Heritage and Retro

Little Colonsay: To mark the 20th anniversary of the first book in the series of 12, Cowell has written a new short story titled How To Train Your Hogfly, which will be published in the special anniversary edition of How To Train Your Dragon on June 8.

How To Train Your Dragon Scottish island inspiration revealed

Crime writer Val McDermid : Photo by David Empson/Shutterstock (8971547d)

Val McDiarmid hails 'culture for everyone, not just the few' as services cut

Haystacks and kids at Satran in 1963. PIC: Minginish Centenary Project.

Scottish island celebrates 100 years since land resettled after clearances

Coffee shops were places to do serious business in 17th and 18th century Britain (Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

How coffee helped build modern Scotland (after playing a part in its ruination)

Scotland is famous for its colourful vocabulary and that includes our descriptions of the human body via the Scots language.

21 Scottish words for body parts, how many do you know? Scots Human Anatomy

Morna Young is adapting the Lewis Grassic Gibbon novel Sunset Song for a new stage production.

Writer Morna Young to become first woman to adapt Sunset Song for the stage

Senior Curator of Medieval Archaeology Alice Blackwell and Head of Medieval and Early Modern Records, National Records of Scotland Dr Alan Borthwick, take a closer look at The Declaration of Arbroath

Rare chance to view Declaration of Arbroath as it goes on public display

Heritage

Robert the Bruce became one of the most revered Scottish warriors of all time following his historic victory at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314).

Kings of Scotland: 13 Famous Scottish Kings and why we remember them to this day

If you hear a Scot referring to “wee beasties” then keep an eye out because this refers to pesky small insects, and if it’s expressed like “they’ve got wee beasties in their hair” then there’s a case of headlice going on.

Scotland’s Favourite Scottish Words: 40 Braw Scots phrases like "Wee Beasties"

You can find Fingal’s Cave on the Isle of Staffa located south-west off the Isle of Ulva. The uninhabited island is only half a mile in length and is composed exclusively of hexagonally jointed basalt columns (like the ones at the Giant’s Causeway on Ireland’s north coast.) “Fingal” is said to be an anglicisation of Finn MacCumhaill who was an Irish General who commanded the Feinne, a group who fended off the Norsemen and other such invaders. The site is also famed for its colourful folklore about giants that see Scottish and Irish mythology overlap.

Scotland's Incredible Caves: 17 Scottish caves with fascinating heritage

A red rockpool near the New Aberdour Caves on the Moray First Coast. PIC: SEPA.

'Red rockpools' warning issued with dog walkers told to stay away

Lindores Distillery still

Lindores Bear Burning 2023: We experience this modern ritual

Rockall sits 200 miles west of the Outer Hebrides and is where adventurer Cam Cameron plans to spend the next 60 days. PIC: Óglaigh na hÉireann/CC.

Three men land on Rockall as 60-day survival challenge begins

Scottish artists, inventors, scientists, humanitarians, sportspeople, historical figures and more have been at the heart of revolutionary change that has impacted the world.

The Most Influential Scots of All Time: 17 Scottish icons voted by our readers

The photograph of the HMS Challenger research team who were based at 32 Queen Street, Edinburgh. The frame is made of wood taken from the ship's mast. PIC: NMS.

Rare photograph found in Edinburgh second-hand shop left to nation

A favourite phrase for Scotland's summers, if you're lucky enough to have a sunny day then it's "taps aff" (or tops/ t-shirts off) so you can enjoy the Vitamin D in full.

Top 37 Scottish words for Scotland's weather starting with "taps aff"

Retro

Having given joy to generations, Portobello Bathing Pool and its gorgeous art deco surrounds met with the wrecking ball in 1988. The pool, which dated from 1936, closed for the final time in 1978.

17 incredible buildings we loved and lost

Some of my 'new old stock' blank cassettes - tapes produced decades ago, in some cases, that remain in their sealed packaging.

Reeling in my obsession for frustrating music format - Scott Reid

Kinnaird Head lighthouse

Spotlight on Scotland's best-known lighthouses - Roger O'Reilly

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Gregor Townsend takes the brunt of the Welsh charge in the Scotland v Wales rugby game, 19 Feb 1996

25 photos transporting you back to Edinburgh in 1996

Situated at the foot of the Mound, the Life Association of Scotland Building was regarded by many as an architectural masterpiece. Its demolition in 1968 caused uproar among conservationists.

In pictures: 17 incredible buildings we lost

There were no shortage of big album releases in 2003.

13 music albums that mark their 20th anniversary in 2023

Last year, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of Robert Stevenson, the man credited with designing the majority of Scotland's lighthouses.

19 Beautiful Scottish Lighthouses built by the famous Robert Stevenson

April 5 marks 29 years since the passing of iconic musician Kurt Cobain - we explore his Scottish links here. Cr: (AP Photo/Robert Sorbo).

Kurt Cobain: When Nirvana played Edinburgh - plus Cobain's Scottish connections

More Scottish Heritage and Retro

-Football at Eagle Heights in Sighthill, Glasgow. The tower block was demolished in 2008, around three years after this photograph was taken. PIC: Toby Binder.

'Timeless' photo collection of Scotland's bond with football emerges

No, you’re not asking about the state of someone’s physical fitness with this Doric phrase. “Fit like?” is a greeting which is used to say “hey, how are you?” Another way you can say this is “Foo’re ye deein?”

25 Handy Doric Phrases: A Guid guide to Scottish Doric starting with "Fit Like?"

Eriskay Ganseys were high-necked numbers secured by buttons (Left) with expertly knitted patterns and symbols woven into them as shown in Matthew Topsfield's presentation with the Scottish Fisheries Museum (Right).

Eriskay Ganseys: The traditional Scottish jerseys with hand-woven unique symbols

Officially a 'square go' refers to an unarmed brawl, and it is something you exclaim when you're challenging someone to fight you.

Scotland's Favourite Scottish Sayings: 40 well-loved sayings by Scotsman readers

The Cathedral was built to serve as the final resting place for the relics of Saint Magnus. Built from local yellow and red sandstone, construction commenced in 1137 making it one of Scotland’s oldest cathedrals and the most northerly one in the United Kingdom.

Best of Scottish Tourism: 25 Breathtaking places in Scotland for new tourists

A well-loved comedy drama, Local Hero explores the conflict between a Texas oil company and the residents of a Scottish fishing village whose land is needed for the company's North Sea oil base.

Best Scottish Films: 21 of Scotland’s best movies starting with Local Hero 1983

This Catholic chapel can be found on Lamb Holm in the Orkney Islands. It was constructed in World War II by Italian prisoners of war who had been housed on the island while they built the Churchill Barriers.

Scotland’s Most Beautiful Churches: 21 Scottish Churches endorsed by our readers

Many academics assert that the Picts spoke a Celtic language that was connected to Brythonic. However, we'll likely never know for sure as there are no provable records.

What is Brythonic? Did the Picts speak it? Britain’s native language explained

Father's Day always falls on the third Sunday of every June which means it will take place on June 18, 2023.

When is Father’s Day in the UK? Why are fathers so important?

Regular Italian cafe or genius marketing that serves as directions? Around the back of an Aldi in Airdrie you can find this Italian cafe called Bacchialdis ("back o' Aldi's!")

32 of Scotland’s Punniest Business Names starting with the iconic Bacchialdi's

The derelict Ayr Station Hotel had been served with a dangerous buildings notice because of its poor condition. Picture: N Hackett

Two teenagers charged over fire at derelict Scottish rail station hotel

Glenlee has been moored beside the Riverside Museum since 2011. Picture: John Devlin

Historic Glasgow tall ship Glenlee may have to introduce admission charges

The derelict Ayr Station Hotel had been served with a dangerous buildings notice because of its poor condition. Picture: N Hackett

Fire breaks out at former Scottish rail station hotel

Caitriona Balfe as Claire Randall and Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser from Outlander. A church connected to the series has gone up for sale. Picture: Starz!/Kobal/Shutterstock

Church popular with Outlander fans for sale as private developers loom

Former finance secretary Kate Forbes

Forbes seeks 'urgent' Kinloch Castle poll as millionaire condemns failed sale

Kinloch Castle, the Grade A Listed Building on the Isle of Rum, which the Scottish Government has been unable to sell and lies in a state of slow decay. PIC: NatureScot.

Castle at the heart of island's future as millionaire speaks out on failed sale

The gravestone of Christian Brydie, who died in 1655, and her husband James Carstairs in St Andrews Cathedral (Picture: Susan Morrison)

Gravestones can help bring the people of the past back to life – Susan Morrison

Some dog breeds are born to be sociable with other animals and humans.

The 10 most and least sociable breeds of adorable dog

Robert the Bruce's statue at Bannockburn (Picture: Neil Hanna)

Why we're probably all Robert the Bruce's bairns – Scotsman comment

Claire Hutchison is a conservator with the National Library of Scotland, which has one of the biggest newsaper archives in the UK.

Scottish newspaper archive secured after 'overwhelming' response to appeal