Dunottar Castle, Aberdeenshire, photo Rob Bruce. The childhood home of Elisabeth Keith. Mary Queen of Scots visited the castle on three occasions. Why is Scotland’s history so often presented to…
Aberdeen harbour, photo Rob Bruce I was in Aberdeen this week. It is reeling from the UK budget. The evidence of human and capital flight is all around: battered “for…
Arnold Kemp Last week the news that Donald Trump is suing the BBC for a billion pounds for defamation was widely discussed. This week, after consulting its American lawyers, the…
At Stirling Castle this week We had visitors to our Highland cottage last weekend and, apart from a wee dip in the cold blue sea, Saturday was dominated by sport…
Note: We have two events for “Take Me to the River” coming up – Thursday Nov 21, Kinlochewe village hall and Thursday Nov 27, Waterstones, Glasgow Xmas shopping event Photo…
As a young woman, I never really travelled alone – I didn’t have the nerve or the inclination. But in recent years, I have started to do this in a…
With Halloween – or Samhain, as we Celts apparently call it – approaching, Edinburgh city centre is still heaving with tourists. They’re not wrong to come at this time of…
Water in its natural state, Abhainn Coire Mhic Nobuil, photo by Rob Bruce Like every country, Scotland faces huge challenges when it comes to managing drinking water and sewage. But…
Robert Wedderburn came a long way to find out that his father was a bastard. Born in Jamaica, as a young man Robert made his way to London. He was…
October events Vicky and I will be discussing themes from Take Me to the River at: Body positivity: Soul Water Gathering, the Pitt, Newhaven, Saturday, October 18, 4.30 pm Is…
“Lord” Tiddles considers Scotland’s future – image by AI Last weekend, my tweets were grabbed and made into an article for the Daily Express – not with my consent. I…
Photo by Gillian M Robertson O wad this braw hie-heapit tounSail off like an enchanted ship,Drift owre the warld’s seas up and dounAnd kiss wi’ Venice lip to lip,Or anchor…
Rob Edwards, an environmental investigative journalist for 40 years Below is a look at the patient work that lay behind this investigation. On another note – I have tried to…
I had the opportunity to go to Paris last week. Thanks to the generosity of my loyal band of paying subscribers on Substack, I was able to add a couple…
Our wild swimming anthology is available to pre-order and will be published on September 11. We hope to see some of you at our September book events A Letter from…
Are you walking the dog later? Or doing some gardening? Here is a round-up of some of the things I saw at the Edinburgh Festival on my theme of Living…
Usually I manage, for a couple of days at least, to be one of the arts marathoners who dash from show to show at the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe. I…
The Indian Rug by Anne Redpath This week the deputy leader of the Scottish government Kate Forbes announced on her daughter’s third birthday that she won’t be a candidate at…
Image created with AI I’ve always argued that “no debate” is a bad approach when it comes to trans rights – or anything else. If you tell people they’re not…
Norah Neilson Gray, self portrait 1918 After visiting the National Gallery of Scotland last week, one of my young associates asked what I knew of Norah Neilson Gray, to whom…