Hay's Way

The Scotsman's Rural Affairs Correspondent Katharine Hay is walking around Scotland in 2024 to visit our rural communities and see first hand issues facing them

East Coast Looking North, Insh Island, Slate Islands

Scotland's last 'untouched' private island goes on sale for £500,000
Insh Island hosts the World Stone Skimming competition each year.
Katharine Hay

Work begins on new Gaelic centre

Work starts on new £8m Gaelic centre on Scotland's most visited island

Ed Smith, documentary photographer, sets out on a year long project to document the environment, culture and economy of the River Spey. July 2025

Life on river Spey to be captured in photographer's year-long project

Molly and Calum lost two Labradors to Louping Ill in the space of two years

Couple's 'horrific' time losing two dogs to 'under radar' tick disease

Many areas in Scotland are facing an extreme risk of wildfire, and the public have been warned against using naked flames.

Allow muirburn or risk 'catastrophic' wildfires in rural Scotland

Skye's popularity as a tourist destination has priced many workers out of the housing market (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Skye experts dispute regular claims wind farms don't impact tourism
Island experts said research on tourism impact often only focuses on when a wind farm is operational rather than also looking at the construction period.

SkiffieWorlds set to take place next month

The 2,000-strong rowing extravaganza descending on this Scottish town

sfs

Scottish island newspaper goes to print on home soil for the last time

Ben Aketil in Skye from just above the A850. A public inquiry is due to begin in June after Highland Council objected to a plan to replace existing windfarm with nine new turbines that are 200 metres tall - twice the height of current model.

Plans for 50 more wind turbines officially lodged for Skye

A stag fitted with a GPS collar as part of the deer management initiative

Why deer in the Highlands are being fitted with GPS collars

The Isle of Skye lies in the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency, which was originally held by Charles Kennedy and is being targeted by the Lib Dems at the coming general election. Picture: Getty Images

Why more than 50,000 sheep have disappeared from Highland estates

Turbines standing up to 200m tall – nearly six times the height of the Skye Bridge – could be built on the internationally famous Misty Isle if new wind farm plans get the go-ahead. Picture: Andrew Robinson

'They will change Skye forever' -Landowner who turned down wind farms

Ruraidh Stewart, centre, with residents from Skye gathering at the inquiry into the Ben Aketil wind farm this week

'Skye not for sale': Highland residents stand strong as inquiry starts
An inquiry into plans to double the size of turbines on Skye started this week.
Katharine Hay

Shuna Island

Scottish island with crumbling castle on sale for £5.5m

The heavy horse turnout pairs in the main ring on Saturday at the Royal Highland Showground in Edinburgh.

Methane tractor, a Clydesdale called Yorkie and a world record smashed

Gordon McConachie, who was showing Aberdeen Angus and Highland Cattle at the Royal Highland Show

Farmers angst over political uncertainty at Highland Show

Muirburn, controlled burning in cooler months, can help reduce the risk of wildfires

Decision to delay new muirburn rules hailed as a 'pragmatic' move

Farmers hold a tractor rally in protest at changes to inheritance tax on Edinburgh's city bypass (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Farmers vow to 'not give up' with pressure on 'family farm tax'

Cattle numbers will not be reduced, Scottish Government has said

Scotland rejects climate change advice to cut livestock herds

Farmers in Scotland are still waiting on both the UK and Scottish governments for more clarity on how the future subsidy payment system will be funded (pic: Lisa Ferguson)

Highland Show celebrations overshadowed by government failing farmers Katharine Hay

A view of some cattle near New Luce in Dumfries and Galloway

Exclusive Scottish Government accused of 'stagnation' over future of farming

Four year-old pupils from Apple Tree Nursery in Argyll & Bute, Brogan Laurie, Neil George-McKirdy, Zander Simpson and Ava Wilson, travelled by boat and bus to present Miniature Mediterranean Donkey, Doris, with her First place rosette. After receiving a £400 donation from the Argyll & Bute Agricultural Committee, the pupils formed their own agricultural committee and decided to use the money to attend the Royal Highland Show. (Pic: Ian Georgeson)

Explainer Royal Highland Show - all you need to know for this year

The proposed 190km overhead line from Peterhead to Beauly has been redivided from five sections to 11 sections.

'It's distressing': Singer's message on net zero impact on Highlands

”I received an apology from the SNP farming minister after I raised the question of prime agricultural land being lost in Angus and the Mearns.”

Energy bosses accused of overlooking landowner rights in Net Zero push

Going for a swim

Waters of Life: A Fight for Scotland’s Beavers by Tom Bowser review

Overhead line upgrade for Skye consented after

Ministers issue decision on island's controversial power line upgrade

Campaigners protesting against the announcement to mothball Glass nursery

Council U-turns on nursery closure call ahead of emergency meeting

Lack of grid capacity raises costs as turbines are ordered to shut down

'Scandalous waste of money' - £500m windfarm bill for creaking grid

Electricity bills do not reflect the relatively cheap cost of energy produced by windfarms like Whitelees, near Eaglesham (Picture: Andrew Milligan)

'New game, old rules': How locals should benefit from net zero rush

A Government poll conducted last year found almost eight out of 10 people (78 per cent) support onshore wind, but less than half (43 per cent) would be happy for turbines to be built in their local area.

Is 'nimbyism' the new normal in rural Scotland in push for Net Zero?

The old man of Storr on the Isle of Skye.

Exclusive Calls to freeze Net Zero projects as eyes on Skye for windfarm inquiry

Onshore wind farms are going to have to increase by at least double, energy bosses have said

Exclusive 'Onshore wind needs to double in Scotland in the next five years'

The communities feeling left behind in the push for Scotland’s Net Zero place on the international stage.

Exclusive Rural communities 'abandoned' in the industrial-scale net zero changes

Angus Campbell has been awarded a commercial fishing licence for bluefin tuna

Rare fishing licence given to Scottish boat with eyes on Tokyo market

Three isn't a crowd for the osprey it seems

Rare bird of prey love triangle caught on camera

Beldorney estate has been sold by Highlands Rewilding

Exclusive Whisky chief buys castle after rewilding company has to sell up

Castlebay on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides.

Visitors warned to bring own medication to islands over scarce supply

An illustration of how Flamingo Land at Loch Lomond would appear

Fury as Scottish Government set to approve Flamingo Land resort

Farmers hold a tractor rally in protest at changes to inheritance tax on Edinburgh's city bypass (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

Labour majority group call for delay to farm tax over 'poor' policy

A white-tailed eagle, also known as sea eagle, in flight. Picture: Odd Andersen/AFP via Getty Images

'Soul destroying': Farmers speak of sea eagles feasting on lambs

The river Spey is one of the world’s more famous salmon fishing rivers

Plans for new hydrogen plant blasted as 'madness'

The river Affric running into Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin in Glen Affric, Affric Highlands.

New rewilding charity launches covering 200,000 hectares of Highlands

The UK’s internationally rare heather moorland habitat is at risk

'Cherished' moorland the size of Birmingham lost each year

The main harbour and lighthouse at Scalasaig, the main settlement on Colonsay where the new affordable homes will be built. PIC: CC/dun-deagh

Man offers business on beautiful island for free

Driving a Polestar 4 in the Highlands

Polestar 4: My experience as a novice to EVs driving Tesla's rival

Peat pile on Lewis in the Outer Hebrides

Visitors warned to stop helping themselves to peat on islands

Atlantic oak woodland at the Glenborrodale RSPB Nature Reserve on Scotland's west coast. Picture: Colin Wilkinson/RSPB

Scotland included in £40m project to connect UK coast rainforest

Broughtonknowe woodland has been purchased by a local community group

Residents buy Scottish woodland for £750,000 to keep it in community

Burntisland Parish Church (Pic: TSPL)

Exclusive Church of Scotland set to axe jobs to plug multi-million pound deficit

Vulnerable people in remote parts of Scotland could see their heating stuck at 'on' when the automatic radio teleswitch service is switched off in June (Picture: CM Dixon/Heritage Images)

Warning meters in 100,000 Scottish homes could stop working by July

New map shows all major renewable developments in Highlands

Map shows all major renewable energy projects in Highlands

Ronay island is set for rewilding plan

Scottish island to see 'robust' deer management in rewilding plan

Seabirds at risk because of proposed windfarm development

Calls to stop massive wind farm over thousands of forecast bird deaths

Insect splats have shown a steep decline in Scotland in the last five years

Insect splats on cars in Scotland show 'significant' drop in 5 years

Selkirk is one of the towns in the Borders that could be impacted by the potential closure of facilities

Proposed closures will 'rip the heart out of our communities'

There have been concerns over the spacing between caravans and motorhomes in the council car parks

Government accused of encouraging 'fly-by-night' caravan sites

Hawick library is one the list of potential closures

Consultants advise closing libraries and axing 50 jobs in this area

Sparrowhawk Shutterstock

Appeal after bird of prey found shot in the Highlands

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Scotland has failed to meet its latest target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the latest official figures show. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire

Fail: Scotland misses climate target

Pro-independence protesters with Scottish Saltire flags (top) march for Scottish independence. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Yousaf: Growing popular support for Yes the only way to Scottish independence

Nadine Dorries. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

SNP MP cleared of bullying Nadine Dorries