Out of Doors

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Factual: Science & Nature

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Out of Doors: A Crannog, the Arbroath Taj Mahal and Grey Squirrels

A Crannog, the Arbroath Taj Mahal and Grey Squirrels

BBC Radio Scotland - Out of Doors, A Crannog, the Arbroath Taj Mahal and Grey Squirrels

Mark Stephen and Rachel Stewart with stories from the great outdoors.

Mark is in Hazlehead Park in Aberdeen hearing how the team from Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels is working to remove the grey squirrel population from the city.  

In June 2021 fire destroyed the replica Iron Age Crannog on Loch Tay. In the years since, the Scottish Crannog Centre has moved location to the other side of the loch and the team has been working to create a new replica Iron Age village. Rachel went to see their progress and explore the new site.

The Memorial Chapel in Arbroath’s Western cemetery was designed by Patrick Allan-Fraser, who established the town’s Hospitalfield House as a centre for arts and crafts, as a memorial to his late wife Elizabeth and her parents. It’s a striking building but has never been used to its full potential.  Laura Guthrie goes for a visit and hears how the Hospitalfield House team hope to use it.

We continue to hear from each of the areas vying to be given National Park status. This week, Mark is in Pitlochry hearing about the bid for the Tay Forest National Park.

The recent stormy weather has caused a number of puffins to be stranded on North East beaches. We hear from the New Arc Wildlife Centre about why birds become stranded and what to do if you come across an injured bird. 

While Rachel visited the new Scottish Crannog Centre, she spoke to some of the team who are working to recreate the Iron Age village. There’s a whole host of people on site including a traditional carpenter, archaeologists and a green woodworker. 

It’s nearly 40 years since the Winter Garden at Saughton Park in Edinburgh was redeveloped.  Rachel speaks to Craig Dunlop, Park and Green Space officer, about how the park has changed over the years.   

And we hear an excerpt from the recent Scotland Outdoors podcast looking back on the career of the late Charlie Allan. Charlie was a real North East Man O' Pairts - broadcaster, writer, farmer, singer and sportsman. We hear some of his archive recordings.

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