PODCAST

Scotland Outdoors

BBC Radio Scotland

A topical guide to life in the Scottish outdoors.

science nature

All Episodes

21:19

Josh Donaldson - Litter Picking

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/27

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.

84:21

Rivers, Fossils and Hot Air Balloons

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/23

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

31:12

Rivers with Robert Macfarlane

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/20

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

81:10

Moose, Cranes and the Wolf of Badenoch

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/16

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

24:42

Eddy Graham - Clouds

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/13

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

82:43

Rowing on the River Clyde, Stonehaven's Land Train...

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/09

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,

39:25

The Whithorn Way - Part 6 - Girvan to St Ninian's Cave

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/06

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

83:29

A Herring Queen, Art on a Bus and a Very Small Ferry

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/08/02

Since 1978 the Travelling Gallery has been bringing exhibitions to communities throughout Scotland by putting art inside a bus. Mark steps on board with curator Louise Briggs in Callendar Park, Falkirk, to explore the latest exhibition, Seedlings: Diasporic Imaginaries. Phil Sime speaks to blind farmer Mike Duxbury about Scotland’s first inclusive farm, a place where people with disabilities can gain the confidence, skills, and opportunities to pursue a career in agriculture.BBC’s Farmwatch is back

28:49

Scotland's First Inclusive Farm

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/30

Phil Sime visits a farm near Aboyne, Aberdeenshire to speak to blind farmer Mike Duxbury and his partner Ness Shillitto about creating Scotland’s first inclusive farm. This is a place where people with disabilities will gain the confidence, skills and opportunity to pursue a career in agriculture.

80:18

An Orkney Shipwreck, A Rare Moth and Aspen Trees

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/26

The rare Dark Bordered Beauty moth is found in only two sites in Scotland and one in England. Mark joins Dark Bordered Beauty Moth Champion Pete Moore at RSPB Insh Marshes nature reserve to find out more about attempts to reintroduce the moth to other areas in Scotland. Dark Bordered Beauty moths in Scotland are reliant on aspen suckers - shoots that sprout from the roots of an aspen tree, acting as a form of vegetative reproduction. Mark catches up with Conservation Manager Shaila Rao at Mar Lodge

29:36

The Whithorn Way - Part 5 - Ayr to Girvan

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/23

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel begin at Crossraguel Abbey at Maybole, once a significant stopping off point for pilgrims. Then it's off to the once very popular holiday destination of Girvan to learn about a new community led tourism initiative. And they are given the grand tour of the town ending at the jail.

84:28

A Tea Clipper, Sail Training and The Tall Ships Races...

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/19

It’s anchors aweigh for Out of Doors as we are live from the Tall Ships Races in Aberdeen.

18:08

Veteran Cattle Breeder and Author, Harold Murray

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/16

Mark Stephen meets Harold Murray, veteran cattle breeder and author from North East Scotland. Now in his nineties, Harold has spent his life working with cattle and more recently has turned his hand to writing and poetry

83:10

Screaming Swifts, Flapperskate and a Pictish Hill...

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/12

In a couple of weeks, swifts will leave our skies and depart for their wintering grounds in Africa. Author and naturalist Mark Cocker has spent a lifetime observing them and Rachel meets him in Crail to chat about the migrating birds and his new book One Midsummer’s Day - Swifts and the Story of Life on Earth. Never a stranger to getting his hands dirty, Mark grabs a trowel and joins community volunteers on an archaeological dig on East Lomond Hill in Fife. Chairman of the Falkland Stewardship

26:00

The Whithorn Way - Part 4 - Irvine to Ayr

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/09

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, we begin on the waterfront at Irvine looking at the unique remains of an automatic tide signalling apparatus - we learn more about it at the Scottish Maritime Museum. This is followed by a walk along Irvine beach which can only be described as 'hoaching'. As they wander along the beach to Troon, Mark and Rachel contemplate the appeal of modern day pilgrimage. We also hear some

84:18

Concorde, Coastal Rowing and the Bordered Brown Lacewing

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/05

Mark visits a Moray estate to hear about the incredible rescue of 3 osprey chicks after wildfires raged through vast areas of the Highlands and neighbouring MorayCampaigner David Brown specialises in removing fishing debris from our beaches, Rachel pops along to Cairnbulg Harbour by Fraserburgh to find out about his ghost net campaignMark visits the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. He speaks to curator Ian Brown about the Avro Vulcan bomber and gets

24:00

Journeying with Josie Vallely and Maisie the Horse

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/07/02

Josie Vallely - also known as Quinie - is a multi disciplinary artist based in Glasgow. She also loves horses and spends her free time exploring the Scottish countryside - mostly on foot - with her horse Maisie. Helen goes out for a walk with Josie and Maisie near Dumbarton and tunes into their slow approach to moving through the world.

84:08

The Pirates Graveyard, Peas and a Zulu Fishing Boat

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/06/28

We have another excerpt from the teams Whithorn Way pilgrimage, this time Rachel meets Stuart Wilson and Brian Boyd from the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers and hears all about a very surprising annual event!Mark has a trip on a Loch Ness with Frida Newton as they celebrate Jacobite Cruisers 50th anniversaryRachel visits the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther where they have the only Zulu fishing boat in the UK. Curator Julia Branch and musician Esther Swift - who has composed a piece of

31:54

The Whithorn Way - Part 3 - Lochwinnoch to Irvine

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/06/25

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel visit the Lochwinnoch Community Larder where food waste from supermarkets is re-distributed to the community. This is followed by a refreshing visit to the Lynn Sprout waterfall. Then it's off to Kilwinning to meet the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers. Mark and Helen then take the Garnock Valley Cycle Way to Irvine, whilst Rachel stops off at the Garnock Floods

82:29

Summer Solstice, Royal Highland Show and Composting

Scotland Outdoors ·

2025/06/21

Mark and Helen visit Ingliston for this year’s Royal Highland Show. They meet a nurse with her prize winning Highland cow and They also explore the history of the Highland pony, and its enduring connection to Scotland’s rural heritage.A festival devoted entirely to composting is taking place in Fife. Rachel visits Cambo Gardens to discover what it's all about, with head gardener Callum Halstead as her guide.Mark and Rachel will be speaking to author Keli Tomlin about the significance of the summer

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