as sea swimming, surfing and other water sports are popular along the coastline. Rachel heads out for a surfing lesson and hears what makes the area so good for taking to the water.

A recent addition to the beach at Cullen is a wood-fired barrel sauna. Mark headed along for a dip in the sea so he could try it out and hear from owner Becky how it all came about.

And regular visitors to the beach will know Andrew and his coffee van- he joins us to tell us about why he loves the village so much and provide us with some much needed coffee.

Rachel Stewart visits Tricia Stephen of Phantassie Organics in East Lothian

The 29th of June marks the beginning of swift awareness week. Mark meets Cally Fleming of the Huntly Swift Group at the Bennachie Centre to chat about these amazing birds.

The beautiful garden at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre celebrates the Scottish plant explorers of the past. In recent years, a major project has been underway to restore the Explorers garden. Head gardener Caroline Bavey gives Rachel a tour.

In the latest edition of Our Story, Mark visits Danish ceramicist Lotte Glob, one of the founders of the Balnakeil Craft Village near Durness. Mark takes a wander around her Sculpture Croft on the shores of Loch Eriboll.

Every year, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust publishes a watchlist which gives an indication of how our native breeds are faring. Rachel meets up with some farmers who keep rare native sheep at the Highland Show, Denise Playfair and Johnathan James, as well as Steve McMinn from RBST in Scotland.

It seems that we have been aware of less insects in our gardens and in the wild this June, but why is this? Craig Macadam of Buglife joins us live to discuss the reasons for the decline of insects in Scotland and what we can do about it.

Every year, more and more people are signing up to the Shorewatch scheme, a citizen science project run by the marine charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Rachel joins Shorewatch Coordinator Katie Dyke and two seasoned spotters Gary Fahey and Ronnie Mackie at the top of the Burghead visitor centre to learn about the scheme while also watching out for dolphins.

Producer Helen Needham’s series for BBC Radio 3, Dig Where You Stand, has been on this week. The series involves five musicians from the Celtic Nations unearthing old tunes and songs from specific places. We hear from Allan Henderson, a multi instrumentalist originally from Mallaig, as he shares a story and a tune called Dalshangie that he learnt from his fiddle teacher, Aonghas Grant.

Mark visits Blackthorn Salt in Ayrshire to visit the impressive Salt Evaporation Tower. He meets Master Salter Gregorie to find out more about the business and the process behind making the salt.

Mark Stephen visits Lotte Glob and learns about her deep connection to landscape and rock

This week Rachel has been at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston just outside Edinburgh. One of the first places she headed to when she arrived was the goat tent. She meets some of the keepers as they got their animals ready for judging and met some goats with an Outlander connection.

Mark visits the village of Ochiltree in East Ayrshire where the local community has established a heritage walk to highlight its fascinating history from the Bronze Age, its connections with James Boswell right through to its role in mining in the 1950s. Billy Cooper showed Mark around.

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast Helen Needham headed out for a walk with author Linda Cracknell. It’s ten years since she published her first book about walks she’d done around the world, and to mark that anniversary she’s added a new chapter about the Flow Country. She tells Helen about her experience of that remote part of Scotland.

Last year, competitors from around the world attended the Golden Shears sheep shearing world championships at the Royal Highland Show. This year, a ladies competition is being held at the Highland for the first time. Rachel went along to meet one of those taking part and shearing steward Bruce Lang.

The National Museum of Scotland is curating an exhibition which will open in July looking at Scotland’s important role during the Cold War. Our location and geography meant the country played both a visible and invisible role. Mark meets curator Dr Meredith Greiling at the National Museum of Flight to hear more.

Back at the Royal Highland Show Rachel visits agricultural charity RSABI’s health hut. The hut offers basic checks of things like blood pressure and nurse Irene Scott tells Rachel about its important role in reaching those who might be reluctant to visit their GP.

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority is introducing a bus pilot. The bus will run between Aberfoyle and Callander during the peak summer months and will stop at several popular visitor locations on the route, including Loch Katrine, Ben A’an and Ben Venue. We’re joined live by park Chief Executive Gordon Watson to tell us more about the new buses and sustainability across the park.

And we end the programme on a musical note as Rachel meets members of the Farmers Choir at the Royal Highland Show. The group enjoy getting together for a sing song while raising money for good causes and they give Rachel a taste of their

Helen Needham goes for a walk in Aberfeldy with writer Linda Cracknell to discuss the new edition of her book 'Doubling Back'.

Open Seas is a Scottish charity that focusses on protecting our marine environment and the things that live in it. A few weeks ago, Mark joined them in Skye where they were carrying out seabed surveys. While the weather didn’t play ball and they didn’t get out on their planned boat trip, the team did manage to show him the kind of footage they record and why it’s important in influencing the kinds of protection marine areas can get.

Rachel is in Pitlochry where the Firebrand Theatre Company along with the Festival Theatre are staging a play all about naturalist and poet Nan Shepherd: Naked and Unashamed. She hears about how the play came together and the extraordinary legacy of Nan.

Wigtown is now well known across Scotland and the wider literary world as Scotland’s Book Town. It’s a title it has held since 1998 and since the first festival in 1999, the town has seen its prospects transformed. Mark met up with Anne Barclay from the festival company to hear about the positive changes in the town over the past 25 years.

Rachel heads out on a coastal foraging walk as part of the 2024 Moray Walking and Outdoor Festival which kicks off this weekend. Forager Daniel shows her some of the things that can be found along the coastline from plants to seaweeds, foods and medicine.

By the time Out of Doors is broadcast, Scotland will have played Germany in the opening match of Euro 2024. For the past few days Scotland fans have been arriving in Munich and the town is covered in tartan and saltires. But what is the origin of the white cross on a blue background? Mark visits the Scottish Flag Trust at Athelstaneford in East Lothian to find out more.

The story of modern whaling in the Southern Hemisphere is a controversial one. Many British companies played a key role in the industry, and they had a largely Scottish workforce. A project is underway to collect the memories of those who worked in the industry and their families before it’s too late. We chat live to Helen Balfour from the Whalers’ Memory Bank to find out more about the project.

A couple of weeks ago the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, The Waverley, made its first ever visit to Ullapool. Our news colleague in Inverness Stephen Macleod went along to experience the excitement.

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel speaks to Artist in Residence at the Rahoy Nature Reserve, Liz Myhill. Her role is to raise awareness of the huge reserve and encourage people to visit and explore. We hear an excerpt.

More than 130 years ago two men began a years' long adventure to discover, climb and map Skye's famous Black Cuillin. Professor Norman Collie was a scientist and John Mackenzie was a local mountain guide. The unlikely pair are considered among the greatest pioneering mountaineers of their time and in 2020 after several years of fundraising, a statue was erected in their memory. Mark went to visit it in Sligachan and hear Collie and Mackenzie’s story.

Rachel Stewart speaks to Artist in Residence Liz Myhill. The landscape and wildlife artist has been creating pieces based on her time at the Rahoy Hills Reserve in the Morven peninsula. It is managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and is widely regarded as being a unique and wild place. Her role is to raise awareness of the huge reserve and encourage people to visit and explore. She has spent several weeks on location, experiencing the different seasons and hopes her artwork will reflect the rich diversity of plant and animal life which can be found there. During her residency, she has been assisted by Steve Hardy who has been the ranger at the site for more than twenty years. His recordings of nature captured at Rahoy feature in the podcast.

Rachel meets Peter Livingstone who has spent a decade campaigning to save the Aspen tree. Thanks to his hard work, numbers of Aspen in Renfrewshire have grown from single digits to thousands. He shows Rachel his nursery near Bishopton.

Andrew O'Donnell is a natural history film maker and musician who records under the moniker of Beluga Lagoon. In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Maud Start meets up with Andrew on a river bank. We hear an excerpt where they watch dippers and talk about the nature themes in his music.

Last week on Out of Doors we heard about how busy the island of Skye is all year round with tourists. While Mark was visiting, he took time to seek out a quieter style of tour with Mark Purrett from Skye Geography Tours. He took Mark to a less popular location and told him about the geography of the island.

It’s osprey watching season and as always, there have been highs and lows at the various nesting sites around the country. Rachel visits the RSPB’s Loch Garten where they have had no shortage of drama this year. Ranger Jess Tomes tells her more.

You might remember a few months, ago Mark went for a walk with Dr Kat Jones, Director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, who had undertaken a challenge to walk Glasgow’s Greenbelt. Well she’s just completed her walks, so Mark went back to catch up with her to find out how it had gone.

Later this year the BBC Food and Farming Awards will be held in Scotland. And here on Out of Doors alongside our TV colleagues at Landward, we are launching The BBC Scotland Local Food Hero award. Joining us to tell us more is presenter of Radio 4’s Food Programme, Sheila Dillon.

Rachel is back at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Rahoy Nature Reserve where ranger Steve Hardy lets her listen to some of the recordings he’s made of the amazing wildlife that makes its home in Rahoy.

We catch up with the incredible Ethan Walker, who just nine months after suffering horrific injuries when he was hit by a car, is cycling to Munich for Euro 2024. We chat to Ethan live to see how far he’s managed to travel in a week.

And as the country marks the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, Mark is in Garlieston in Dumfries and Galloway where crucial parts of the invasion infrastructure were tested.

Rachel visits the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Montrose Basin reserve in Angus where a group of nursery children were out exploring the mudflats to see what beasties they could find. She speaks to nursery and reserve staff about the importance of getting young kids involved in nature.

Isle Martin is a small island just three miles off the coast of Ullapool. It’s had many uses over the years including a herring station, a flour mill and a bird reserve. It’s now in community ownership and recently Mark went for a visit for the Scotland Outdoors podcast. One of the community trust directors Lesley Strachan took him for a tour and told him about their plans.

It started as a lockdown project and has since become a big hit on social media. Aberdeenshire walks is a site promoting good routes and attractions for those eager to explore the area. Rachel went out for a walk with one half of the couple behind it, Anna Gill, to hear about how it all started and about their recent singles walks!

The Fairy Pools on Skye have become a bucket list destination for tourists from right across the globe. However, that popularity had begun to cause issues with overcrowding. Recently as part of the Skye Iconic Sites Project, work was carried out to create car parking and toilet facilities at the fairy pools. Mark went to see the changes and hear from those involved in the project about the difference it has made, as well as chatting to some of the visitors from places as far away as Dubai and India.

And sticking with tourist hotspots, we’re joined live by Dr Guillem Colom-Montero from Glasgow University who has carried out research into the parallels between Skye and the Scottish Highlands, and the Spanish island of Majorca. We chat to him about how tourism can be managed to benefit both visitors and those who live and work in popular destinations.

The Rahoy reserve in the Morvern Peninsula is run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and as well as being one of their largest reserves, it’s also one of the most biodiverse in the country. Rachel headed out for a walk with ranger Steve Hardy to see what they could spot.

Why are the Fairy Pools on Skye so popular? Where does the legend of fairies come from and are they really a magical place? Catherine MacPhee is an archivist at the Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre, and she busts some myths on the history of the picturesque location.

18-year-old Ethan Walker from Auchnagatt is about to embark on an incredible bike trip from Hampden Park to Munich for the Euros. It’s over 1,000 kilometres in total which is a big achievement for anyone, but even more so for Ethan who was run over in an horrific accident in New York State whilst over there on a football scholarship. Earlier this week Mark caught up with him and his mum, Jaclyn ahead of his trip and heard all about his incredible recovery journey

Mark Stephen visits Isle Martin which forms part of the Summer Isles lying north of Ullapool in Wester Ross. The island is owned by a community trust and one of it's directors, Lesley Strachan shows Mark round the island

Rachel visits Fairhill Rise, an education centre in East Lothian which is part of the Ruskin Mill Trust. The centre provides outdoor learning and activities for those with autism and additional needs. Rachel meets the manager and hears about their work.

Ahead of World Otter Day this coming Wednesday, Mark visits International Otter Survival Fund in Broadford on Skye to hear about the work they carry out across the world and meet some of the otters they have in their care.

Over the past couple of weeks folk singer Kirsty Law has been walking along the route of the River Tweed. Her Meander tour has seen her meet other musicians along the way and stop to perform gigs as she goes. Maud Start went to catch up with her near Innerleithen.

Mark joins a bike bus in Edinburgh- a safe way for kids to cycle to school. He hears from the organiser Jarlath Flynn about where the idea comes from and sees first hand how they work. He also chats to some of the children and their parents about the benefits of cycling to school.

Soil Association Scotland and other groups have been carrying out crop trials to see which varieties of flax might grow best in Scotland. Rachel visits Lauriston Farm near Edinburgh who are part of the project to see the process of sowing the flax. And she meets Rosie Bristow from Fantasy Fibre Mill who has been using flax to make yarn and then linen.

There seem to be a lot of dandelions on the go at the moment, with many gardeners cursing their presence in their lawns. However, the humble dandelion actually has many great properties so perhaps we shouldn’t be quite so quick to pull it out. We chat live to M.T. O’Donnell, founder and editor of Scotland Grows Magazine about the benefits of the dandelion.

And in our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast Mark spent some time at the Chippendale International School of Furniture near Haddington. We hear an excerpt of him chatting to some of those at work making some unique pieces of furniture.

Mark Stephen visits the Chippendale International School of Furniture near Haddington in East Lothian. He meets the principal and students from home and abroad taking part in the courses run by the school

In our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast Helen Needham meets regenerative farmer Nikki Yoxall in the hills of Aberdeenshire. Nikki’s cattle are outside all year round, moving from field to field as part of a system called mob grazing. She tells Helen about the benefits it has for the cattle and the land.

In the last few years, there’s been an explosion in the number of community run gardens across the country. These bring huge positives to those who look after and visit them. However, new research from Aberdeen University suggests that sometimes the pressures of running such a project can mount up. Rachel went to speak to Professor David Burslem to hear more.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week has been movement, and on Out of Doors, we love nothing better to help clear our heads than heading out for a walk. Mark went along to join a group doing just that with Moray based charity Nature 4 Health. They aim to connect people with nature, each other and themselves, and Mark hears from some of those taking part about the benefits they feel of being part of the group.

A new project linking up poets with farmers to shine a light on growing food has been launched by the Gaia Foundation. It involves 10 poets around the UK who each spent time on farms in order to produce a new poem. For the Scotland Outdoors podcast, Helen Needham went to meet Edinburgh-based poet Iona Lee who was paired with Lauriston Agroecology Farm in the city. They went for a wander on a very wet day to chat about Iona’s relationship with the natural world.

Mark visits the National Trust for Scotland's St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve to see how the seabird colony there is faring.

As Mental Health Awareness Week comes to an end, on Saturday we celebrate World Therapeutic Horticultural Day. One of the organisations involved is Trellis, who are based in Perth. We chat live to Fiona Thackeray, their chief executive officer, about what therapeutic gardening is and the different people they work with.

If you’re interested in climbing, you might want to check out a new BBC podcast. It’s part of a series called Amazing Sports Stories and it’s called Chasing Mountains. Rachel spoke to the presenters Joanna Jolly and Kathy Karlo who told her more about making the series and let her hear some clips.

Have you ever heard of the term Everesting? The idea is simple, but the activity is incredibly tough. Cyclists pick a hill and ride repeats of it in a single activity until they climb the height of Mount Everest - 8,848m. It’s something that musician Mark Bruce has become passionate about after struggling with his mental health. He told our Travelling Folk colleagues about his challenges, and we hear an excerpt where he talks about how extreme exercise saved him.

And to round off Mental Health Awareness week, we take a moment to be mindful with a soundscape.

Helen Needham visits Nikki Yoxall and her herd of pasture fed cattle in Aberdeenshire

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart follow the river Tweed from Kelso to Berwick Upon Tweed.

In Kelso, they visit Floor Castle and Gardens in the company of Matt Thomson and Simon McManus. Jonathan Garrett shows Mark round the town's racecourse

In Coldstream, John Elliot of the local historical society tells the story of one of the earliest bridges built across the Tweed into England, Mark delves into the history of the Coldstream Guards and Rachel hears about a marriage house with a past to rival Gretna Green

The Battle of Flodden took place in 1513 close to the Tweed. In Branxton, Rachel discovers the so called smallest visitor centre in the world which commemorates the battle whilst Mark visits the battlefield with Clive Hallam Baker to find out why the Scots suffered such a loss

The Union Chain Bridge is a suspension bridge which has linked Scotland and England for over 200 years making it the oldest vehicle suspension bridge in the world. Martha Andrews of the Friends of the Union Chain Bridge tells of its recent restoration

Willie Robson and his family have been producing honey from the Chain Bridge Honey Farm for over 75 years. Rachel meets Willie and his daughter Frances to find out why they are both so enthusiastic about bees

Linda Bankier is the Bewick Upon Tweed Archivist. She takes Mark and Rachel on a tour of the historic burgh including the walls surrounding the town and the town hall where a jail for debtors and criminals was situated

Mark and Rachel go aboard the Border Belle with David Thomson at the helm for a boat trip to view Berwick Upon Tweed from a different perspective. They go under the three iconic bridges of the town - the Berwick Bridge, the Royal Tweed Bridge and the Royal Border Bridge

Helen Needham learns about the We Feed the UK project

On Thursday this week campaigners gathered outside the Scottish Parliament to protest the proposed plans for a new powerline between Kintore and Tealing. SSEN Transmission says the upgrade is needed to meet net zero targets, while protestors say they haven’t been properly consulted and the scheme will blight the countryside. Mark went along to speak to Thomas Nicoll from SSEN Transmission and some of the protestors from Angus Action Against Pylons and Save Our Mearns.

TV Nature series Wild Isles was a big hit for the BBC last year. Much of it was filmed in Scotland and recently Rachel chatted to producer Alastair Fothergill for the Scotland Outdoors podcast. We hear an excerpt where he chats about how they filmed Orca hunting whales in Shetland.

Later this month Ullapool is hosting Lugger Fest ’24. It’s the village’s inaugural maritime festival of traditional boats and will feature talks, food, music plus the chance to get aboard the Luggers- small fishing boats that use a particular kind of sail. Dan Holland went along to find out more about what will be going on and explore one the luggers.

Nikki and Ollie Lake are familiar faces to those who watch the BBC series This Farming Life. They farm near Dallas in Moray and have a rather interesting mix of animals including water buffalo and wallabies! Rachel went along to meet the couple and their marsupials to hear how they got started.

Sunday 5th May is International Dawn Chorus Day so to mark the occasion we’re joined live by renowned sound recordist Chris Watson. Chris tells us what makes the dawn chorus so special to record and we hear an excerpt of a recording he did in Glen Affric.

A community owned woodland in Aberdeenshire with links to a famous Doric poet has become part of a major European study. It’s being used as an example of how people can use what’s on their doorstep to tackle big issues like climate change. Rachel went to visit while they were planting some trees.

Producer Alastair Fothergill has spent decades making nature documentaries around the world, often working closely with Sir David Attenborough. His work includes Blue Planet and Planet Earth. In this podcast, Alastair discusses why he felt the time was right to make a series concentrating on the nature and wildlife that can be found in the British Isles. He talks about the challenges of securing the footage in some remote locations in Scotland as well as his highlights from the series which took three years to make.

Back in 2020, some of farmer Steve Barron’s cattle fell ill and died. Initially he had no idea what had caused their sudden deaths until lead poisoning was found to be the reason. He tells Mark about what happened and the impact it had on him.

Steve’s cattle died so had no chance of entering the food chain, but Food Standards Scotland take incidents of livestock poisoning very seriously. They are raising awareness of the risks that farmers face as we hear from their head of incidents, Stuart McAdam.

In our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast Helen Needham talks to musician and composer Anne Wood about how her own heritage led her to write music inspired by the mountains of Pakistan and Assynt. We hear an excerpt where they discuss the idea of home.

Earlier this week a film documentary premiered in Edinburgh made by director Tom Opre called The Last Keeper. The film explores the land-use conflicts of Scotland and features interviews with a range of people who live in, work in and manage the countryside. Rachel went to interview Tom and find out what was involved in making the film.

Mark takes a wander round the darker side of Edinburgh’s medical history with a tour guide from the Surgeons’ Hall Museum. He hears about the grizzly business of barber surgeons and the advancements made in medical science in the city.

This weekend the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity which helps rescue stranded and entangled cetaceans and seals are holding a big training exercise off the Ayrshire coast. We hear live from one of those coordinating the exercise to find out what and who is involved.

An obscure fungus which had until recently been relatively rare in Scotland appears to be at the centre of an outbreak in Scots Pine trees across the country. Dr Sarah Green from Forest Research tells Rachel more about it.

Mark visits an area of woodland in the centre of Haddington that a group are keen to take charge of via a community asset transfer. They tell him about the history of the site and what they hope to happen to it.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been discussing the changing seasons and what feels like the late arrival of spring. While Rachel was visiting the Montrose Basin Reserve, she chatted to Joanna from the Scottish Wildlife Trust about which species are heading off and which are arriving

Helen Needham hears from musician and composer Anne Wood

American Mink are an invasive non-native species which have become widespread in parts of Scotland after their release from fur farms. Rachel meets Karen Muller from the Scottish Invasive Species Initiative on the River Spey to hear why it’s important to catch the mink. They also scope out a potential site to set a mink trap.

In his day job, George Sherriffs is an acquisitions librarian with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. But in the coming week, George is going to be running an incredible 356 miles between all the RBGE sites in Scotland to raise awareness and funds for the work they do. Mark went to meet him and hear how the challenge came about.

Mark is in Dunbar Harbour with Alex Williams who discovered a passion for kayak fishing four years ago. He takes Mark for a paddle in the harbour and tells him how he got hooked on the hobby and what’s involved in fishing from a kayak.

Our BBC Aberdeen colleague Donnie Mackay heads home to Lewis every April to help with the lambing on his family croft. This year he took along a recorder and made a lambing diary for Out of Doors during what was one of the wettest and coldest seasons he could remember.

And it’s not just sheep farmers that have been having a hard time this spring. It’s been nearly impossible to get anything sown and the challenging conditions take a toll on farmers mentally as well as practically. We hear what the picture is like across Scotland from Katrina Macarthur, farming columnist with the Press and Journal.

Stanley Robertson was a traveller and storyteller from Aberdeen and in 1988 he recorded an interview with former BBC Producer Doreen Wood on the Old Lumphanan Road. Recently Mark and Helen and went to seek it out for the Scotland Outdoors podcast. We hear an excerpt of them looking for one of Stanley’s favourite oak trees.

If you’re from a farming background, you may be familiar with brose – a very traditional and simple oatmeal-based dish. In fact, it’s not too far removed from the much trendier oat milk that is a popular dairy alternative. Rachel visits a producer in East Lothian who is making Brose and show her the process.

Stanley Robertson was from the Travelling People and in the 1980's he published a book called 'Exodus to Alford' featuring stories associated with a particular road his people used to take each Summer when he was a boy. Former BBC Producer Doreen Wood went there with Stanley in 1988 and recorded an interview with him describing his memories of this special place. In this podcast, Mark Stephen and Helen Needham go in search of the Old Lumphanan Road with the archive of Stanley in their ears, offering a fascinating insight into the culture and beliefs of him and his people and a way of life that no longer exists in this part of the world.

Linda is in Pitlochry where a group of volunteers meet once a fortnight to help maintain the area’s much loved and well used path network. She hears why the group were founded and about the different kinds of work they carry out.

Mark is in Dunbar Harbour, marvelling at the kittiwakes and exploring a site that was once home to a fish hatchery.

And not far along the coast in North Berwick, Rachel meets artist and campaigner Julie Barnes, who created what is believed to be the largest mural in the UK made entirely from marine plastic.

Is spring finally here? After a very damp and dismal start to the season, Pennie Latin looks hopefully towards to the first glimpses of new life in Spring and thinks about they make us feel.

The results of the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2024 are out! The house sparrow has topped the list once again but what do the rest of the results tell us? We find out live.

Linda goes on a tour of Glasgow City Centre with Niall Murphy, director of the Glasgow City Heritage Trust. He shows her some of hidden architectural gems and tells her about how the city centre developed over the years.

Plants with Purpose is a five year year initiative set up by Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to research how we could use plants to combat extreme urban weather events. Mark finds out more as he visits the rain garden area of the RBGE in Edinburgh.

The fashion industry is notoriously unsustainable, and designers are working on how to improve that. Maud meets one such person, Emily Raemakers who has been experimenting with natural materials including mushrooms, algae and apple leather.

And Mugdock Country Park is a popular location just north of Glasgow with woods, trails and a 13th century castle. It not only attracts families and dog walkers but TV productions and Hollywood movies. Linda meets Pam Grieve, the park’s Development Officer to hear about what’s involved in hosting a blockbuster film crew.

Mark meets former paratrooper Chris Lewis on his journey to walk the coastline of the UK

An electrical wizard, the airships of north east Scotland and the arrival of Spring

Mark and Euan meet David Balharry, Chief Executive of the John Muir Trust

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith with the Scotland Outdoors podcast.

Mark Stephen meets poet, musician, crofter and hip hop producer, Griogair Labhruidh

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith with a wintery podcast.

Mark and Euan hear from UNESCO Chair for Integration Alison Phipps of Glasgow University.

The history of the humble neep, curling outdoors and the iron age forts of Angus

Jackie chats to Mark Stephen and Helen Needham.

A bird-tastic podcast with Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith.

Mark records and describes the birds visiting his feeders in Aberdeenshire.

Mark and Euan celebrate Robert Burns through his poetry and song

Mark and Euan discuss a selection of Burns' poems and songs with Dr Valentina Bold.

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith with a selection of stories from the Scottish Outdoors.

Roy Dennis speaks to Mark and Euan about his book 'Cottongrass Summer.'

Mark and Euan with the Scotland Outdoors podcast featuring a Shetland walk plus much more

Mark Stephen and Helen Needham hear from sound artist Jez Riley French.

Favourite podcast moments of 2020, stone circles and some Shetland mythology

Join Mark, Euan and Helen round a bonfire for a Norwegian style Christmas celebration.

Mark Stephen and Helen Needham talk to artist and field recordist Jez Riley French.

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith learn about the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod.

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith chat to tv presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin.

A fungi walk, an award winning rowan tree and the origins of frankincense

Author Raynor Winn shares her remarkable story with Mark Stephen and Helen Needham.

Mark and Euan find out about the Ettrick Shepherd and there's gold in them thar hills.

Dr Andrew MacKillop and Dr Iain MacKinnon discuss their new research with Mark and Euan.

Mountaineer Hamish MacInnes, Forvie nature reserve and life on the island of Rum

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith chat to Louise Scollay of the Wool Work Podcast.

A secret bothy, creatures that glow in the dark and the wayfaring tree

Mark Stephen and Helen Needham chat to singer Jenny Sturgeon about the Cairngorms.

Mark and Euan discuss urban wildlife, the Leonid Meteor Shower plus much more.

Mark Stephen chats with Colin Prior and Bob McGowan of the National Museums of Scotland.

Darkness and hibernation, galoshans and hurchins

Mark Stephen discusses the Nordic culture of huts with writer Lesley Riddoch

With Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith.

Euan McIlwraith and Helen Needham chat with Alice about her book 'A Spell in the Wild.'

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith explore how we can better embrace winter.

Kinlochleven to Fort William

Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven

Mark meets Jimmie Macgregor to reminisce about the West Highland Way walking route

Crianlarich to Bridge of Orchy.