Open Country - Nan Shepherd's Cairngorms

Helen Mark visits the Cairngorms in Scotland to find out why this landscape was an inspiration and a refuge for writer Nan Shepherd. Shepherd's neglected book 'The Living Mountain' has found new audiences with a resurgence in the popularity of nature writing in recent years and recognition of her importance has resulted in her image featuring on the new Scottish five pound note.

Helen meets Nan's long-time friend and 'adopted family member' Erlend Clouston, as well as local people who share her passion for the wilderness of the mountains here. Ospreys became extinct and were reintroduced to the Cairngorms during Nan Shepherd's lifetime: Helen discusses this and some of the more glamorous jobs of RSPB warden Fraser Cormack, including ditch-blocking. She'll talk about winter climbing with Helen Geddes and rare plants and how to protect them with Gwenda Diack to build up a picture of what Shepherd loved about this wild and remote area of Scotland.

Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery.

First broadcast on Thursday 28 December, 2017.