Episodios
-
Dendrochronology is a niche field of study, used to work out the age of trees, forests and wooden objects. However, it is not only useful for looking at the past, but also for considering how to manage wooded areas in the future. Mark met with expert dendrochronologist Dr Coralie Mills, and Borders Forest Trust Project Officer, Catriona Patience, to find out more about more about these scientific methods, and how they have informed forest management.
Drones can have a lot of potential for wildlife researchers, and one person who has found them incredibly useful is Claire Stainfield, a PhD student at Scotland’s Rural College. She is using drones to monitor the numbers and behaviour of seal colonies on Newburgh Seal Beach, and Rachel met with her to find out what her research is all about.
In the week that The Salt Path film is released, we dig into our archive to hear an interview with Raynor Winn, who shares her incredible story which the film is based on.
Climate change and environmental pollution has a significant impact all over the globe, something that Professor Alice Ma, an Environmental Studies lecturer at the University of Glasgow, knows very acutely. When visiting her ancestral village in China in 2018, she was struck not only by the issues of pollution, but also the ways in which regional traditions and folklore interact and are disrupted by the climate crisis. Rachel met her in Glasgow to here more about these revelations, and the book they have since inspired her to write.
Tucked away along the River Ness is the UK’s most northerly botanic gardens, in Inverness. As well as caring for colourful tropical plants in their glasshouses, the garden is also taking part in a project to distribute thousands of hanging baskets to various towns and villages across the Highlands. Phil Sime met with garden manager Ewan Mackintosh to find out more
Amy Dakin Harris is a professional dancer turned flower and herb farmer. She combines her two passions on her hilltop farm near Dunlop in East Ayrshire, offering specialist movement classes, alongside her flower arranging and foraging courses. Rachel joined her on site to hear more about her background, and how natural it feels for her to unite dance and nature.
The government have announced this week that they have rejected the proposal to establish a national park in Galloway. Kevin Keane joins us live on the programme to tell us more about where this decision has come from, and what it means for the future of Scotland’s national parks.
-
The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel focus on the start of the journey at Glasgow Cathedral. Mark and Helen cycle down to Glasgow Green and imagine how pilgrims would have crossed the River Clyde. They then follow the River westwards to the new Govan- Partick pedestrian bridge. In Govan, they meet up with Rachel and go to the Govan Old Kirk where there are some unique Viking graves.
-
¿Faltan episodios?
-
Nature-based solutions are a key tool in solving environmental problems such as flooding. Rachel met with Dr Rebecca Wade from Abertay University, who is a big advocate for these solutions, to find out more about how they are actually implemented, and why they are so important.
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s demonstration farm in Auchnerran near Logie Coldstone, is home to numerous species of wading birds, but has had significant issues in the past with nest predation from badgers and other animals. They are trialling an innovative new solution - specially designed cages to protect the nests from would-be predators. Mark met with researcher Max Wright to find out how successful this trial has been so far.
The village of Kinnesswood near Kinross home to a very lively community of beekeepers. Stuart MacFarlane went along to find out more about how the community gained such an affinity for these pollinators.
Capercaillie are one of our nations most beloved and yet endangered species, and during the breeding season rangers carry out regular patrols to try and prevent passers-by from disturbing the birds. Rachel joined a team from the Cairngorms National Park Authority for an early morning patrol.
The Great Outdoors Coast to Coast Challenge has been running continuously for the last 45 years It is a non-competitive challenge encouraging walkers to plot and walk a route from West to East, connecting them with some of the amazing landscapes across the country. Mark met with several walkers as they near the end of their walk, to find out what attracted them to this challenge in the first place.
The warm and dry weather across the country over the last few weeks has been welcomed by many. However, the impact on our rivers and fish has been very significant. Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone met with Director of Ness District Salmon Fisheries Board, Brian Shaw, to hear just how this dry spell has impacted the river.
The Beach of Dreams Festival has been taking place across the UK for several weeks, emphasising the beauty, heritage, and possible futures of our coastlines. One of the most interesting projects has been taking place in Fife, and Rachel met with artist Julie Brook, who has spent several days on the coast there, building an ambitious tidal sculpture.
-
Rachel Stewart meets environmental scientist Dr Rebecca Wade from Abertay University.
-
This week, we are coming to you from the village of Whithorn, in Galloway, broadcasting from the replica Iron Age Roundhouse in the village.
Julia Muir Watt from the Whithorn Trust, and Shaun Thomson from Building Futures Galloway feature as live guests, to share the history of the area, and the importance of promoting heritage crafts and building techniques within the local area.
Whithorn has a thriving community enterprise in the form of the organisation All Roads Lead to Whithorn. They have established a New Town Hall, complete with study facilities, bunkhouse, and boxing ring! Hazel Smith joins Mark and Rachel to tell them more about the importance of having a central community facility in this rural town.
Galloway is full of natural beauty, but can often be overlooked due to its remote location. Christy Miles joins us on the programme to tell us about the stunning landscapes surrounding Whithorn, and also shares some of her expert willow weaving techniques with Mark and Rachel.
Mark Williams is the owner of Wild Food Galloway, and is passionate about sharing the knowledge of our native edible species. Rachel met with him on the coast to forage for some local plants, and to ask him more about the importance of reconnecting with our local wild foods.
Farmers are often seen as practical rather than creative types, but one Galloway farmer, Helen Ryman, is hoping to change that perspective with her artwork. Rachel went along to meet her at her farm, to find out how she became inspired to paint through her day job as a freelance farm hand.
RSPB Lochwinnoch is a quiet nature reserve in Renfrewshire. The reserve plays host to their Poet in Residence, Bobby Motherwell, who has been writing from the reserve for the past two years. Mark and Rachel met with Bobby at the reserve to hear some of his poetry in the landscape that inspired it.
The coastal villages surrounding Whithorn have a long maritime history, and there are many stories wrapped up within this history. A local expert on these stories is Gail McGarva, boatbuilder and storyteller. Gail is live on the programme to tell us how she first became involved in heritage boat building, and to share some of stories that accompany her craft.
Mark and Rachel also meet with Alistair Scoular, who is a local to the Isle of Whithorn, and runs the local Steam Packet Inn. He shares his knowledge of the historic shipping industry that took place with, and why this peninsula is indeed called the "Isle" of Whithorn, despite its clear connection to the mainland!
Galloway is well known for it's Dark Skies status, and visitors to the area can enjoy wonderful views of the stars on a clear night. Mike Alexander runs the local Galloway Astronomy Centre, and joins Mark and Rachel to tell them more about why the area is so well loved by astronomers, and the plans for a new astronomy centre nearby.
Forsyth Galloway and his family have been running the local grocers in Whithorn for a number of years, and have become something of an institution. Forsyth joins Mark and Rachel, bringing along some of his local produce from the area.
-
Mo Wilde is a forager, herbalist and author who is also founder of the Wild Biome Project. In this podcast, Helen Needham meets her at Cambo Estate in Fife where they go foraging and discuss the benefits of a wild food diet.
-
Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors
-
Mark Stephen meets head of soil forensics at the James Hutton Institute, Professor Lorna Dawson. Mark meets Lorna at the Institute's research farm, Glensaugh in Aberdeenshire to find out what exactly her job entails
-
Peregrine falcons have been in residence at the University of Glasgow’s Gilbert Scott Tower for a number of years now, with a new clutch of chicks being born again this year. Rachel met with Clarke Elsby from the university and John Simpson, from the Scottish Ornithologists Club, to get a glimpse of these magnificent birds of prey.
Solsgirth Home Farm near Dollar is home to a large variety of animals, from sheep, to pigs, to emu. Owned and run by veterinarian Jan Dixon, the farm is passionate about reconnecting people to the realities of farm life. Mark went along to find out more about the ethos behind the farm.
Trees are a strong source of inspiration for many creative arts, and one such artist is harpist and singer Mary McMaster, who has been working on a new composition called For the Love of Trees. Helen Needham met with Mary in the Royal Botanic Gardens to find out how woodlands have shaped her work.
The Moffat Spitfire has been a local landmark for several years now. The plane has long been located in the garden of retired local GP Dr Hamish MacLeod, and has raised money for several military charities. Now, it is being given new significance, as part of a memorial for Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding, who was instrumental in coordinating defensive measures during the Battle of Britain. Mark met with Hamish at his home in Moffat to hear more about Dowding, and the plane itself.
Ospreys are back across Scotland, and people across the world are following along on live cameras hosted at sites such as RSPB Loch Garten. Mark and Rachel hear from the Visitor Experience Manager Clark Evans about what an exciting – and sometimes drama-filled - time of year it is on the reserve.
The glasshouse and walled garden in the centre of Banff was once home to fruit trees and grapes, grown for the imposing Duff House. Now, it has been transformed into The Vinery - a local community employment hub, teaching classes on all manner of topics, including gardening. Mark met with the gardener, Michelle Walker, to hear more about the opportunities The Vinery is provides to the local community.
-
Rachel Stewart speaks to Dr Kenny Taylor at the Montrose Basin about 60 years of the SWT
-
Tennants of Elgin is a family quarrying business that has been operating out of the North East of Scotland for fifty years. They have had numerous impressive contracts across Europe, but have recently begun some work that’s a little closer to home – providing the granite for Aberdeen’s Union Street works. Mark went along to meet with Director Gavin Tennant, and find out more about the quarrying process.
Muirburn is a polarising issue at the moment in Scotland, particularly in light of recent wildfires across the country. Helen Needham met with Stuart Smith from the James Hutton Institute to find out more about the latest research on these land management practices.
Buckhaven on the East coast of Fife was once a thriving fishing port, although the town’s harbour has since been lost to time. Pupils at the Mountfleurie Primary School have been uncovering their local history in conjunction with the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther. Rachel met up with the head curator Linda Fitzpatrick to find out more about the town’s hidden history.
Rachel visited a community woodland in Gifford, East Lothian, to try her hand at some birch tapping. She met with Rupert Waites from Buck and Birch, who use birch sap in a number of ways, combining it with other foraged materials to make liquors and spirits, that harness the taste of the Scottish landscape.
Kris King joins Mark and Rachel on the programme to tell us more about the Highland Ultra taking place next week. This race takes place in three stages, across the Knoydart Peninsula - what he calls the UK's last true wilderness. We hear more about what inspired the race, but also how the race aims to give back to the local rural community.
The Corbenic Camphill Community is a residential care home for adults with learning disabilities. This year marks the 10th anniversary of their Poetry Path, which winds through the surrounding grounds and showcases the work of some of Scotland’s greatest poets, as well as the work of some of the care home’s residents. Mark met with Jon Plunkett, the Community Director, to find out more about the inspiration behind this project, and how they are celebrating this anniversary.
Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yacht Club have begun their spring season of sailing upon the Loch of Skene. Mark headed out on the water with them, to find out more about the club, their history, and the exciting events they host throughout the year.
-
Mark Stephen visits the poetry path at Corbenic with its founder Jon Plunkett
-
The Elsick Mounth is an ancient trackway, linking the River Dee to the Mearns, and is one of the routes featured in the new Scotsways guide on hill tracks. Mark and Rachel both met up with Colin Young, a Scotsways volunteer, who guided them along part of the route to point out some of the important historical and archaeological sites that can be seen from the track.
Scotland’s peatlands are an iconic part of the landscape, and have been undergoing targeted restoration across the country for the last fifteen years. Rachel visited Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and met with their Peatland Action Project Officer, Tasha Craven, to find out more about the importance of this habitat.
Edinburgh’s New Town is full of important buildings and some exemplary stonework. Andrew McMillan is a member of the Edinburgh Geological Society, and has recently put together a guided tour of the area around St Andrew’s Square, and Mark met with him to hear more about the area’s impressive geoheritage.
Lorraine McCall has an impressive list of mountain achievements to her name, having completed all the Corbetts and Munros, and being the first known woman to summit all the Grahams in a single journey – all while overcoming three separate cancer diagnoses. Rachel joined her on the Moray Coast to find out more about how she fared during these challenges.
Mark and Rachel are joined by Iain Hepburn from Bright Spark Burning Techniques, to share his expertise on muirburn and it's use in fighting wild fires.
Hedgehogs are beginning to emerge again in Scotland after their long hibernation, and the ‘Pledgehog’ project, based in Dunbar, are gearing up for another year of helping to raise awareness of the little garden mammals. Rachel went along to meet up with Jen Walker, to find out how they are utilising trail cameras as part of local conservation efforts.
-
Lorraine McCall from the Highlands has overcome cancer three times in recent years. She has previously climbed all of Scotland's 221 Corbetts and 282 Munros.
-
The Scottish Crannog Centre on the banks of Loch Tay is a bustling model Iron Age village, filled with various craftspeople to demonstrate ancient crafts and technologies. Mark went along to find out how the site has grown over the past few years, and how the construction of the crannog over the water is coming along.
Jenny Graham follows the Postie’s Path – a route once taken by “Big John MacKenzie”, a post runner in the early 19th century, which runs along Strathconon Glen in the West Highlands, finishing at Achnasheen. The route used to take several days for the postman to complete on foot, but Jenny has opted to trace the route – or what remains of it – on her bike.
Helen Needham has been out and about in the early morning to catch the best of the spring dawn chorus. Joining her is Ian Broadbent, the North East of Scotland’s specialist bird recorder from the British Trust for Ornithology.
Passing through West Lothian, it is hard to miss the huge angular mounds dotted across the landscape. However, the history of these mounds, or bings – and the shale oil industry that created them – may be lesser known. Mark met up with Nicola Donaldson from the Shale Museum to find out more about the historic industry, and how it created these man made landmarks.
The Torridon Mountain Rescue Team that has been operating in the West Highlands since 1972. Jenny Graham has herself been a member of the group for 10 years, and she met up with some of the other team members to find out about the history of the team, and how mountain rescue has changed in the past 50 years.
The Inchindown Oil Tanks are a relic of WWII, located near Invergordon, and are the site of the world’s longest echo. Phil Sime went along to the vast underground space, to experience this echo for himself.
Mark has been along to the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, to have a look at their huge collection of pressed and preserved plants. The Herbarium is home to over three million species, and Mark meets up with Amy Porteous to find out how the collection is used.
-
Helen Needham meets with bird recorder Ian Broadbent to capture the April dawn chorus
-
Potato Enthusiast Bob Donald talks to Rachel about a community growing project in Aberdeen which has led to libraries in the north east handing out seeds and seed tatties.
Mark speaks with volunteers from a walking group in Govan, who share their personal experiences with homelessness and social hardship. They’re now involved in an innovative project that aims to turn them into city tour guides.
As we enter British Summer Time, Professor Danny Smith from Edinburgh University joins us to explain the importance of daylight for our body’s circadian rhythm and its impact on our wellbeing.
Phil Sime, who is completely blind, offers his perspective on life without the ability to tell if it’s light or dark, shedding light on the challenges of navigating the world without sight.
Helen Needham heads to the Scottish Borders to meet writer and outdoor enthusiast Kerri Andrews, who shares insights from her book about motherhood and the identity shifts that come with it.
Mark talks to young farmer Nicola Wordie about the pressures and demands of farming during lambing season. Nicola also discusses her involvement in a project aimed at tackling isolation within Scotland's farming and crofting communities.
Rachel visits St Fillan’s Cave in Pittenweem, where she uncovers the history behind the cave’s name and discovers that Christian services are still held at its ancient stone altar today.
Mark speaks to Mike Vass, Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music, to hear about his journey of blending music with maritime experiences, following an illness in 2013 that inspired him to compose music drawn from the high seas.
-
Kerri Andrews is the author of Pathfinding - On Walking, Motherhood and Freedom. She describes her own traumatic experience with pregnancy, birth and motherhood and draws on examples of other female writers and their experiences over the centuries. She also discusses the history of women and walking and her desire for a more communal child rearing experience in the UK.
-
Lambhill, in the North of Glasgow, is home to a thriving community hub, built out of an old stable block on the edge of the Forth and Clyde canal. Mark went along to visit their community garden, and find out more about what goes on there.
Rachel is on the banks of Loch Lomond to find out about the issues of litter along the busy stretch of the A82, and what the local people have been doing to tackle it.
Auchindoun Castle in Moray has recently reopened after some careful masonry repairs. Mark meets with Historic Environment Scotland’s District Architect for the North region, Mike Pendery, to find out more about what it takes to look after these remote ruins.
Tarlair Outdoor Swimming Pool in the North East has been undergoing restoration for a number of years, but work has now been completed on the art deco pavilion. Mark met up with Pat Wain from the Friends of Tarlair community group to see the newly finished space, and find out more about the next stage of the restoration.
A new multipurpose football stadium is in the planning stages in Dundee, but local people are concerned about the loss of old, established trees, and the impact this could have on the area’s wildlife. Rachel met up with Violet Fraser, one of the campaigners against this development.
Mountain rescue veteran, David ‘Heavy’ Whalley, sadly passed away recently. He featured on the programme a number of times, and we pay tribute with a clip originally from 2015, where he joined Mark and Euan on a hike up Ben Wyvis.
Midlothian Snow Sports has long been a hub for people with disabilities, or learning difficulties to come together and learn to ski. However, there has been a decline in uptake over recent years, which Disability Snowsport UK are hoping to change. Rachel went along to see what it is all about.
Mark takes a wet and windy stroll along Coral Beach in Plockton, so called for its sand which is made up of calcified seaweed or maerl.
-
A shortage of volunteers means some clubs have struggled to restart following the Covid pandemic in 2020. Campaigners say more needs to be done to raise awareness of the issue.
- Mostrar más
