Wildcats, Caves and a Honey Sommelier

Rachel ventures into the sea caves at East Wemyss in Fife to hear about how coastal erosion is threatening the Pictish carvings on their walls.

Last summer, the Saving Wildcats project released 19 cats in the Cairngorms as part of efforts to prevent the species becoming extinct. Mark visits the Highland Wildlife Park where the next kittens that will be released have been bred, to hear about how the project is going.

We’ve all heard of wine tasting but have you ever thought of giving honey tasting a bash? In our latest Scotland Outdoors podcast, Rachel tries her hand at it under the tutelage of Dr Gino Jabbar, a honey sommelier.

Earlier this month, dozens of people under the banner of The Cairngorms Crofters and Farmers Group gathered to voice their grievances over the recent release of beavers into the National Park. Mark met one of the organisers, Ruaridh Ormiston, to find out more about their concerns.

And we’re joined live by Grant Moir, Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. We’ll put the concerns of farmers to him and ask about the tricky balance involved in keeping everyone who lives, works and enjoys the park, happy.

More than a million pounds is being spent upgrading one of the most popular walking routes in the North East. Rachel went for a wander along part of the Formartine and Buchan Way to hear how the money will be spent.

If you watched Britain’s Best Woodworker recently you may remember one of the stars Jen Humphreys. Jen has her workshop in Banff, and Rachel went along to see how she creates her stunning work.

And as Thursday marked Burns Night, Mark met up with Professor Alison Lumsden from Aberdeen University to hear about the Bard’s connections to the North East and whether any of his poetry was inspired by the Doric he would have heard growing up.