Scotland Outdoors

The University of St Andrews is using ancient rocks from Torridon to test instruments that will be used on the Mars Rover to look for evidence of life. Mark meets Dr Claire Cousins in the lab.Rod and Niccy Angus opened the Scottish Owl Centre in West Lothian in 2012 and are now looking for new people to take over the attraction. It’s the largest collection of owls in the world and Rachel hears how the origins of the venture can be traced back to one species.Phil Sime takes a trip to Inverness Botanic Gardens to catch up with artist Nigel Goldie, exploring the striking sculptures featured in his Out of the Ground exhibition.Naturalist Mark Cocker has written a book Crow Country exploring the complex seasonal cycle of corvids. Rachel hears how rooks now start to roost in large numbers, creating quite a spectacle.Disc Golf is a sport which is rapidly growing in popularity throughout Scotland so with discs in hand, Mark Stephen met up with some of the professionals involved in the Glasgow Disc Golf team.Rosie Steer, author of Slow Seasons, shares her top tips for embracing the change of season into autumn with craft and cooking ideas inspired by mindful observation of nature.Sea Change is a project running in Montrose where artists engage with the community to create awareness of how climate change is affecting the area. Mark Stephen met up with Resident artist, Eve Mosher.Rachel joins a bat walk in Strathpeffer with High Life Highland Countryside Ranger Marcia O’Hara.Wormit Boating Club in Newport-on-Tay is the first in the UK to take delivery of a fully electric training and rescue vessel. Mark goes on board with Evelyn Hardie and Andrew Lumsden and hears about the many benefits.

Rachel Stewart meets the owners of the Scottish Owl Centre as they prepare for retirement

The Bikery in Huntly, Aberdeenshire aims to repair and resell old bikes to stop them ending up in landfill. Rachel chats to team members Stuart Pow and Laura McNeil about the Bikery’s mission, before heading to the workshop to learn how the project teaches mechanical skills.Josh Donaldson from Arbroath became an internet sensation after posting videos clearing up litter from his local forests, beaches and streets. In an excerpt from our midweek podcast, Mark joins Josh to find out how he is motivating others to do the same.‘Beneath the Waves’ is a current exhibition at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine and includes the work of award winning underwater photographer Lawson Wood. Rachel meets him in Eyemouth to talk about his passion for marine life.Mark catches up with Finavon Castle Water Estate Ghillie and Manager Iain MacMaster to chat about Sea Trout fishing and why it’s best done at night.Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone take to the high seas in Findhorn with Chief Sailing Instructor Leon Ward.Scientists at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh have been tapping into the expertise of young people across Edinburgh to find out their perspectives on nature and green space in the city. Mark visits the Gardens to chat to Dr Emma Bush about the ‘The Good City’ research project.This month commemorates the 95th anniversary of the evacuation of St Kilda. Mark and Rachel are joined by the St Kilda Ranger to find out about life on St Kilda nowMark is in Kelty, Fife discovering what it takes to train for the annual Scottish Coal Carrying Championships. Mark meets race Founder Michael Boyle to learn how the race started and its links to Kelty’s mining heritage.

Mark Stephen speaks to Josh Donaldson from Arbroath who became a Tick Tock sensation after posting videos of him clearing up litter from his local forests, beaches and streets. As well as coming across the usual litter such as plastic bottles, cans and crisp packets, he’s even found a grenade. Now with a following of 1.5 million fans as far as the USA and Vietnam, Josh is motivating thousands to do the same.

Mark is back with Heritage Engagement Manager Ingrid Shearer on the banks of the River Clyde to discuss one of Scotland’s first access rights success stories, the case of Harvie’s Dyke.Also on the Clyde, Helen Needham takes a wander with author Louise Welsh and architect Jude Barber, who are asking for recognition of the legal personhood status of the river.Helen and Mark are joined by Chris Romer-Lee who co-founded Swimmable Cities to discuss how we can swim in our urban waterways once more and the benefits of cleaning up our rivers for both people and nature.It’s the 25th edition of the Strathaven Hot Air Balloon Festival this weekend and Mark heads along to find out what it takes to bring 25 hot air balloons together for a show and how they are recovered after they float away with the wind. Festival Secretary Les Hoggan confides that the secret lies in whisky.In an excerpt of the midweek podcast, Helen catches up with Robert Macfarlane at the Edinburgh Festival to talk about the ‘aliveness’ of rivers.How can nature influence more responsible AI systems? Mark finds out when he visits the exhibition Tipping Point: Artists Responses to AI in Edinburgh with Gavin Leuzzi, Lead, Fellowships at Edinburgh University’s Bridging Responsible AI Divides.Ghillie and Manager Iain MacMaster has worked at Finavon Castle Water Estate for 10 years and he knows the land inside out. He takes Mark for a walk of the South Esk River and explains the changes in weather patterns he has been experiencing.Helen learns about the legacy of Scottish geologist Hugh Miller who grew up in Cromarty. She joins Bob Davidson and Sidney Johnston of the Friends of Hugh Miller Society to go fossil hunting on the beach at Cromarty.

Helen Needham discusses the 'aliveness' of rivers with writer Robert Macfarlane

Mark is in Aberdeenshire with RSPB’s Hywel Maggs to try to catch a glimpse of the Common crane and to find out why numbers of the birds are increasing in North East Scotland.Naturalist and Educator Dan Puplett reads the Scottish landscape to track wildlife. Jenny Graham meets him Rafford, near Forres to search for evidence of local species.‘Clouds’, a new book by Dr Edward Graham explores cloud formations, the science behind them and even the famous artists who have painted them. Mark meets author Eddy to take a look at the formations floating in the sky above Glasgow Green.Crafted entirely from upcycled materials, a new statue by Helen Denerley is bringing the story of one of Scotland’s most notorious historical figures back to life. Phil Sime joins Shirley Neild in Kingussie to chat about the history of Alexander Stewart marked by the structure.On a recent trip to Norway, Jenny Graham hopped on her bike in the Fosen district to adventure through Fjord territory.The Balmoral Estate is home to a series of Royal commemorative cairns, including a structure that’s more reminiscent of ancient Egypt than Scotland. Mark explores with Heraldist Gordon Casely.Red grouse numbers continue to be low in Scotland. Mark and Jenny are joined by Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Director for Scotland Dr Nick Hesford to talk about their latest research on the grouse population.Every summer the Woodland Trust announces its shortlist for UK Tree of the Year. The National Contest aims to highlight how vital trees are. Mark meets instrument maker Steve Burnett at Napier’s Craiglockhart Campus in Edinburgh to discover the history behind a sycamore with connections to famous war poet Wilfred Owen.

Mark Stephen meets Eddy Graham, a lecturer/researcher in atmospheric science.

Comedian Dion Owen is at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to combine his two passions, cycling and stand-up. Mark meets Dion before his show to find out more about his free bike programme for Fringe artists.Gardening expert Julie-Ann Henderson is trying to encourage more young people to consider horticulture as a career. She established the first North of Scotland garden show this year and Rachel catches up with her at her home near Keith.Ingrid Shearer is co-author of the A-Z of Rowing on the Clyde, an ebook that tells a myriad of stories about rowing, sport, Glasgow and the River Clyde. Mark meets Ingrid on the banks of the Clyde to discover more about the river that’s been home to the city’s rowing community for over 200 years.Our mid-week podcast excerpt this week comes from the final section of the Whithorn Way, as Rachel and Mark reach Whithorn Priory.Rachel joins a workshop organised by the North East Scotland Biodiversity Partnership which is all about identifying wildflowers and harvesting their seeds. She chats to John Malster in Newtonhill close to Aberdeen on a plot which is slowly being transformed to become more nature friendly.Buglife’s Paul Hetherington joins Mark and Rachel to talk about why we might be seeing more wasps this year and the importance of the insects to our environment.Mark dons his life vest and joins Pete Mowforth and Kat Kjos of Glasgow Rowing Club to learn about race rowing on the Club’s training boat.For the last few years, Stonehaven’s land train has been out of action. Now, it’s back in business and Rachel hops aboard to find out how the Stoney Express got back on the road.

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this final episode, Mark and Rachel walk some of the Ayrshire Coastal Path south of Girvan. Then Mark takes to his bike for the final section to Whithorn. They reach Whithorn Priory where the relics of St Ninian were kept, and the place where pilgrims would seek atonement. Their final destination is the beach next to St Ninian's cave where he is said to have spent a considerable amount of time in the darkness praying.