Scotland Outdoors

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

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

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 shortlis

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 o

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 h

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

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

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

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

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