Episode description

Rachel is in East Lothian where local residents are campaigning for better access across the busy A1 road. For a considerable stretch there’s no official pedestrian crossing linking the villages close to Dunbar with the coast. And as Rachel sees, it’s a very busy road to try and cross as a cyclist or pedestrian.

Mark visits Dean Castle in Kilmarnock and finds out about its fascinating history including being completely destroyed by fire before an impressive restoration in 2018.

The Covid lockdown led to lots of people taking up new and different hobbies. For author Colin Liddell, his lockdown project was translating all the Gaelic place names noted on maps within 175 square miles of Pitlochry. Rachel chats to Colin about his project and what it has taught him.

Earlier this week a new wildlife law aimed at protecting birds of prey and regulating the grouse shooting industry passed its final vote at Holyrood. BBC Scotland’s Environment Correspondent Kevin Keane chats to Duncan Orr-Ewing from RSPB Scotland about why they are pleased The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill will be introduced. And he also hears from Ross Ewing from Scottish Land and Estates about the impact this will have on Scottish estates and their concerns.

Water voles have been present in Glasgow for hundreds of years. However recently, they have been found in some more unusual locations. Mark finds out about a thriving population of grassland water vole living in and around the Seven Lochs Wetland Park.

And we hear more about other urban mammals when we chat live to Rose Toney from the North East Scotland Mammal Network about their new urban mammal groups.

For several months now artist Chris Rutterford and several hundred people from the Alloway community have been creating giant paintings on boards, reflecting the local culture and heritage to improve a local railway tunnel. The work has just started to be put up on display, so Rachel headed for a look.

In our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast Helen Needham wanders around Glasgow Green with musicians Laura-Beth Salter and Ali Hutton who have created a new album called 'From the Ground' as a response to climate change. We hear an excerpt.

Point to point horse racing used to run every weekend between January and March. But now there are only two races in Scotland, both held at Overton Farm near Lanark. The first event is taking place this weekend and Mark went to take a look at the course and find out what’s involved in a point to point race.