SCOTTISH BLETHERS

In Scotland, when friends get together they blether. When those friends happen to be Scottish Blue Badge Tourist Guides you can be sure that the country they are so passionate about will be right at the heart of their discussions.

Contemporary and historical; culinary and cultural; reminiscence and anecdote - from accommodation to zoos, the chat will range across the entire alphabet of topics and issues that are live and happening in Scotland right now.

We hope that you’ll join us - there’s nothing to beat a right good blether!

Please subscribe on your podcast platform of choice - links below

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Also available on Amazon Music, Anchor, RadioPublic, Breaker, PocketCasts and Overcast

GC Radio Editor 6/15/21 GC Radio Editor 6/15/21

SB | Episode 39: Scotland’s National Parks

This week join us in Scotland's National Parks as we enjoy the richness of the landscape which is home to such a variety of Scotland's flora and fauna. The Parks offer opportunities for outdoor activities from water sports to mountain biking; ski-ing to hill walking. With staycations becoming so popular in the wake of Covid we look at how the Parks are adapting to welcome the increasing numbers coming on holiday.

GC Radio Editor 6/8/21 GC Radio Editor 6/8/21

SB | Episode 38: West Coast Wanderings

We love it when a friend or colleagues joins us in our Blethers to add a bit of banter. This week we are joined by our good friend Graeme Strachan who owns Glenburnie Guesthouse in Oban - a popular seaside town where ferries come and go carrying passengers and freight to the islands off the west coast of Scotland. We are missing our Glenburnie stays so much and loved this opportunity to catch up and chat with Graeme about his life at Glenburnie and his recommendations for guests visiting this beautiful region of Scotland.

GC Radio Editor 6/1/21 GC Radio Editor 6/1/21

SB | Episode 37: Royal Palaces and Puffins

This week we take you on a visit to the Fife village of Falkland and explore its links with sporting Royals and Johnny Cash. Spotting puffins is on everyone's list of things to do on a visit to Scotland at this time of year so we tell you a little bit about them and where you might be able to get up close and personal with a puffin.

GC Radio Editor 5/25/21 GC Radio Editor 5/25/21

SB | Episode 36: Working Women

In this episode we visit Juteopolis – the name given to Dundee in the 19th Century when the city’s landscape and economic activity were dominated by the processing of raw jute from Bengal into hessian or burlap to meet burgeoning demand for sacks, sails and covers for pioneers heading west. For the first time it was the women who were the breadwinners – working in the mills while the men stayed home. Same era but worlds apart, Kate Cranston was a pioneer of a different kind. Astute businesswoman, patron of the arts and social pioneer she introduced tearooms to Glasgow giving respectable women a place to socialise unchaperoned and men a place to escape the demon drink.

GC Radio Editor 5/18/21 GC Radio Editor 5/18/21

SB | Episode 35: Mingin’ cheese and Chateau Ecosse

From traditional crowdie to our wonderful variety of artisan and farmhouse cheeses fit to grace the finest of boards, Scotland may not immediately spring to mind for the quality of our vines but there's plenty of other wonderful produce out there that the inventive Scots are fermenting into Château Ecosse.

GC Radio Editor 5/11/21 GC Radio Editor 5/11/21

SB | Episode 34: Casting our Vote

In this episode we are inspired by the recent elections to the Scottish Parliament to reflect on the road travelled by the Scots to arrive where we are today. From the Declaration of Independence to the Union of the Crowns and the Act of Union; referendum and proportional representation, we try to make sense of it all.

GC Radio Editor 5/4/21 GC Radio Editor 5/4/21

SB | Episode 33: The links between Scotland and Spain

we are joined by our good friend and Spanish tour guide Fran Glaria to explore connections, past and present, between our countries. From medieval alliances and deathbed pacts to what the Spanish think of the Scots on holiday - there's always plenty to blether about.

GC Radio Editor 4/20/21 GC Radio Editor 4/20/21

SB | Episode 31: Tribute to HRH Duke of Edinburgh

We reflect on the life of HRH Duke of Edinburgh and some of the many links that he developed with Scotland over the course of his remarkable life and reminisce about our own experiences of the man his grandson Harry called “a Legend of Banter”.

GC Radio Editor 4/13/21 GC Radio Editor 4/13/21

SB | Episode 30: Why Tartan Day ?

Tartan Day is a global celebration of Scottish Heritage, but how did it originate and why is it celebrated on 6th April each year? Find out the answers to these questions, and much more besides.

GC Radio Editor 4/6/21 GC Radio Editor 4/6/21

SB | Episode 29: Favourite Scottish Gardens

As the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh is revealed as Scotland's top tourist attraction in 2020, we take a tour around some of Scotland's myriad of gardens. From the big blockbusters to the hidden gems, from art gardens to works of a lifetime, with spring in the air there's no better topic to blether about.

GC Radio Editor 3/30/21 GC Radio Editor 3/30/21

SB | Episode 28: Let Them Eat Cake !

Last week saw Scottish Blethers focus on tea - which puts us in the mood for cake! In this week's episode we explore some of the many regional cakes to be found across Scotland- from Kirriemur Gingerbread to Ecclefechan Tarts. In particular, we focus on the little national treasure, the Tunnock's Teacake. Before anyone asks- yes it definitely is a cake not a biscuit!