Relatively few of Scotlands 900 islands are inhabited, and many that were once thriving communities are now abandoned. Wanting to know what that was, we did some digging, and then spoke to John Manson, an incredible man who, as a boy, was one of the last family to live on the island of Stroma. He and his brother, father, and mother, lived alone in those last years, making the most of the fishing grounds and living among the empty buildings of their community. His story of endurance and the importance of knowledge passed down generations is inspiring ..read more

There seem to be a lot of private islands in Scotland. Why is that? Pete and Matt dig into the questions of land ownership, the responsibility of island ownership, and the kind of people who take it on. They then get the chance to talk to Vanessa Branson about her experience of buying and owning Eileann Shona, which she is now running as a luxury tourist retreat. We drew heavily on this great article by Patrick Barkham in the Guardian in researching some of the recent history of private and community island ownership ..read more

Lynn and Sandra never intended to become farmers in the Cairngorms. They spent a couple of years deciding where and how they would realise their dream of finding their small bit of land to raise a couple of chickens. Perhaps five acres would do it. In 2016, they found themselves owner-occupiers at Lynbreck, a sprawling 150 acre croft in the Cairngorms national park. Pete and Matt talked to Lynn to find out about her story, and dug into the history of crofting in the Highlands and Islands, and its troubling history in the Clearances. You can read more about Crofts in a FarNorth essay, and keep ..read more

Ian Rankin is one of the literary stars of Scotland, and someone with a passion for the Far North who has set some of his novels in the Highlands. The action in his latest novel, A Song for the Dark Times, takes place between Edinburgh and the north coast. In this part of the podcast, we focus on Ian's passion for the Highlands, how to capture the real life of the area rather than its tourist present or mythologised past, electric vehicle ranges and ... where to stop for a comfort break on the A9 ..read more

Ian Rankin is one of the literary stars of Scotland, and someone with a passion for the Far North who has set some of his novels in the Highlands. The action in his latest novel, A Song for the Dark Times, takes place between Edinburgh and the north coast. Ian joins us to talk about the novel and what themes setting the story in the north allows him to explore which he couldn’t get at if the story took place in Edinburgh alone. He also talks about his personal connection to the Highlands. Pete and Matt, meanwhile, discuss their shared interest in - and ignorance of - crime writing and the dist ..read more

If you’re walking from Lands End to John O’Groats, there used to come a point where you walked off the map. The walkers trails that had snaked you through the quantocks, pennines and pentlands simply stopped at Inverness. The maps often simply cut off. And the only route North was walking along the hard shoulder of the main roads. This, realised a hardy and committed group of walkers from the Far North, would not do. They set about establishing a walkers trail from Inverness to John O’Groats through the stunning landscape of Easter Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness. Jay Wilson, the Chair of the ..read more

Gail Ross is Member of the Scottish Parliament for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, in the far north of Scotland. In the first episode of Series Two, Gail tells us about her life in politics and the challenges, complex issues, and funny situations she found herself facing while representing the people of the region. Spaceports, supporting constituents, independence, and a risqué brush with Prince Charles at the Mey Games are all part of life as an MSP. Gail talks with honesty and directness about her experiences. But not before Pete manages to answer Matt's straightforward question about how th ..read more

When we began this project, Matt was hoping and planning to move to Cromarty, in the Far North of Scotland, with his family. The world in 2020 threw up a few obstacles, but he has made it. For this Christmas special, Pete and Matt discuss what it’s like to actually pull off what so many people dream about, and what is becoming a more realistic option for many given increased remote working. Does it feel remote in some way? Is it for everyone? Does Matt miss anything or … anyone? The answers appear to be mostly no ..read more

On the hill above Alness on the North shore of the Cromarty firth, a row of apparently ancient towers and arches frames and incredible view out over the water. But what are they doing there, who built them, and why? The answers take Matt on an unexpected wikipedia tour of India and British colonial history, the Scottish aristocracy, and even, possibly due to some mis-clicks, the American war of independence. It’s incredible what you come across when out for a walk in the Far North. Patrick Baker knows that more than most. He’s the author of two books about discovering the unexpectedly interest ..read more

From cutting peat to cutting edge wave power, via nuclear and oil and gas, the Highlands and Islands hold a surprising amount of energy. We should think about it, says Magnus Davidson, as an energy region. The whisky label view of the highlands is of grouse exploding out of the undergrowth into the sky, but soon they will be joined by biodiesel fuelled rockets being launched from a new spaceport in Sutherland. In a global climate crisis, when people are focused on harnessing low impact traditional ways of life and using new technologies to generate energy and drive a future economy in a way wh ..read more