WINTER WHITE If you're looking for breathtaking landscapes, the magnificence of the many winter gardens or deliciousness of fresh, seasonal Scottish produce, there are so many “winter white” experiences awaiting you this winter. For those wanting to stretch their legs and get out to feel the crisp, clean Scottish air at its best, head to the Ochil Hills. Situated in the heart of Clackmannanshire, the spectacular Ochils not only provide a beautiful backdrop to the county’s towns and villages, but they’re also home to great walking tracks. Gardening enthusiasts should look out for snowdrops when gardens nationwide open their gates to the public to celebrate the Scottish Snowdrop Festival. The beautiful grandeur of delicate snowdrops is enhanced by expansive gardens and grounds, ideal for a winter wander. Food lovers can visit the award-winning Edinburgh Farmers' Market this winter, pick up some freshly-prepared produce and meet the stallholders. Edinburgh Farmers' Market is the largest of its kind in Scotland and is held every Saturday at Castle Terrace, which enjoys the beautiful backdrop of Edinburgh Castle. Winter is a great season in which to visit Scotland! www.visitscotland.com/Whitetrips

 

EDINBURGH The Royal Botanic Garden’s 200 year-old wych elm which grew there in the capital until 2003, when it had to be felled because of Dutch elm disease, has returned as the key element of the inaugural display in the John Hope Gateway’s temporary exhibition space. In true recycling style, wood from the tree was seasoned and distributed to 30 selected makers and artists to use in a series of commissioned works and create pieces ranging from furniture to sculpture, pottery, jewellery and toys. The role of the tree is not always immediately apparent. For example, the pixie boots and fairy slippers by Isabell Buenz incorporate leaves and shavings of the tree in the paper used for making the shoes. Craftsman Chris Holmes sold his beloved 1970s classic Saab 95 car to be able to cover his living costs while he undertook his latest project. After three months of painstaking work, his sacrifice has paid off. His latest creation, a handcarved cabinet of drawers, is being showcased in the Wych Elm Project exhibition. Chris, who has a workshop at Gogar church, was one of 25 craftspeople in Scotland who were provided with timber from the much-loved wych elm that was felled at the Botanics. He explained: “I have made a number of chests of drawers over the past three decades characterised by the sculpting or carving of their handles from the solid of the drawer fronts. These handles have taken various forms but the idea behind this piece is that the carved form represents the Edinburgh skyline seen from the viewpoint where the wych elm stood in the Botanics. It is apparent that the representation is more impressionistic than depictive.’’ The exhibition is accompanied by a book, profiling the makers and telling the story of wych elm. The Wych Elm Project runs at the John Hope Gateway until 28th March, 9.30 a.m. - 7.00 p.m. (9.00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday), admission free.

EDINBURGH The National Museum of Scotland has unveiled the first Pictish throne to be built in more than 1000 years. It was commissioned by The Glenmorangie Company and National Museums Scotland to aid understanding of the Early Historic people of Scotland and their society. The Pictish throne was created by master furniture maker Adrian McCurdy whose design was inspired by depictions on some of the first Pictish sculptured stones to feature important people seated on thrones. The throne has been commissioned as part of a three-year partnership between The Glenmorangie Company and National Museums Scotland to support the study and understanding of people of Early Historic Scotland. An important aspect of the partnership and research has been working with contemporary craftspeople, such as Adrian McCurdy, to make versions of objects from this Early Historic period that provide significant insights into the skills and techniques used by the Picts and the sophistication of the society they lived in. The throne was first on display at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre in Nicolson Street and then at the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain, Ross-shire from where it will subsequently go on display at various destinations across Scotland.

 

DUNDEE As the result of a joint digitisation and web publishing partnership between Dundee City Archives and Dundee Central Library, the complete set of James Collie's plans of 1851 Dundee is now available on the web. These unique plans chart the city at a large scale. They were surveyed and published a few years before the Ordnance Survey got to work on the subject. Details can be found in the full description on the homepage. The Zoomify software enables you to view the plans in great detail. www.dundeecity.gov.uk/collie/index.htm

SNOWDROP FESTIVALS Blair Castle near Blair Atholl will be participating in the annual Snowdrop Festival which begins on 1st February and runs until the 14th March 2010. A special route around the castle grounds includes access to two new paths (only open to the public during snowdrop time). The outdoor flowers will be complemented by the indoor bowls of scented daffodils, hyacinths and tulips filling the castle’s entrance hall, Banvie Hall and restaurant. Finlaystone Country Estate in Renfrewshire is also participating in The Scottish Snowdrop Festival. David Finnis, Finlaystone Head Ranger says, “During February our snowdrops will be at their very best. Each Saturday and Sunday at 2.00 p.m. Rangers will be leading guided snowdrop strolls but on Sunday, 14th February we will have a special Valentine’s Day event when visitors will be able to take a romantic stroll through the Paradise Trail to see the snowdrops. Valentine posies and heart-warming refreshments will also be available. “Throughout the Snowdrop Festival we will have an exciting self-led trail which will take visitors into the area of the estate where the snowdrops will be spectacular, set against the backdrop of two large waterfalls. Paying visitors who come Monday to Friday, will be entitled to a free hot drink of tea or coffee in the Visitor Centre.” Snowdrop bulbs “in the green” will be available at the end of February and into March. www.finlaystone.co.uk

 

MACKINTOSH SCARF Designed in Scotland by Glasgow School of Art Graduates, this Merino and cashmere Scarf echoes Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s tile motifs and the colour palette used in his interior and furniture designs. Made from 90 per cent merino and 10 per cent cashmere, the scarf measures 180cm x 25cm. The design features Mackintosh’s distinctive nine square motif in a soft purple with a dark charcoal repeat against a black background, woven by Johnstons of Elgin, Scotland’s leading Cashmere specialist winner of the 2009 Scotland Style Awards Brand of the Year. Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), the famous Glasgow-born architect, designer and artist, was one of the most creative figures of the early 20th century. He was one of the leading exponents of the concept of the room as a work of art and his architectural vision encompassed every aspect of a building, inside and out — even each detail of the furniture and furnishings created a completely harmonious effect. Visit our What's New page to have a chance of winning this scarf. www.crmsociety.com

CAITHNESS Castletown Heritage Society, a member of North Highland Tourism www.northhighlands scotland.com has won a prestigious award for its contribution to community tourism, in particular its development of the Castlehill Heritage Centre in Caithness. Castletown Heritage Society received the Community Tourism Initiative Award, which celebrates community collaboration and recognises initiatives and projects where community groups and businesses have worked together to improve the way their area cares for visitors. The Society held themed exhibitions throughout the year featuring the history, heritage, biodiversity and social history of the town. The Society also runs training and workshops featuring local skills such as rope making, wood chip carving, rug making, woodturning, spinning and weaving, drystone dyking, croft crafts, limestone pointing and seashore-based crafts such as drift wood sculpture. Muriel Murray, Chairperson of Castletown Heritage Society says: “We are all delighted to have won the Community Tourism Initiative Award. Over the last three years we have become more active, and winning this award reflects our hard work. It is an affirmation of the blood, sweat and tears that we put into Castlehill Heritage Centre, which provides both educational and fun days out for anyone visiting the region.”

 

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Dundee, Cumbernauld and Inverness are among the places to be found in a collection of post-war aerial photographs that informed the planning and building of modern Scotland and are now available to view for the first time on a new website. As Scotland adjusted to peace in 1945, the sight and sound of RAF planes overhead remained a familiar sight, as military photographers set to work using the reconnaissance skills learned during wartime to record every town, port, valley and hill in Scotland. The 280,000 images taken during 500 sorties across the length and breadth of the country were part of Operation Revue, an aerial survey carried out for the Ordnance Survey. Running from 1945 to 1951 it was not only a means to gainfully employ pilots and aircrew in peacetime, but also created an invaluable blueprint for the planners and architects engaged in producing a vision for the future development of Scotland. These photographs, many of which have never been seen before by the public, now form the basis of the Scottish online section of the National Collection of Aerial Photography, an archive of millions of aerial images held by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Through the new website the public can view digital copies of the historic images and plot their locations on modern satellite maps of Scotland. Subscription to the site allows the user to access detailed search and zoom facilities. The new website is accompanied by a new, dedicated search area devoted to aerial photography within the RCAHMS Edinburgh headquarters, which allows anyone to consult archive imagery of every inch of Scotland. Subscriptions are currently available at a special offer price of £15 for two years. www.aerial.rcahms.gov.uk

PRISON ART Perth Prison inmates were taught art for six years by University lecturer Martin Fowler. In his remarkable classes men serving life sentences drew on experiences from their chaotic lives. Sometimes out of remorse for the crimes they had committed on the outside, or in an attempt to rebuild their self-esteem, the “lifers” sculpted pots for their children, or perhaps painted pictures for their girlfriends. Before parts of Perth’s Napoleonic jail were pulled down recently during modernisation, Martin returned to draw and paint the disused and derelict wings earmarked for demolition. The resulting work forms the exhibition The Tension Of A Line which will run until 8th May at Perth Museum and Art Gallery. Colourful gouache paintings of the prison exteriors and black ink drawings of the prison’s interiors capture the unique personality of the architecture. Perth Museum and Art Gallery, George Street, is open Monday – Saturday, 10.00a.m. until 5.00p.m. and admission is free. Phone 01738 632488. www.pkc.gov.uk/museums

 

JAZZ CONCERT Musselburgh’s Brunton Theatre is the venue on Friday 19th March for a memorable concert at 7.30p.m.. Del Amitri singer-songwriter Justin Currie gets the blazing backing band of his dreams as he joins the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra’s lead trumpeter Ryan Quigley with his big band. With his reputation for fiery musicianship, Ryan Quigley will bring all the dynamism of his acclaimed sextet to the orchestral arrangements and guarantees Justin Currie a team of notable solo talents. The audience will enjoy a session of brassy, classically-conceived jazz for the band on their own and more sparsely written material to accompany guest Justin Currie. Tickets for Ryan Quigley Big Band With Justin Currie cost £13.50, concessions £11.50. www.bruntontheatre.co.uk

PAINTING COURSE Not far from Loch Lomond on 20th and 21st March, wildlife artist Colin Woolf will be holding a weekend course for budding artists wishing to improve - or even discover - their skills. Based at a country guest house, participants will be able to enjoy the lovely surroundings while receiving expert advice and tuition from a professional artist. Colin recently moved to central Scotland, and he believes that the carefully chosen location is ideal for a relaxing but stimulating learning experience. This won’t be a traditional, structured art course, but will reflect the individual aims and abilities of the participants. In addition to a day spent “in house” at the country hotel, the course will include a visit to Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre where participants can enjoy sketching and painting owls, eagles and falcons. Here Colin will provide an insight into the the physical form of the birds, a knowledge which he strongly believes is crucial to any finished artwork. If weather conditions allow, the group will then move on to Loch Lomond shores, for guidance on how to paint wildfowl and water. Colin's course is ideal for beginners, as well as people who already have a certain artistic ability but wish to take it further. Reservations are being taken now, and early booking is recommended. www.wildart.co.uk

 

SCOTLAND ON DVD Panamint Cinema’s DVD Young In Heart – Scottish Industry In Action is a collection of short industrial films celebrating the achievements of Scottish engineering companies. Rivers At Work (1958) tells the story of the electrification of the Highlands by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, with a commentary by John Grierson. Central Scotland (1962) is a regional geography 20-minute long film covering the area bounded by lines from Stonehaven to Helensburgh and Girvan to Dunbar. It looks at various industries - steel, engineering, shipbuilding, thread and textiles, coal, electricity, oil, plastics and farming. Young In Heart (1963) relates the development and production of the Hillman Imp at Linwood, and these reminiscences were of particular interest to our reviewer who fondly recalls many journeys around Scotland in the “gallant wee Scot” in the 60s and 70s. This production stars Bill (Dr Finlay) Simpson. The Invergordon Smelter (1972) considers the conception and construction of the aluminium smelter at Invergordon, while The Clyde Estuary (1975) traces the history of shipping and the shipbuilding industries on the Clyde estuary. Available from Panamint Cinema, Abercorn Schoolhouse, by Newton, West Lothian EH52 6PZ. (Please note the format is unsuitable for the USA and Canada.) www.panamint.co.uk

GIRLGUIDING EXHIBITION Stirling’s Smith Art Gallery and Museum is proud to host the centenary exhibition of Girlguiding UK which runs until 21st March. This exhibition presents the proud history of the movement and looks to the future, celebrating the changes and developments over the years. Opening hours are Tuesday – Saturday 10.30a.m. to 5.00p.m., Sunday 2.00p.m. to 5.00p.m., closed Mondays. On 21st March at 3.00p.m. a talk will accompany the centenary exhibition, looking at ongoing Girlguiding activity. Since January, when these talks began to complement the exhibition, audiences have heard how the humble jam jar has had a significant part to play in this work, and they have also been finding out about the life-changing projects members have undertaken in Ghana and other countries of Africa. Hear about the partnerships between some of the big charities who teamed up with Girlguiding UK to help change the world. Admission is free but booking essential – telephone 01786 471917 or email museum@smithartgallery.demon.co.uk

 

COOKERY SCHOOL The Lodge on Loch Goil, Argyll’s only 5-star exclusive-use venue, is to open its doors to food-lovers for individual bookings for the third month running in March 2010. Resting on the shores of Loch Goil, this establishment enjoys stunning views across the water to the mountains beyond. The organic menus use locally-sourced meat and seafood combined with herbs and vegetables grown in The Lodge’s kitchen garden. Guests can now learn how to recreate restaurant quality food at home by participating in one of the regular cook school courses. This year The Lodge launched its new cook school. Head chef, Donald Munro, promises to impart an indispensible culinary education to cooks of all standards on Cook School Weekends. Classes begin at 10.00a.m. and finish at 4.00p.m. and cost £125 per person, including lunch. The cook school aims to offer a real kitchen experience under Donald Munro's direction, and the format of the classes will vary to incorporate seasonal and freshly-available local ingredients. The Lodge's fishing boat will also be available to allow participants to spend a few hours on the loch fishing for pollock, cod, mackerel, sea trout and salmon. Filleting and preparing their catch for the table is demonstrated, making use of the new outdoor wood-burning stove in good weather. The Lodge can also arrange for wine, whisky and cocktail tastings to complement the cook school menus. Cook school dates in March are 6th and 20th. Mid-week cookery classes are also available by appointment. Telephone 01301 703173/ 703193. info@thelodge-scotland.com

RED SQUIRRELS Forestry Commission Scotland has received strong support for the concept of establishing a series of red squirrel strongholds. It will lead the work to plan and manage 18 stronghold sites aimed at safeguarding Scotland’s surviving red squirrel population. A stakeholder group will take the plans forward to develop guidance for land managers which will help in the management of stronghold areas in balance with other objectives, including increasing wider wildlife benefits from woodlands. Complementing work to control the spread of grey squirrels and the squirrelpox virus they carry, strongholds will be developed by Forestry Commission Scotland in association with landowners and managers, Scottish Natural Heritage and other parts of the Scottish Government. With each site being at least 2,000 hectares in size, around 100,000 hectacres of the best forest sites will be managed as refuges for red squirrels, focusing on ensuring food supplies for reds (from cone-bearing conifers) and restricting food sources preferred by greys (large-seeded broadleaves). Forestry Commission Scotland will work with landowners and local communities, aiming to finalise stronghold maps and develop suitable management plans in all the proposed locations — Ordiequish/Whiteash/Ben Aigan, Eredine, Culbin Forest, Inverliever, Black Isle, Kilmichael, Glentochty, South Rannoch, Glen Glass, Fleet Basin, Morangie Forest, Daviot Loch Moy, Inshriach and Glenfeshie, Leanachan, Balmoral to Inver, Eskdalemuir, Glenbranter, Abernethy, and Nethy Bridge.