100,000 Welcomes

In Doric: Fit they deein doon the herbour wi aa thon crans an larries? In English: What are they doing down at the harbour with all those cranes and lorries? In the northeast, the harbour is the heart of many coastal towns and villages.

In our last episode of the series, Grant is joined by Gerry Durkin from the Summerlee Museum of Industrial Life. Based in Lanarkshire, the museum commemorates Scotland’s industrial and social history, with a particular focus on the mining industry and its role in shaping the people and places of Scotland. With some surprising stories, including the history behind unique tattoos and sandwich eating...

Joining Grant in this episode, the penultimate of the series, is Lara Thomason. Lara has lived on Shetland all her life, and now takes great pride in taking tourists around the beautiful and rugged islands. With a diverse range of things to see and learn about, from the amazing wildlife, to the wild nights of the Up Helly Aa Viking fire festival, Lara shares with us the very best of Shetland’s tou...

In this episode Grant speaks to Cormac Grogan, Manager of Skaill House on Orkney. Homely, historic and haunted, this mansion houses a treasure trove of stories and artefacts that have been passed down through 12 generations of the same family for over 400 years. Skaill House and its idyllic location is certainly unique with the site of Skara Brae right on its doorstep. In this podcast we hear all...

This week Grant speaks to tour guide Magaidh Smith from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. WIth six generations of her family calling the Hebrides home, her unrivalled knowledge of the rich cultural history, traditions and communities of the Outer Hebrides makes for a fascinating listen. From Moon Gods and stone circles, to Neolithic history, clan battles and the Gaelic language - discover a...

Scotland is rich with history. History that goes back a very long way. In this episode, we’ll be going back 6000 years with Alan Steele, tour guide at Kilmartin Glen – a site of great archaeological importance in the West of Scotland. We’ll discuss the prehistoric civilisations that once lived there and what remains of them today. There’s a lot to discuss as Kilmartin Glen has over 800 points of i...

Want to know more about the gory and ghostly past of Edinburgh? In this edition of Tour Guide Tales, Grant speaks to Tania Dron, just one of the tour guides for Mercat Tours in Scotland’s capital. From jealousy-fuelled murder and dismembered ghosts, to witch trials and cheating death at the gallows, you’ll never feel the same when walking through Edinburgh’s streets again. *Please be aware that th...

This week, Grant speaks to Stuart Rich of the Scottish Maritime Museum. With two sites at Irvine and Dumbarton, the Scottish Maritime Museum helps preserve the rich story of a cornerstone of Scotland’s industrial past, it’s maritime and ship building history. We’ll hear what life was like for families working in the often-unforgiving shipyards, the impact of the industry to 20th century Scotland,...

In this episode, Grant speaks to Mo Tracey from Blair Castle. From royal kidnappings and Queen Victoria's private army to Scotland's final siege, we hear all about how this fairytale castle has been a fascinating place of interest over the last eight hundred years, and why its history is such a draw for people from all over the world - including some rather famous names.

In our second edition of Tour Guide Tales, we hear the tale of the Guardian of Scotland, Sir William Wallace. Speaking to Ken Thomson of the National Wallace Monument, Grant finds out the story behind one of Scotland’s most iconic attractions, as well as the national heroes, both old and new, it seeks to commemorate.

Ever wanted to know the real history behind Outlander's iconic filming locations? In our first episode of Tour Guide Tales, Grant speaks to Emma Chalmers and Anne Daly from Mary's Meanders. Their tour takes fans of the hit TV show, Outlander to some of the show's most famous places. Tune in to hear about the real Scottish history of these incredible sites, and the amazing stories connected to them...

The Three Canny Heilan Coos by VisitScotland

Let's delve into the glorious region of Dumfries & Galloway. Neil chats to Duncan, the owner of adventure playground Laggan Outdoor and Elizabeth Tindall, a dark skies expert who shares stargazing secrets from the Galloway Forest Park. And, have you ever experienced the joy of foraging for your dinner?

In this episode we explore Scotland's role in the world of film and television. Neil goes to famous Scottish film locations, including Bo'Ness and Doune Castle. He is joined by film producer, Gillian Berrie, who talks about the filming of Outlaw King, and we catch up with VisitScotland's resident film expert, Jenni Steele.

We head to Glasgow to find out more about the foodie haven that is the area of Finnieston. Neil chats to various chefs and industry influencers about the rejuvenation of Scottish seafood, as well as whisky, street food and vegetarian and vegan delights.

This episodes explores Scotland's amazing cultural scene from Aberdeen. As well as dabbling into the worlds of crime fiction and street art, we meet Christine Rew who tells us more about the opening of the new Aberdeen Art Gallery. Also, if you've never heard 'neo trad' music, now is your chance!

This episode comes to you from the beautiful mountains, valleys and glens of the Cairngorms National Park. Neil is joined by Vicky Coy, a geologist who explains the formation of this amazing landscape. We also meet photographer, David Russell, who teaches us why this area is such a joy for wildlife photography.

We've been out and about exploring the length and breadth of the country, stopping to have a chat with people who inspire us from around Scotland. Our host Neil Robertson, from Travels with A Kilt, delves into the untold stories of Scotland in our very first Scotland travel podcast. 100,000 Welcomes!