Love Scotland: Stories of Scotland’s History and Nature

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.

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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. 

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

Following last year’s episode investigating the 2022 outbreak of avian flu among Scottish seabird colonies, Jackie returns to St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve in the wake of new cases being reported. Joined by ranger Ciaran Hatsell, Jackie learns how this year’s cases have been identified and exactly how the disease is impacting kittiwakes at St Abb’s Head and beyond.

Listen in to find out how Ciaran and other NTS staff are helping in the fight against avian influenza, and discover more about what you can do to report dead seabirds.

To find out more about St Abb’s Head, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/st-abbs-head

To find out more about the Save Our Seabirds campaign, visit www.nts.org.uk/campaigns/seabirds

If you see a dead or dying bird, do not approach or touch it. Instead, report it to the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77 and alert a member of National Trust for Scotland staff if possible.

You can also report findings of sick or dead birds through the UK Government website (www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds), and, if you recognise the species, via the British Trust for Ornithology (www.bto.org/our-science/projects/birdtrack).

Keep dogs on leads whenever you’re in an area where there is a chance of dead seabirds.

An icon of Scottish culture, Robert Burns is best known for his beautiful, moving, and humorous poetry. Born in 1759, he 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 find out more about the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/robert-burns-birthplace-museum

Jackie is joined by Jonathan Grant, who after 13 years is about to retire as a ranger on three Hebridean islands. Earlier this year, when news of his resignation was announced, it was headline news around the world. Now, he has time for a proper discussion about his experiences on Mingulay, Pabay and Berneray.

He reveals why he feels he became part of nature, what life is really like when you’re the only person living on an island, and how he took on the responsibilities of caring for such important places.

Find out more about the Love Our Islands campaign at www.nts.org.uk/campaigns/love-our-islands. We already work very hard to protect our islands, but we still need to do more. With your help, we can protect the history and wildlife in these very special places. If you can, please donate today.

In this week’s episode, Jackie follows the story of Lady Aberdeen – a woman born into wealth who became a lifelong social reformer, healthcare advocate, and champion of the underdog. By the time she died in the 1930s, the riches were gone – but a legacy remained.

Joining Jackie is Simon Welfare, the author of Fortune’s Many Houses: A Victorian Visionary, a Noble Scottish Family, and a Lost Inheritance, which charts how Lady Aberdeen and her husband used their wealth for good.

The episode was recorded in the grand surroundings of Haddo House, which was presented to Lady Aberdeen on the occasion of her husband finishing his service as Governor-General of Canada in 1898.

To find out more about Haddo House, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/haddo-house

This week, Jackie is at Falkland Palace to learn more about the early years of James VI, one of the most influential monarchs in British history.

Crowned at an early age, and separated from his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots, James would go on to be the first king of the whole British Isles.

But focusing on his later achievements misses out on many remarkable and life-threatening experiences endured by the young king, who was kidnapped, held hostage, and fought over by rival factions.

Joining Jackie is Steven Reid, the author of The Early Life of James VI: A Long Apprenticeship, 1566–1585, which recounts the details of these extraordinary years.

To find out more about Falkland Palace, head to nts.org.uk

This week, Jackie’s in Edinburgh to find about one of the city’s leading lights of the enlightenment era: Sir Henry Raeburn. His work depicted some of the key figures of that time, creating an overall portrait of how Edinburgh’s top circles would have looked during the 1700s.

Now, to mark 200 years since his death, the National Trust for Scotland is holding an exhibition at The Georgian House in Charlotte Square. It’s comprised of artworks from across the Trust’s Raeburn collections, from properties including Craigievar Castle, Fyvie Castle, Alloa Tower, and Hill of Tarvit.

Viccy Coltman, professor of 18th century history of arts at Edinburgh University and editor of the book Henry Raeburn: Context, Reception and Reputation, joins Jackie to discuss Raeburn’s life, his artworks, and the Edinburgh he called home.

To find out more about the exhibition or for more on The Georgian House, head to nts.org.uk

As a new season of Love Scotland begins, host Jackie Bird is joined by Outlander author Diana Gabaldon to discuss her best-selling books, its TV adaptation, and how the Outlander effect has shaped global perceptions of Scotland.

Outlander tells the story of a time-travelling nurse from the 20th century who falls in love with an 18th century Highland warrior. The early books span several places now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, including Culross, Falkland Palace, and Culloden.

In this episode, Diana reveals the origins of the Outlander story, her visceral reactions to visiting Culloden herself, and her first thoughts on the new series of the popular TV adaptation which begins airing on 16 June.

Plus, she reveals some secrets from the future of the franchise, including the next book instalment.

To find out more about some of the places mentioned in this episode of Love Scotland, click here.

Six places that show Scotland's impact on the world

In this week’s episode of Love Scotland – the final one of the current season – Professor Murray Pittock joins Jackie to discuss some of the Scottish places that have had the biggest influence on global history. From Culloden to Robert Burns’s birthplace, the episode charts moments of great cultural, political and military importance.

Professor Murray Pittock’s book, Scotland: The Global History: 1603 to the Present, is available now.

Click below to find out more about the locations covered in the episode:

Culloden

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

The Pineapple

Staffa National Nature Reserve

The Hermitage

Mar Lodge Estate National Nature Reserve

Broughton House & Garden

You may also be interested in previous episodes of the podcast, discussing Robert Burns, wildlife at Mar Lodge Estate, Flora MacDonald, and many more stories of Scotland’s present and past. Just scroll back on your podcast provider of choice.

The rich history of tartan

In this week’s episode, to mark the opening of the V&A Dundee’s new Tartan exhibition, Jackie meets its co-curator Jonathan Faiers to discuss the fascinating tale of the pattern’s past.

If you took a random sample of people around the world and asked them to depict Scotland, tartan would likely make an appearance. It connects Bonnie Prince Charlie to punk rockers, and as well as being a symbol of a nation, it has also been used to represent traditions, rebellions and sub-cultures.

Jackie and Jonathan delve into the rich history of the pattern, revealing not only the secrets of its origins but also its modern uses and adaptations.

Tartan at the V&A Dundee, which includes objects from the National Trust for Scotland’s collections, runs from 1 April 2023 until 14 January 2024. 

To find out more about the Weaver’s Cottage, click here. Or you can click here to see more NTS places. 

Romans in Scotland: the Antonine wall and ‘Rome’s Afghanistan’

This week, Jackie goes for a walk at the Antonine Wall and is joined by Dr John Reid to discuss Roman-era Scotland.

The wall, which stretches from Old Kilpatrick on the west coast to near Bo’ness, was around 37 miles long and marked the furthest reach of the Roman Empire in Britain. Using the nation’s rugged features to bolster its defences, the wall was the final outpost in hostile territory.

In their discussion, Jackie and John talk about how Scotland was ‘Rome’s Afghanistan’ – a small, stubbornly resistant nation that saw off a superpower. John also reveals how the brutality of the Romans has been overlooked in recent years, and his theory as to how the Roman invasions impacted the nation of Scotland. 

In this week’s episode, Jackie steps beyond the National Trust for Scotland’s most beautiful stately homes to discover what treasures can be found in the nation’s gardens. Recorded from Greenbank Garden – an 18th-century walled garden just outside Glasgow city centre – Jackie is joined by the National Trust for Scotland’s head of gardens and designed landscapes, Ann Steele. 

Together, they discuss what constitutes a heritage garden, why they were so important to the residents of stately homes, and how these outdoor spaces were used. Then, they turn an eye to the future, looking at what must be done to protect the gardens for generations to come.

To find out more about Greenbank Garden, click here.

You can also discover more on NTS gardens here.

This week’s episode looks at the life of Scipio Kennedy, an enslaved African boy who lived in Culzean in the early 18th century. The events of his early years have been pieced together by Hannah Lawrence from the National Trust for Scotland and affiliate researcher at the University of Oxford, and she joins Jackie to discuss her research into his life.

Together, they discuss what is known about Scipio Kennedy’s life in Ayrshire. Hannah also describes what historical records have helped her to uncover the past.

Then, Outlander actor Colin McFarlane joins Jackie to discuss his own interest in Scipio Kennedy and the research he did for his role as an enslaved person in the hit TV show.

Doug Allan is a world-renowned wildlife cameraman, with film credits for some of the most influential documentaries ever made and a trophy cabinet full of BAFTAs and Emmys. He’s contributed to David Attenborough’s Blue Planet and Frozen Planet, and has spent more time than nearly anyone else diving into the world’s iciest oceans in search of wildlife.

In this week’s episode of Love Scotland, he sits down with Jackie to discuss his eventful career, including a dangerously close encounter with a walrus. He also reveals his eyewitness account of how a changing climate is affecting underwater wildlife, and some of his favourite experiences shooting in Scotland’s wild places.

To find out more about some of the sites mentioned in this episode, visit the National Trust for Scotland website.

For the latest information on The Hermitage, click here, or for St Kilda, click here.

For more information on Wild for Scotland, as mentioned in the episode, click here.

In the second instalment of their discussion, Jackie and her guest Sir Tom Devine look at the Battle of Culloden and how it changed the course of clan history. Then, they turn their attention to the centuries that followed, taking the story right up to the modern day.

If you missed the first episode, scroll back in your podcast feed to hear Jackie and Sir Tom discuss the origins of the clans and how a rule of kinship ensured their success. 

To find out more about some of the locations discussed in this week’s episode, visit the NTS website. You can also learn more about Culloden here, Glencoe here, and Killiecrankie here.

In the first episode of season five of Love Scotland, Jackie and her guest Sir Tom Devine take a look at the origins of the Scottish clans. Over the course of their discussion – which will be continued in a second instalment next week – they reveal how the clans came to be, how they organised themselves, and what united them.

Has the reality of clan life been romanticised? What were the key moments in these crucial centuries of Scottish history? And how, ultimately, did the system of kinship give way to a modern world of capitalism.

Next week, Jackie and Sir Tom look to the years beyond the Battle of Culloden.

To find out more about some of the locations discussed in this week’s episode, visit the NTS website. You can also learn more about Culloden here, Glencoe here, and Killiecrankie here.

In this week’s episode of Love Scotland, Jackie is getting ready to deck the halls with boughs of holly. As people across Scotland prepare for their own festive celebrations, we take a look at how the National Trust for Scotland creates authentic Christmas displays in its properties.

Dr Jo Riley from Castle Fraser has been leading a research project into traditional decorations and how they have changed over time. From garlands to gifts, candles to clementines, Jo has examined exactly how previous residents in homes like Castle Fraser would have celebrated.

To mark the end of the current series of Love Scotland, Jackie and Jo discuss the pagan roots of the festive season, why mistletoe didn’t always mean romance, and who it was that first brough yule logs to Scottish shores.

Find out more about Dr Jo Riley’s research by clicking here.

You can also get the latest visitor information on Castle Fraser, and all of our properties, on the National Trust for Scotland website.

Love Scotland will return in the New Year. Please remember to follow, rate and review the podcast on your podcast platform of choice.

In this week’s episode, Jackie is joined by adventurer, film-maker and campaigner Cal Major to discuss Scotland’s coasts and the challenges facing them. Cal has built a reputation as one of the UK’s top stand-up paddleboarders (SUP), completing the first ever SUP from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2018.

In 2021, she paddled 800 miles of Scotland’s coastline. As someone who has spent so long at sea, Cal knows only too well the real-world implications of the climate and biodiversity crises. She is now a keen campaigner and advocate for action that will help protect Scotland’s coasts, including the Our Seas campaign of which the National Trust for Scotland is a member.

To find out more about Our Seas, click here.

To find out more about Cal Major, click here.

Check the latest visitor information for some of the Trust’s coastline properties: St Abb’s Head National Nature Reserve, Inverewe, Balmacara Estate, Rockcliffe, and more.

This week, Jackie is joined by actor and presenter Alan Cumming to discuss his life, career, and love of Scotland. Fresh from the critically acclaimed run of Burn – a dance-theatre piece that re-examines Robert Burns using his own words – Alan discuss where his passion for Scottish history and culture comes from.

As a long-standing supporter of the National Trust for Scotland and as one half of Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland and Beyond, Alan has seen many of the nation’s most beautiful and fascinating places. He reveals all about his recent stay at the House of Dun and Fyvie Castle, and what he learned about Robert Burns through his letters.

For more information on the House of Dun, click here.

For more information on Fyvie Castle, click here.

For more information on Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, click here.

The Vikings may be most closely associated with Norway, but the fearsome warriors made their mark on Scotland, too. Throughout the 1st century, they sailed the choppy seas to raid monasteries, including on Iona, pillaging and plundering wherever they went.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, Jackie discovers what brought the invaders from the north to Scotland, and what encouraged them to stay. Joined by Dr Adrián Maldonado, the Glenmorangie Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland and an expert in the Scottish Viking Age, Jackie looks at how the pillagers interacted with the Picts, how they knew which islands to attack, and what happened to the last of the Vikings.

Iona and Fair Isle both have connections to the Vikings, and you can find out more about the places here and here.  

If you enjoyed this episode, you might enjoy previous Love Scotland instalments too. For more island history, try the July 2022 episode called Inside Canna House. Or, if you’d like some sea-faring adventure, try the September 2021 episode called The Smugglers’ Caves of Culzean.

In this week’s episode, released on Armistice Day 2022, Jackie is looking at a small but crucial part of the First World War effort: the stately homes that were requisitioned to become hospitals. In particular, she’s keen to find out how the National Trust for Scotland’s Pollok House was used at this time.

The property in the south of Glasgow became an auxiliary hospital and helped to treat wounded soldiers throughout the conflict. Harriet Richardson Blakeman, an architectural historian with a special interest in hospitals, joins Jackie to discuss how Pollok and properties like it were converted into make-shift hospitals.

Jackie discovers who benefitted from the hospitals, what steps were taken to ensure the best healthcare possible was being provided, and what happened to these new hospitals at the end of the war.

What does Sam Heughan love about Scotland? The Outlander star and author of new book Waypoints joins Jackie in the studio to discuss some of his recent adventures. Together, they chat about some of Scotland’s most important historical sites, the value of spending time in the great outdoors, and how Outlander has helped to rejuvenate interest in the nation’s past.

Having filmed in several National Trust for Scotland locations, Sam has become well-acquainted with some of the most beautiful places the nation has to offer. He reveals some of his favourite places to film, how the experience of Outlander has affected him personally, and what drives his passion for Scottish history. Plus, he reads a short extract from Waypoints.

In this week’s episode, Jackie is off to the pictures to discover the story of Scotland on screen. Joined by Scottish film and TV critic Siobhan Synnot and the National Trust for Scotland’s Film Manager Anna Rathband, Jackie embarks on a whistlestop tour of some of the most influential Scottish films.

Along the way, she finds out which movies have had the biggest impact on Scotland and the Trust, including Skyfall, the Wicker Man, and franchises like Harry Potter and the Avengers. Anna reveals why film-makers love coming to Scotland to shoot their scenes while Siobhan gives behind-the-scenes stories from the sets of some of the biggest Scottish productions in history.

To find out more about Trust properties and sites that have been immortalised on film, click here.

With just over a week to go until Halloween, Jackie is on a mission to find out more about Scotland’s ghostly history. How have ghost stories changed over time? Who told these spooky tales, and why?

In this episode, she’s joined by Dr Martha McGill, who has been leading research into what Scotland’s ghosts of years gone by tell us about ideas of religion, philosophy and identity. Martha is a British Academy Postdoctural Fellow at the University of Warwick and the secretary of the Scottish History Society. 

We discover when haunted houses first emerged, which ghosts are said to haunt National Trust for Scotland properties, and why there have been so many variations of ghost stories over the years. 

For more ghost stories from Trust sites, click here.

She’s one of Scotland’s most famous monarchs and continues to be the focus of huge interest today. Yes, she’s Mary, Queen of Scots – but why is it that her story has resonated for so long?

In this week’s episode, Jackie sits down with writer Rosemary Goring to discuss Mary’s life and legacy. Why did the Queen love her time in Falkland Palace so much? What was it that meant she had to spend her childhood in France? And what role did she have to play in the brutal murder of her first husband?

Rosemary Goring is the author of the 2022 book Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots (Birlinn).

If you’d like more royal Scottish history, scroll back in your Love Scotland feed to our July 2021 episode on Robert the Bruce.

In this episode, Jackie is at St Abb’s Head Nature Reserve in Berwickshire to meet ranger Ciaran Hatsell. They’ll discuss bird flu in Scotland, as the UK’s worst ever avian flu outbreak leaves thousands of seabirds dead.

Ciaran reveals its impact on St Abb’s Head and explains how the virus first took hold on the cliffs. Plus, Jackie asks how Ciaran and his colleagues are working behind-the-scenes to better understand the virus and protect other birds from the outbreak.

For more information on how the virus is impact National Trust for Scotland sites, click here.

If you come across a dead or dying bird, do not touch it. Instead, report it to DEFRA on 03459 33 55 77, and report it to a member of National Trust for Scotland staff if you’re at one of the sites.

Whenever making a visit to an area affected by the virus, keep your distance from birds, use disinfectant when you arrive and when you leave, and sanitise your hands before eating, drinking, or smoking. The risk to human health is very low.

For other episodes on Scotland’s bird life, scroll back through your Love Scotland feed to our “Mountain birds”, “Seabird city” and “Caring for Scotland’s environment with Jeff Waddell” episodes.

The tale of the evacuation from St Kilda in Scotland is legendary – but what of the ordinary people who had called the island home for generations?

In this week’s episode, Jackie sits down with author and journalist Roger Hutchinson to unpack the final years of the archipelago’s population. She discovers the alarming death rate among St Kilda’s children, why the archipelago can be considered like Machu Picchu, and traces the rise and fall of island life that led to the 1930 evacuation.

You’ll also hear about how seabirds were eaten by the islanders, the impact of war on St Kilda, and what life was really like on the UK’s most remote inhabited island.

In the first episode of the fourth series of Love Scotland, Jackie Bird sits down with historical writer Flora Fraser to discuss the life and legacy of Flora MacDonald.

MacDonald is best known for her part in assisting Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s escape from Bebecula to the Isle of Skye in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. Aged just 24, and from a pro-government family, MacDonald is as unlikely a Jacobite heroine as you could imagine. And yet, her actions helped Charles evade detection and, eventually, flee to safety.

These events have been immortalised by the Skye Boat Song, but despite her crucial role in Charlie’s escape, Flora is all-too-often relegated to the background. So, who really was she? What led her to take on the risky mission of smuggling Charles to Skye? And what happened in the years that followed?

Flora Fraser is the author of Pretty Young Rebel: The Life of Flora MacDonald, out now (Bloomsbury).

To find out more about the National Trust for Scotland’s Jacobite sites, click here.

This episode of Love Scotland is produced for the National Trust for Scotland by Think and The Big Light Studio.

Presenter: Jackie Bird

Post-production: Brian McAlpine

Producer: Cameron Angus Mackay

Executive Producer: Fiona White

Research: Ciaran Sneddon

This week, our host Jackie Bird heads out to Branklyn Garden to join in with its 100th birthday celebrations. The garden was created by Dorothy and John Renton, a couple who converted what was then a hillside orchard into a colourful, tropical haven, just a short walk from Perth’s city centre. 

John’s design genius and Dorothy’s green-fingered talents turned this patch into what was described by the Regius, or Royal, Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh as the “finest two acres of private garden in the country”. 

Fifty-four years ago, the National Trust for Scotland took over care of the garden, ensuring that not only would the Rentons’ principles be maintained for future generations, but that adaptations would be made to keep the flowers as fresh as ever before.

So, how does head gardener and property manager Jim Jermyn keep the garden fresh? What are the challenges of caring for a heritage garden? And what will the future hold for Branklyn?

In this episode of Love Scotland, our host Jackie Bird takes a look – and a listen – through one of Scotland’s most precious cultural archives: the Canna House collection.

Gathered by Canna’s former residents John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw in the mid 20th century, the archive bulges with an array of Gaelic and Celtic songs, stories, and poetry. When united with Margaret’s not insignificant photography portfolio and the time capsule of household items, furnishings, furniture, and diaries, they tell the story of not just Canna, but of the Hebrides, Gaelic-speaking communities, and Scotland itself.

Canna House is itself about to get a facelift which guarantees better and more open access to the archives for the future. While that work gets underway, Jackie finds out what lies inside the archives. What can be learned from them? How much is really stored there? And what memories have been rediscovered by Fiona Mackenzie, Canna House manager and archivist, as she prepares for the renovation project?

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird heads to the Georgian House in Edinburgh, where the finishing touches are being made to a new exhibition about the life and legacy of a man who helped to shape the city’s musical landscape. 

Felix Yaniewicz’s name may not be familiar to many, but the Polish-Lithuanian composer and musician was a key player in the Georgian concert halls. Having fled revolution and political upheaval in his homeland of the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, he arrived in Britain as a young musician determined to prove himself.

Now, his great-great-great-great granddaughter is telling the story of his life, thanks to a chance encounter with one of his square pianos. Who really was Felix Yaniewicz? What was life like for him in Britain? And what is the legacy of his music today?

For more information on the exhibition, click here.

For the December concert series, click here.

Nicknamed mountain blackbirds, ring ouzels have become a rare sight in Scotland. The migrating species has seen a huge population decline in recent decades, mostly due to habitat loss. However, Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve is an outpost for population recovery, thanks to long-term conservation efforts.

Our host Jackie Bird heads to Ben Lawers to meet Andrew Warwick, the site’s ranger, in search of these elusive mountain birds. As they scan the skies for ouzels, they discuss the pioneering conservation work that has helped to reverse habitat decline and offers new hope for the future.

Meanwhile, we also join Andrew Painting at Mar Lodge Estate to search for another vulnerable species, the dotterel, amongst other mountain birds.

How does the National Trust for Scotland care for the many objects in its collections? Lesley Scott is one of the conservators constantly battling against environmental factors to preserve artefacts, furniture and artworks for future generations. 

Jackie meets her at the House of the Binns to get a sneak peek at a major renovation project which is currently being carried out there. The 17th century home has been closed to the public since the start of the pandemic, but work is now being done to prepare it for reopening.

In their conversation, they discuss how conservation work is done and what challenges must be overcome. How does modern science help a conservator? What does a renovation project involve? And what can visitors expect to see when the House of the Binns opens its doors once more?

For the latest information on the House of the Binns’ reopening, visit www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/house-of-binns. 

What does the future of the National Trust for Scotland look like? To mark the launch of the Trust’s new strategy – Nature, Beauty and Heritage for Everyone – we united young eco reps with Chief Executive Phil Long.

In a special episode of Love Scotland, three primary school pupils from Glasgow meet up with Phil to discuss the environment, and what can be done to protect it. Their conversation, in the city that hosted COP26 less than six months ago, touches on sustainability and what role the Trust can play in preserving Scotland’s climate and natural spaces.

How will the Trust take on the challenges of climate change? What is already being done? And what can be achieved before the Trust’s centenary in 10 years’ time?

To find out more about the new strategy, visit the website. 

Take a listen… 

The witch trials of the sixteenth, seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries form one of the darkest chapters in Scotland’s history. More than 2,500 people – the vast majority of them women – were executed and more than 4,000 accused of witchcraft during this time, and yet their stories have largely gone untold. 

Recently, though, that has started to change. Earlier this year, on International Women’s Day, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon issued an apology to all those who had been persecuted. And last year, the National Trust for Scotland published a report detailing the links between its properties and the witch trials.

Dr Ciaran Jones, the lead researcher and author of the report, joins Jackie Bird to discuss his findings and what they say about Scotland’s wider cultural and societal issues at the time.

In an exciting and invigorating year for Glasgow’s art scene, Jackie heads to Pollok House to find out more about one of the city’s most prominent artists of the late 19th century. Edward Atkinson Hornel was a Glasgow Boy – a group of radical young painters who transformed the city’s art and planted the seed of modernism. Inspired by the work of Dutch and French realism, the Boys found both commercial and critical success with landscapes and portraits that displayed everyday life. 

A new exhibition at Pollok House tells the story of Hornel’s two visits to Japan and the work he created there.

How did these visits shape his point of view? What do they tell us of western views of Asian nations at the time? And what fuelled Glasgow’s close artistic links to Japan? Take a listen… 

For more information about Love Scotland, go to: www.thebiglight.com/lovescotland

As wildfires take their toll on Scottish mountainsides, it's more important than ever that we all take care of our wonderful wilderness. Jackie heads to Glencoe to meet ranger Scott McCombie and hear how the National Trust for Scotland’s dedicated staff can help you learn about – and look after – the great outdoors.

Hear about how you can see everything from native forests to golden eagles on a trip to Glencoe and take part in a guided walk or even a Land Rover safari to get as close as possible to Scotland’s outstanding natural heritage. Ranger Scott McCombie also talks us through the steps he and his team are making to help ensure the great outdoors stays great, as more of us take the time to enjoy what Scotland has to offer. There’s so much to see and do at Glencoe and at all of the Trust’s wild places. Head to their website at nts.org.uk to find out more (and even book a slot on that Land Rover tour…).

Violet Jacob (1863-1946), born Violet Augusta Mary Frederica Kennedy-Erskine at the House of Dun, in Angus, was a poet and writer whose contributions to the Scottish literary canon are too often overlooked. In this second episode of our Women’s History Month specials, Jackie Bird speaks to academic and writer, Dr Carol Anderson about the unsung heroine of Scottish literature. 

We hear how Jacob’s upper-class childhood in the House of Dun affected her later work, and how she broke with conformity to deeply examine the role of society at the turn of the century. With readings from some of her best-known poems – including ‘Wild Geese’, and a thorough look at her travels and private writings, Anderson reveals why Jacob deserves better recognition. 

How did Jacob’s intercontinental travel influence her? Why did she adopt Scots in her writing, despite not speaking it herself? And what was it about the House of Dun and the surrounding area that captured her imagination long after she left?

Take a listen…and if you’d like to visit the birthplace of this fascinating poet, head to the House of Dun page on the Trust’s website.

To mark International Women’s Day, our host Jackie Bird hears how Scotland’s leading suffragettes plotted to bomb Burns Cottage, the birthplace of the national bard.

We hear about Ethel Moorhead, the first woman to be force fed in a Scottish jail, and her co-conspirator Frances Parker, on how they led the fight for women’s votes north of the border. Professor Pederson tells how the women cycled in dead of night with home-made bombs, to the birthplace of Robert Burns.

What happened to the two women? How did their struggle win and lose support in society at the time? And how did the poetry of Robert Burns play a part in their defence?

Take a listen… 

Call us inquisitive, curious or just plain old nosy, but there’s nothing more thrilling than uncovering a detail that’s often overlooked. And it’s this spirit of discovery that’s the driving force behind today’s special bonus episode, where we’re placing the spotlight on our favourite Hidden Secrets from Love Scotland so far.

From a ticket to Lord Lovat’s grisly execution on display at Culloden Visitor Centre and signs of beaver activity along the banks of the River Tay, to Brodie Castle’s two ancient Egyptian mummies, which pre-date Christ by 300 years, each fascinating secret is safeguarded by National Trust for Scotland staff and volunteers.

Ready to unearth our most-loved hidden secrets? Let’s dive in!

Jackie Bird heads to Glencoe with the National Trust for Scotland’s Derek Alexander and Lucy Doogan.

To mark 330 years since the massacre of the MacDonald clan at Glencoe, Jackie Bird heads north to see how work on a recreated turf house will help to tell the full story of one of the most harrowing moments in Scottish history.

On 13 February 1692 38 men, women and children were murdered in cold Scottish army companies of Argyll’s Foot Regiment. For two weeks prior to the bloodshed, clan members had played host to the soldiers in their modest turf-dwellings on the slopes of the glen.

As the Trust opens its faithfully restored turf house at the site, we hear how a better insight into the way the clans of Glencoe lived will bring the history of the massacre to new generations of visitors.

Also in this episode, Cameron hears about a wonderful plaything on show at Helensburgh’s Hill House.

Located just outside of Glasgow’s Southside, Greenbank Garden is an urban oasis with woodland walks and more than 3600 species of beautiful plants – including over 500 varieties of daffodil.

Our host Jackie Bird heads to Greenbank to talk daffodils and see the first signs of spring. Jackie chats to the property’s Head Gardener, Andrew Hinson, about the highlights and challenges of caring for Greenbank’s impressive horticultural collection, why the yearly arrival of this bright yellow flower never gets any less exciting, and the signs we should look out at Trust properties across the country that tell us spring is well and truly springing.   

Find out more about Greenbank Garden at: www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/greenbank-garden

Also in this episode – Cameron hears about the traces of beavers living along the banks of the River Tay, as part of our regular slot, Hidden Secrets.

This year, the National Trust for Scotland’s Burns Big Night In returns. Radio DJ and personality Edith Bowman will be presenting a night of music, song and verse direct to living rooms across the land from Burns Cottage in Ayrshire.

For Love Scotland, we join host Jackie Bird for a very special chat with two of the Burns Big Night In guests – leading contemporary poets, Janette Ayachi and Michael Pederson. 

Janette Ayachi is based in Edinburgh, born in London, with Scottish and Algerian heritage. She’s a regular on BBC Scotland arts programmes and has published work in nearly a broad range of literary journals.

Michael Pederson writes in English and Scots and performs at festivals everywhere from Edinburgh to Indonesia. He co-founded Neu! Reekie!, an arts collective that spans events, publishing and a record label. 

Janette and Michael tell how Burns and how his legacy has found a place in their poetry – and read some of their new poems.

Find out more about Burns Big Night in at www.burnsbignightin.org

And in Hidden Secrets, Cameron speaks to Ann Middleton (tour guide) who discusses two etchings recently discovered around Drum Castle.

Back in 2019 the National Trust for Scotland launched an unprecedented fundraising campaign to protect the Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece, the Hill House, from the weather.

The result was the Box – a ground-breaking steel structure that was built to shelter Mackintosh’s architecture from the elements and allow time for conservators to come up with new ways to safeguard it for the future.

Two years on, Jackie Bird visits the Hill House. She meets the Trust’s Head of Building Conservation, Bryan Dickson, to hear how the Box, and the house it protects, have fared – and what comes next.

Find out more about the Hill House, and the history of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s architecture at www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-hill-house

Also in this episode – Cameron hears about Brodie Castle’s mysterious and ancient Egyptian figures, as part of our regular slot, Hidden Secrets.

For this special episode of Love Scotland Jackie Bird heads to Glasgow’s Pollok House to meet the one and only Mrs Claus. Yes, that’s right, every year Santa’s better half comes to Pollok to make children’s Christmas wishes come true – all thanks to longstanding Trust volunteer Jennie MacLeod. Jackie Bird meets Jennie (and her alter ego, Mrs Claus) to hear about the magic of playing such an important role, and what it’s taught her about the true meaning of the festive season. 

Also in this episode – assistant producer Cameron Angus Mackay hears a fascinating story from Culloden Battlefield, as part of our regular slot, Hidden Secrets.

Find out more about Pollok House, one of the National Trust for Scotland’s grandest properties, at www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/pollok-house

All across Scotland, National Trust for Scotland staff are making the most of the winter months to clean, conserve and maintain the properties in their care. For this episode, Jackie Bird heads to the Enlightenment mansion of Newhailes where she meets visitor services supervisor Eleni Kolokytha to learn about the rhythms, rituals and routines of keeping Trust places amazing for generations to come.

You can find out more about the National Trust for Scotland's work and how to support them at: www.nts.org.uk

Who doesn’t love a dram? Call it uisge beatha, the water of life, whisky… Scotland’s national drink is known worldwide as a very special part of our culture. But what does it have to do with archaeological digs and the National Trust for Scotland? In this episode, Jackie Bird chats with Trust archaeologist Dr Daniel Rhodes and The Glenlivet’s Master Distiller Alan Winchester about Pioneering Spirit, a unique project to unearth the real history of whisky. 

You can find out more about the National Trust for Scotland's work and how to support them at: www.nts.org.uk

If you haven’t got your walking boots on yet, you will do by the time you’ve listened to this episode. Jackie Bird hears from rangers Ciaran Hatsell and Ruth Alexander about the National Trust for Scotland’s cold weather wonderlands that are great for body, mind and soul – from Perthshire’s big tree country to the seal pups of St Abbs. 

You can find out more about the National Trust for Scotland's work and how to support them at: www.nts.org.uk

For a special Halloween episode Jackie Bird follows in the path of blockbusting TV series Outlander to the historic village of Culross, where she finds out why some former residents can still be encountered today. Visitor Services Supervisor (and expert in all things supernatural) Linda Whiteford is her guide.

You can find out more about the National Trust for Scotland's work and how to support them at: www.nts.org.uk

It took three years, copious amounts of gold leaf and a team with a keen eye for detail, but now Alexander Greek Thomson’s domestic masterpiece, Holmwood House, is restored and in full glory. Jackie Bird asks curator Emma Inglis just why the Glasgow home is so special.

For more information about Love Scotland, go to: www.thebiglight.com/lovescotland

You can find out more about the National Trust for Scotland's work and how to support them at: http://www.nts.org.uk

Beneath the grand walls of Culzean Castle lies a dark and dramatic discovery – a network of caves used by smugglers in the heyday of the illicit alcohol trade. Jackie Bird gets her headtorch on to explore with Head of Archaeology Derek Alexander.

As COP26 comes to Glasgow, there are lessons to be learned from the ancient pine forests of the Cairngorms. In this episode, Jackie Bird chats to the Trust’s Conservation Manager Shaila Rao about the vital regeneration taking place at Mar Lodge Estate.

Our host Jackie Bird is in Angus for this episode, visiting the elegant Georgian mansion, House of Dun, near Montrose which reopened in the summer of 2021 after a major ‘re-imagining’. She meets Iain Hawkins, our General Manager for the North East, to find out what that means.

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird talks to Dr Callum Watson, Battle Coordinator at the Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre, about one of Robert the Bruce’s boldest gambles. Before the massed ranks of the English and Scottish armies on 23 June 1314, Bruce risked his life, his throne and Scotland’s independence in a moment of deadly single combat. We relive the Bruce v de Bohun and the fight which helped define the greatest King of Scots.

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird is in Helensburgh, diving into family life inside The Hill House - Charles Rennie Mackintosh's domestic masterpiece. In this episode, Jackie learns all about The Hill House as a family home, with Taylah Egbers, Visitor Services Supervisor who shares an insight into the Blackie family who lived there. 

In this episode, our host Jackie Bird is in Edinburgh at one of the oldest buildings on the Royal Mile. Gladstone's Land is a six-storey tenement and has been a fixture on the Lawnmarket for 500 years. In this episode, Jackie travels through time, from the 16th Century to present day, with Dr Kate Stephenson to learn about the real-life stories of the people that lived at Gladstone's Land and the property's trading history. 

1 May marks a milestone birthday for the National Trust for Scotland. Founded in 1931, the charity has been safeguarding natural and built heritage across Scotland for 90 years. In this episode, Jackie is joined by Phil Long, the Chief Executive of the charity.

Every year, seabirds gather in their millions across Scotland after migrating from across the globe, and their arrival can signal the first signs of spring. In this episode, NTS Rangers Ciaran Hatsell and Emily Wilkins join Jackie Bird to talk about two great wildlife spectacles. 

A new alliance of organisations is working together to find out how we best react to the impact of climate change and safeguard the Scotland we love. In this episode, Jackie speaks to Stuart Brooks, the National Trust for Scotland’s Head of Conservation and Policy and co-chair of Scotland’s Landscape Alliance about the alliance's work and hopes for the country’s future.

Tenement House is a time capsule of life in early 20th century Glasgow. In this episode, Jackie Bird meets Ana Sanchez, who cares for the Tenement House. Ana tells Jackie about the fascinating women who lived in the flat, including Miss Agnes Toward who was among the first generation of independent women.

In this episode, Scott McCombie, Senior Ranger at Glencoe National Nature Reserve, takes us through the events leading up to the Glencoe Massacre of 1692, a poignant and tragic chapter in Scotland's history. Derek Alexander, the Trust's head of Archaeology also joins Jackie to talk about a project to recreate a Turf House that would have existed at the time. 

While Burns is Scotland's National Bard, he enjoys a legacy across the globe. How is that legacy faring today? Jackie Bird speaks to Chris Waddell, the Trust's Learning Manager to find out.

​National Trust for Scotland locations have welcomed many film and tv productions, from music videos, documentaries and photo shoots to international drama series and feature films. In this episode, Jackie is joined by Anna Rathband, the National Trust for Scotland's Film Manager who chats about the importance of film tourism.  

They might look beautiful, but some non-native plant species can be extremely damaging to our natural ecosystems. Jackie is joined by Rob Dewar, the Trust's Natural Heritage Adviser, who talks about Wipeout - a project to eradicate invasive plant species across Scotland.

Helen Cole, Property Manger at Ben Lawers, has spent 30 years caring for the National Nature Reserve. In this episode, she talks to Jackie about the huge increase in footfall on Scotland's upland paths during Covid 19 and how visitors can do their bit to protect our wild spaces.

Jackie Bird is joined by Jennifer Melville, as the Trust embarks on a new project that will explore the role that the slave trade has played in the histories of Scotland and some of the Trust’s most-loved properties.

On the 90th anniversary of the evacuation of St Kilda, the Trust's Western Isles Manager Susan Bain, tells Jackie Bird why Scotland should be extremely proud of this archipelago and how it came to be uninhabited on 29 August 1930. This podcast features music by Garefowl - Cumha Hirteach (Cliffs) is a reinterpretation of a traditional St Kildan folk song.

19 August 2020 marks the 275th anniversary of the Raising of the Jacobite Standard by Charles Edward Stuart at Glenfinnan. Professor Murray Pittock, Trustee and history advisor to the National Trust for Scotland, takes Jackie Bird through this hugely important moment in Scotland's history.

Jackie Bird is joined by Trust supporter and endurance athlete Mark Beaumont, who talks about some of his favourite places in Scotland and why it's important that they're looked after for future generations to experience and enjoy. 

Raoul Curtis-Machin, Operations Manager at Culloden, talks to Jackie Bird about the story of Britain's last pitched battle and the findings of the National Trust for Scotland's Culloden 300 consultation.

Jeff Waddell, the National Trust for Scotland's environmental expert takes Jackie Bird on a tour of some of Scotland's most beautiful walking routes and shares the vital work to protect and conserve the country's natural heritage. 

Jackie Bird meets the National Trust for Scotland's head of archaeology, Derek Alexander, as he talks about some of his most fascinating finds and why he loves being in the field.