Three sites in Scotland are bidding to acheive UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The three places which have reached the UK shortlist are the Forth Rail Bridge, the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland, and three iron age broch sites in Shetland: Mousa, Old Scatness and Jarlshof. Announcing the list, which includes another 8 eight sites in England and Wales, UK Tourism Minister John Penrose said: “Few places in the world can match the wealth of wonderful heritage we have available in the UK. “The 11 places that make up the new UK tentative list are fantastic examples of both…

The winners of the first Scottish Nature Photography awards have been announced. The overall winner was Ron McCombe, a professional photographer from Coldstream in the Borders who also won the Scottish wildlife category with this image of a waxwing. 2nd prize went to Jim Robertson, and third to a superb image of Am Buachaille and Sandwood Bay by Skye-based photographer Colin Threlfall. Organiser and judging panel member, Niall Irvine, said, “This competition has really highlighted the excellence of the photography that is undertaken here in Scotland. Against such a strong field, Ron’s winning image encapsulated the exceptional quality, creativity and…

Friday sees the release of The Eagle, a new feature film, partly filmed on location in the Highlands and featuring many locals as extras. The Eagle will be released on 25 March although locals in Achiltibuie are to be treated to a special screening in a mobile cinema. The film stars up and coming Hollywood beefcake Channing Tatum as well as acting legend Donald Sutherland and Jamie Bell. As well as Achiltibuie, filming took place in Argyll, Stirling and Loch Lomond. The film, directed by Glasgow-born Kevin MacDonald, is based on Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical adventure novel The Eagle of the…

Rescuers searching for a climber in the Angus Glens recovered a body early Saturday morning (19 March). The joint search between Mountain Rescue and an RAF helicopter was called out on Friday night when the 69 year old Dundee man failed to return from a climbing trip. The body was recovered from Corrie Fee in Glen Doll at the head of Glen Clova and rescuers believe the man may have been caught up in an avalanche. Tayside Police said the man was a very experienced mountaineer and fully equipped for the conditions. UPDATE: The dead man has now been formally…

Following hard on his success at Sron Ulladale, skydiver and BASE jumper, Simon Brentford recently undertook the first ever BASE jump from the Kilt Rock on the Isle of Skye. The Kilt Rock is a famous tourist attraction near Staffin on the Trotternish penisula on Skye. The 180 foot high cliff is composed of massive basalt columns which give the whole cliff a pleated look resulting in its name. The shore below is rocky and as the film by Adam Bibby shows, there is little time for Simon to manoeuvere himself before reaching the ground. Only the day before Simon…