Wildfires, Mounth Roads and East Lothian Hedgehogs

The Elsick Mounth is an ancient trackway, linking the River Dee to the Mearns, and is one of the routes featured in the new Scotsways guide on hill tracks. Mark and Rachel both met up with Colin Young, a Scotsways volunteer, who guided them along part of the route to point out some of the important historical and archaeological sites that can be seen from the track.

Scotland’s peatlands are an iconic part of the landscape, and have been undergoing targeted restoration across the country for the last fifteen years. Rachel visited Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, and met with their Peatland Action Project Officer, Tasha Craven, to find out more about the importance of this habitat.

Edinburgh’s New Town is full of important buildings and some exemplary stonework. Andrew McMillan is a member of the Edinburgh Geological Society, and has recently put together a guided tour of the area around St Andrew’s Square, and Mark met with him to hear more about the area’s impressive geoheritage.

Lorraine McCall has an impressive list of mountain achievements to her name, having completed all the Corbetts and Munros, and being the first known woman to summit all the Grahams in a single journey – all while overcoming three separate cancer diagnoses. Rachel joined her on the Moray Coast to find out more about how she fared during these challenges.

Mark and Rachel are joined by Iain Hepburn from Bright Spark Burning Techniques, to share his expertise on muirburn and it's use in fighting wild fires.

Hedgehogs are beginning to emerge again in Scotland after their long hibernation, and the ‘Pledgehog’ project, based in Dunbar, are gearing up for another year of helping to raise awareness of the little garden mammals. Rachel went along to meet up with Jen Walker, to find out how they are utilising trail cameras as part of local conservation efforts.