Tourism

Scotland's first oyster festival will take place in Stranraer this September.

The three-day festival will encourage visitors to celebrate the seafood heritage of Stranraer in the south west of Scotland. The catch from Scotland's only wild, native oyster fishery will be the focal point of the event, taking place from 15 to 17 September 2017.

A sculpture of a highland drover's cow, has been set on Sustrans cycle RT7 in Strathyre by the Loch Earn Tourism Information (LETi) group to celebrate Scotland's Year of History Heritage and Archaeology on the award winning BLiSS trail.

Drover's Bho by Kev Paxton of ArtFe blacksmiths is the latest addition to the regional Scottish Thistle Award winning BLiSS trail that links Balquhidder. Lochearnhead, Strathyre and St Fillans villages with eye catching art installations.

Food and drink in Scotland’s first National Park has grown to be worth £60million in the past two years.

Visitors to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park are increasingly coming to enjoy a flavour of the high quality food and drink on offer in the area. As a result the Food and Drink sector is now sustaining over 1,000 full time jobs in the National Park.

Outer Hebrides LEADER are seeking applications for their October 2017 deadline.

The Outer Hebrides LEADER 2014-2020 Programme has supported a number of projects and the Local Action Group, who manage the funds, are seeking applications from businesses and community groups who would like to introduce and develop new and innovative ideas focussing around young people, crofting diversification, renewables and new activities for visitors and locals to enjoy and experience.

Grant funding is available for business groups and local bodies, working in partnership with their local authority, to develop proposals for Business Improvement Districts across Scotland.

A Business Improvement District (BID) is about businesses working together and investing collectively in local improvements, in addition to those delivered by the statutory authorities. These improvements will be of benefit to the businesses involved and also contribute to the wider aspirations of the local residential community and growing the local economy.

A new plan has launched setting out how all those with responsibility for the Cairngorms National Park will coordinate their work to tackle the most important issues over the next five years.

The Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan (2017-2022) will deliver the following long-term outcomes for the National Park:

A range of 'Wee Hills with Big Views' are being highlighted by the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

These hills can be enjoyed by people of all levels of fitness - and you don't need to be an experienced hill walker.

Gordon Watson, chief executive of the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park said:

A Dunbar farm has been the first to benefit from the Tyne Esk LEADER pot specifically allocated for farm diversification. In this article from Tyne Esk LEADER you can find out more.