Out of Doors

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Factual: Science & Nature

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Out of Doors: Adders, Aberdeen Beach and Climate Tales

Adders, Aberdeen Beach and Climate Tales

BBC Radio Scotland - Out of Doors, Adders, Aberdeen Beach and Climate Tales

Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith with stories from the great outdoors.

Our midweek Scotland Outdoors podcast this week features Mark and Euan chatting to our recently retired BBC Orkney colleague, Dave Gray.  Dave had a stint presenting Out of Doors during which he made a crucial change to the programme as he explains.

We delve into the archive for a piece Euan recorded about adders at the Muir of Dinnet nature reserve.  At this time of year, the males are enjoying basking in the sun and the females are just waking up.

Mark is back on his bike continuing his journey along the Aberdeen coastal trail.  This week he passes the busy industrial harbour before cycling through picturesque Footdee or Fittie.  Then it’s along Beach Boulevard with memories of holidays gone by and the promise of sunny days to come.

A night time bird call has been puzzling Mark and Euan for the past couple of weeks.  Could Mark and Ian from the North East Bird Report have cracked what they heard?

Nan Shepherd’s book, The Living Mountain, has become one of the most celebrated works of nature writing to come out of Scotland.   In an upcoming feature for BBC Radio 3, Helen Needham followed in Nan’s footsteps to find the source of the River Dee.  We hear part of Helen’s journey.  

We’re joined live by Rory Crawford who is a marine biologist with the RSPB and one of the judges of BBC Radio Scotland’s Climate Tales competition.  We find out more about Rory as well as how young people can get involved in the competition. 

Euan is near Tomintoul, one of the highest villages in Scotland, to hear the grizzly tale of Percy Toplis who became known as the Monocled Mutineer. 

We’re back in Cathcart Cemetery with author and journalist Peter Ross.  He shows Robbie Armstrong some of his favourite headstones and the stories that accompany them including the tale of a music hall star and a Gaelic singer. 

Once again Euan is testing our ornithological nous with a mystery bird.

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