Around Scotland

Going Across The Sea

1 Mar 2009

Let me tell you a little story. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. There once was a handsome be-quiffed Scottish musician named Tim Matthew (front man of Mystery Juice and various solo projects) and in 2007 he and Betse Ellis, from Kansas…

Winter Sports

1 Dec 2008

Ice Climbing Absolutely not to be undertaken without experienced supervision, climbing a frozen sheet of ice is still one of the most rewarding winter sports. As well as a hefty dose of courage, anyone trying it out will need to be physically strong…

The Ba: Spot the Ba

1 Dec 2008

I can't imagine spending Christmas Day any other way than heading down to see the Ba. For Kirkwall people, it's huge. To win it is a huge honour, especially if your families been in the Ba for generations and generations. It's probably the highest…

Homecoming Scotland: Making the Most of it

1 Dec 2008

The Gathering 2009 The centrepiece of the year's celebrations, The Gathering is the largest clan meeting in history. Six thousand flights from America to Scotland have already been snapped up and demand is so high that more are being specially…

Santa's little helpers

Reindeer

1 Dec 2008

I'm wondering how it was, exactly, that I came to be carrying a sack of grain, up a hill, in the rain, trying to avoid being antlered in the bum. As well as the reindeer, I’m here to meet Tilly Smith who, along with husband Alan, took over an Aviemore…

Up-Helly-Aa: Norse Code

1 Dec 2008

I'm standing in Lerwick town square, watching the early morning fog whip around the narrow cobbled streets, surrounded by a throng of local islanders and a few hardy tourists. Suddenly, as the steady beat of drums and the drone of bagpipes shatters the…

Hogmanay: How Hogmanay Got Hip

1 Dec 2008

Shiny silver baubles, mince pies and novelty socks don’t quite cut it in the coolness stakes for most trendy young Scots. In fact, Christmas was once just another working day here. During long Scottish winters, it’s New Year that we turn to for our…

Up-Helly-Aa: What did the Vikings Ever Do For Us?

1 Dec 2008

Mousa Broch, Shetland This Iron Age tower is over 13ft high and one of the finest examples of its kind. More importantly, it’s old enough to have seen some fairly exciting goings on. In the spring of 1153 Erlend the Young had a bit of a crush on Earl…

Hogmanay: The best of Hogmanay

1 Dec 2008

EDINBURGH Edinburgh hosts the daddy of all celebrations, with a four-day extravaganza running from 29 Dec-1 Jan, highlights include: Torchlight Procession, 29 Dec, 6pm, departs City Chambers. The Dancin’ (open air dance event), Grassmarket, 30 Dec…

Hogmanay: Hangovers

1 Dec 2008

The Loony Dook It’s a new year and you wake up feeling anything but rejuvenated, with a tongue like sandpaper and a head thumping like last night’s party. It calls for extreme action and you can’t get much more extreme than throwing yourself into some…

Christmas: Away From Home

1 Dec 2008

Three times the fun If you can't be with your actual family on Christmas eve, the Three Sisters will quite happily provide you with a new one. In conjunction with the Backpacker's Card, we're holding a special Christmas eve party so don't worry, it…

Hogmanay: Outside the cities

1 Dec 2008

Oban’s Hogmanay Homecoming party This is likely to be the biggest party Oban has seen in a long time – and you can sense their excitement, by the fact their Hogmanay website has a ticker that is literally counting the seconds until the celebrations…

Splash Down

1 Oct 2008

From deep highland lochs, to bubbling fresh springs, Scotland is a country overflowing with water. The lochs hide the monsters of Scottish superstition, while the spring water is fused together with malted barley to produce the ‘uisge-beatha’ or whisky.

5 to try: River sports

1 Oct 2008

Rafting The most famous, and by far the most popular river sport in Scotland, white-water rafting can be a huge adrenaline buzz or a relatively tame sail downstream. It all depends on the river you choose and the water levels on any given day, which…

Samhain: The Real Halloween

1 Oct 2008

It’s that time of year again when kids dress up as ghosts and ghouls, some girls dress up in next to nothing and the rest of us, who’ve left it a little late, poke three holes through a white sheet and pretend we’re ghosts. That’s right, it’s Halloween…

If you go down to the woods today...

The Enchanted Forest

1 Oct 2008

Jamie Struthers and Simon Lee run Vibe Tours, offering unique trips to music and other cultural events across Scotland. They explain to us about this year’s specially-programmed tour to the Enchanted Forest. Your route to Pitlochry and the Enchanted…

The Monster Hunter

1 Oct 2008

You might expect a monster hunter to live in a castle, surrounded by the pelts of the mythical beasts he’s slain, but Steve Feltham’s home is unprepossessing to say the least. His obsessive search for Nessie is conducted from a small caravan parked on…

The Tiree Wave Classic

1 Oct 2008

Andy Groom has been organising the Tiree Wave Classic since 1986. We quiz him on what the Wave Classic means to those organising, and those taking part. Who competes at the Wave Classic? 48 of the top European windsurfers. Last year, when we…

Pick of the Autumn

1 Oct 2008

Bored? Not for long. Claire Ritchie chooses 14 of the best activities this autumn

Quick questions about Scotland

FAQs

1 Oct 2008

Why's Glasgow so hip at the moment? Glasgow has been one of the UK’s great musical cities for over 20 years. First came Postcard Records, a label that showcased the ‘sound of young Scotland’. Run from a pokey flat on West Princes Street in the city’s…

The Autumn Tests

1 Oct 2008

The Saffa Daniel Kemp came to Scotland as a backpacker and decided not to leave. He now lives in Oban after marrying the manageress of a local hostel. He enjoys fishing and is looking to join the army. How do you rate Scotland’s chances…

Learn the Lingo

1 Oct 2008

No matter how well a visitor to Scotland can speak English, there will always be a few times when they ask themselves: what the hell are these people talking about? Don’t worry, it’s because most people here pepper their speech with Scots, an ancient…