Scotland Outdoors

Exploring the rocks of Fife with the Scottish Geologist

03 Jun 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart meets Luisa Hendry, better known as the Scottish Geologist on social media

Geology, PS Waverley and Parakeets

30 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Right in the heart of London is one of the city’s most popular attractions, The Natural History Museum. Last week, Rachel met up with John Tweedie, ...

A Trip Doon the Watter on the Waverley

27 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen climbs aboard the world's last seagoing paddle steamer, The Waverley

Mudlarking, Parakeets, Narrowboats and a City Farm all from London

23 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark and Rachel explore the flora and fauna of the capital and are joined by live guests as they broadcast from the balcony of Broadcasting House in L...

Climbing the Winter Munros with Mountaineer Anna Wells

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Helen Needham speaks with Anna Wells, the first woman to complete the munros in a winter

Kites, Rivers and Maps

16 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark visits the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s visitor centre, the Fair Maid’s House in Perth. The society has recently received hundreds o...

Foraging and Fermenting with Janice Clyne

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart talks to Janice about foraging plants widely regarded as garden weeds.

Cranes, Mast Climbing and Skunk Cabbage

09 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark heads to the New Pitsligo area of Aberdeenshire with Hywel Maggs from RSPB Scotland, on the trail of cranes. For a bird that can reach over a met...

From Nethybridge to Nepal with Marian Burrows-Smith

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Marian discusses her toilet project for girls with Helen Needham

The Highland Folk Museum, Get On A Bike in Elgin and Fern Restoration in the Highlands

02 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Rutt is a writer and naturalist based in Dumfries and Galloway and his latest book, The Waterlands, follows a raindrop as it falls to the grou...

From Raindrop to Sea with Stephen Rutt

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen chats to writer Stephen Rutt about his new book 'The Waterlands'

Spring Birds, Granny Pines and an Electric Boat

25 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We hear more from Mark’s time with forager Mark Williams. They met up at Wigtown Bay on a rather wet and blustery day and headed along the coast to ...

A Mountain Rescue Story with Ioana Ticu

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart hears from an experienced mountaineer who had to call for help on Ben More

Trig Points at 90, Dippers, Gannets and Lapwings

18 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Shane Strachan has written a poem which encourages people to explore a new poetry and artwork trail along the 53-mile Formartine and Buchan Way. Ra...

Three Words for Forest

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen hears about the play Three Words for Forest which explores the challenges, hopes and fears of those working in the forestry industry at a...

Dry Stane Dyking, the Longest Canal Tunnel in Scotland and Foraging in the South West

11 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark is in Gatehouse of Fleet with Mark Williams who has a new book out called The Coastal Forager. The pair chat about identifying coastal plants and...

50 Years of Landward, Scotland's Farming and Countryside TV programme

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart meets Arlene Stuart, one of the presenters of Landward, Scotland's Farming and Countryside TV programme which celebrates five decades o...

The Oldest Munro Bagger, A Secret Bunker and Bikes Galore

04 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Calum Maclean meets Kerry MacPhee and Beth Legg of Bike Trossachs at the Gravelfoyle event in Aberfoyle, where the gravel bike racing season started w...

Bervie Brow Cold War Bunker

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets Harry Fleming, owner of a cold war bunker on the Aberdeenshire coast. He hears the story of the bunker from the 1950s to present d...

The Saint, The Sheep and The Sycamore

28 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark recently visited the Solway Firth to find out more about some invasive species. Nic Coombey from the Solway Firth Partnership at Brighouse Bay, n...

Lunan Bay Footsteps

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen speaks to Kate Britton about the race to preserve a 2000 year old footprint.

White Hens, Bere Barley and Migrating Toads

21 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark meets Gordon Whiteford at his farm in Buckie and finds out why white eggs are making a comeback.Bere barley is an ancient crop once grown all ove...

Connecting with Deep Time, a Special Volcano and Planet Mars with Artist Ilana Halperin

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Helen Needham hears from artist Ilana Halperin in Newlands Park in Glasgow

Corbetts, Snowdrops and a Talkative Raven

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors

Corbetts, Snowdrops and a Talkative Raven

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark meets Christopher Valentine-Allan who is growing mushrooms for the restaurant market in a repurposed nuclear bunker in Edinburgh.Rachel learns th...

Corbetts, Snowdrops and a Talkative Raven

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark meets Christopher Valentine-Allan who is growing mushrooms for the restaurant market in a repurposed nuclear bunker in Edinburgh.Rachel learns th...

Living with Fable the Raven

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets Amy Buckley and her Raven called Fable

A Cornucopia of Wildlife including Bees, Dolphins and Beetles

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The impact of cruise ship light pollution on bird species is the focus of research presented at Scotland’s Nature Student Conference at Stirling Uni...

Crovie - A Village on the Edge

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart talks to poet Anne Wiseman about Crovie's past and its fragile future.

A Cairngorms Soundscape, Harvesting Sap and Cycling from Boring to Dull

28 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Cyclist Mark Wedgwood has completed some enormous challenges, including a journey from America to Scotland. Rachel meets him in Aberdeenshire to find ...

Bikepacking with Somhairle Johnstone

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets cyclist and content creator Somhairle Johnstone to discuss his new series on BBC Alba 'Somhairle Spins' in which he undertakes five...

Tawny Owls, Pearl Mussels and Jelly Ears

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The iconic ash tree on Glasgow’s Argyle street won UK Tree of the Year last year and is now nominated for European Tree of the Year. Mark looks up a...

Women of the Cairngorms

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart meets storyteller Sarah Hobbs to hear how women have shaped the landscape.

Here Comes the Sun, Europe's First Feminist Bird Club and Eating Jellyfish

14 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors

Murmurs of Spring

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen visits the Murmurs of Spring art exhibition at the Scottish Ornithologists Club in East Lothian

Swift Bricks, Palm Houses and Potholes

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The swift population has seen a significant decline in recent years. Now, Scotland has become the first country in the UK to introduce a legal require...

Master Wood Carver, David Robinson

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets master wood carver David Robinson at his studio in East Lothian. David's works mainly feature nature and wildlife

Harmony in Nature, a Festival of Light and the World's Toughest Row

31 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A topical guide to life in the Scottish outdoors.

The Role of the Corn Bunting in Scotland's Ecology

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen speaks to Professor Will Cresswell about the welcome rise in corn buntings.

Seagrass Fairy Circles, Peas and Beans and an Invasion of Gorse

24 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel meets Director Robbie Synge to learn about a new film featuring young people at work and play in the landscapes of the Cairngorms. ‘Tha Sinn ...

The Rangers and Volunteers Keeping Gorse at Bay in Aberdeen

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets the countryside rangers and volunteers keeping a large area of land on the outskirts of Aberdeen free of gorse

Cairngorm Mountain Ski Resort

17 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re live from Cairngorm Mountain and joined by a myriad of guests connected by the adventures of the slopes. Snowboarder, mountain biker...

Queer Ecology with Dr Em Merrin May Armstrong

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Helen Needham meets interdisciplinary plant resercher Em Merrin May Armstrong in Glasgow

Snow, Camping in Winter and a New Air Ambulance

10 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Some people have found themselves unable to get out and about due to heavy snowfall this week. Rachel meets Cameron Black based in Inverurie in Aberde...

Drawing Ancient Trees with Tansy Lee Moir

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen goes out sketching old trees at Haddo with artist Tansy Lee Moir

A Bucket Mill, Yule Day and Rowing the Atlantic

03 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

he Quadrantid meteor shower will be peaking in the UK around 3rd and 4th January. Elizabeth Tindall shares her experience of observing fireball meteor...

A Walk on the Wild Side with Zeki Basan

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone go wild foraging in the Highlands with outdoor survival instructor Zeki Basan. Along the way, Zeki introduces them to...

A Ryvoan Bothy Special

27 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark and Rachel celebrate 60 Years of the Mountain Bothy Association with a trip to Ryvoan Bothy to get a sense of the very lively bothy culture in Sc...

In Search of Bird Song with Neil Ansell

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Helen Needham discusses hearing loss and his search for bird song with writer Neil Ansell

Alpacas, Robins and a Christmas Treasure Hunt

20 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Farmer Simon Johnson offers tours and experiences with alpacas. Rachel heads to Bowbridge Alpacas in Fife and begins by taking a look at some alpaca b...

Crystal Hunting on Cairngorm with Mark Diggins of the Scottish Avalanche Information Service

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen goes out in search of snow with Mark Diggins of SAIS

Squirrel Detection, Ice Swimming and Cattle Droving

13 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Scottish Wildlife Trust has just acquired a piece of land which will double the size of one of its wildlife reserves. Rachel joins Reserves Manage...

The Findhorn Foundation

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone meet up with Jonathan Caddy at the Findhorn Foundation.

The Super Moon, Fungus and the Highest Village in Scotland

06 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the summer, Mark met Euan Tomes, Assistant Woodlands Manager at Moray Estates, in the aftermath of a wildfire that spread through Dava Moor. Mark c...

Twenty Years of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark and Rachel speak to delegates at the Scottish Outdoor Access Network conference.

A Daredevil Photographer, a Winter Climber and an Atlantic Rower

29 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Spirit of Adventure Festival is hosted this weekend by Paralympic champion Karen Darke and features Claire Alldritt, who embarked on a 1000 mile t...

Winter Climbing with Guy Robertson

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets Scottish based winter climber Guy Robertson. Guy's latest book, The Great Mixed Climbs of Scotland, co-produced with photographer...

A Doggy Special - Sheep Dogs, Dog Walkers and a Deathly Disease

22 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Forvie Nature Reserve is known for its seal population. Ythan Seal Watch are a volunteer group who promote responsible viewing of seals, Mark met up w...

The Stalker and the Chef

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen goes out on the hill at Finzean in Aberdeenshire with stalker Hedge Shand and Chef Sanjay Bhattacharya to discuss deer management and ven...

Outdoor Saunas, Walking with Goats and A Library of Things

15 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Photographer, filmmaker and researcher Jill de Fresnes has encapsulated the experiences of twelve Scottish women who worked as herring gutters from th...

Saunas and the Sea

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Two working mothers in Fife set up Wild Scottish Sauna during lockdown after seeing the popularity of wild swimming.

Magpies, Dark Skies and Cairngorms Pride

08 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cairngorms Pride is a new nature-led organisation set up in Cairngorms National Park with the motto: “here for the planet, queer for the planet”. ...

Adventures in Gaelic with Coinneach Rankin and Hamish Macleod

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coinneach Rankin and Hamish Macleod are both climbers and filmmakers who make the series Dàna on BBC Alba in which they capture their adventures in t...

Daydreaming, Rare Moss and Photographing the River Spey

01 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors.

The Battle of Culloden

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen visits Culloden Battlefield to meet archaeologists involved in a recent dig there to find out what they have uncovered

Saltmarshes, Shinty and A Horse's Tooth

25 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Mither Tap forms part of the range of hills collectively known as Bennachie in Aberdeenshire. Mark takes a stroll with Peter Stock and Alan Hender...

Tom Bowser, author of Waters of Life, Fighting for Scotland's Beavers

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rachel Stewart meets Tom Bowser, author of Waters of Life, Fighting for Scotland's Beavers at his farm in Perthshire where in November 2021 a family o...

Campervans, Catching Leaves and a Community Garden

18 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen and Jenny Graham with stories from the great outdoors.

The Power of the View with Alec Finlay

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A conversation between geographer and writer Hayden Lorimer and Alec Finlay, in which Alec describes his creative practice around limit and how he cam...

The Sound of Beavers, Larch Trees and the Home of the Lord of the Isles

11 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A multimedia installation which explores the role of beavers on an estate in Perthshire is part of this year’s soundfestival in the north east. Rach...

Roy Dennis - Highland Cows and Capercaillies

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets conservationist Roy Dennis to explore an innovative project in Moray, where the introduction of Highland cows to a wooded landscape...

Snorkelling Artists, Acorns and Access

04 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since 2021, Argyll Hope Spot’s Snorkelling Artists Residency has been offering artists the opportunity to explore the marine habitats of Argyll and ...

An Historic Sailing Ship - The Bessie Ellen

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Bessie Ellen is a unique sailing ship which has been lovingly restored by Nikki Alford. Originally from the South West of England, she spends mos...

A Kitchen Garden, The Trossachs Explorer and 200 Years of the Modern Railway

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors.

Life, Death and the Outdoors with Juliet Robertson

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

'Upsetting content warning' - Juliet talks very openly about her terminal illness which some people may find upsetting.

Trees, Trains and Spiders

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Leslie Heritage Group in Fife came up with an ambitious project designed to unearth more information about the ancient village’s history and raised ...

RRS Discovery

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen visits Dundee to hear how a consignment of teak which was salvaged from a sunken steamer ship in the Irish Sea is now being used as part ...

Counting Butterflies, Carriage Driving and Nature Writing

13 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The North East Open Studios allows people to meet artists and makers, often in their own workspaces. Rachel is welcomed by Marguerite Fleming from Wes...

The Beauty of Moths

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen visits Insh Marshes near Aviemore in the early hours to meet a couple of moth enthusiasts and discover the contents of the moth trap they...

Rooks, Disc Golf and Autumnal Activities

06 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Scottish Owl Centre - End of an Era

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Coal Carrying Championships, Life on St Kilda and Underwater Photography

30 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 an...

Josh Donaldson - Litter Picking

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 for...

Rivers, Fossils and Hot Air Balloons

23 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 succes...

Rivers with Robert Macfarlane

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Moose, Cranes and the Wolf of Badenoch

16 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 increasi...

Eddy Graham - Clouds

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Rowing on the River Clyde, Stonehaven's Land Train and Free Bikes at the Edinburgh Fringe

09 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

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

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

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

02 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since 1978 the Travelling Gallery has been bringing exhibitions to communities throughout Scotland by putting art inside a bus. Mark steps on board wi...

Scotland's First Inclusive Farm

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Phil Sime visits a farm near Aboyne, Aberdeenshire to speak to blind farmer Mike Duxbury and his partner Ness Shillitto about creating Scotland’s fi...

An Orkney Shipwreck, A Rare Moth and Aspen Trees

26 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Whithorn Way - Part 5 - Ayr to Girvan

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel begin at Crossra...

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

19 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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

Veteran Cattle Breeder and Author, Harold Murray

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Stephen meets Harold Murray, veteran cattle breeder and author from North East Scotland. Now in his nineties, Harold has spent his life working...

Screaming Swifts, Flapperskate and a Pictish Hill Fort in Fife

12 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 life...

The Whithorn Way - Part 4 - Irvine to Ayr

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 Ir...

Concorde, Coastal Rowing and the Bordered Brown Lacewing

05 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 neighb...

Journeying with Josie Vallely and Maisie the Horse

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

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 S...

The Whithorn Way - Part 3 - Lochwinnoch to Irvine

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Whithorn Way follows an ancient pilgrim route from Glasgow to Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway. In this episode, Mark and Rachel visit the Lochwi...