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Scottish Nature

Chris Smith
Hill Walkers Guide to the Cairngorms
Scotland attracts tourists from the world over to experience countryside scenery. The highland beauty is in part why the country was recently voted the most beautiful in the world, and it’s easy to se...
Nadine Lee
Falkirk's Kelpies Hit The Big Apple
Scaled models of Falkirk's Kelpies at their temporary home in NYC. Scaled models of Falkirk's impressive Kelpie statues have embarked on their first overseas tour, just in time for upcoming Scottis...
Nadine Lee
Our Vote for Scotland's National Tree
Canada has the instantly recognisable maple tree, Japan has the whimsical cherry blossom, and England has the mighty royal oak. However Scotland seems to have missed the proverbial national-tree boat,...
Nadine Lee
The Friendly Falls
The Falls of Dochart I recently came across a book called My Favourite Place, where various writers discuss their most-loved places in Scotland. The book was available free from libraries throughou...
Nadine Lee
Sound of Barra Protected Despite Chief's Concerns
The Sound of Barra The Sound of Barra has been designated a site of Special Area of Conservation (SAC) despite opposition from the chief of Clan MacNeil of Barra and local community members. Descri...
Donald
Dunollie Castle Spiders To Be Given Protection
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Spiders at Dunollie Castle in Argyll & Bute, have been granted special protection from the workers during the castle’s £1.3 million restoration. European cave spiders, also known as Meta menardi, n...
Nadine Lee
Queen Marks Anniversary in Scottish Style
Beside a bubbling brook in a remote part of the highlands isn’t usually where you would expect to come across a modern-day monarch. But a new portrait of Queen Elizabeth II has done just that – pictu...
Nadine Lee
An Unlikely Jacobite Hero
  A number of molehills have sprung up across the battlefield site at Culloden, much to the delight of a Jacobite supporters group. The Circle of Gentlemen – a Highland based Jacobite supporters socie...
Nadine Lee
Terrorising Owl at Large in Inverness
Feathered Foe Remains on the Loose Here's a strange case of life imitating art from Inverness, with news just in that rivals Hitchcock's 1963 horror The Birds: A giant Eagle Owl is to blame for at...
Nadine Lee
Scotland the Place to Be in 2013
Buachaille Etive Mor, featured in Skyfall Around Edinburgh at the moment signs of the post-festive season are evident, and life is slowly returning to normal. Discarded, tired Christmas trees lie o...
Amanda Moffet
Giants Grave on Arran
A very grey rainy day, we thought we'd take a walk up to The Giants Grave, a Neolithic burial chamber on the hill above Whiting Bay. ...
Amanda Moffet
Clan MacPhee/MacFie Descended from a Selkie
The origins of Clan MacFie/MacPhee and all it's name variations are said to be descended from a Selkie or seal woman. Selkies are a mythical people who can change from human form to seal form with ...
Topics: MacFie, MacPhee
Donald
Inuits could be saviours of seal skin sporrans
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A ban on the trade of seal products by the European Union put an end to the continuation of the sale of traditional seal skin sporrans which are a vital part of Highland dress. However, a loophole i...
Topics: sporrans
Donald
Sporran maker criticised for use of road kill
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A Beauly taxidermist is facing criticism from animal rights campaigners for creating sporrans from local road kill. Kate Macpherson, a trained taxidermist for over 20 years, collects badgers, foxe...
Donald
Sutherland Beach One of the Best in the World
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Sandwood Bay in Sutherland has been named as one of the best 50 beaches in the world by Travel magazine; and only one of five listed from the UK. The bay is around 5 miles south of Cape Wrath, the m...