• 29 minutes 34 seconds
    Stobs Military Camp, Hawick

    Mark Stephen visits Stobs Military Camp near Hawick to discover the importance of this site from a training camp in the early 1900s to a resettlement camp after the second world war. Andrew Jepson of Archaeology Scotland is his guide

    21 October 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 24 minutes
    The World's Quietest Festival, Ardestie Earth House and Arbroath Signal Tower Museum

    The Arbroath Signal Tower Museum is set to benefit from more than £300,000 of funding to develop its outdoor space. Mark went for a visit to hear about their plans to transform the garden into an accessible, multi-functional public space for education, community activities and events.

    Rachel Bell and her family try their hand at orienteering in Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen. They see if they can follow the map to complete the course and have fun at the same time.

    Ardestie Earth House is a souterrain, an ancient underground structure, near Monifieth. Mark goes along to explore and try to solve the puzzle of what it might have been used for.

    When Mark was in Glasgow a few weeks ago, something interesting caught his eye. The Cameron Fountain in Charing Cross is rather unique, as it sits on something of a lean. Glasgow sculpture historian Gary Nisbet tells Mark about this intriguing piece of Glasgow’s past. And they also visit the Doulton Fountain outside the People’s Palace and discover that it hasn’t always been in the same place in the city.

    Rachel Bell takes some time to slow down and immerse herself in the outdoors at a forest therapy session led by Sarah Stevens. Sarah guides her through the forest at Birsemore near Aboyne and tells her about the different ways we can connect with nature.

    We hear live from Finland, where Hiljaa Fest, the world's first nature listening festival, is happening right now. Hiljaa Fest, which translates as ‘Quietly Fest’, is happening in Valkmusa National Park and showcases things like black grouse, the wind and the bog moss as performers.

    In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel Stewart meets poet and storyteller Tony Bonning. Tony, known as the Man with the Horse, undertakes treks across the country with his horse Chief to collect folklore and tales along the way. He tells Rachel a bit about his life and a wee tale or two as well.

    And Rachel Bell meets Shetland fiddler and Fetlar resident Maurice Henderson, who tells her about his love of traditional straw crafting and how it ties into the island’s local folklore.

    17 October 2026, 11:00 am
  • 34 minutes 7 seconds
    The Man with the Horse, Poet and Storyteller, Tony Bonning

    Rachel Stewart meets poet and story teller, Tony Bonning. Tony, known as the Man with the Horse, undertakes treks across the country with his horse Chief to collect folklore and tales along the way

    14 October 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    Pears, Corncrakes and Cow Calling

    It’s the time of year when we celebrate leaves as Autumn unfolds. Mark meets up with leaf expert Professor Jonathan Silvertown who’s written a book about them called Nature’s Magicians. Did you know that way back when there were no leaves on trees at all?

    Rachel’s been to the Carse of Gowrie to find out about the ancient pear orchards of the area, and the attempt to bring back Scottish pear varieties that have largely been forgotten. Neil Clapperton of Buglife is her guide

    Mark meets some of those taking part in a recent international translocation conference on a field day in the Cairngorms. He hears from delegates from Australia, Kenya and UK about translocating everything from mosses to rhinos

    Mark visits the St Cyrus National Nature Reserve near Montrose where he finds out about their brand new bird hide.

    Corncrakes were once common in Western Europe. Now their populations are mostly confined to the Western Isles and Skye. Shelagh Parlane of the RSPB describes how they've been advising crofters on how to adapt their land management techniques to encourage these rare birds to nest.

    Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone visit a youth club with a difference. In Alness, the club sits in the middle of two acre field. Jannette Douglas is the club coordinator

    And most people who have livestock will have their own unique way of calling them in. In Finland it is an art known as kuhning. Rachel finds out more from Finnish storyteller and Highland cow breeder Riika Palonen ahead of the Scottish Storytelling Festival.

    10 October 2026, 11:00 am
  • 29 minutes 35 seconds
    The Hidden Powers of Leaves

    Mark Stephen meets Professor Jonathan Silvertown whose book Nature Magicians is all about leaves and why they matter

    7 October 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 22 minutes
    Edinburgh's Surf Resort, Wallace, Glasgow's Fire Dog and the Wild Plants of Deeside

    Funding is being made available to improve core paths in Aberdeen over the next few years and Rachel joined Chris York from environmental consultancy Walking the Talk to find out what a core path actually is

    Mark visits a surf resort and he’s not had to go that far! He’s at Lost Shore in Newbridge just outside Edinburgh to find out what’s available at the inland resort which boast Europe’s largest wavepool

    This week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast excerpt features Gabriella Bennett, author of How to Build a City. Helen Needham met up with Gabriella in Glenrothes where she spent part of her childhood to look at some of the New Town’s public art

    Pink footed geese have returned to our shores and the Scottish Wildlife Trust are hosting Goosefest to highlight the influx of geese to Montrose Basin. Visitor centre manager Joanna Peaker gives Mark the rundown on the staggering number of geese descending on the Basin

    Securing a job as a ranger is a tough task with each post attracting huge numbers of applicants. Rachel talks to apprentice ranger Jenna Ross to find out how she managed to land her dream role working on the diverse habitats surrounding a windfarm in Moray

    Refugia – A Celtic Rainforest is the name of new film exploring the temperate rainforests of South West Scotland. Colin Tennant is one of the film makers who spent a year filming the flora and fauna of the area

    In the late 1800s, Wallace, a collie-setter became well known as a fire dog who was adopted by Glasgow’s fire service. 104 years after his death, a statue of Wallace has recently been unveiled at Central Station. Mark hears the story of Wallace and some of his heroics

    How well do you know your wild plants? Rachel has been testing the knowledge of Amelie Mackrory-Bowden, a seasonal ranger with Cairngorms National park who has been researching this vast topic, uncovering some really interesting stories and facts

    In memory of Scottish crime writer Peter May who passed away earlier this week, we go back to 2013 when Mark met Peter at Port of Ness close to the Butt of Lewis, the very place he took direct inspiration for the first of the trilogy, The Blackhouse

    3 October 2026, 11:00 am
  • 27 minutes 44 seconds
    The Cities of the Future with an Eye to the Past

    Helen Needham meets up with writer Gabriella Bennett to discuss her book 'How to Build a City'. They meet in Glenrothes in Fife where Gabriella spent part of her childhood.

    30 September 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 21 minutes
    Wasps, Coos and Doos

    Up until now, access from the top station of the Cairngorm funicular railway onto the mountain was not allowed outside the winter snowsports season, unless visitors were accompanied by a guide. However, as Mark went to find out, a trial is underway to allow visitors carrying GPS handsets to explore an "approved zone" in the mountain's ski area. Mark hears how the system works.

    Rachel is on the Newhailes Estate near Musselburgh exploring a rather unusual shell grotto. Diane Martin from the National Trust for Scotland shows her around and tells her about the history of the once elaborately decorated building.

    After years of vital conservation work, the historic palm houses at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh are just about ready to open their doors to the public. Mark went along to see how the impressive 19th century glasshouses are looking.

    During Mark’s visit to Dumfries House in Ayrshire last week he met Heather McPike, the Farming and Rural Skills Manager there. She tells him all about the different programmes they offer which aim to encourage young people from different backgrounds into farming.

    In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast Rachel is in Portsoy on the Banffshire Coast hearing about the village’s fascinating history connected with the quarrying of Portsoy Marble or serpentine. We hear an excerpt where Rachel finds out about a project to save and restore some of the historic listed buildings at the harbour once involved with the marble trade.

    Have you noticed a lack of wasps this summer? Is your house being taken over spiders? We chat live to Craig Macadam, Director of Conservation with the charity Buglife about how insects have fared over the summer and what the move into autumn means for them.

    Back near Musselburgh, Rachel is exploring another building on the Newhailes Estate. The restored doocot was a little too empty for staff, so some volunteers stepped up to create some rather cute residents.

    And Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone get up close and personal with some Highland Cows near Inverness who are proving rather popular with tourists and locals alike.

    26 September 2026, 11:00 am
  • 29 minutes 44 seconds
    The History of Portsoy Marble

    Rachel Stewart finds out about a major heritage project linked to the distinctive stone.

    23 September 2026, 11:00 am
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    Sounds of the Canal, Rosie the Cow and a Garden on a Carpark

    The Denburn car park in Aberdeen city centre is well known by locals, but not many people might be as familiar with what sits on top of it. Around the derelict health centre, a community group, Upper Denburn Gardens, is working to improve the site and use it to hold events. Laura Guthrie catches up with one of the volunteers, Joe, and hears about their plans.

    In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Mark spent time with former marine Jock Hutchison. Jock and his wife Emma run the charity Horseback UK from their Aberdeenshire farm. We hear an excerpt where Jock tells Mark about how the charity first started working with injured servicemen.

    Rachel explores the Alva Ice House in Clackmannanshire, which will soon be welcoming visitors as part of Doors Open Day. Susan Mills shows Rachel the restoration work that’s been carried out on the building.

    Earlier this week, Mark spent some time at Dumfries House, the headquarters of the charity The King’s Foundation. On Wednesday, some of the leading voices in food production and food security were attending a summit, alongside King Charles, to discuss the future of food production. Mark speaks to the organiser and some of the delegates, including Dr Chris van Tulleken, about what needs to happen to ensure a fair and sustainable future of food.

    This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Millenium Link project which reopened and reconnected Scotland’s lowland canals. As part of the anniversary, the Canal Listening Project has been gathering the rich sounds of the Forth and Clyde and Union canals. Rachel meets some of those involved in the project and hears some of the stories they have collected.

    We hear live from Dr Anna McGregor, one of the researchers involved in a University of Glasgow project which has rediscovered long-lost oyster beds on the west coast of Scotland thanks to research involving Gaelic and Scots.

    While he was at Dumfries House, Mark met up with a group of school pupils taking part in the King’s Foundation Food for the Future programme. The project starts off with the kids making compost, and eventually they will grow food and take what they’ve learned back to school. Mark hears how the project impacts the pupils involved.

    Rachel is on the Aberdeenshire coast hearing about a new food-tourism experience, the Cullen Skink Odyssey, which tells the story of the famous fish soup through a film.

    And Mark couldn’t resist stopping for a chat with Rosie the Ayrshire Dairy cow at Dumfries House. Although, as he discovered, she’s a bit quieter than your average cow...

    19 September 2026, 11:00 am
  • 28 minutes 52 seconds
    The Healing Power of Horses with Jock Hutchison

    Horseback UK is a charity run by Jock Hutchison and his wife Emma bringing together horses and humans to overcome some of the stresses of everyday life

    16 September 2026, 11:00 am
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