Podcast
Love Scotland: Stories of Scotland's History and Nature
Hosted by National Trust for Scotland · EN
Love Scotland is a fortnightly podcast series from the National Trust for Scotland.
Hosted by TV star, expert broadcaster and National Trust for Scotland president Jackie Bird, Love Scotland features big names, experts and enthusiasts from all walks of life. Each episode delves deep into the detail of Scotland’s history, its wildlife and its landscapes.
25episodes
Episodes
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LISTEN AGAIN: The Afterlife of Mary, Queen of Scots
1w ago00:42:13Tap to summarizeThis summer, we’ve been celebrating the best of Scottish books and authors. In the final instalment, we’re turning our attention to the nation’s rich world of non-fiction. This episode, first released in 2024, looks at the fascinating legacy of Scotland’s most recognised queen. -- Arguably the most famous monarch in Scottish history, Mary, Queen of Scots remains a figure of global intrigue more than 400 years after her death. One question, then: why? In a previous episode of Love Scotland, Jackie explored the life and times of Mary. Today, she’s on a mission to find out why Mary’s story and legacy have been pored over in such detail for centuries. Joining Jackie in the studio is Professor Steven Reid of the University of Glasgow, who is also the author of The Afterlife of Mary, Queen of Scots. Together, they unpick the posthumous interest in Mary, the many different perceptions of her legacy, and how Mary’s death has been used throughout history to further different groups’ objectives. For more information on Falkland Palace, click here.
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LISTEN AGAIN: Diana Gabaldon and the story of Outlander
3w ago00:41:50Tap to summarizeThis summer, we’re celebrating the best of Scottish books and authors. To mark the occasion, we’re re-releasing a gem from a previous season of Love Scotland featuring Outlander author Diana Gabaldon. -- Jackie Bird is joined by author Diana Gabaldon to discuss her best-selling books, its TV adaptation, and how the Outlander effect has shaped global perceptions of Scotland. Outlander tells the story of a time-travelling nurse from the 20th century who falls in love with an 18th century Highland warrior. The early books span several places now cared for by the National Trust for Scotland, including Culross, Falkland Palace, and Culloden. In this episode, Diana reveals the origins of the Outlander story, her visceral reactions to visiting Culloden herself, and her first thoughts on the new series of the popular TV adaptation which begins airing on 16 June. Plus, she reveals some secrets from the future of the franchise, including the next book instalment. To find out more about some of the places mentioned in this episode of Love Scotland, click here.
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LISTEN AGAIN: The real story of Whisky Galore
Jul 800:38:04Tap to summarizeThis summer, we’re celebrating the best of Scottish books and authors. To mark the occasion, we’re re-releasing a gem from a previous season of Love Scotland that discusses the history of an incident made famous by Compton Mackenzie’s 1947 classic Whisky Galore. -- In 1941, cargo ship the SS Politician ran aground near Eriskay, an island in the Hebrides. On board? Some 22,000 cases of whisky. What followed has been immortalised on page and screen in Whisky Galore, a retelling of how local islanders made the most of the unexpected arrival of so much alcohol, and how the authorities tried to stop them. But what really happened? Jackie Bird is joined by journalist Roger Hutchinson, author of Polly, The True Story Behind Whisky Galore, to discover the truth about SS Politician and its valuable cargo. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. For more information on Canna House collection, click here.
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Denise Mina: tales of historic fact and fiction
Jun 2400:32:39Tap to summarizeThis week, Jackie is kickstarting a summer of reading-related episodes with one of Scotland’s most beloved writers, Denise Mina. The Scottish author, active for 30 years and the writer of multiple award-winning and best-selling books, is in the studio to talk about juggling facts and fiction in historical works. Her 2021 book, Rizzio, revolves around the murder of David Rizzio, Mary, Queen of Scots’ secretary. It tells the story, based on true events, through a contemporary lens, and Denise explains how her wider writing experience led her to this project. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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Inside the Trust's Plan for Nature
Jun 1000:32:12Tap to summarizeThis week, Jackie is at Ben Lomond to dig into another strand of the National Trust for Scotland’s work: its Plan for Nature. Joined by the Trust’s head of nature conservation, Jeff Waddell, Jackie discovers some of the nature conservation work being done across the country, including at Mar Lodge, Canna and St Kilda. And, while surrounded by a cloud of midges, Jeff shares some of the success stories from recent years, including increased populations of corncrakes. You’ll also hear how the Trust talks about the wildlife it conserves, how new technology is helping with the Trust’s work, and what goes on behind-the-scenes to care for Scotland’s landscapes and wildlife. To find out more about Ben Lomond, click here. To take part in the Scottish Animal World Cup, visit the Trust’s Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. A winner will be crowned on 19 July. Find out more about the Trust’s Plan for Nature progress by clicking here.
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Henry VIII and Scotland
May 2700:41:15Tap to summarizeArguably one of the best known monarchs of all, Henry VIII casts a long shadow through British history books. But, what influence did Henry have on Scotland? That’s the focus of this week’s episode, in which Jackie and her guest explore the complex and dramatic relationship between Henry and the kingdom that lay to the north. Author Dr Steven Veerapen talks us through the politics and religious influences that shaped Henry VIII’s rule and its impact on Scotland, and how an Auld Alliance prevented war from breaking out. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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A beginner's guide to Andrew Carnegie
May 1300:45:54Tap to summarizeHis name may be familiar – but how much do you really know about Andrew Carnegie? In this week’s episode, Jackie and her guest introduce you to a man who was once the richest individual on the planet, explaining both how he made his wealth and why he started to give it away. Whether you’re familiar with his origins in Scotland or know only of some of his achievements in the US, this episode will introduce you to a fascinating entrepreneur of the past. Joining Jackie is author, biographer and historian David Nasaw, and we take a trip to the Trust’s own Weaver’s Cottage to discover what life would have been like for Andrew and his family. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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Your questions answered!
Apr 2900:38:58Tap to summarizeIn this week’s episode, it’s not Jackie who’s asking the questions: it’s you! Historian and author Professor Murray Pittock joins us in the studio to answer some of your burning questions spanning the Jacobite Uprisings, Nessie, and more. Murray also discusses his new book, The Shortest History of Scotland, which covers the full gamut of the nation’s past and present in just over 200 pages. To get involved in future episodes like this, send us your questions on Scottish history via email to nts.editor(@)thinkpublishing.co.uk, or as a comment or review on this episode. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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The storied history of Alloa Tower
Apr 1500:38:15Tap to summarizeThis week, Jackie’s stepping back in time at Alloa Tower: the ancestral seat of a family that played a pivotal role in the history of Scotland. Now surrounded by two housing estates and a supermarket, the tower has, in the past, been part of the stories of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Jacobite Uprisings, and James VI. Join her as she meets the Trust team at Alloa Tower and unpicks some of these interconnected tales, and how a fortified tower came to house opulent 18th century interiors. Find out more about Alloa Tower here. To enjoy more episodes of Love Scotland, please follow or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
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LISTEN AGAIN: Doug Allan's Antarctica, Attenborough and a changing climate
Apr 900:38:35Tap to summarizeWe were saddened to hear the news of Doug Allan’s passing. This episode, first recorded in 2023, features Doug sharing some of his favourite stories from his career. We hope you enjoy it. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. - Wildlife cameraman Doug Allan became world-renowned with film credits for some of the most influential documentaries ever made and a trophy cabinet full of BAFTAs and Emmys. He contributed to David Attenborough’s Blue Planet and Frozen Planet, and spent more time than nearly anyone else diving into the world’s iciest oceans in search of wildlife. In this episode of Love Scotland, he sat down with Jackie to discuss an eventful career, including a dangerously close encounter with a walrus. He also revealed his eyewitness account of how a changing climate is affecting underwater wildlife, and some of his favourite experiences shooting in Scotland’s wild places.
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