Under The Tartan Sky

A discussion with Dr. Mel Tonkin, director of the Scottish Wildlife Trust's Saving Red Squirrels Project about efforts to control the invasive grey squirrel and protect the native red squirrel population in Scotland.

Once covering more than 15,000 square kilometers, today less than 1 percent of the once great Caledonian Forest remains. Trees for Life are working to restore these woodlands through tree planting, land management, reintroduction of critical species and more.

Take a virtual road trip around Scotland's newest tourist route, the Kintyre 66 to see and hear about the many sights , attractions and experiences await the visitor to Scotland's Kintyre peninsula.

An interview with Brian Binnie, born in the USA and raised in Scotland who piloted Spaceship One to 70 miles above the Earth in 2004 and captured the $10-million Ansari X Prize and ushered in commercial space flight.

Glasgow artisan Alicia MacInness discusses her work in fused glass to create jewellery and other art pieces often inspired by tartan.

A discussion of how the Scottish bespoke travel experience company, Away From The Ordinary, was able to pivot to online activities to survive the shutdown of international travel by Covid-19.

Award winning Scottish travel blogger Kathi Kamleitner discusses moving to Scotland, beginning her career as a blogger and niche destination travel consultant to her latest venture, a travel podcast.

The Eriskay Pony is as old as Scotland itself but today is critically endangered numbering between a few hundred and a few dozen. Once found throughout Scotland’s Outer Hebrides islands it is today limited largely to the Isles of Eriskay and Uist where efforts are underway to preserve the breed.

Two Scottish entertainers, Ainsley Hamill and Anna MacDonald discuss their coming together to form an association (company) to share their love of Scottish culture, music, dance, and language with a worldwide audience.

A profile of Anna White, founder of ScotlandShop offering tailored tartan fashion.

Dacre Stoker, the great grand-nephew of Dracula author Bram Stoker, discussed his great grand-uncle's life and times, and the many influences on his writings including his time spent in Cruden Bay, Scotland, writing Dracula.

Author Mike Shepherd shares his insights and memories of how Bram Stoker came to right his Gothic horror Classic "Dracula" in the Aberdeenshire fishing village of Port Erroll (Cruden Bay) in northeast Scotland

With the West Highland Way turning 40 years old, Kim Kjaerside decided to challenge himself to complete Scotland’s first long distance walking trail to celebrate his 40th birthday as the trail also turns 40.

Daniel Williamson, curator of the Scottish Tartans Museum and Heritage Center in Franklin, North Carolina, USA , discusses the museum's history, its collection, and it's future.

An interview with Russell Dalgleish, Chairman and co-founder of the Scottish Business Network about the organization, its goals and objectives in aid to the Scottish business community and worldwide diaspora.

Harris Tweed is a Scottish original, woven by hand in the homes of residents of the Outer Hebrides islands. It has a rich history and its future is critical to the islands economy as we learn from Lorna Macaulay, CEO of the Harris Tweed Authority.

Nestled in the small village of Brora, in the Scottish Highlands along the northeast coast, about halfway between Inverness and John O’Groats, the BHRR cares for injured birds and returns them to the wild.

An interview with the Director of the wildcat captive breeding program at the Aigas Field Center in the Scottish Highlands to examine efforts to save the Scottish wildcat from extinction.

Jenny Johnstone is a cartographer working in forestry, qualified in environmental science. Annie Gilfillan is an archivist currently doing a PhD at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Highland folk memory and culture. Together they are the creative duo behind this new Scottish history podcast.

“If it has bagpipes in it, on it, or around it, we’ll talk about it,” says Rab Lennox (Big Rab) hos of the Big Rab Show on radio in Northern Ireland and a weekly podcast of the same name.

Exploring the history of the establishment of the Ulster Plantation in Northern Ireland and the further migration of lowland Scots into the New World with the eventual establishment of the Scotch Irish community in America.

An interview with Michael Sinclair, a woodturner and an Orkney native, whose artistic creations are heavily influenced by the region's neolithic history.

The current and former pipe major of the Texas pipe band, the Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums, discuss the band's coming trip to Scotland in Summer 2019 to compete at the World Pipe Band Championship.

Highland Whisky Festival Project Manager Kirsten Cameron talks about the event's features, objectives, and expectations to promote whisky tourism in the highland region of Scotland.

John Baikie is an award winning Scottish wedding and comercial photographer whose 1st book, The Magic of the North Coast 500, features the scenic landscapes of Scotland’s ultimate road trip.

Andy Scott is best known as creator of the world’s largest equine sculptures, the Kelpies. The Glasgow native has created more than 70 works of public and private art influenced by his upbringing in industrial Glasgow, home of shipbuilding and locomotive manufacturing.

Tessa Palmer is a Scottish artist who uses tartan fabric to create a vast array of geographically themed home decor for tartan lovers worldwide.

An interview with Ruth Watson, founder of the social media campaign #KeepScotlandTheBrand

Kimberlie Hamilton is an American writer now living in Scotland. Her first book, “Rebel Cats! Brave Tales of Feisty Felines” has been translated into a dozen languages worldwide. Her new book, “Scotland’s Animal Superstar” will be published this summer by Scotland’s Cranachan Publishing and will profile contemporary animals of fame living in Scotland.

An interview with award winning British landscape photographer about his love of photography, the Scottish Highlands, and his new photo book “Northwest” - showcasing the mountains of the northwest highlands of Scotland.

Scottish writer and newly self-published author Catherine Alexandra talks about her writing journey, the decision to self publish, lessons learned along the way, and tips for other aspiring writers.

In the past few years gin production, especially craft and artisan gin, has exploded across Scotland as gin has risen to overtake whisky and vodka as the preferred tipple across the UK. What’s behind this movement and where will it lead?

Sea Glass is the ultimate example of a “trash to treasure” story as Scot Gaynor Hebden-Smith demonstrates sharing how she rubbish, reclaimed from the sea, into cherished jewellery.

The great-great step-daughter of Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has designed a new Sherlock Holmes tartan and released a new line of clothing that features the mostly green and blue design.

A visit with Marie McGhee, Marketing Director of The Majestic Line, Scotland's award winning first "mini" cruise line operator.

An interview with award-winning Glasgow photographer Dougie Cunningham about his new extensively detailed guidebook for fotoVUE.

The GlenWyvis Distillery is the first in Scotland to be wholly owned by a Community Benefits Society after a successful crowdfunding campaign.

Dougie the Piper, Dougie McCance discusses his first solo album, his musical influences, and life as a bagrockin' Red Hot Chilli Piper.

My guest Gavin McCutcheon, Director of dtScot Registry and I explore the origins, success, and future of dotScot domains.

A profile of Scotland's first artisan cider, multi award winning Thistly Cross, with its head cider maker, Peter Stuart.

After allowing social anxiety and other mental health disorders to rule her life for 30 years, Paul McGuire sees adventure as a key to gaining back her life.

An interview with Highland Military Tattoo Director Major General Seymour Monro

This episode offers a tour route easily followed through the Scottish Highlands using the locations of four historic inns as anchor points to see many attractions along the way.

Assistant Professor Theresa Mackay discusses her award winning research into female innkeepers in the Scottish Highlands and Islands 1790-1840

A profile of Clare Campbell, a bespoke tartan designer from the Scottish Highlands.

A chat with Colin Baird, The cycling Scot, about touring Scotland by bicycle.

David Weinczok is a freelance heritage professional in Scotland who is fascinated with Scottish castles and their history. On social media he is known as TheCastleHunter.

The Tartan Witch is a children's book written those under 7. It is written in both Scots and English as a language teaching tool.

Dr. Mairi McFadyen of the Scottish Storytelling Center and Jeff Sanders of DigIt2017 discuss the differences in history and heritage, how archaeology applies to both and events around Scotland's theme of tourism for 2017.

Scottish journalist and author Iain Lundy profiles a rogues gallery of Scots who immigrated to America and left a dark shadow on our history.

Jed Marum, an accomplished Folk/American and Celtic singer, songwriter, performer talks about the huge influence of Celtic music across American music genres.