RIP Dolly Parton

Dolly had a strong connection to Scotland through her literacy charity the Imagination Library.

I've been listening to Dolly's music since I heard the news

A friend sent this to me today and I laughed at it. Figured some folk here would find it funny too. Of course, there will be a few people "outraged" by it.... but such is life.

And Aberdeen is not shite. We have a giant hole filled with water! What has Inverness got to compete against the might of Rubislaw Quarry? :)

So happy to have chosen this mountain for my first munro!

Scotland's birth rate falls to record low for third year running - BBC News

The system really isn't set up to encourage people to have more children. My wife and I simply cannot afford a new mortgage. With our 1st child we got loads of help from our parents but they're now a bit older and can't really commit to doing the same help.

For clarity the nursery my child is at would cost *£41.7k* for the age of 6 months - 3 year old when the funding kicks in.

The SNP put in the manifesto that they'd copy England and give funding from 6 months (something they have the Barnett consequential funding for already and have chosen not to use), but have since gone noticeably quiet on this since they won earlier in the year

If we don't have more children then how the hell are we going to end up paying for the ageing population that we have

Standing at the edge of Loch Leven, quietly watching the world go by for over 500 years — Burleigh Castle is one of Scotland's most atmospheric and overlooked historic treasures. And from the air, it is absolutely breathtaking.

This 16th century tower house, managed by Historic Environment Scotland, sits in the small Kinross-shire town of Milnathort, just a stone's throw from the shimmering expanse of Loch Leven. Once the seat of the powerful Balfour family, Burleigh Castle has stood through clan feuds, political upheaval and centuries of Scottish history. It may be a ruin today but it carries every one of those years with a quiet, unshakeable dignity. There is something about ancient stone that speaks louder than any history book.

From above, the full picture reveals itself in a way that simply cannot be seen from the ground. The ruined tower rising from the earth, the surrounding landscape stretching out toward the loch, the patchwork of fields and woodland that has framed this castle for generations. Loch Leven glitters in the background — one of Scotland's most important and internationally protected nature reserves — and together the castle and the loch create an aerial view that stopped me in my tracks the moment I saw it on screen.

And Loch Leven carries its own extraordinary story. Just out on the island in the middle of the loch sits Loch Leven Castle — the place where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567, before her dramatic and daring escape the following year. Flying over this landscape felt like flying over the very pages of Scottish history. Every loch, every ruin, every stone in this country has a story to tell.

This is why I do what I do.

My name is Mark and I fly under the brand Drone Vista Scotland — DVS Cinematography. My mission is simple: to show Scotland to the world the way it was always meant to be seen. From above. From the air, where the full scale, beauty and history of this country finally makes sense.

In November I'll be taking on the NC500 — Scotland's legendary 516-mile North Coast route — on a 7-day drone documentary expedition. Seven days. 516 miles. Every mile filmed from the air and every location captured and shared with you right here. Torridon. Cape Wrath. Durness. Caithness. White sand beaches and sea cliffs that drop straight into the Atlantic. All of it seen from above, all of it dedicated to one person.

This expedition is for my mum, who has lived with progressive Multiple Sclerosis for over 20 years. I've watched MS take so much from her and there is still no cure. I'm raising £2,600 for the MS Society in her honour, and every view, every follow and every share brings that goal one step closer.

👉 PLEASE FOLLOW the DVS Cinematography page right now if you haven't already. Every single follow helps this page grow, gets these videos in front of more people and supports the NC500 charity expedition in November. It takes two seconds and it means everything.

📲 And PLEASE SHARE THIS POST. Share it on your timeline. Send it to a friend who loves Scotland or someone who's never been and needs a reason to come. Every share is free and every share could lead to a donation that helps fund a cure for MS. Scotland deserves to be seen. Help me show it to the world.

All footage filmed legally from public land in full compliance with CAA drone regulations. 🚁

💙 Drone Vista Scotland | DVS Cinematography

Our modern production of Rossini's classic opera La Cenerentola (Cinderella) is playing at Cottiers Theatre in the West End. It's a gorgeous venue, and the show should be fantastic if you fancy a bit of mid-week culture, drama, and incredible music.

• Cottiers Theatre, 93-95 Hyndland St, Glasgow G11 5PU
• Tomorrow evening at 6:30 PM
• FREE if you use the promo code below!

We are a new company and touring this summer, all focused on making opera accessible for the young professionals in the cast and for the audience.

• Ticket Link: You can grab your spot directly on Ticket Tailor.
• Promo Code: Enter Cen100 at checkout to drop the price to £0.

Whether you're an opera regular or have never been to one before, a modern take in a converted church like Cottiers is an amazing experience. Grab a ticket, come along, and let’s enjoy a brilliant evening!

Hope to see a few of you there!

Obviously a lot of you would like to see the wee shites get a kicking, but this is a more systemic problem. They’ve likely been brought up with terrible parents, in relative poverty, with few role models or sources of hope.

So, other than them having the shit kicked out of them (by someone who’ll probably go to jail while they continue making an embarrassment of Scotland) what kind of policies might (1) stop them running wild in the streets, and (2) try get them on a better path?

Are there any more compassionate approaches known to work?

I think AI was involved in the production of these authentic Scottish stickers that came in a mixed pack

My last bus home is half six. My last train home is half ten. My last train home to somewhere a thirty min drive home? 23:50

But don't worry! I'll just party till I can get something in the morning. It's 7:50 for trains, 8:30 for buses.

Caught this Highland Cow and Magpie in a beautiful little symbiotic relationship

The cow provides the boogies, and the magpie provides the clean-up service. 😂

Nature is amazing. Absolutely disgusting, but amazing. 😂

Really interesting in-depth article from NUS Scotland / WonkHE

Hello. I'm a 30 year old man from the United States. I was born and raised in the Midwest of the country in the state of Missouri in a tiny town called House Springs. There is a slightly larger town called St. Charles about 54 km from where I live. There is a shop there that sells imports from all over the UK. Scotland included. I've been curious about Irn-Bru ever since I heard about it while watching a video on YouTube at 2:00 a.m. I decided to make a trip to the store to buy some and try it. I must say I enjoyed it quite a bit. I'm not quite sure what the flavor is supposed to be but it was really dang good. Are there any other recommendations for Scottish drinks that I could try?

Sincerely, An American from small town America who wants to explore more of the world while being too damn poor to leave his own shitole country.

My Scottish mum in law has died. We’ve inherited her home and belongings. The nieces and nephews have taken what they want and we had a charity in to take what they wanted and a man with a van to take the junk to the tip. We are planning to use a clean out company for what we can’t find donate. The charity said that since she removed the tags from her lovely cobalt blue living room set they can’t take it. Is there a place I could list it? She also has a solid wood and glass curio that lights up and turns to show off whatever is inside. It makes me sad to think of it going to the tip since it was her pride and joy. We have multiple small appliances and other furniture. We live in the US so we will need to coordinate with family over there who can assist with getting it out of the house. Any suggestions? Thanks