Scotland Outdoors

Latest Episodes:

A Lavender Farm in Fife, Cairngorm Wildfires and a Sealife Safari Jul 25, 2026

Show notes

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast Mark meets author Cal Flyn, whose latest book is called The Savage Landscape – How we Made the Wilderness. We hear an excerpt of Cal explaining where her interest in exploring the meaning of wilderness came from.

Rachel is on the North East coast on a seabird spotting safari run by the Aberdeen Countryside Ranger Service. The trips have become popular with visitors who arrive in the area by cruise ship.

Over the last week the Glenmore area of the Cairngorm National Park has been severely impacted by wildfires. Mark went to speak with Duncan Ferguson, a resident of Glenmore who was evacuated to hear about his experience.

Throughout the programme we also hear from Colin Simpson, Cairngorm National Park visitor experience manager about the response to the fires as well as Ben Jones from the RSPB who tells us about the impact on bird and wildlife in the area.

For a few weeks every summer, you can experience the glorious sights and smells of lavender fields in Fife. Rachel went along to Scottish Lavender to hear about where the idea to grow lavender came from and what they use the plants for.

The Johnshaven Heritage Museum on the Aberdeenshire coast are currently running an exhibition called Land and Sea. Mark went along to take a look and find out more about the fishing village and surrounding area.

And as the Commonwealth Games kicks off in Glasgow, Mark went along to Pinkston Watersports to hear about Glasgow Canal Quest, one of the many family friendly events which are being held to celebrate the games.

Cal Flyn - The Savage Landscape Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Mark Stephen meets Cal Flyn, author of The Savage Landscape - How We Made The Wilderness in which she explores the meaning of wilderness in a journey into the forests, deserts and ocean floor

Callendar Park, Maud Railway Museum and Ardersier Common Jul 18, 2026

Show notes

Mark is in Forres to meet up with naturalist and educator Dan Puplett. Dan’s been running bird language courses, helping people understand what birds are really saying and how to interpret their different calls.

Ardersier Common has officially become the Highlands' newest Local Nature Reserve after more than two decades of conservation work. Home to the rare small blue butterfly and one of the UK's rarest orchids, Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone joined High Life Highland countryside ranger John Orr to explore this remarkable wildlife haven for this week’s Scotland’s Outdoors Podcast

Diseased trees in Callendar Park are set to be removed to protect the nearby Antonine Wall, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Experts say the work is needed to safeguard the Roman monument, built almost 2,000 years ago. Rachel joined Falkirk Council Greenspace Team Leader Mike Ewart to hear why the work is so important.

Also, in Callendar Park, plans are taking shape to honour one of the 20th century's greatest plant hunters. Falkirk-born George Forrest travelled extensively in China, collecting thousands of plant specimens, many of which are familiar in gardens today. Rachel and Mike Ewart are joined by Leonie Paterson from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to learn more about one of Scotland's most celebrated botanists.

We love talking about the benefits of spending time outdoors on this programme, and few people believe in its healing power more than Pete Crane. A former Cairngorms National Park Authority employee, Pete became seriously ill a few years ago. Rachel met him in Nethy Bridge to hear how the outdoors helped him on his road to recovery.

After an absence of several years, a familiar landmark has returned to the waterfront at Port Glasgow. The newest replica of The Comet, Europe’s first seagoing commercial paddle steamer, is once again a feature of the shoreline. Celebrating a story that helped shape the town's proud shipbuilding heritage, Paul English has been finding out more from local councillor Chris Curley.

Mark heads to the banks of Loch Lomond to explore the East Loch Lomond Path, the only Scottish route nominated in The Ramblers' Britain's Favourite Path 2026 competition. The rugged stretch along the eastern shore is part of the iconic West Highland Way, and Danny Carden from Ramblers Scotland explains why it deserves your vote.

And the Aberdeenshire village of Maud was once a thriving railway junction. While the station and railway closed many years ago, the former station now lives on as a museum. Mark paid a visit and even got the chance to ride one of its most popular attractions, a miniature railway that takes visitors on a short but memorable journey.

Ardersier Local Nature Reserve Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone join High Life Highland countryside ranger John Orr at Ardersier Local Nature Reserve in search of one of the UK's rarest orchids.

Rowing, Sailing, Beavers and a Hot Toddy Jul 11, 2026

Show notes

Next week, communities in Lochaber will be asked to share their views on beavers being reintroduced to the area. Kirsten Brewster from rewilding charity Scotland: The Big Picture tells Mark about the consultation process and why Lochaber might be a good area for beavers.

Rachel meets an Aberdeen lecturer who has won an award from the Mammal Society for his innovative camera trap box designed specifically for small mammals. Nick Littlewood shows Rachel the Littlewood Box, which he developed alongside his wife.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet. It brings together people from all walks of life to take on an extraordinary 11-month adventure, racing across the world's oceans aboard 70-foot yachts. This weekend, the Clippers arrive in Oban, and earlier this week, Mark went to hear about the town’s preparations for them and what else is going on as part of the Festival of the Sea.

This week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast features artist and sculptor Helen Denerley. She met Rachel in her Aberdeenshire studio to tell her where it all began and reflect on her near 50 years of work.

We chat live to one of the Scottish crew members who have been taking part in this year’s Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. The race is arriving in Oban this weekend before heading to Portsmouth on the last leg of the challenge. We hear about what life has been like at sea for the teams taking part.

Rachel is back with Colin Bartholomew at RSPB Mersehead on the Solway Coast, trying to spot the rare Marsh Harrier which make their home on the reserve.

We catch up with another endurance challenge team on the high seas. GB Row Challenge is working with the University of Portsmouth on real-world research to preserve marine environments and wildlife. We catch up with the team to hear how their journey is going and what they’ve observed so far.

And producer Phil and his trusted colleague Morven Livingstone head to Hopeman on the Moray coast to try their hand at snorkelling. The two-day event, run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust and a number of partner organisations called Snorkel for All, aims to make snorkelling more accessible for people like Phil, who is registered blind.

Helen Denerley - Life as a Scottish Sculptor Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Rachel Stewart meets Helen in her workshop as she unveils her latest sculpture.

Edinburgh's Floral Clock, A Moray Firth Sea Adventure and Sonic Postcards Jul 04, 2026

Show notes

Mark hears about the preparation involved in setting up the Fettercairn Show which this weekend celebrates its 190th show, and the 200th anniversary of the Fettercairn Farmers Club which runs it. The committee tell him what sets it apart from other shows.

Rachel is on the Solway coast exploring the RSPB Mersehead Nature Reserve. Mersehead is home to one of the rarest amphibians in the UK and has a huge range of different habitats.

This week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast features Mark learning about attempts to save the rare twinflower in the Abernethy Forest. We hear an excerpt of Sam Jones from charity Plantlife showing him some of the success they’ve had so far.

If you’ve been in Edinburgh recently, you may have spotted the Floral Clock in West Princess Street Gardens. It’s the oldest one of its kind in the world and this year therapeutic horticulture charity Trellis are the organisation being celebrated by the clock. Rachel went to see it all being planted up and hear about its history.

North 58 Sea Adventures run boat trips into the Moray Firth from Lossiemouth and Findhorn. Mark climbed aboard a trip from Findhorn with skipper Peter, and some enthusiastic dolphin spotters to see if they could catch a glimpse of any.

We chat live to Pete Moore who is undertaking a challenge to see all of the 29 species of butterflies that are native to the Scottish Highlands. He’s cycling to all the different locations, and we hear how he’s been getting on so far.

And we celebrate some unusual wildlife encounters and your wildlife poetry after last week’s story of an amorous grouse sparked you to get in touch.

Rachel finds out about an Aberdeen University project which involves studying the sounds of two coastal areas, Torry in Aberdeen and North Yell in Shetland which are both undergoing economic and cultural transformations. She hears some of the sonic postcards being created at Greyhope Bay.

Saving the Rare Twinflower of the Caledonian Pine Forest with Sam Jones of Plantlife Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Mark Stephen hears about attempts to save the twinflower in Abernethy Forest

In Search of Moss, Rackwick's Bothy and Unusual Wildlife Encounters Jun 27, 2026

Show notes

Mark is in Fettercairn in Aberdeenshire where a garden designed for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show has made its way to the local distillery. He finds out about the inspiration behind the Angel’s Share Garden which won a silver gilt medal at the show.

Earlier this week a major world conference in agritourism was held in Aberdeen. The inaugural Global Agritourism Conference brought hundreds of delegates from all around the world to share data, research and their personal stories. They also went on several visits to locations across Scotland and Rachel caught up with some of them at Thorneybank farm shop near Inverurie.

Mark Stevens is a model maker based in the Black Isle whose creations are made from junk and things that he finds on the roadside. Our Mark goes to visit him in his workspace to hear how he got into model making and see some of his latest creations.

The village of Tomintoul in Moray, one of the highest villages in Scotland, is celebrating its 250th anniversary. To mark the occasion sculptor Helen Denerley has created three life size roe deer statues located in the middle of Tomintoul. Rachel went along to see them being installed and hear more about the project.

Plantlife Scotland has carried out an emergency translocation of the rare Aspen Bristle Moss, after a fallen Aspen tree put the species’ Scottish population at risk. Deep in the Abernethy Forest Reserve in the Cairngorms, Mark heads out to look for it which proves rather tricky…

We hear about Cycling UK’s newest multi-day bikepacking route, Gallovidean Gravel. It’s the charity’s first fully Scottish route and explores Dumfries and Galloway.

Our Orkney colleague Evie McGowan spent a night in the UK’s most northerly bothy which has recently been renovated. The Rackwick bothy on Hoy is owned by the Hoy Development Trust and Evie hears about the work that they’ve carried out.

In this week’s Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel is in the Trossachs with the Adaptive Riders Collective who empower people with physical disabilities to experience the freedom, joy, and connection that come from being out in nature. We hear an excerpt.

Breaking Down Barriers with the Adaptive Riders Collective Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Rachel Stewart visits the charity which aims to make off-road cycling open to all.