Love Scotland: Stories of Scotland's History and Nature

Beneath the grand walls of Culzean Castle lies a dark and dramatic discovery – a network of caves used by smugglers in the heyday of the illicit alcohol trade. Jackie Bird gets her headtorch on to explore with Head of Archaeology Derek Alexander.

As COP26 comes to Glasgow, there are lessons to be learned from the ancient pine forests of the Cairngorms. In this episode, Jackie Bird chats to the Trust’s Conservation Manager Shaila Rao about the vital regeneration taking place at Mar Lodge Estate.

Our host Jackie Bird is in Angus for this episode, visiting the elegant Georgian mansion, House of Dun, near Montrose which reopened in the summer of 2021 after a major ‘re-imagining’. She meets Iain Hawkins, our General Manager for the North East, to find out what that means.

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird talks to Dr Callum Watson, Battle Coordinator at the Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre, about one of Robert the Bruce’s boldest gambles. Before the massed ranks of the English and Scottish armies on 23 June 1314, Bruce risked his life, his throne and Scotland’s independence in a moment of deadly single combat. We relive the Bruce v de Bohun and the fight which helped define the greatest King of Scots.

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird is in Helensburgh, diving into family life inside The Hill House - Charles Rennie Mackintosh's domestic masterpiece. In this episode, Jackie learns all about The Hill House as a family home, with Taylah Egbers, Visitor Services Supervisor who shares an insight into the Blackie family who lived there. 

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird is in Edinburgh at one of the oldest buildings on the Royal Mile. Gladstone's Land is a six-storey tenement and has been a fixture on the Lawnmarket for 500 years. In this episode, Jackie travels through time, from the 16th Century to present day, with Dr Kate Stephenson to learn about the real-life stories of the people that lived at Gladstone's Land and the property's trading history. 

1 May marks a milestone birthday for the National Trust for Scotland. Founded in 1931, the charity has been safeguarding natural and built heritage across Scotland for 90 years. In this episode, Jackie is joined by Phil Long, the Chief Executive of the charity.

Every year, seabirds gather in their millions across Scotland after migrating from across the globe, and their arrival can signal the first signs of spring. In this episode, NTS Rangers Ciaran Hatsell and Emily Wilkins join Jackie Bird to talk about two great wildlife spectacles. 

A new alliance of organisations is working together to find out how we best react to the impact of climate change and safeguard the Scotland we love. In this episode, Jackie speaks to Stuart Brooks, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Conservation and Policy and co-chair of Scotland’s Landscape Alliance about the alliance's work and hopes for the country’s future.

Tenement House is a time capsule of life in early 20th century Glasgow. In this episode, Jackie Bird meets Ana Sanchez, who cares for the Tenement House. Ana tells Jackie about the fascinating women who lived in the flat, including Miss Agnes Toward who was among the first generation of independent women.