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          blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

          Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

          Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

          “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

          Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

          Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

          A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

          Saving Scotland’s tenements

          Ben Nevis. Forground has green shrubbery, then background a mountain with two tops. Blue sky with a few streaky clouds

          Exploring the Highest Mountain in the British Isles: A Guide to Ben Nevis

          Image via Steller Systems, a potential candidate.

          Cancelling future frigates could be final nail in the coffin for the UK

          A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

          Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

          A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

          Is Alister Jack sane?

          Cartoon by Stan

          Film reviews award season

          Trending Tags

          • Democracy
          • Devolution
          • Brexit
          • Ukraine
        • Politics
          • All
          • Council Areas
          • Europe
          • Holyrood
          • Liz Truss
          • Rest of UK
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          blue background, A younf woman holding a large black sign that says VOTE ! in white letters

          Scottish elections: young people more likely to vote if they started at 16 – new study

          A scene of people demonstrating, holding Scotland flags. One man wears a tartan cap and holds a blue flag with both the Scottish cross and the EU stars on it.

          Is Alister Jack sane?

          Image Malcom Laverty

          The Brown plan

          The climate change impacts of Russia’s war with Ukraine

          Britain wastes £1bn on drones to monitor English Channel

          The Autumn Statement – time to take a closer look

          Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

          Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

          Scottish independence isn’t going away

          Russia as a low-tech nation

          Trending Tags

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          • Equality
          • Johnson
          • Scottish National Party
        • Business
          • All
          • Agriculture
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          • Corporations
          • Energy
          • Fishing
          • Natural Resources
          • Shipbuilding
          • Trade
          • Transport
          • Workers
          A row of tall houses on the left, with parked cars in front on the side of the street

          Saving Scotland’s tenements

          A large red researcgh vessel in the sea with ice sheets all around it on the water.

          Rosyth shipyard attracts UK Government contract to maintain fleet of scientific research vessels

          large posts saying 'Glasgow Airport Business Park' on the left and right of a road leading away from the main road in the front. . On that road leading away building with walls almost entirely existing of windows.

          Why doing business in Scotland may be better for your corporate wellbeing

          A mountain of spools forming a tree on the left, a sandy area to the right and a row of houses at the back. mountains in the distance on the right

          The Ullapool Giving Tree

          Electric off-roader heralds return of vehicle mass-production in Scotland after 40 years

          Photo Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

          Christmas cheer for Tesco if grim reading for the political classes

          Ferguson Marine will weather the storm

          Order placed for remaining five Type 26 Frigates on the Clyde

          Police Scotland not investigating Scottish government over ferry contract criminality

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            Healthcare word seen in a scrabble

            “Leave no one behind” – the Health Foundation’s report into health inequalities in Scotland 2023.

            Sign saying NHS Greater Galsgow & Clyde in front of a hospital building

            Concern over patients waiting in corridors for free beds at Glasgow Superhospital

            A hospital corridor with trolleys on the sides.

            Glasgow hospitals halt non-urgent operations due to pressure

            Two more unions reject Scottish Government NHS pay offer

            GMB union reject Scottish Government pay offer to NHS staff

            Lymphocites gathering

            How careful should we be when choosing a scientific term?

            Code Black – A mayday from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

            The challenges facing mental health care in Scotland

            Illustration by author

            What are the boundaries to push science to its safety limits for the benefit of discoveries?

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              Ardnish wildfire by Leslie Barrie, CC BY-SA 2.0 Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic — CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons'

              Fire threats in the Scottish countryside

              Wood stove at the foot of the bed in the Danish Blue room at Pig Hill Inn, Cold Spring, New York. Printed with permission and confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.

              When smoke gets in your eyes

              Opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt. Photo courtesy of the UNFCCC

              COP27 and the inconvenient truth

              Viscum album in trees

              Night of the strangling figs: a biological horror story

              Out & about with Charlie Mac: Cycling to the heart of Scotland – the National Cycle Network 7

              Scotland's mountain footpaths

              How do we care for Scotland’s mountain footpath network?

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              Out and About; boots on the ground and cycling the trails in 2023

              In the sixth chapter of The Shape of Things to Come, Charlie McCarthy walks us along the Central Belt, Highlands and Islands trails of his entertaining, educational and informative Out and About series for 2023

              Charlie McCarthybyCharlie McCarthy
              06-01-2023 07:00
              in Out & About
              Image by Malcolm Laverty

              Image by Malcolm Laverty

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              At the start of the New Year it’s worth pausing for a moment and consider what’s to come in the year ahead. Out and About has attempted to bring you ideas for visits, activities and organisations in Scotland to visit to improve your enjoyment and well being. We will continue to do this in 2023.

              There is great winter walking in Scotland in January. The crunch of hiking boots in the snow is always an uplifting sound that accompanies any walk at this time of year. When temperatures fall well below freezing, walking conditions can be ideal on a clear, cold day. With many wonderful hills withing an easy day’s travel of the central belt, winter walking can be on the radar of most of our population as well as those who have booked winter breaks in the Highlands.

              Walking in a Winter wonderland

              With snow on the ground test your wildlife footprint recognition skills, a great activity for families with young children. Take your phone and record the tracks you find. Look on the net for images of animal identification in the UK and see how many species are active in your neighbourhood.

              Winter walking on the hills requires some thought and some extra gear. Walking in cleats or crampons requires a little practice. Seek expert advice in your local walking club and climbing shop. My advice, for what it’s worth, is start on small hills, use walking poles to give you extra stability and balance. If you take the next step to crampons and ice axe, go on a winter mountaineering course. It’s always worth going out with experts to watch how they do it and to acquire new skills.

              Springtime in the Hebrides, and bring the wee bairns

              Spring will eventually come, the snow and ice will disappear and it’s time to get out the bike and put some miles on the Strava for 2023. Summer cycling in Scotland can be life affirming. If you want a quiet flat route and a multi-day cycling holiday I can recommend that you take your bike to the Outer Hebrides. Start off in Barra and let the prevailing winds assist you on your way to the Butt of Lewis. This is a magical trip that will stay with you for a lifetime I promise. If you have young children, why not introduce them to the joys of cycling in Scotland with a trip to Millport and a trip by bike round the Isle of Cumbrae. It’s the best place to start.

              The year ahead will see Out and About visit the Isle of Mull in early summer, to canoe and look out for the wonderful wildlife that can be found on this treasure of the Inner Hebrides and the star of many BBC wildlife programmes. There are great beaches, in Ben More a Munroe mountain and many bays to paddle a canoe round with all the wildlife associated with these unique Scottish habitats. Mull is a jewel in the crown of the Hebrides and is always worth a visit at any time of the year.

              This is a flavour of what we hope to bring you in the year ahead. It’s by no means an exclusive list.

              Out and About is for all citizens by all citizens.

              Happy travels in 2023!


              Out and About by Charlie McCarthy is a regular feature of Bylines Scotland, published on the first Friday of each month, with the regular feature returning 3 February.

              Cartoon by Stan

              If you have an idea for Out and About, please get in touch, or even better write about it. Email editor@bylines.scot with Out and About in the subject field.


              We need your help! The press in our country is dominated by billionaire-owned media, many offshore and avoiding paying tax. We are a citizen journalism publication but still have significant costs. If you believe in what we do, please consider subscribing to the Bylines Gazette 🙏

              Tags: Central BeltcyclinghealthHighlands and IslandsScotlandTrail and Munros
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              Charlie McCarthy

              Charlie McCarthy

              Charlie writes the "Out and About" monthly column for Bylines Scotland as well as a number of other features. Charlie lived for many years in North Yorkshire before moving back to Scotland. Originally from Glasgow, he lived in the North of England for most of his life. Before becoming a writer, Charlie was a science teacher. His areas of interest include politics, the environment and education.

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