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From ancient towers perched on green embankments to cheeky weasels peeking out from stone cracks, Scotland’s natural charm never fails to surprise. This week’s selection of your photos, sent between July 4 and 11, captures the everyday magic that unfolds when the skies clear — or even when they don’t. Kinnoull Hill Tower: Perth’s Picture-Perfect Spot Mark Taylor’s shot of Kinnoull Hill Tower is one for the postcards. Perched high on a grassy embankment above the River Tay, the tower feels like a sentinel watching over Perth’s fields and bushes below. A zig-zag river carves its way through the landscape,…

If you ask whisky devotees where they’d stake their heart, The Macallan would probably top that list. For decades, the Highland distillery has poured itself into the glasses — and memories — of aficionados worldwide, and some would argue, none more so than the Jewish community who cherish single malts like a sacred ritual. I’ve had the odd pleasure of revisiting The Macallan roughly every two decades. Funny how a spirit can bookmark your life like that. And through all its changes — from a modest family-owned operation to an international icon — it’s never lost that spark that made…

It was supposed to be a Southern Tour bounce-back for Scotland. Instead, they’re heading to Auckland licking wounds after Fiji’s powerful 29-15 win in Suva — a match packed with cards, missed chances, and a reminder that the Flying Fijians at home are no easy mark. Yellow and red cards haunted the Scots, opening the door for Fiji to bag crucial World Cup ranking points before the December draw. Another “pool of death” is the last thing either side wants. Cards, Possession, and Missed Scottish Fire Fiji’s win didn’t come from nowhere — Scotland opened with a bright 7-0 lead…

Scotland is sizzling under its hottest spell of the year so far — with forecasters confirming the country is officially in heatwave territory as temperatures rocket past 28°C across several regions. For many, it’s sun cream, shades and paddling pools at the ready. For others, the unusual heat is bringing both excitement and concern. Hottest Spots On The Map The mercury’s been climbing all week. By Friday, Aboyne in Aberdeenshire topped the lot at a scorching 28.9°C, narrowly beating Aviemore and Inverness at 28°C. A single line: Even Glasgow and Edinburgh basked in temperatures nudging 27°C and 26°C. Come Saturday,…

In a tucked-away corner of Glasgow’s East End, something unprecedented is happening in Britain’s fight against drug deaths. Here, at the Thistle safer drug consumption facility, people can inject heroin or cocaine under medical supervision — legally, safely, and without fear of arrest. No back alleys. No judgment. Just a chance to survive another day. Scotland’s Sobering Numbers Scotland’s drug crisis isn’t new — it’s notorious. The country has the highest drug-related death rate in Europe. For years, public health leaders and families have called for action that puts compassion ahead of punishment. One-liner: The Thistle represents that shift. Backed…

Scotland’s peak holiday season could be thrown into chaos later this month as Glasgow Airport staff gear up for a 48-hour strike, threatening to ground thousands of family getaways. Bitter Pay Dispute Boils Over The planned walkout, set for July 24–26, comes after months of fraught negotiations between workers and the airport’s new owner, AviAlliance. About 100 staff — including airport ambassadors, engineers, managers, and airside support — are turning up the heat for an above-inflation pay deal. They’ve already rejected a 4% pay offer, calling it out of step with the rising cost of living. Unite’s general secretary, Sharon…

Erin Napier is swapping small-town Mississippi for the misty streets of Scotland — and she’s doing it with a grin, despite a fear that once kept her closer to home. A Scotsman’s Homecoming, with Erin by His Side Fans of HGTV’s Home Town know Erin and Ben Napier for their old-house charm and Southern hospitality. But chilly Edinburgh isn’t Laurel, Mississippi. For Ben, though, this trip is personal — it’s a chance to show his roots. “Seeing his homeland with my Scotsman 🏴,” Erin wrote under a sun-dappled Instagram snap. She and Ben are bundled up in jackets and sunglasses,…

They call it a renewable milestone. Four underwater turbines off the Caithness coast, churning out clean power as tides roll in and out. But a closer look at Scotland’s MeyGen project suggests that while the tides may be free, the electricity certainly isn’t. The Numbers Beneath the Waves It sounds poetic — turbines spinning silently beneath the surf, catching the moon’s pull. Yet the money side of it is a bit less dreamy. MeyGen’s first phase, four turbines producing six megawatts, cost around £51 million back in the mid-2010s. Factor in inflation and we’re talking £66 million today — about…

Rianne Downey still pinches herself. Just a few years ago, she was busking on Sauchiehall Street, guitar case open for coins. This Sunday, she’ll stand under the bright lights at TRNSMT, her name sharing the bill with some of the biggest acts around. It’s the sort of leap that doesn’t sink in overnight. Busking Beginnings That Shaped a Star Downey’s story kicks off with the clang of spare change. She was just another hopeful voice echoing off Glasgow’s concrete, her blonde hair catching the eye as much as her raw, smoky vocals caught the ear. Back then, she’d lug her…

Tattoo artists in West Dunbartonshire say they feel “ripped off” as they’re charged licensing fees up to four times higher than anywhere else in Scotland — and they want answers. Artists Cry Foul Over “Outrageous” Costs Red and Natalie, who run River Styx studio on Main Street in Alexandria, have gone public with their frustration after discovering they’re paying £2,033.50 to renew their tattoo license — compared to just £371 in Glasgow. “I feel ripped off and annoyed,” said Red. “Anybody in West Dunbartonshire would be annoyed. Why is it £2,000 here and £400 elsewhere?” One short line: He’s not…