For the love of Scotland podcast

Double, double, toil and trouble… the Scottish play… out, damned spot! William Shakespeare's take on Macbeth has well and truly embedded itself in our culture. The play, written in the early 17th century, charts how an ambitious Macbeth turns to violence in order to realise a prophetic vision of becoming King of Scotland. But what of the real Macbeth, who really did sit upon the Scottish throne? What is known of this 11th century monarch? And how much of his life can be compared to the fictitious monarch of Shakespeare's play? To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on Iona, click here.

In the second of our Second World War-themed episodes, Jackie heads to Tenement House in Glasgow to hear about the experiences of an ordinary woman who lived during this extraordinary chapter of history. Agnes Toward, who lived at Tenement House from 1911 until 1965, preserved her furniture and belongings as a way of creating a frozen time capsule. Nowadays, visitors can experience how things would have been for Toward during both world wars and their aftermaths. How did life change for Glaswegians during the war? What does Toward's writing tell us about how society reacted to the outbreak of the conflict? And what were the lasting changes post-war? To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on Tenement House, click here.

With the 80th anniversary of VE Day less than a week away, Jackie heads to Aberdeenshire to find out more about the Haddo babies: the more than 1,250 children born at Haddo House when it became an emergency maternity unit during the Second World War. Discover how the stately home was transformed into a makeshift hospital, and what happened to those babies after the war. Jackie sits down with visitor services supervisor Claire Russell and Haddo baby Jean Glately to discuss the history of the house, the realities of converting it into a maternity ward, and the story of Jean and her mother. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on Haddo House, click here

This episode is the second part of a partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and the National Trust. Scroll back for Love Scotland's episode about Lord George Murray. General James Wolfe, the 'boy solider' who joined the military at 14 and fought in one of Britain's bloodiest battles while he was still a teenager. National Trust historian James Grasby visits Wolfe's childhood home to find out what would shape him into becoming a soldier at such a young age and delves into his involvement in The Battle of Culloden in Scotland in 1746. Presenter: Jame Grasby Producer: Claire Hickinbotham Sound Designer: Jesus Gomez Contributors Ghazala Jabeen – National Trust, Quebec House Freddie Matthews – Historian and Cultural Heritage Curator Stephen Brumwell – History writer - brumwellhistory.com Discover more You can visit General Wolfe's childhood home, Quebec House │ Kent | National Trust, which was renamed in his honour after his victory at The Battle of Quebec and see where he grew up, as well as Henrietta's cookbook, and the robe his body is thought to have been brought back to Britain with. You can also visit the battlefield at Culloden | National Trust for Scotland

In the first of a two-episode partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and the National Trust, join host Jackie Bird as she uncovers the life of a leading general in the Battle of Culloden. Historian and National Trust for Scotland Trustee Professor Murray Pittock reveals the story of Lieutenant General George Murray, a nobleman and soldier who was involved in each of the 18th century Jacobite Uprisings. His relationship with Charles Edward Stuart and the Jacobite soldiers, not to mention his shifting allegiance, make him a compelling figure from the period. Later in April 2025, we'll also release an episode produced by the National Trust detailing the life of Jams Wolfe, a British Army general who fought for the government at Culloden. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on Culloden, click here. If you'd like to support our work protecting Scotland's wild places, please join the Wild Scotland campaign. You may also like some of our previous episodes on Culloden. Scroll through our podcast feed to find instalments on Flora MacDonald, Scotland's most consequential battles, and how the events of Culloden influenced the world. If you'd like to help the Trust protect the battlefield and the views that surround it from the increasing threats of development, you can donate to the Culloden Fighting Fund. Find all the details you need here.  

Do you know your Adam Smith from your Adam Ferguson? What was it that sparked a historical period overflowing with ideas, intellect and philosophical musings? And what did Enlightenment ever do for Scotland? Jackie is joined by Dr Alasdair Raffe, senior lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, to unpick the tapestry of this fascinating era, meeting some of the key thinkers, makers and doers who made their impact during the 18th century. No matter how familiar you are with the Scottish Enlightenment, this episode covers the very basics, leaving you with a better understanding of an important and consequential period of European history. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on Newhailes, click here. For more information on the wildlife at Trust places, click here. --- Alasdair's book, Scotland in Revolution, 1685-1690, is available now.

Known to many through his work on nature documentaries, Gordon Buchanan is one of Scotland's foremost wildlife filmmakers and presenters. This week, he joins Jackie in the studio to share stories of his time in the natural world. From a childhood spent daydreaming about the world outdoors and enjoying risky adventures in nature, to a career that has taken him to some of the planet's most biodiverse places, Gordon has seen it all. He shares how nature has influenced him, how it has seen him through difficult times, and how he first found himself behind the camera. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on the Treshnish Isles, click here. For more information on the wildlife at Trust places, click here. If you'd like to support our work protecting Scotland's wild places, please join the Wild Scotland campaign. You may also like some of our previous episodes on Scottish wildlife. Scroll through our podcast feed to find instalments on seabirds, mountain birds, and the life of an island ranger. --- Gordon's book, In the Hide: How the Natural World Saved My Life, is available now from all good bookshops.

As we get ready for Burns Night on 25 January, we're delving into the Love Scotland archives to bring you three episodes that reveal the life and legacy of Robert Burns. - Jackie gathers two companions to discuss the “song that everybody sings”: Auld Lang Syne. With lyrics penned by Robert Burns in 1788, but origins dating back further, it is now a global anthem of friendship, celebration, yearning and nostalgia. Mairi Campbell, a Scottish musician whose version appeared in the Sex and the City film and has since created a show inspired by the song, is the first of Jackie's two guests. Also joining the conversation is Professor Gerard Carruthers, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, click here. Explore the National Trust for Scotland's Robert Burns Collection online here. - A brand new series of Love Scotland will appear in your podcast feed later this spring.

As we get ready for Burns Night on 25 January, we're delving into the Love Scotland archives to bring you three episodes that reveal the life and legacy of Robert Burns. - Robert Burns, born in 1759, died just 37 years later – an early passing attributed to alcoholism. However, recent advances in medical knowledge have raised questions about the accuracy of this diagnosis. Professor David Purdie, co-author of The Burns Encyclopaedia and a doctor of medicine, has used his clinical expertise to analyse Burns' physical symptoms. His research touches on a character assassination in the immediate aftermath of Burns' death, the truth of his alleged alcoholism, and new theories as to what really caused the poet's death. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, click here. Explore the National Trust for Scotland's Robert Burns Collection online here. - A brand new series of Love Scotland will appear in your podcast feed later this spring.

As we get ready for Burns Night on 25 January, we're delving into the Love Scotland archives to bring you three episodes that reveal the life and legacy of Robert Burns. - We all know the songs and poems written by one of Scotland's most famous sons – but who were the people that most influenced his life and his writing? Host Jackie Bird is on a mission to find out. This week, she's joined by Christoper Waddell, learning manager at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, and Professor Gerard Carruthers, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow. Together, they look at poets, family members, friends and educators who made their mark on the Bard. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, click here. Explore the National Trust for Scotland's Robert Burns Collection online here. Use of Green Grow The Rashes, O by Bill Adair, courtesy of University of Glasgow. - A brand new series of Love Scotland will appear in your podcast feed later this spring.

A stitch In time: textile treasures and the women who made them In our final episode of 2024, Jackie Bird heads to Edinburgh to take a look at Stitched: Scotland's Embroidered Art – a new exhibition that tells the nation's story through textiles. The result of a two-year research and conservation programme by the National Trust for Scotland, Stitched puts many delicate pieces of needlework on public display for the first time. Joining Jackie are Trust curator Emma Inglis and Celia Joicey, director of Dovecot Studios, which is hosting the exhibition. Together, they discuss how such fragile items are cared for, where they come from, and what they tell us about the people who once owned them. Stitched: Scotland's Embroidered Art runs at Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh, until 18 January 2025. For more information, and to book tickets, click here. National Trust for Scotland members can enjoy 50% off a full price ticket. 

This week, Jackie Bird is in Culloden to join the merry band of archaeologists hoping to unlock more of the battlefield's historic secrets. With the National Trust for Scotland's Head of Archaeology Derek Alexander, Jackie discovers how modern techniques are helping to unearth musket balls, coins and buttons. Though the battle on 16 April 1746 may have lasted just a short time, it was hugely consequential and new elements of its story continue to be discovered through archaeological digs. Find out how decisions are made on where to excavate, and what inspires people to devote their time to the quest for hidden artefacts. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Culloden, click here. You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Culloden. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear about the battle and its aftermath. To support our work, you can donate to the Culloden Fighting Fund, which helps our collaborative approach to managing the battlefield and protecting the site for future generations. And if you're a resident of the USA, you can show your support through the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA.

When we think of a queen of Scots, Mary is very much the first one who comes to mind. But her grandmother, Margaret Tudor, played an equally crucial role in 16th-century Scotland. Here, her story is told. Linda Porter, author of The Thistle and the Rose, which tells the story of this overlooked historical figure, joins Jackie to discuss the life and legacy of Henry VIII's sister. From a young pawn to a powerful and protective queen, Margaret certainly made her impact on history.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Falkland Palace, click here. You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Mary, Queen of Scots. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear about Margaret's granddaughter.

The idea of Scotland being caught up in the story of the Spanish Armada may seem bizarre, and yet wrecked off Fair Isle is one of the Spanish fleet's flagship vessels. How did this 650-ton ship come to end up in the North Sea? And how do the activities of the Armada relate to, among others, Mary, Queen of Scots? Jackie Bird is on a mission to find out.  This year marks 70 years since the National Trust for Scotland acquired Fair Isle, the most remote inhabited island in the UK. While now perhaps best known as a seabird paradise and the home to world-renowned knitwear, Fair Isle is also the site of Iron Age settlements, a Second World War German plane, a Stevenson lighthouse… and not far offshore, the remains of El Gran Grifón. Joining Jackie to discuss the Spanish ship and how it came to be so far north is Dr Colin Martin, a marine archaeologist who, with his colleague Sydney Wignall, excavated the wreck in 1970.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Fair Isle, click here. You might enjoy some of our past episodes on island history. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear instalments on Canna House's archive and the evacuation of St Kilda. If you would like to support our work helping others through education, access and outreach activities, please click here. Actor: Scarlett Mack

The Wicker Man is widely regarded as one of the best British horror films of all time. The strange tale of Sergeant Neil Howie's doomed trip to Summerisle has cemented itself in popular culture since the film's 1973 release, and with it, immortalised several of the National Trust for Scotland's places on screen. Joining Jackie Bird to dissect this cult classic's enduring popularity are film critic Siobhan Synnot and actor Lesley Mackie, who appeared in the original cast as Daisy. Together, they explore the production and legacy of The Wicker Man. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Scottish filmmaking. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear instalments about Scotland on Screen, and interviews with Outlander's Diana Gabaldon and Sam Heughan. If you would like to support the National Trust for Scotland's work in caring for, protecting and telling the stories of all that is in our care, please click here.

Sculptor Andy Scott, the creator of the iconic Kelpies, joins Jackie Bird to discuss his incredible work, Scotland's position in the art world, and his aspirations for the future.  Together, they talk about the physical demands of working on such large pieces of metalwork, the catharsis of sculpting, and how his Scottish identity influences his creations and his process. The Glasgow School of Art-graduate also speaks about his long-time affection for Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, leading figures in Glasgow's historic art scene. For more information on Mackintosh at the Willow, click here. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Mackintosh and Macdonald Mackintosh. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear instalments on Mackintosh at the Willow and the life of Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. If, like Andy, you are based in the US, you might be interested in the work of the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA. Click here to read more about what they do. 

This week, host Jackie Bird is at Robert Smail's Print Works in the Scottish Borders to see the oldest working commercial letterpress printers in the UK. She meets the team that keeps the printing works running today and hears about the history of the press and its eponymous owner. Jackie also discovers secrets of the ever-changing publishing industry of the Victorian era, unpicks the mechanisms behind the presses, and takes us on a tour right into the heart of the machinery.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on the Robert Smail's Print Works, click here.

1 THE PEOPLE WHO SHAPED ROBERT BURNS We all know the songs and poems written by one of Scotland's most famous sons – but who were the people that most influenced his life and his writing? Host Jackie Bird is on a mission to find out. This week, she's joined by Christoper Waddell, learning manager at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, and Professor Gerard Carruthers, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow. Together, they look at poets, family members, friends and educators who made their mark on the Bard.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, click here. Explore the National Trust for Scotland's Robert Burns Collection online here. You might enjoy some of our past episodes on Robert Burns. Simply scroll back through the Love Scotland feed to hear instalments on Auld Lang Syne and Burns' death. Use of Green Grow The Rashes, O by Bill Adair, courtesy of University of Glasgow.

How do you restore a 200-year-old church on one of Scotland's most remote islands? Jackie Bird sits down with Susan Bain, property manager of St Kilda, to find out.   A dual UNESCO World Heritage Site that sits on the edge of the Atlantic, St Kilda is vital to Scottish history but a big challenge for the Trust to care for properly. Once inhabited year-round by a civilian population, the island now hosts annual maintenance, archaeology, conservation and bird monitoring projects. This year, that included the restoration of a building that used to be at the very heart of the community. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on St Kilda, click here. The work on St Kilda's Kirk was made possible thanks to supporters of our Caring for St Kilda campaign. Thank you to all of them.  As a charity, we can only undertake work such as this with your support. Please, if you can, donate today and help us continue to carry out conservation work across St Kilda. Find out more about the second phase of the campaign, which will restore the kirk's interiors, here.

Meet Hugh Miller: the man regarded as the David Attenborough of his day. Though often overlooked in the history books, this self-taught geologist helped to popularise natural history to his Victorian audience.  What did he help to discover about prehistoric Scotland? How were his scientific findings viewed by his peers? And why has he not remained better known?  Joining Jackie Bird this week is James Ryan, visitor services assistant at Hugh Miller's Birthplace Cottage and Museum in Cromarty. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more on Hugh Miller's Birthplace Cottage and Museum, click here.

As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe gets into full swing, Jackie Bird takes a walk from Gladstone's Land along the Royal Mile to discover the dark side of this city centre street.  Guiding Jackie through the murky past is Eric Melvin, veteran tour guide and author of A Walk Down Edinburgh's Royal Mile. Expect tales of body-snatching, the exploits of Deacon Brodie, and rumoured Jacobite-era cannonball scars.   To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Gladstone's Land, click here.  Or listen to our previous episode set at Gladstone's Land, all about 300 years of the plague. Just scroll back through your podcast feed.   Additional music courtesy of the Edinburgh Renaissance Band.

Whether you're out every week hitting the links, or consider golf a good walk spoiled, the sport is undeniably a key ingredient in Scotland's social tapestry.  At Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course, the only remaining course of its kind in the UK, Jackie meets Dave Allan, visitor services assistant at the Hill of Tarvit venue. She also meets Hannah Fleming, learning and access curator at The R&A World Golf Museum, to find out how and why golf became so popular. From its royal roots onwards, Jackie charts a centenary of play at Kingarrock and considers the wider history of Scottish golf, which stretches back as far as 500 years ago.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course, click here.

Recorded in Falkland Palace's chapel royal, host Jackie Bird and her guest Steven Veerapen discuss the adult life and legacy of James VI of Scotland and I of England. During his reign, the king faced a host of challenges, from religious tensions to anti-Scottish sentiment in his London court, not to mention Guy Fawkes' gunpowder plot.  Veerapen's book, The Wisest Fool, challenges the varied perceptions of James as an ineffective or short-sighted monarch. What really motivated the first king to reign over Scotland, England and Ireland? How did his adult relationships – with men and women – influence his decision-making? And which is more accurate: was the king a wise man, or a fool?  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Falkland Palace, click here.

How many have you bagged? Mountaineers and hikers from across the UK and beyond have flocked to Scotland to take on the Munros – Scottish peaks more than 3,000 feet high – ever since the list of such mountains was created by Sir Hugh Munro in 1891. The National Trust for Scotland cares for 46 of these Munros, including Ben Lomond, Ben Lawers, Ben Macdui and Torridon's Spidean a'Choire Léith. Jackie Bird sits down with Andrew Dempster, author of The Munros: A History, to trace the ever-increasing popularity of Munro bagging.  Who was the first to complete all 282 peaks? What new records continue to be set? And what is it about Hugh Munro's list that has so significantly captured the public imagination? To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more on the Trust's Munros, click here. The National Trust for Scotland cares for 275 miles of mountain paths across Scotland, including on Munros. Our Footpath Fund is a vital source of support for these landscapes. For more on the fund, and to help us protect Scotland's footpaths, click here.

In 1941, cargo ship the SS Politician ran aground near Eriskay, an island in the Hebrides. On board? Some 22,000 cases of whisky. What followed has been immortalised on page and screen in Whisky Galore, a retelling of how local islanders made the most of the unexpected arrival of so much alcohol, and how the authorities tried to stop them.  But what really happened? Jackie Bird is joined by journalist Roger Hutchinson, author of Polly, The True Story Behind Whisky Galore, to discover the truth about SS Politician and its valuable cargo.  To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on Canna House collection, click here.  We would like to thank all those who have supported the Canna House project, including the restoration and reopening of the house. 

Host Jackie Bird is joined by curator Antonia Laurence-Allan and historian Sally Tuckett to discuss all things 18th-century fashion. Recorded inside the Georgian House, just days before the exhibition Ramsay & Edinburgh Fashion opened its doors, the trio talk about the artist Allan Ramsay and the women behind the paintings. What was life like for someone at the centre of the Scottish Enlightenment? Who were his patrons? And what do his paintings tell us about the role of fashion among the Georgian movers and shakers? To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  For more information on the Georgian House, click here. Or click here for more on the 2024 exhibition.  We would like to thank those who have supported the Ramsay and Edinburgh Fashion exhibition, including The American Friends of British Art, NTS Foundation USA, The Real Mary King's Close, Edinburgh NTS Members' Centre, and donors in memory of the Duchess of Buccleuch.

Joining Jackie this week is Tom Conti, the Paisley-born actor best known for his roles on stage and screen, including 1978's Whose Life Is It Anyway and 2023's Oppenheimer. The recipient of Tony and Olivier award, Tom was also named the 2024 Great Scot by the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA earlier this year. In his conversation with Jackie, Tom reflects on his hugely successful career and his love of Scotland. Whether in smaller appearances in cult classics, such as Friends and Miranda, or leading roles in Broadway smashes, Tom reveals what it's really like to lead a life in the arts. Plus, he discusses his performance of Charles Rennie Mackintosh in the late 1980s, where he filmed in the National Trust for Scotland's Hill House and Mackintosh at the Willow. For more on Hill House, click here. For more on Mackintosh at the Willow, click here. Love Scotland will return later this year with a brand new series of episode. Subscribe or follow now to make sure you don't miss any new releases. 

Earlier this year, the National Trust for Scotland revealed that a Second World War plane propeller had been found on Arran. Mysteriously, the propeller was wrapped in an old potato sack and had been discovered deep in a peat bog. How did it get there? The Trust's Head of Archaeology, Derek Alexander, led an investigation to find out. He joins Jackie in the studio to discuss the surprisingly high number of wartime plane crashes and tragedies in Scotland, and the particular circumstances of 1944 which ultimately led to this propeller being hidden inside a sack. To see an image of the propeller, click here. For more information on the Trust's places in Arran, click here.

Earlier this year, Mackintosh at the Willow – a tea room on Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street that dates back to 1903 – joined the National Trust for Scotland's portfolio of special places. To better understand the venue and the role it played in Edwardian Glasgow, Jackie sits down for a cup of tea with two expert guests. Celia Sinclair Thornqvist MBE, who purchased, saved and restored Mackintosh at the Willow in 2014, is joined by cultural historian Robyne Calvert to reveal the hidden stories of the last remaining original tea room designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald. They also detail the life of Glasgow entrepreneur Miss Catherine Cranston, who once ran the tea room. Who would have once frequented the tea room? What makes Mackintosh at the Willow such a shining example of its designers' talents? And what has it taken to restore the magnificent tea room into the stunning location it is today? For more on Mackintosh at the Willow, visit the website You may also enjoy our previous episode on the life of Margaret Macdonald, available here.

This week, Jackie and her guest discuss six objects in the Trust's collections that help to tell the stories of some of the most fascinating women connected to Trust places. Regional curators Emma Inglis and Antonia Laurence-Allen help to paint a picture of these six women, whose lives and jobs range from being an ale-brewer in 1600s Edinburgh to the daughter of an earl in Clackmannanshire. What does a job application from 1910 tell us about the changing world of work at the turn of the century? Why was ale-making seen as a predominantly female profession? And who was the historical figure behind Alloa's successful glasswork? For more information about the places mentioned in this episode, please follow the links below: Gladstone's Land Weaver's Cottage Alloa Tower Hill House Broughton House Tenement House Remember to follow Love Scotland so you don't miss any future episodes.

So far this series we've looked at two of Scotland's most famous monarchs: Robert the Bruce and Mary, Queen of Scots. Today, we step back further in time to meet the rulers whose names have become more forgotten to time. Helping Jackie to acquaint herself with the earliest kings and queens of Scotland is Richard Oram, a professor of medieval and environmental history at Stirling University. Together, they piece together a picture of the most significant crown-wearers leading up to Robert the Bruce. How did Scotland come to be ruled by a king in the first place? Who made the biggest mark on the kingdom? And just how accurate is Shakespeare's take on early monarchs Macbeth and Duncan? Find out more about the Trust's castles and royal places here. Don't forget to follow so that future episodes are delivered to you.

Arguably the most famous monarch in Scottish history, Mary, Queen of Scots remains a figure of global intrigue more than 400 years after her death. One question, then: why? In a previous episode of Love Scotland, Jackie explored the life and times of Mary. Today, she's on a mission to find out why Mary's story and legacy have been pored over in such detail for centuries. Joining Jackie in the studio is Professor Steven Reid of the University of Glasgow, who is also the author of The Afterlife of Mary, Queen of Scots. Together, they unpick the posthumous interest in Mary, the many different perceptions of her legacy, and how Mary's death has been used throughout history to further different groups' objectives. For more information on Falkland Palace, click here.

In the second part of a two-episode biography of Robert the Bruce's life, Jackie returns to the studio with Professor Dauvit Broun of the University of Glasgow. Last week, we looked at the early life of Robert and how his canny abilities, not to mention his tendency to switch allegiance at opportune moments, helped him to secure power. But what came next? Picking up their conversation in 1306, when Scotland has been conquered by Edward I of England and Robert faces a tussle for power with the most powerful family in Scotland, Jackie and Dauvit will look at all that happened in Robert's reign. To find out more about visiting Bannockburn, click here.

Welcome to a new series of Love Scotland. In this week's episode, Jackie is joined by Professor Dauvit Broun of the University of Glasgow to discuss the life of Robert the Bruce.  Robert, King of Scots from 1306-1329, led a fascinating life full of changing allegiances, shifting power and military victories.  How much of our common understanding of this Scottish ruler is based in fact? What motivated him to switch sides, on several occasions, in the wars of the 13th and 14th centuries? And why has his legacy had such a lasting effect on the nation's history? Next week, Jackie and Dauvit continue their conversation, charting the events that followed Bannockburn. To find out more about visiting Bannockburn, click here.

Jackie gives a brief introduction to brand-new season of the Love Scotland podcast. We're going across the centuries to delve into the stories of Mary Queen of Scots and Robert the Bruce, then skipping ahead to the tales of the Georgian Tea Room. Jackie also hears from the Trust's archaeology team about wartime relics beind unearthed across the country.

We finish our pick of episodes from the archives with this conversation between Jackie and actor Sam Heughan, first released in 2022. The Dumfries and Galloway-born Outlander star, who has also launched his own whisky brand and became a New York Times bestselling author in 2020, joined Jackie to discuss his on-screen adventures at some of Scotland's most famous historical sites. They also talked about the effect Outlander has had on the global interest in Scottish stories. What drew Sam to take on the West Highland Way? What is it that he so loves about the great outdoors? And how did he celebrate landing the part of a lifetime in Outlander? Hear all of that – and an excerpt from Sam's book, Waypoints: My Scottish Journey – in the episode. Love Scotland will return with brand new episodes later in 2024.

We're rolling out the red carpet for this episode from the archives, first released in 2022. With Hollywood's eyes on this weekend's Academy Awards, take a dive into this cinematic history of Scotland's relationship with the silver screen. What was the first film to earn Scotland a place on the movie-making map? Which horror cult classic was shot in Dumfries and Galloway? And what famous Scottish film was filmed in LA because producers felt Scotland wasn't Scottish enough? Jackie is joined in the studio by film and TV critic Siobhan Synnot and NTS Film Manager Anna Rathban as they delve into some of the nation's most influential movies, including the Harry Potter series, the James Bond classic Skyfall and Marvel's Avengers franchise. Plus, Anna gives an insight into her behind-the-scenes access on major film sets. To find out more about Trust properties and sites that have appeared on the silver screen, click here. Next week, we revisit another 2022 episode, featuring a man who shot to success thanks to his leading role on a Scottish TV smash hit. New episodes of Love Scotland will return later in 2024.

This week, we're going all the way back to Roman times – an an episode first released in 2023 – to find out about the Antonine wall and why Scotland was ‘Rome's Afghanistan'. What led to the speedy evacuation of the Antonine wall, which was once garrisoned by thousands of Roman soldiers? What was Rome's relationship with the lands beyond the wall really like? And just how did a small, stubborn nation see of a continental superpower? To find out, Jackie visited the nation-spanning wall herself and then met Dr John Reid, author of The Eagle and the Bear: A New History of Roman Scotland, to get a deeper insight into this fractious period of history and its long-lasting legacy. Next week, as the Oscars get under way in LA, we revisit Scotland's relationship with the silver screen. New episodes of Love Scotland will return later in 2024.

This week, we're returning to one of our most popular episodes, which was first released in May 2022. Jackie was joined by Dr Ciaran Jones, the lead researcher and author of a report on the links between NTS properties and the witch trials of the 16th-18th centuries. Why did Scotland try to execute five times as many so-called witches as the rest of the Europe? What fuelled 4,000 people, the vast majority of them women, to be accused of witchcraft? Why were wires inserted into suspected witches? And what was it that finally drew this dark chapter of Scottish history to an end? This episode looks at the dark past of witch trials – a story that may sound like it belongs in the history books – and the relevance they have to the way we live – and let live – today. Next week, we go further back in time to find out more about the Roman invasion of Scotland. New episodes of Love Scotland will return later in 2024.

Production is underway on the next full series of Love Scotland, but in the meantime, we're diving into the archives to highlight five of the top episodes of all time. This week, we're returning to two episodes that – when combined – offer a full look at the Massacre of Glencoe. Some 332 years ago this week, around 30 members of Clan MacDonald were killed by Scottish government forces, many while they slept. This tragic and bloodthirsty event was significant in Jacobean history and has had a long-lasting legacy. To find out more, Jackie is joined by Derek Alexander, NTS Head of Archaeology, and Scott McCombie, senior ranger. To find out more about Glencoe, click here.  Next week, we revisit another dark chapter in Scottish history: the witch trials. New episodes of Love Scotland will return later in 2024.

As another series of Love Scotland draws to a close, Jackie gathers two companions to discuss the “song that everybody sings”: Auld Lang Syne. With lyrics penned by Robert Burns in 1788, but origins dating back further, it is now a global anthem of friendship, celebration, yearning and nostalgia.  Mairi Campbell, a Scottish musician whose version of the song appeared in the Sex and the City film and who has since created a show inspired by Auld Lang Syne, is the first of Jackie's two guests. Also joining the conversation is Professor Gerard Carruthers, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow.  With just a few weeks to go until people sing Auld Lang Syne on Hogmanay, Mairi and Gerard reveal their personal connections to the song and its words, how it came to international significance, and how it has evolved since its very early origins.  To find out more about Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, click here.

Seals and other winter wildlife at St Abb's Head This week, Jackie makes a return to St Abb's Head in the Scottish Borders, just months after she last visited to investigate the summer's avian flu outbreak. In the winter, many of the seabirds may have disappeared – but there are still a lot to be found. Joined once again by Head Ranger Ciaran Hatsell, Jackie spends some time getting to know the seal pups on the beach, two years after the population was devastated by Storm Arwen. She also finds out what has happened at St Abb's Head since the flu outbreak, and how the seals signal the wider health of the local ecosystem. Weather warning report by Alex Deakin courtesy of the Met Office. To find out more about St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve, click here.

While Charles Rennie Mackintosh has become a singular icon in Scottish art, his legacy is so almighty that in many accounts, the achievements and contributions of his wife, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, are often overlooked. Described by Charles as being “more than half – she is three quarters – of all I've done”, Margaret's artwork, and her place in the Glasgow art scene, deserve their own glory. In particular, Margaret's involvement in the designing of the National Trust for Scotland's property, the Hill House, gives us a key insight into her own unique artistic style and the importance of her contributions to Scottish architecture.  This week, Jackie speaks to expert Robyne Calvert about Margaret's life and legacy.  To find out more about the Hill House, click here.

The National Trust for Scotland cares for a dozen Scottish castles, all of which have unique histories and origins.  In this week's episode, Jackie sits down with author Janet Brennan-Inglis, who also chairs the Trust's Galloway group, to discuss some of these buildings and their influence on Scotland's story.  Janet also guides Jackie through the tale of MacGibbon and Ross, two architects who, in the 1880s, completed a comprehensive study of Scotland's built heritage. For more information on the Trust's castles, and to get visitor information, click here. For more information on Janet's book, A Passion for Castles, click here.

The Case of Osgood Mackenzie  This week, Jackie's turning her attention to Inverewe Garden in the northwest highlands. A tropical oasis bolstered by the nearby gulfstream, it is a true jewel for lovers of all things floral. However, its creator Osgood Mackenzie, the author of A Hundred Years in the Highlands, was left in the shade by a family court case that attracted much attention in the newspapers of the day. His wife, meanwhile, has been all but written out from history. The story of this period of Osgood's life has been dramatised in a new play, which was performed at Inverewe this year. Rob Mackean, the playwright, joins Jackie to pick through the history of the garden and its one-time owner, whose life was as colourful as his flowers. To find out more about Inverewe Garden, click here.

This week, Jackie is at Kellie Castle and Garden to find out about the Lorimers – a family of artists and creatives who once called the castle home. Led by James Lorimer, who first rented Kellie Castle in 1878, the family also included Sir Robert Lorimer, the architect behind many iconic structures including the Scottish National War Memorial, painter John Henry Lorimer and sculptor Hew Lorimer. Their story not only touches on some of the great artistic movements of the last 150 years, but also on Scotland's story too.  Kellie Castle itself was facing its downfall before the Lorimers arrived to pour time, money and love into its walls. Jackie discovers exactly what happened when the family moved there, with the help of property manager Caroline Hirst. To find out more about Kellie Castle and Garden, visit the website. To find out more about the Your Scotland campaign, please click here.

Tragedy at Hill of Tarvit Surrounded by the beauty of Edwardian Britain, a family was devastated by tragedy. In this week's episode, Jackie steps into the gilded surrounds of Hill of Tarvit to discover the story of the Sharp family, who once called the mansion home. Set just outside Cupar and designed by Robert Lorimer, the house is a true 20th-century jewel with its hickory golf course, landscaped gardens and yew hedging. But inside the house, there are a great many stories to be told. Jackie uncovers the aspirations, enterprise, bravery and, ultimately, tragedy of the Sharps: a family who had everything and nothing at all. Visitor services supervisor Claudia Noble-Pyott leads Jackie through the house and its history, and reveals exactly what happened inside the mansion. To find out more about Hill of Tarvit, please visit the website.

Stories and songs of Scottish battles Earlier this year, to launch a new series of Love Scotland, Jackie recorded an episode in front of a live audience of National Trust for Scotland members in Aberdeen.  Two of the nation's foremost experts on battles joined Jackie on stage to discuss some of the most significant historic conflicts as well as the people who fought in them. They are Alistair Moffat, the award-winning writer and historian whose new book, War Paths: Walking in the Shadows of the Clans, follows in the footsteps of Jacobite fighters and leaders from 1613 until 1746, and Derek Alexander, the National Trust for Scotland's Head of Archaeology. Their discussion covers the importance of the Highland charge, the two Jacobite campaigns, and the battles of Killiecrankie and Culloden. Former BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year finalist Iona Fyfe provides some musical interludes inspired by these battles. If you'd like to support the Culloden fighting fund, you can do so at nts.org.uk/donate or by texting CULLODEN to 70970, which will donate £5. 

Welcome to a new series of Love Scotland, brought to you by the National Trust for Scotland! Over the coming weeks, Jackie will be exploring the stories behind some top NTS places – including the multi-talented Lorimers of Kellie Castle and the tragedies that unfolded at Hill of Tarvit – and you'll be able to hear the first ever live recording of Love Scotland in front of an audience. Plus, episodes on winter wildlife and one of Robert Burns' most loved creations. Subscribe now to make sure you don't miss a single episode. For more on the National Trust for Scotland, visit the website.

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic began, many people looked back to the influenza epidemic of 1918 for historical context. However, going further back in time reveals centuries of viral diseases – and a bizarre list of supposed medical concoctions that would protect you from them. Scotland's “plague man” Richard Oram, a professor of history at Stirling University, knows a lot about these dark chapters of Scottish history. He guides Jackie through how the plague was viewed by a religious society, what comparisons can be drawn between responses to the historic outbreaks and the modern Covid-19 pandemic, and how the medical community reacted to the horrific viruses. Plus, Jackie goes to Gladstone's Land to learn more about the herbal remedies produced in desperation centuries ago. To find out more about Gladstone's Land, www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/gladstones-land

On a drizzly summer's day, Jackie heads out to Ben Lomond to meet two people who feel at home in the hills. First, Jackie, president of the National Trust for Scotland, goes for a stroll with Zahrah Mahmood, president of Ramblers Scotland and an online influencer known as the Hillwalking Hijabi. As they stretch their legs, they discuss the joys waiting to be found on Scottish slopes, and Zahrah tells the story of how she first discovered a passion for hiking as an adult. Then, Jackie meets Alasdair Eckersall, ranger and property manager at Ben Lomond, who has been working at the site for 31 years. He reveals how he keeps Ben Lomond's 50,000 annual visitors on the right path and gives his top tips for a safe day in the hills. To find out more about Ben Lomond, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/ben-lomond For more outdoors inspiration, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/search?place-category=Outdoors#results