Episode
A Cairngorms Soundscape, Harvesting Sap and Cycling from Boring to Dull
- Podcast
- Scotland Outdoors
- Published
- Feb 28, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 5021
- Processing state
processed- Canonical source
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0n3vjkz
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Summary
Cyclist Mark Wedgwood has completed some enormous challenges, including a journey from America to Scotland. Rachel meets him in Aberdeenshire to find out more about his adventures. People across the UK are being invited to celebrate the unsung heroes in their communities as the BBC launches the 2026 Make a Difference Awards. Last year, New Start Highland Garden in Inverness won the BBC Radio Scotland Green award. Mark visits the garden with James Dunbar and Marion Cordiner. New research from Stirling University suggests that walkers are increasing the popularity of Park Run events. Rachel takes a wander with parkwalkers Lynne Zabek and Andrew Aird and Dr Andre Gilburn who explains more about his research. In this week’s podcast excerpt, Mark’s in Glasgow to chat to cyclist and content creator Somhairle Johnston about his new BBC Alba series 'Somhairle Spins'. Phil Sime and Morven Livingstone join survival instructor Zeki Basan on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park to observe the delicate process of harvesting birch sap. Trees for Life Heritage and Gaelic Development Officer Eilidh Sykes joins Mark and Rachel to talk about the links between the Gaelic language and the landscape. A new children’s book, ‘Heather Munro's Race Against the Flames’, aims to raise wildfire safety awareness. Mark meets author and Director of The Heather Trust, Katrina Candy. Rachel meets Rosie Beetschen of Cairngorms Connect who has created a soundscape of her explorations of the Cairngorms landscape. One of the UK’s most experienced mountain rescue experts, David “Heavy” Whalley, has been remembered in a new book charting his life. Mark visits Strathblane to meet Bob Sharp who helped compile Heavy’s story in ‘A Heavy Affair with the Mountains’.