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| Drilling barley at Rockside |
Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts
Monday, 8 April 2013
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Sunset over Loch Indaal
Three shots of what was an exceptional sunset yesterday evening, even by Islay standards. The weather here during November has been generally rather pleasant. We have not suffered from the heavy rainfall that has caused much flooding and misery on the UK mainland.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Scary Loch Indaal
Two rather scary pictures of Loch Indaal in threatening weather - taken yesterday. Neither have been processed at all - they are straight off the HTC - which does tend to exaggerate the contrasts a bit.... Carl
Saturday, 10 November 2012
Monday, 5 November 2012
Thursday, 1 November 2012
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
THE SALMON’S JOURNEY RETURNS TO BBC ALBA
TURAS A’ BHRADAIN : THE SALMON’S JOURNEY
BBC ALBA’s popular fishing series returns with presenter and keen angler, Neen MacKay taking viewers on a journey of discovery charting some of the most accessible salmon fishing available in Scotland.
For millennia Scottish rivers have provided a home for this wonderful creature however, climate change and countless threats within the marine environment now mean its future here is uncertain.
Turas a’ Bhradain : The Salmon’s Journey, offers viewers a visual feast with stunning footage and returns with the very latest news from the rivers and coastline around Scotland, including the South Esk in Angus, Loch Lomond on the Firth of Clyde and various rivers in Argyll.
In spite of all the challenges faced by the ‘king of fish’, this captivating angling series uncovers some incredible success stories in the salmon’s world. From the remarkable story of how salmon mysteriously found their way back to one of the country’s most polluted rivers - the Clyde, to the council run beat of Callander Town Water, administered by Stirling District Council, which out-fished every other beat in Scotland.
This new six-part series also turns its attention to some of our less obvious salmon rivers such as the River Nith in Dumfries & Galloway and the River Endrick in Loch Lomond, and focuses on affordable salmon fishing.
Some of the extensive work being carried out by the many angling associations around the country to help the salmon’s fight for survival is also revealed with the Argyll Fisheries Trust being a good example of how they’re helping to restock some of Argyll’s once prolific salmon rivers.
Produced by STV for BBC ALBA, Turas a’ Bhradain will start on Tuesday 13th March at 8.30pm and thereafter on each consecutive Tuesday.
Tuesday 13th March 2012, 8.30pm on BBC ALBA
For millennia Scottish rivers have provided a home for this wonderful creature however, climate change and countless threats within the marine environment now mean its future here is uncertain.
Turas a’ Bhradain : The Salmon’s Journey, offers viewers a visual feast with stunning footage and returns with the very latest news from the rivers and coastline around Scotland, including the South Esk in Angus, Loch Lomond on the Firth of Clyde and various rivers in Argyll.
In spite of all the challenges faced by the ‘king of fish’, this captivating angling series uncovers some incredible success stories in the salmon’s world. From the remarkable story of how salmon mysteriously found their way back to one of the country’s most polluted rivers - the Clyde, to the council run beat of Callander Town Water, administered by Stirling District Council, which out-fished every other beat in Scotland.
This new six-part series also turns its attention to some of our less obvious salmon rivers such as the River Nith in Dumfries & Galloway and the River Endrick in Loch Lomond, and focuses on affordable salmon fishing.
Some of the extensive work being carried out by the many angling associations around the country to help the salmon’s fight for survival is also revealed with the Argyll Fisheries Trust being a good example of how they’re helping to restock some of Argyll’s once prolific salmon rivers.
Produced by STV for BBC ALBA, Turas a’ Bhradain will start on Tuesday 13th March at 8.30pm and thereafter on each consecutive Tuesday.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Next talk at the Centre - "Scotland's Reindeer" - Mary McGregor - Thurs 15th December
Mary says - "Reindeer were re-introduced to the Scottish Highlands in 1952 by a Swedish Sámi by the name of Michal Utsi. I began working with them in the winter of 2000 and was immediately addicted to their amazing natures. I returned to work there for the best part of ten years, as both seasonal staff during my studies, and later as a full time reindeer herder.
"The reindeer roam the slopes of some of Scotland's highest slopes feeding on the only sub-arctic territory in the UK, and as a herder it was my job to 'roam' out and locate them throughout the year.
"As an Arctic animal, they are found in the worlds harshest environments. But their range enabled the people of the Arctic to survive there too as they took on the role of cow, horse, sheep and goat: reindeer pull sleighs of people, packages and houses; they provide meat and even milk; in some parts of the world they are even ridden. What better animal to make it around the world and back in one night?
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| Photo- www.guardian.co.uk |
"Through this talk I hope to tell you what makes reindeer so special and how they survive in the Arctic circle, the famous Cairngorm herd and, of course, Christmas!"
http://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/History/history_1.htm
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Friday, 18 March 2011
Friday, 11 February 2011
Monday, 8 November 2010
"Nature-based Tourism worth £1.4billion to Scotland" says SNH report
Nature-based tourism is worth at least £1.4bn a year to the Scottish economy and supports the equivalent of 39,000 full time jobs. Walking and landscape enjoyment nets £900 million for Scotland each year. These are some of the findings in a new report commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Wildlife tourism brings in £127m and is the main driver behind more than one million trips to Scotland each year. Activities include bird watching, whale watching, guided walks and practical conservation holidays. Among the contributors is dolphin watching on the east coast, which generates at least £4m a year to the local economy, while sea eagles on Mull bring in around £2m.
Adventure activities, such as mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking, are worth £178m. This category also includes surfing, sub aqua, sailing, extreme snow sports, horse riding and adventure activities such as gorge walking, rafting and paragliding. Surfing in particular is growing by around 20% a year, and there are now around 3,000 surfers in Scotland.
Carrying out these kind of studies is very complex, particularly for activities such as walking and enjoying the landscape. But, using information from other studies, this research estimates that walking and landscape are thought to be worth at least £900m between them.
This includes hill walking, mountaineering and climbing, as well as gentler walks of more than one mile. Examples include the 110,000 people who tackle to the summit of Ben Nevis; the 30,000 who complete the whole route of the West Highland Way and the further 60,000 others who trek part of it. It also includes income from those who tour and enjoy Scotland’s landscapes and scenery, such as the 400,000 people a year who visit Glen Nevis.
SNH commissioned the study, called ‘valuing nature-based tourism in Scotland’, as part of wider research to quantify the value of Scotland’s nature to the economy. It follows a previous report which found that sustainable management of natural resources was worth £17.2bn a year to Scotland.
Commenting on the findings, Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: “Scotland’s wonderful natural environment and fascinating wildlife have so much to offer and it’s exciting that there are visitors coming here to appreciate our world-class landscape.
“Tourists obviously enjoy what they see and there’s such a wide variety of activities on offer, whether it’s walking in the glens, spotting some of Scotland’s iconic species or getting involved in conservation.
"Nature based tourism generates significant benefits for the economy, including thousands of jobs. It’s vital that work on the conservation and enhancement of our natural environment continues to ensure we can deliver these benefits for generations to come.”
Ian Jardine, SNH chief executive, added: “We have always known that landscapes and wildlife are one of the main reasons why visitors come to Scotland. We also know that enjoying nature is one of the key activities they like to do when they get here. Now we know just how important that is to the economy of Scotland. With spending on nature activities worth nearly 40% of all tourism spending, nature based tourism can generate significant benefits for the economy.
“These findings underline the need to recognise the role of nature in supporting the economy, to ensure it is managed sustainably, and to make certain that we make the best use of nature as an economic resource.”
Adventure activities, such as mountain biking, canoeing and kayaking, are worth £178m. This category also includes surfing, sub aqua, sailing, extreme snow sports, horse riding and adventure activities such as gorge walking, rafting and paragliding. Surfing in particular is growing by around 20% a year, and there are now around 3,000 surfers in Scotland.
Carrying out these kind of studies is very complex, particularly for activities such as walking and enjoying the landscape. But, using information from other studies, this research estimates that walking and landscape are thought to be worth at least £900m between them.
This includes hill walking, mountaineering and climbing, as well as gentler walks of more than one mile. Examples include the 110,000 people who tackle to the summit of Ben Nevis; the 30,000 who complete the whole route of the West Highland Way and the further 60,000 others who trek part of it. It also includes income from those who tour and enjoy Scotland’s landscapes and scenery, such as the 400,000 people a year who visit Glen Nevis.
SNH commissioned the study, called ‘valuing nature-based tourism in Scotland’, as part of wider research to quantify the value of Scotland’s nature to the economy. It follows a previous report which found that sustainable management of natural resources was worth £17.2bn a year to Scotland.
Commenting on the findings, Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said: “Scotland’s wonderful natural environment and fascinating wildlife have so much to offer and it’s exciting that there are visitors coming here to appreciate our world-class landscape.
“Tourists obviously enjoy what they see and there’s such a wide variety of activities on offer, whether it’s walking in the glens, spotting some of Scotland’s iconic species or getting involved in conservation.
"Nature based tourism generates significant benefits for the economy, including thousands of jobs. It’s vital that work on the conservation and enhancement of our natural environment continues to ensure we can deliver these benefits for generations to come.”
Ian Jardine, SNH chief executive, added: “We have always known that landscapes and wildlife are one of the main reasons why visitors come to Scotland. We also know that enjoying nature is one of the key activities they like to do when they get here. Now we know just how important that is to the economy of Scotland. With spending on nature activities worth nearly 40% of all tourism spending, nature based tourism can generate significant benefits for the economy.
“These findings underline the need to recognise the role of nature in supporting the economy, to ensure it is managed sustainably, and to make certain that we make the best use of nature as an economic resource.”
Monday, 11 October 2010
INHT poetry corner...
The view across Loch Indaal from the Natural History Centre in Port Charlotte on a truly beautiful day. It brings to mind one of my favourite poems!
Scotland by Alastair Reid
It was a day peculiar to this piece of the planet,
when larks rose on long thin strings of singing
and the air shifted with the shimmer of actual angels.
Greenness entered the body. The grasses
shivered with presences, and sunlight
stayed like a halo on hair and heather and hills.
Walking into town, I saw, in a radiant raincoat,
the woman from the fish-shop. 'What a day it is!'
cried I, like a sunstruck madman.
And what did she have to say for it?
Her brow grew bleak, her ancestors raged in their graves
and she spoke with their ancient misery:
'We'll pay for it, we'll pay for it, we'll pay for it.'
Scotland by Alastair Reid
It was a day peculiar to this piece of the planet,
when larks rose on long thin strings of singing
and the air shifted with the shimmer of actual angels.
Greenness entered the body. The grasses
shivered with presences, and sunlight
stayed like a halo on hair and heather and hills.
Walking into town, I saw, in a radiant raincoat,
the woman from the fish-shop. 'What a day it is!'
cried I, like a sunstruck madman.
And what did she have to say for it?
Her brow grew bleak, her ancestors raged in their graves
and she spoke with their ancient misery:
'We'll pay for it, we'll pay for it, we'll pay for it.'
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