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An ancient elm tree that has stood alone in the far reaches of Glen Affric for hundreds of years is now the guardian over a new generation of its species. The wych elm – known as the Last Ent of Affric in homage to the tree-shepherds from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings story – has been chosen to help in the fight against Dutch Elm disease. Thirty-five young elm trees have been transferred from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) and replanted in the shadow of the Last Ent of Affric. These will be the first of 200 trees planted over the next two years. It is part of a joint effort between th ..read more

Barry Hutchison, aka JD Kirk, on falling in love with Terry Pratchett’s work aged 11, being inspired by Neil Gaiman and why he ditches a book if he’s not grabbed after 100 pages.   The first book I remember reading: Wagstaffe the Wind-Up Boy by Jan Needle. I had mostly read comics until that point, but my local librarian managed to wean me off The Beano for long enough to press the book into my hands. I probably read it ten times over the next couple of years. It was brilliantly funny but, looking back, shockingly dark in places. A book I recommend to everyone: Not one specific book, but ..read more

‘This is a city of shifting light, of changing skies, of sudden vistas. A city so beautiful it breaks the heart again and again,’ Alexander McCall Smith. Photographer Rachel Bolton turns the camera on the people of Edinburgh to find out why they love our nation’s capital.   Angus ‘It may be cliché but there’s something great about Arthur’s Seat – whether it’s with family or friends, it’s a great walk with some unreal views. It’s something I aim to do throughout the year as it can be different every time, depending on season and weather. Many people have already seen it but being at ..read more

Megan Amato heads to fine dining Japanese restaurant Yamato to try out the offering which does not disappoint.   I often make the joke with my friends that I need another hobby besides eating, and eating out at that. However, when the food is this good and the experience this noteworthy, its hard to find the motivation to do something else. Yamato is a Japanese fine dining restaurant that focuses on the simplicity of high quality ingredients over fussy presentation. Located near Tollcross in Edinburgh, its tucked away from the main road, making the restaurant the perfect location for inti ..read more

Laings watchmaker Annika Leppala on following in her grandfather’s footsteps as a horologist, learning the art of patience in a world full of immediacy and how being a professional oboe player helped her hone her craft.   I think sometimes the most important things in life happen by chance, like meeting your partner or finding your profession. I wasn’t drawn to horology or ever thought I would be a watchmaker when I was younger. My grandfather was a watchmaker so I was used to seeing a lot of clocks and some watchmaking tools at my grandparents place but never felt the calling to do what ..read more

Children’s author Alison Murray on falling in love with dogs after reading A Hundred and One Dalmatians, her passion for essays and why she can’t read in bed.   The first book I remember reading: A very scarily illustrated compendium of fairy stories that was read to me at bedtime and would give me nightmares. The first book I remember reading myself was A Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith which probably sparked a lifelong love of dogs. A book I recommend to everyone: Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass is a series of essays that weaves western environment science and indige ..read more

A drystone home on the Isle of Harris, inspired by the Iron Age, has been named Scotland’s Greatest Escape. Situated on the Borve Lodge Estate, The Broch was created by owners, husband and wife Adam and Cathra Kelliher. The couple, who also own Taransay – the UK’s largest uninhabited island – bought the estate in 2007 and took three years to create the impressive building. Cathra’s father, who was originally from Lancashire, came walking on the Isle of Harris when he was 17 and lost his heart to the island. He brought Cathra and his family to Harris at every opportunity and, in 1985 when Cath ..read more

In 2015, former Army Air Corps helicopter pilot John McKenzie decided to bring whisky back to Dingwall after a 90 year absence. His idea was to unite the community of Dingwall through the creation of a distillery owned by local people. Just a year later the site made history running a record-breaking open share offer. More than 3,000 people invested in GlenWyvis to create the world’s first fully community-owned distillery. And now GlenWyvis is offering whisky lovers another chance to buy shares in the venture. Since its humble beginnings nearly ten years ago, the distillery has generated ..read more

Salman Rushdie, Alan Cumming, Forbes Masson, Richard Osman, Dolly Alderton and Matt Haig will star at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival. New festival director, Jenny Niven, revealed her plans for a reboot of the literary festival, with a series of 1000-capacity interviews at Edinburgh University’s McEwan Hall. It comes following a new partnership with Edinburgh Fringe producer, Underbelly. Booker Prize-winning Salman Rushdie who will appear at the festival live from his home in New York two years on from the knife attack that almost claimed his life. He will discuss a new memoi ..read more