Scotland Outdoors

Mark is in Gatehouse of Fleet with Mark Williams who has a new book out called The Coastal Forager. The pair chat about identifying coastal plants and have a nibble of a few different species.
In this week’s podcast excerpt, Rachel meets Arlene Stuart, one of the presenters of Landward, which is celebrating five decades on air.
The 200 year old Falkirk Tunnel is the longest canal tunnel in Scotland. Richard Millar, Chief Operating Officer at Scottish Canals, gives Rachel the guided tour.
Mark joins dry-stone dyker, Alexis Zafiropoulos, in Alford, Aberdeenshire to talk about the sense of belonging Alexis has developed in the North-East through practising this ancient craft.
Mark meets Mary Smith, Engagement Ranger at Threave Nature Reserve in Castle Douglas to discover more about The Threave Landscape Restoration Project which is designed on a 100 year ecological timescale.
Poet Jim Carruth’s new book, Knockan, set in the far north west of Scotland, reflects his interest in geology and passion for farming. Rachel meets Jim in Renfrewshire to find out more.
The acclaimed wildlife cameraman Doug Allan, from Dunfermline, Fife, has died after becoming unwell on a mountain trek in Nepal. Mark and Rachel are joined by wildlife filmmaker John Aitchison to pay tribute to Doug’s life and career bringing the wonders of the natural world to our screens.
In collaboration with BBC L.A.B Scotland, pupils at Balwearie High School in Kirkaldy recorded an interview with Scottish wildlife filmmaker Libby Penman, who was once a pupil at the school.
Mark stops at a viaduct which overlooks Loch Nan Uamh to learn about the story behind the name ‘Dead Horse Bridge’.

Rachel Stewart meets Arlene Stuart, one of the presenters of Landward, Scotland's Farming and Countryside TV programme which celebrates five decades on air

Calum Maclean meets Kerry MacPhee and Beth Legg of Bike Trossachs at the Gravelfoyle event in Aberfoyle, where the gravel bike racing season started with a race called the Gravelfoyle 10.
The Nevis Range mountain bike season has just kicked off and the Mountain Bike Uplift is open. Mark meets John Sutherland to find out how the gondola works.
Helen Needham joins artist Jane Frere as she puts the finishing touches to her latest exhibition The Ark, which is showing at The Barn in Banchory. At the centre of the exhibition is a giant pastel of a tree of life containing drawings of over 170 species facing extinction.
In this week’s podcast excerpt, Mark meets Harry Fleming, owner of a cold war bunker on the Aberdeenshire coast. Mark hears the story of the bunker from the 1950s to the present day.
Mark and Calum are joined by vintage cycling enthusiast Scott Simpson, who runs the Vintage Cycling Scotland Facebook group and repairs and refurbishes older models to get them out on the road once more.
In 2022, Nick Gardner from Aultbea completed all of Scotland’s 282 Munros. When he set off he was 80 and he was 82 when he finished. A new film about Nick’s achievement has recently been released and Calum catches up with Nick and one of the film’s directors, Jay Golian, in Aberfeldy to find out more about The Oldest Munro Bagger.
Mark is back at the Nevis Range near Fort William to make his way down the Blue Doon bike trail.

Mark Stephen meets Harry Fleming, owner of a cold war bunker on the Aberdeenshire coast. He hears the story of the bunker from the 1950s to present day

Mark recently visited the Solway Firth to find out more about some invasive species. Nic Coombey from the Solway Firth Partnership at Brighouse Bay, near Kirkcudbright explains how these species are being monitored.
Rachel meets Fran Loots by the River Earn in Comrie to hear how a very special project called Nature Mingle is helping some housebound folk in the Strathearn area of Perthshire.
In this week’s podcast excerpt Mark is joined by Professor Kate Britton to uncover the story behind a remarkable archaeological emergency on Lunan Bay in the northeast.
A new bylaw has been approved for the Cairngorms National Park, coming into force in less than a week. Rachel finds out from Countryside Ranger Will George what this will mean for visitors to the area.
Mark is in the East Lothian village of Aberlady to meet some of its newest residents known as the Aberlady Community Flock. Volunteers and co-founders John Harrison and David Fleetwood share how the sheep came to be there and how they’re bringing the community together.
Curator at Benmore Botanic Gardens, Luke Senior joins Mark and Rachel to share the exciting news that saplings cloned from seeds and cuttings taken from the iconic sycamore gap tree were planted at Benmore Botanic Gardens on Thursday.
Chris Lawlor has built a large social media following with short films capturing his travels and experiences. Ramblers Scotland have appointed him as their president. Rachel finds out how he feels about his new role
Paul English is with Kayleigh McGuinness to hear how a collaboration between the Tron Theatre, Sharmanka Kinetic Gallery and Glasgow City Heritage trust is bringing St Mungo back to life.