CASTLES
Did your clan or family own a castle? Virtually all Scottish monarchs, nobles, lairds and landowners, Highland or Lowland, lived in castles, palaces or tower houses; it has been estimated that there were more than 3000 of these fortified buildings in Scotland during the medieval and early modern period.
Castles Of The Clans, written by Martin Coventry and published by Goblinshead, features more than 750 clans and families along with the thousands of castles, properties and lands that they held. Organised alphabetically, each entry begins with the name of the clan or family, a map locating key places, and information about the family and their origins. More than 650 drawings and photos enhance the text.
An essential resource and a fascinating read, Castles Of The Clans (ISBN 978-1899874361) costs £17.95 and is available from bookshops.
 
GLASGOW
Greenbank Garden is an educational oasis to inspire and educate visitors on what to grow and how to grow a wide range of more unusual plants. The Walled Garden is divided into more than 30 domestic-sized themed gardens, including seasons, colours and senses. It houses the National Collection of Bergenia (108 named forms) and various plant trials are conducted there.
A National Trust for Scotland property, Greenbank Garden is open all year round, from 9.30 a.m. until sunset. The shop and tearoom are open 21st March to 31st October daily.
Greenbank House is open until 31st October, Sundays 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Admission is adult £5.00, concessions £4.00. Free to National Trust for Scotland members. For further details telephone 0844 4932201.
www.nts.org.uk
RAILWAY DVD
The Callander and Oban railway lines as well as Crainlarich to Oban and the Ballachulish Branch are the focus
of a DVD, Caledonian Routes Volume Four, which concludes the fascinating history of the C & O and its two branch lines.
Caledonian Routes Volume Four features maps, ephemera, photographs, cine and modern scenes, including the Oban and Mallaig services "splitting" at Crianlarich and a trip down the spur to the C & O, which saw unprecedented activity in the 1960s.
A fascinating archive for rail enthusiasts, Caledonian Routes Volume Four costs £19.95.

www.oakwoodv.co.uk
 
DUMFRIES
Dumfries & Galloway welcomes the season with Spring Fling 2008 from 24th to 26th May. Spring Fling offers the exciting opportunity to meet the South-West's talented artists and craft workers in their own studios.
87 are taking part this year, whether tucked away in a farm steading or set up in a dedicated studio. Visitors
can also experience Super Nature, presented by Artists' Collective CNN at Balloch Wood, Creetown, an
interactive light installation with music.
For a free full-colour brochure telephone 01387 262084.

www.spring-fling.co.uk
ISLANDS
Around Scotland there are hundreds of islands, from bare, rugged skerries to lush dominions of history and
deep-rooted culture.
In The Magic Of The Scottish Islands, ISBN 978-0-7153-2856-9, published by David and Charles, stunning
photography by Jon Sparks is accompanied by evocative and in-depth commentary from Terry Marsh,
portraying the main island groups in all their moods and focusing on what it is that gives these islands their
magical appeal.
The Magic Of The Scottish Islands costs £11.99 from bookshops.
www.davidandcharles.co.uk
 
PITLOCHRY
Pitlochry boasts a "bookshop with station attached", an expression coined by First ScotRail's external
relations manager, John Yellowlees. Founded in 2005, by locals Priscilla Lorimer, Nancy Cameron and Elizabeth Templeton and Councillor the late Eleanor Howie, the second-hand bookshop supports five charities and has raised £11,000 so far.
Open from 9.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, the bookshop is entirely staffed by unpaid volunteers.

THE ISLE OF ARRAN
Arran is expecting hundreds of visitors during the Arran Wildlife Festival, which takes place from 14th to 21st
May. Highlights in the Festival programme include the chance to spot some of Arran's elusive and rare wildlife, such as golden eagles, as well as barn owls, bats, seals and red deer.
Whisky fans can indulge their passion with the Whitebeams and Whisky tour, while the geology of this unique
landscape will be explored in a variety of walks. For the more adventurous, there will be opportunities for trying
out sea kayaking as well as the chance to take a high-speed trip on an RIB out to the island of Ailsa Craig, home to gannets, guillemots and puffins.
www.arranwildlife.co.uk
 
FIFE
Birkhill Castle gardens near Balmerino, Fife, are open to the public on Monday 26th May from 2.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. The castle boasts an outstanding woodland garden with 100-ft magnolias and rhododendrons. There are stunning views across the "silvery" Tay. There is also a formal walled garden with vegetables and an orchard, as well as rose walks and multitudes of wild flowers.
Take the road off the A92 at Rathillet sign-posted Hazelton. Admission is £4.00, children free.
www.birkhillcastle.org.uk
This is only one of hundreds of gardens throughout the country which open their gates to the public under
Scotland's Gardens Scheme, which was created as a registered charity in 1931.
All the gardens, from Dunnet in Caithness to Woodfall in Wigtownshire, are listed in Gardens Of Scotland
2008, which costs £5.50 from bookshops or tourist outlets. It can also be purchased mail order from Scotland's Gardens Scheme, 42a Castle Street, Edinburgh EH2 3BN for £6.50 which includes p. & p. Call 0131 226 3714.
www.gardensofscotland.org
AVIEMORE
Aviemore welcomes the sixth Aviemore Walking Festival, now branded Aviemore and the Cairngorms Walking and Mountain Festival, which takes place from 10th to 17th May.
There will be around 10 guided walks each day, ranging from easy gentle walks in the glens to strenuous
hikes up the country's highest peaks, including a mini expedition involving spending two nights in mountain
bothies. On offer as part of the Mountain Festival are mountain biking, kayaking, white water rafting, climbing, canyoning and more.
A full evening programme of events will include mountain-related talks, films, Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team Open Night and a Ceilidh Supper.
Further details from www.aviemorewalking.com or write to Aviemore and the Cairngorms Walking and
Mountain Festival, PO Box 5349, Aviemore PH22 1YG.

 
LOSSIEMOUTH
Possiemouth on the Moray Firth is the setting for a DVD featuring three brand new adventures for Para Handy and the crew of the Vital Spark. Including opening and closing scenes shot on the Crinan Canal, The New Tales of Para Handy were written by Derek Laing, directed by Jane Paige and shot at The Warehouse Theatre, Lossiemouth before an audience.
The New Tales of Para Handy is believed to be the first commercially available Para Handy audio-visual product since the BBC productions starring Roddy Macmillan and later Gregor Fisher in the title role, now played by Lawrence Douglas, who portrayed David Balfour in Kidnapped.
The New Tales of Para Handy costs £12.50 plus p. & p.
www.parahandy.tv
ARRAN
Arran, "Scotland in miniature" is featured in a new guidebook from Rucksack Readers. The Arran Coastal Way includes a detailed route description of the Way, which is one of Scotland's newest long-distance walks, as well as a map of the entire island, practical information about public transport and travel and information on the whisky-making, geology, history and wildlife of the island.
The Arran Coastal Way (ISBN 978-1-898481-28-7) costs £10.99 and is available from bookshops or online.
www.rucsacs.com
 
BLAIRGOWRIE
The Victoria Hotel is the meeting place for Blairgowrie and Rattray Blethers, a group of like-minded people who get together to reminisce about the town and its interesting past. The group meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 10.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon and photographs and memories are exchanged. Margaret Laing, one of the founder members, is currently collecting stories and plans to have a Book of Memories published.
A glimpse into the past has been set up within the hotel with the creation of a replica of Miss Greive's Drapery Shop, a feature of life in Blairgowrie for many years.
New members are welcome. Telephone 01250 872875.

E-mail anton.blair@gmail.com
BEAULY
Beauly in Inverness-shire is the setting for Beauly Gallery, which is hosting Highland Open Studios week from 31st May to 8th June. This event is a chance to meet many of the exhibiting artists who will be demonstrating how they work. Also taking place this month is a Fathers' Day Event on Sunday 15th which includes live music and a lecture plus slide show from Ian Cameron of Transient Light Photography.
Further details from 01463 783508.

www.beaulygallery.co.uk
 
BALQUHIDDER
Balquhidder Braes Caravan and Camping Park, situated at Balquhidder Station near Lochearnhead is only one of the sites listed in a new map, Scottish Campsites and Caravan Parks. Showing the location of over 400 official campsites and caravan parks in Scotland, the map is an essential guide to help you find your perfect pitch.
Available for £5.00 plus p. & p. Call 01561 377165.

www.scottishcamping.com
GARDENING
Scotland is one of the best places in the world for gardening and there are more world-class gardens and plant collections in Scotland than in any other country of comparable size.
Garden Plants For Scotland (ISBN 978-0-7112-2675-3), published by Frances Lincoln Limited, evaluates the performance of thousands of plants in gardens all over the country and describes the most reliable shrubs, trees, fruit and perennials for our climate.
Written by Kenneth Cox of Glendoick Gardens Ltd (see The Scots Magazine, March 2006) and Raoul Curtis-Machin, Garden Plants For Scotland is a must-have for keen gardeners from The Borders in the south to Shetland in the north.
Garden Plants For Scotland costs £25.00 and is available from bookshops.
 
ROTHIEMURCHUS
Rothiemurchus near Aviemore is where to enjoy some Evening Wildlife Watching on Saturday 7th June at 8.30 p.m. Watch wildlife from the purpose-built hide with an expert on hand. If you are lucky you may glimpse pine martens, badgers and much more. Adult, £20.00, child, £10.00. Booking essential. Call 01479 812498.
This is only one of the events during Wildlife Week 2008, co-ordinated by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, which takes place from 7th to 15th June.
For further information log on to www.swt.org.uk or send for a free leaflet to Wildlife Week, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Cramond House, Cramond, Edinburgh EH4 6NS enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope.
ANCRUM
Ancrum near Jedburgh is the location of the Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre, the meeting point for a Harestanes History Hike on Sunday 15th June at 10.15 a.m.
Join Scottish Borders Council's archaeology officer on a 10-mile circular walk to discover the area's rich past. The walk lasts for approx-imately six and a half hours including a stop for lunch.
Bring wet weather clothing, walking boots and lunch. Cost is adults £4.00, children £2.00, concessions £3.00 (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult). Booking is recommended. Telephone 01835 830306 or e-mail harestanes@ scotborders.gov.uk
This is only one of a diverse programme of events featured in Edinburgh, Lothians and Scottish Borders Outdoor Diary 2008/2009.
The booklet is available from libraries, Tourist Information Centres and leaflet racks throughout the region or by calling 0845 367 3787 enclosing an sae.

 
ABERDEEN
The Maritime Museum hosts Ben Boats: Watercolours of George Wiseman, an exhibition which runs until 16th August. George Wiseman was a pierhead artist who painted many of the trawlers of the 1950s and 1960s built in Aberdeen for the Richard Irvin trawler fleet. Irvin named most of their vessels after Scottish Mountains, hence the familiar name "Ben Boats".
Often using the shipyard plans to ensure the accuracy of the vessel, Wiseman was able to create images of an important period in Aberdeen's fishing heritage. The display includes two newly acquired watercolours of the Ben Loyal and Ben Lui.
Admission is free.
Telephone 01224 337700.
EDINBURGH
Edinburgh Castle houses the National War Museum which hosts an exhibition Call To Arms until Ist February, 2009. From a 15th-century mercenary to an infantry soldier in today's army, this exciting new exhibition covers the bloody and important history of the men on the fighting front of Scotland's battlefields.
Examining 800 years of clothing, protection, weapons and tactics, Call To Arms highlights four archetypal Scottish fighting men: a 15th-century "Galloglaigh" roving mercenary, a 17th-century Highland warrior fighting for kith and clan, a 19th- century Scottish soldier employed by the British Army and today's soldier tackling the challenges of modern day warfare.
Jonathan Ferguson, Assistant Curator at the National War Museum, said: "Scotland has always had a fearsome reputation on the battlefield and while technology has unquestionably changed the way warfare has been conducted over the centuries, one thing remains constant: the importance of infantry in any conflict. Call To Arms reveals the lives, weapons and motivations of the 'boots on the ground' - your average Scottish fighting man."
The exhibition is free with admission to the castle - adult £11.00, child £5.50, concessions £9.00.
 
DUNOON
Benmore Botanic Garden, Dunoon, is the setting for an annual Plant Sale and Craft Fair at The Courtyard on Sunday 1st June from 12.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. An extensive range of herbaceous plants and shrubs, along with flower pouches, indoor plants and many other items are on sale. Local crafts, a demonstration of chainsaw carving and a Treasure Hunt for children are part of the event.
Entry to the garden is free all day. The garden is situated on the A815, five miles from Dunoon.

WALKS
Banchory, Aboyne, Ballater and Braemar are highlighted in a handy, pocket-sized guide that details 35 walks in the hills and glens. Produced by Ian Hustwick, the profits from the sale of the guide go to CLAN, an independent charity which provides support to sufferers of cancer.
Durris to Luibeg costs £7.50 and is available from outlets throughout Deeside or from CLAN Cancer Support Centre, Caroline Place, Aberdeen AB25 2TH.

Telephone 01224 647000.
 
AYRSHIRE
Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre at Beith in Ayrshire provides a welcome haven for injured and orphaned wildlife. It occupies a 20 acre site, including woodland, marsh and open water. Facilities include an intensive care unit, a swan/seal hospital with indoor pool, a hedgehog unit, a surgery with X-ray equipment and more than 60 outdoor aviaries, enclosures and release pens.
An Open Day takes place on Sunday 8th June, from 12 noon till 4.00 p.m. There will be guided tours where some of the patients can be seen, as well as a chance to witness hand rearing in the nursery unit. Over the winter several common seals and 10 grey seal pups were reared, and more than 50 hedgehogs were overwintered.
Hessilhead is an independent charity.
www.hessilheadwildlife.org.uk
PORTSOY
Portsoy on the Banffshire coast hosts the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival from 20th to 22nd June. Now in its 15th year, this year's event is themed "Salmon Cobbles and Silver Darlings" to celebrate the planned restoration of the town's Salmon Bothy.
The Festival celebrates the area's proud fishing heritage, with historic and contemporary exhibits depicting the changing face of fishing over the decades. A selection of heritage demonstrations will also highlight a distinctive range of crafts including smoking fish, knot tying, creel making, throwing pots, turning wood and the blacksmiths' art.
Entry to the harbour area is £6 for adults, £4 for children and concessions.
www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.co.uk