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Gorse, Rabbits and Handa Island

Join Mark Stephen and Euan McIlwraith for the latest outdoor activities from Shetland to the Borders, plus the key stories for those who live and work in the countryside.

We hear a clip from Mark and Euan鈥檚 special podcast all about birdsong with Alison Balance who makes podcasts for Radio New Zealand.

Writer and actor Gerda Stevenson takes us on a walk near her home on the edge of the Pentland Hills.

How are animals coping during lockdown? We catch up live with the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie to find out how the staff and animal residents are faring at the moment.

Gorse bushes are brightening the countryside all around us just now. Euan looks into the history and folklore of this spiky, coconut perfumed plant.

During our 2017 trip around the North Coast 500 we visited the island of Handa off the west coast of Sutherland. We play an excerpt from our time there with island ranger Tom and then chat live to the two current rangers, Erika and Johnny, who have been in lockdown on the island since March with only the wildlife for company.

Karen Mackenzie returns to Out of Doors as she takes her dog, Bonnie, on their daily walk to Pollok Park in Glasgow.

Cute and fluffy or an invasive pest? Mark takes a look at our varied relationship with rabbits over the centuries.

Hazel Strachan is not afraid of a challenge, she has completed the Munros ten times but during lockdown she has come up with a new way of keeping herself busy while the mountains are out of bounds. We chat to her live to find out what she鈥檚 been up to.

And this week Euan turned his hand to a challenge of his own, identifying a listener mystery bird. Has he managed to figure out what it is?

1 hour, 30 minutes

Last on

Sun 10 May 2020 15:30

Broadcasts

  • Sat 9 May 2020 06:30
  • Sun 10 May 2020 15:30

Landward

Landward

Scotland's farming and countryside programme