Powered by RND
PodcastsScienceScotland Outdoors

Scotland Outdoors

BBC Radio Scotland
Scotland Outdoors
Latest episode

Available Episodes

5 of 694
  • Coal Carrying Championships, Life on St Kilda and Underwater Photography
    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.
    --------  
    1:22:15
  • Josh Donaldson - Litter Picking
    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.
    --------  
    21:19
  • Rivers, Fossils and Hot Air Balloons
    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.
    --------  
    1:24:21
  • Findhorn Water Taxi, Roundabout Gardens and Elie Sand Portraits
    Rachel catches up with Nick Ray who previously kayaked around the coast of Scotland, sharing his journey and mental health challenges on social media throughout that year. He’s just completed another journey but walking this time, from far north to south via east and west. Rachel finds out why he decided to hang up his kayak for this challenge.Mark’s in Aberdeenshire and hears from Jim Wilson from Soil Essentials .who tells him how a spot sprayer is going to change the world!Bobby Motherwell, the poet in residence at RSPB Lochwinnoch has been keeping a close eye on the wildlife there. He shares a poem, inspired by his surroundings.The Mounthooly Roundabout in Aberdeen is one of the city’s busiest roundabouts and it’s a spot where hundreds, if not thousands of people pass by every day – But this is no ordinary green oasis! Recently a community group have been transforming the roundabout into a food forest – Last week, I took a wander down to Mounthooly to meet up with Graham Donald, community development officer along with some of the other folk involved in the project to see their progress.Mark and Rachel chat with Richard Reynolds, who, 21 years ago, was one of the UK’s first modern guerrilla gardeners, and ask how attitudes have changed over the years.Tucked away on the Moray Coast lies Culbin Sands, a remote stretch of fragile shoreline where the golden sands meet the crystal clear waters of Findhorn bay. It's not the easiest place to reach, unless you're up for a three-hour hike through the Culbin Forest, or you could go for the slightly less strenuous option which is to go by water taxi. Morven Livingstone and Phil Sime, along with guide dog Striker met up with Jane Campbell Morrison from Findhorn Water-Sports who gave them a tour around the bay.Sand in Your Eye are a sand sculpture group who depending on the tide are creating a sand sculpture of Beethoven on Elie Beach. Rachel pops along hoping to see the end result.Scotland’s last remaining Timeball has just been restored and is back in place at the top of Edinburgh’s iconic Nelson Monument. Once a vital tool for sailors navigating the Firth of Forth and Port of Leith, this Timeball helped ships set their clocks precisely to 1pm Greenwich Mean Time 365 days of the year. Earlier this week, Mark caught up with Karl Chapman, Head of Heritage at Cultural Venues, Museums and Galleries, to learn all about the fascinating restoration project and why this historic timekeeper still matters today.
    --------  
    1:22:48
  • Shetland Dandelions, a Moray Firth Whale and a Paisley Drain
    A new initiative in Buchan called Sma Wids to encourage farmers and landowners to plant trees, the largest surviving ice house in the UK at Spey Bay, lapwing chick ringing in Upper Deeside, the rare dandelions of Shetland, the seabird village of Fowlsheugh near Stonehaven and the latest news from the osprey nest at Loch Garten plus the tale of a medieval drain at Paisley Abbey along with the dramatic demise of an orca whale at Spey Bay on the Moray Firth in the 1960s
    --------  
    1:20:32

More Science podcasts

About Scotland Outdoors

A topical guide to life in the Scottish outdoors.
Podcast website

Listen to Scotland Outdoors, All In The Mind and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features

Scotland Outdoors: Podcasts in Family

  • Podcast Short Story
    Short Story
    Fiction, Drama
Social
v7.23.3 | © 2007-2025 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 8/30/2025 - 11:27:20 PM