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• Delgatie Castle Afternoon Tea for four people at Delgatie Castle
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GAMES & SHOWS
The Games and Shows of 2026 have already started but there are many more across the country for you to attend.
Whether you are a regular show goer or have never attended, I can assure you, you won’t find better value for money for a day out with the family.
There is always something for everyone in the family to enjoy. If the weather is good, it always helps but even in inclement weather there is plenty to entertain.
Lifestyle covers a few great Games and Shows that you may wish to visit this year.
Forres Highland Games
Saturday 4th July
Grant Park in Forres is the place to be on the 4th July 2026 for the 98th Forres Highland Games. This is a very popular event with both locals and visitors alike with many travelling from across the world to attend.
Tickets are on sale and you need to be quick as they are being snapped up, with many people travelling from overseas again this year.
Games Day commences with a Pipe Band Procession from the High Street before the Games’ flag is raised above the arena.
A fun afternoon is assured for all the family.
From caber tossing to the hammer throw which is always entertaining.
Long jump, high jump and much more happening in the field. Forres Highland Games provides a real traditional Scottish experience for the many international visitors.
Highland dancing, solo piping and drumming and massed pipe bands add to the experience.
Visitors can enjoy craft and artisan food stalls and the fairground attractions.
If you need some refreshments the beer tent and many food outlets are on offer.
Unique to the Forres Games is the Message Bike Race where spectators can turn participant and race the field on an old traditional message bike.
Tickets are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/forreshighlandgames
Aberlour Highland Games
Saturday 1st August
The Games are held at the Alice Littler Memorial Park on the Banks of the River Spey- a natural amphitheatre bounded by the old Aberlour Railway Station and the famous Speyside Way.
The day has a packed programme of track and field events including caber tossing, hammer throwing and running events.
Don’t forget the very popular ‘International Haggis Hurling’ this is for overseas visitors only.
The highland dancing competitions are a huge attraction as are the piping events.
There are many local stalls and incredible street food on offer this year being co-ordinated by Your Vibe Events.
There are many attractions on offer to ensure entertainment for the whole family.
If you are feeling fit, then enter the ten mile multi terrain race through Speyside starting at 12 noon
Main parking areas for the Games are signposted and are situated at the Primary School and Oggs Garage. On street parking will be available anywhere where there are no restriction cones.
Come and join in the fun
www.aberlourhighlandgames.co.uk
Turriff Show
Sunday 2nd & Monday 3rd Aug
Get ready for an action-packed few days out this summer at Scotland’s largest two-day agricultural event, taking place on Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd August.
Welcoming around 24,000 visitors a year, Turriff Show is rooted in farming, bursting with energy, and has become far more than a traditional show. With hundreds of attractions and experiences to enjoy, you can shape your Turriff Show days exactly how you like.
With over 300 exhibitor stands, the event showcases some of the finest local food and drink producers, as well as some of the most talented arts and crafts makers from across Aberdeenshire and beyond. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover what is on your doorstep and meet the people behind the produce.
Renowned for its incredible offering of £85,000 in prize money and more than 330 trophies, the 1,554 competition classes span everything from top-quality cattle, sheep, and horses to working dogs, pigeons, and vintage vehicles - celebrating the full breadth of rural life and Scottish agriculture.
Sunday’s highlights are the Grand Parade of horses, ponies and Donkeys and on Monday you will see one of the best displays of livestock in Scotland with the Grand Parade of cattle and Clydesdale horses.
Follow us on social media.
Instagram: @turriffshow and Facebook: @Turriff Show as we share over 100 reasons to come to #TurriffShow2026.
Horses, Ponies & Donkeys, Goats, Rabbits & Cavies, Pigeons, Clydesdale Horses, Cattle, Sheep including the Blue Texel National Show, Eggs, Open Dog Show (Sunday) and Companion Dog Show (Monday)
Tractor Football (Sunday). March of Time (Monday), The Sheep Show, Grand Parade of Premium Livestock, Sulky Trotting, Show Jumping, Vintage & Classic Vehicles
Highland Dancing Competition (R.S.O.B.H.D.Rules)
300 Trade Stands, Agricultural Machinery, Motor Cars, EQ Food & Drink Marquee, Shopping, Arts & Crafts and Exhibition Stands, Live Entertainment and Children’s Area.
Afternoon Events from 1.30pm including Grande Parade, Vintage Vechicles, our popular ‘Fastest Farmer’ SUNDAY 2nd & MONDAY 3rd AUGU ST 2026
For Further Information contact: Debbie Mackie, Show Co-Ordinator Telephone: 01888 562219 | Email: info@turriffshow.org
A day out for all the family –‘The family friendly show’ – All the usual Cattle, Horse and Sheep Judging
Wed 12th August - From 8am Light Legged Horse Judging followed by Working Hunter Arena Event
Thu 13th August - Starts 9am MAIN SHOW
Fri 14th August - Show Dance HEATHFIELD
grantownshow@btinternet.com www.grantownshow.com FOR ALL ENQUIRIES
Grantown Show
Wednesday 12th & Thursday 13th Aug
Grantown show welcomes you to their family friendly show, on Thursday 13 August, with entry from 8am until 8pm. Nestled in the beautiful Cairngorm National Park the show offers a variety of entertainment to satisfy every member of the family!
This year there will be horse classes on Wednesday 12 August from 8.30am.
You will be entertained with all the Horse, Cattle, Sheep and Domestic Competitions in the morning.
There is a great afternoon of entertainment featuring Fastest Farmer, always hotly contested, so come along and have a go or cheer on your favourites!
There is the Pageant of Decorated Vehicles which everyone loves to see. The Agricultural Vintage Vehicles, and of course the wonderful Pipe Band.
Don’t forget the popular Children’s Races and Terrier Racing.
Around the show you will find a wide variety of trade stands and craft tents to keep you
occupied. You won’t go hungry as there is a selection of food outlets on offer.
As always there is the fun fair which is great for all the family, whether you are young or just young at heart.
Back by popular demand is our ‘Speed Shear Competition’ taking place in the main marquee from 6pm.
The bar will be open, so stick around and enjoy the evening’s entertainment.
Adult tickets £15, Concession, £10, Children under 12 free (with a paying adult)
Car parking is free, making it a very affordable family day out.
The annual marque dance is from 9pm to 1am on the Friday 14 August with entertainment from local band RANT. Tickets £15
Look out for further updates on the website and social media posts.
www.grantownshow.com
Enquiries to grantownshow@btinternet.com
XPENG
Let’s get one thing straight – ever since passing my driving test (first time, I might add) I have been a petrolhead. Now in my late seventies, I do not think I will ever change and will continue to be a petrolhead until such time as my eyesight packs up and I become a danger to others on the road. For me there is nothing that beats feeling the engine respond to your commands as you whistle through the gears and achieve optimum performance from the wonderful collection of nuts and bolts beneath the bonnet.
I confess to being a sceptic when it comes to electric cars. Like others, I have seen, read and heard about exploding batteries engulfing the car in flames, people being locked inside their electric cars, unable to get out and other similar horrors that fair put the wind up you and put you off ‘going electric’. But then you have to look at
the other side of the picture: how far have we come since the sixties when pocket calculators –four functions and nothing else – hit our streets? And the now ubiquitous mobile phone, initially the size of a solid brick with a wobbling aerial that stretched into the sky (go watch an episode of Bergerac if you don’t believe me). Yes, we have come a long, long way and science fiction has become science fact. Episodes of Star Trek are proof of that.
So really I am not the best person to test drive the XPENG or indeed even to be a passenger in it, as all my scepticism will come leaping to the surface and I will be inclined to find fault with absolutely everything. But, on reflection, perhaps I am really the best person to experience the XPENG, to appreciate the genius behind the car and to knock my misgivings into a cocked hat.
With this in mind, the three of us (editor, photographer and sceptic-de-luxe) arrive at Morrison Motors in Turriff to spend time with one of the XPENG G6 models, a high performance, 4 wheel drive super car that in many ways is so futuristic that it takes your breath away. I immediately thought of the talking car in Knight Rider (a cult series from eighties America). Big, black and devoid of embellishment, that car was something not to be tangled with. And so it was with the XPENG.
Getting into a new car, irrespective of make or model, there is always a period where you have to familiarise yourself with the workings. How to switch the lights on, where the indicator control is, do you have to push the gear change down to engage reverse – all that sort of thing. Pretty standard stuff. With the XPENG it is somewhat different – this is more like undergoing a university degree before your bottom engages with the driver’s seat. It is bristling with technology and I was wondering how on earth we
were going to get on top of all the information. I could write reams here, about how (through the large screen on the dashboard) you can change just about everything to do with driving the car – the seat positions, the interior temperature, the angle of the headlights, the comfort settings (you can have a back massage whilst driving, for goodness’ sake!) etc etc. I was fully expecting to be told how to ask the car to put the kettle on. And that brings me to another point…
Asking the car. All you have to do is say “Hey, XPENG” (how terribly American) and hey presto, up pops this sassy little robot figure in the bottom of the screen. She (for it is a she) is similar to the little Microsoft Windows paper clip, all googly eyes and attitude, that would ingratiate itself into your word documents. Quick thought – wonder if you could change the robot from being an obvious female to a person of your choice? I would love to have my questions answered by Billy Connolly. Perhaps it’s better not to go there.
Tutorial over, now it is time for the real thing. We are in the car with editor at the wheel. Said editor is a real whizz kid when it comes to driving and she already owns a hybrid, so I feel that she is the best person to get us from A to B. A touch of one of the columns on the steering wheel and we have engaged drive – and off we go. Whilst at slow speeds the car ‘sings’ to us, a funny little tune that no doubt will advise pedestrians of our approach (better than blasting the horn) but this ‘song’ disappears at speed. To begin with, the fact that this is such a brand new experience for all of us means that the car is driven at relatively slow speeds but once you feel comfortable you can put your foot down and feel what this car is capable of.
0 to 60 in 4.1 seconds. That’s what this car is capable of. With a conventional car you work your way through the gears and feel the momentum but with an electric car the momentum is immediate. This is mind-blowing – brilliant for getting you out of trouble but capable of getting you into trouble if handled rashly.
Once out on the road it was time to see what the dashboard screen could do. I think we must have tried just about everything to do with controlling the driving experience – comfort, eco, sport – as well as using the Google maps to direct us hither and yon. Stuck in traffic? Just ask for Netflix or YouTube and your wish is XPENG’s command. Up popped the little robot lassie time and again as we asked all sorts of questions which were, in the main, answered. Sometimes she did not understand the phrasing and told us so, in no uncertain terms. I reckon she must have been glad to see the back of us when we returned the car.
A little bit of technical information here – the battery will take about 12 minutes to reach 80% capacity, costs round about £6 if charged at home, a bit more on public chargers, and will allow you roughly 316 miles of motoring. The road tax is £10 for the first year and then £200 p.a. thereafter. Servicing is diagnostic rather than mechanical and most faults can be resolved remotely. Really? Wow. Battery life is guaranteed at 8 years, can’t argue with that. The cost of the XPENG we were driving is just under £50,000 which I think is extremely reasonable for the mountain of technology that you get.
So the sceptic is changing her mind. When – not if – those fiendishly clever minds come up with a sporty two door coupe and I still have my marbles and my driving licence, I’m in.
The final word goes to our editor who drove the car, “I was very impressed with the XPENG, I thoroughly enjoyed driving it and loved all the technology. I might just have to have a chat with Connor about a good deal”
Available for all your events… Birthday Party’s, Engagements, Weddings, Pregnancy, Births and any other celebrations you have planned. Shoots available at venue of your choice or in my amazing new studio in Lossiemouth. Book now to avoid disappointment.
07772 875717
Third Floor, Younger Day Spa, 44 Queen St, Lossiemouth IV31 6PN morag@ceamaraphotography.com www.ceamaraphotography.com
MAROC CHALLENGE (Part 1)
By Nick Hopkinson
If you like cars, travel, good company and a modicum of adventure, it’s not a difficult decision when a close friend calls and asks if you want to co-pilot with him on a drive to Africa in a new Land Rover and then compete in a race across the desert. That’s exactly the call I got from Stuart. I didn’t know any more than that, but it still might just have been the easiest ‘Yes!’ I’ve ever given. Stuart and I have been great friends since university. He lives in Nottinghamshire, myself in Aberdeenshire, so a plan was made for me to fly to London, he’d pick me up and we’d drive through Europe and into Morocco.
Most readers will be familiar with Land Rovers, but this is a Defender Octa, a new model showcasing everything Land Rover know about highspeed desert driving. With 640bhp it’s the most powerful car they have ever made and despite being the size and shape of a cottage it can still
get to sixty mph in just over three seconds. Land Rover had entered three in this year’s Dakar rally, and they finished in first, second and fourth. Suffice to say, it’s a bit of a beast, and Stuart, having become the proud owner of one, wanted to get in on some of the sandy action. The great thing about it was that as well as being literally designed for the task in hand, it was also going to be a luxurious and fast tool to travel there and back in.
The race is called the Maroc Challenge, our team’s name Desert Octapus. We equipped the car with the required items for entry, including spare wheels, extra fuel tanks, medical equipment, water containers and sand ladders to help if stuck in soft sand. We had satellite tracking gear, camera equipment and an extra tablet for use with the special off-road navigation system, apparently Google Maps isn’t great when you’re deep in the Moroccan desert, who knew! Much to Stuart’s horror I also insisted on some of my own ‘essentials’, including decent toilet roll, emergency chocolate and a bag of dog food for any hungry stray dogs we might see!
So off we set, two old mates driving a bonkers car through Europe to Africa, laughing our heads off, reminiscing, catching up again. France and Spain were covered in two days, the Octa swallowing the miles without even blinking. The only negative was the fuel consumption –around 18mpg – which at high speed meant stopping every few hours to fill up.
Arriving at the port of Almeria in Spain gave us our first chance to meet some fellow competitors and see their cars. This was, quite frankly, hilarious. I now know that basically any car can be converted to race across a desert. We saw the expected SUVs and pick-up trucks, but we were amazed to see dozens of other types of cars too – everything from small sports cars, transit vans, even a limousine! What they all had in common was their modified high suspension, chunky off-road tyres and smiley drivers all brimming with excitement about the adventure ahead.
After an eight-hour ferry to Africa and a day’s driving into the desert we reached our start point. The excitement on the first day is hard to put into words but what struck me was the camaraderie of all the participants, everyone wanted to know who everyone was, where they had come from and what they were driving. One-hundred-and-seventy teams took part, travelling from all over Europe.
Following the pre-stage safety briefing, teams were started individually, spaced thirty seconds apart. Our slot seemed to take forever to arrive, but suddenly we were off! The first stint was a high-speed dash across a flat but gravelly section. Stuart remarked that it was like how he’d imagine driving on the moon would be – flat but covered in small rocks and with the occasional divot to avoid. Progress was fast, I remember looking around at the amazing sight of other racers, each kicking up huge clouds of dust behind them. In the distance we could see the next section, huge sand dunes bigger than houses! And that’s where disaster struck for Desert Octapus…
You need quite a bit of power to get a two-anda-half-ton land rover up a forty-foot sand dune, and we certainly had enough. You also need to be able to stop at the top, or at least slow down, take a second to see what the other side looks like and descend appropriately. The first few dunes were taken just like this, but as the fun, excitement and confidence quickly increased, Stuart, in a very rare moment of over-confidence, gave it a little too much ‘right foot’, sending us skyward up a dune at an impressive rate. Stopping at the top was suddenly a missed opportunity as we crested and became almost
vertical heading down the other side. We hit the bottom with a crash, the front corner taking the brunt of the impact. I was winded slightly, Stuart avoided this probably because he’d had the steering wheel to hang on to. The car bounced its way back upright as we got our breath back and waited for the inevitable dashboard warning lights and the engine stopping. Except this didn’t happen. We looked at each other, amazed – ‘Have we just got away with that?’, ‘I can’t believe it but yes, maybe’. We knew we needed to get out and check but with other competitors flying by all around us we knew it wasn’t safe, so we drove on gingerly to a nearby village, each minute expecting the car to conk out. When we were still going as we entered the village, we were more hopeful that things might be alright. We got out and went to the front.
Unfortunately, the front corner of the car wasn’t there anymore, a mix of wires and torn plastic where it once was, coolant was flooding out of the engine. We wouldn’t have made it more than a few more yards.
The disappointment was crushing, surely this was our race over before it had really started…
...Read Part 2 in the Aug/Sept issue of Lifestyle
Visit Brodie Castle & Estate for a perfect day out
Step back in time with a castle tour led by our knowledgeable guides and learn about the ancestral home of the Brodie clan.
Explore the castle at your own pace on a Saturday for a self-guided visit and enjoy the magnificent castle decor.
Explore with one of the free trails on offer, including the photography trails, Rodney Stone Ramble, or challenge yourself with one of our free orienteering courses.
Enjoy a choice of two fantastic cafes with freshly baked scones, light lunches and delicious ice cream. Browse our second-hand book shop and gift shop and pick up something special.
Experience Playful Summer, a special summer festival of activities at Brodie Castle. Keep an eye on our social media for more information @BrodieCastleNTS
Plan your visit at nts.org.uk/visit/places/brodie-castle nts.org.uk/visit/places/brodie-castle
MUSIC
24th - 26th July 2026
Tide Lines to close out
Speyfest 2026
Tide Lines were the final headliner to be announced for this year’s Speyfest, staged in the heart of Moray from Friday 24 – Sunday 26 July
As the folk-pop band celebrate a decade at the top of Scottish music, they will return to Speyside on Sunday 26 July to close out the festival’s three days of non-stop music in spectacular style.
Having built a reputation for expansive, anthemic songs and a magnetic live performance, Tide Lines have always been warmly welcomed by Moray crowds. Their return to Speyfest promises to be a highlight of the weekend, as they bring their signature sound to the festival’s main stage.
Tides Lines front man Robert Robertson said:
“We can’t wait to get back to Speyfest this July! We’ve got great memories of the festival - right back to the early days of Tide Lines. We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary this year so returning to a festival we’ve enjoyed so much over the years feels particularly exciting.”
Also completing the line-up is double BBC Musician of the Year, guitarist and accordionist
Tide Lines
Edey
Tim Edey, rated as one of the finest players on the folk and contemporary Celtic music scene today.
Falasgair, named Up and Coming Act of the Year 2024 at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, have also been announced. The sixpiece band, which includes Moray local and fiddle player Macaulay Ross, will make their Speyfest debut with a mix of contemporary, traditional, and self-penned tunes.
A surge of local talent will also flood Speyfest’s Duncans of Fochabers stage, including North East wonders Johnny Sheep and The Coupit Ewes, local singer-songwriter Lewis Wiles, and Moray’s finest Americana outfit The Forty Elephants
The festival has also relaunched its Speyfest Young Entertainer competition, with the brightest new young talent winning a coveted slot on the festival bill. Youngsters will be following in the footsteps of previous winners such as Scots singer Ellie Beaton.
This year’s Bands in Residence, who spend the entire festival weekend performing across multiple spaces – from the main stage to informal pub sessions – are bold new trad band Astro Bloc, folk favourites Dallahan and Boston-based fiddle fusion group Scottish Fish
Tide Lines complete an already stacked line up of names, including Canadian Celtic superstar Natalie MacMaster, Irish party-starters The Tumbling Paddies, treasured vocalist Karen Matheson and her band, and Highland heroes Elephant Sessions
Located in the north east village of Fochabers, Speyfest has been showcasing the best in contemporary folk music since 1995 and now welcomes attendances of around 4,500 annually.
Speyfest Chair Ashleigh Macgregor said: “Tide Lines are the perfect final piece of the puzzle for Speyfest 2026. We know they will deliver an unforgettable finale to this year’s festival and that the Fochabers crowd will give them the warmest of welcomes.
“This year’s line-up really captures what Speyfest is all about – bringing world-class artists to our small corner of Moray, while celebrating the incredible music scene on our doorstep. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Fochabers this July.”
Speyfest 2026 takes place from Friday 24thSunday 26th July for its 29th edition.
Tickets are on sale now visit www.speyfest.com
Tim
Falasgair
The Conval’s Circular, Dufftown
Located on the outskirts of Dufftown, the Conval hills are two hills that sit side by side with the mighty Ben Rinnes beside them. This is a more taxing walk than my usual features but it’s a beautiful route on a nice day with fantastic views of the countryside and beyond. I scored the day that I visited and could see the snow-capped Cairngorm mountains in the distance.
Starting from the Dufftown town clock head up Conval Street. Once you get to the edge of town, continue along the track next to the road. Be mindful of vehicles passing by. Around a mile into the walk, you will pass by the Dufftown Golf club.
The path disappears just after the Golf club (so you will need to do a little bit of verge walking) and you will come to a wooded area. Just a short distance there is an opening at the right-hand side of the road (same side as the golf club). Head up this track it does turn to the right a little further on, before continuing straight uphill.
There is a fantastic road all the way up with a steady incline. Continue straight on until you reach the bottom of both hills. You will see a track all the way up Little Conval on the right-hand side and a much fainter track up Meikle Conval on the left-hand side.
First head up the track on the right to Little Conval. After a short distance there is a fork, take the track to the right as it makes the ascent easier than the steeper straight ahead path. This route snakes its way up the hill.
When you reach the summit, head to the north end to find the trig point, where you will be rewarded with fantastic views all around including Craigellachie, Aberlour and the Cairngorm mountains. At the top of Little Conval there are several piles of stones which are actually part of
Distance: 9 miles
Time: 3 ½ - 5hrs
Terrain: A mix of pavement, road, track and a little bit of heather bashing which adds to the fun.
Access: Parking available in the Square beside the clocktower (AB55 4AD) and on nearby streets. There is a regular no 36 Stagecoach bus from Elgin and the bus stop is located in the square.
www.tracygoesoutside.com
an ancient unfinished Iron Age hill fort that can be seen on Google Earth.
Once you have explored the summit you will retrace your steps and enjoy the descent of Little Conval before you reach the bottom and start your ascent up Meikle Conval.
Meikle Conval is a boggier hill with less clear paths. You will find a faint track, follow it uphill. It does eventually dry out, and the heather bashing becomes less intense. Continue following the track straight up. The climb is worth it for the views to Ben Rinnes and beyond.
At the summit you will find a small cairn. Just beyond the cairn you will find the narrow path you will take to descend.
This section involves a little bit of heather bashing until you reach the wider track which you will follow all the way down until you reach the road, turn left. There is a short stretch of road walking but there is a wide verge if any cars come along. You will come to the wooded area that you passed earlier, where you will find a turning to your right with a green sign post for Giants Chair, The Gordon Cross and Dufftown Square. Take this turning, it is a nice gentle walk back into Dufftown you will see Glenrinnes Lodge on the way past.
Soon you will come to Dufftown Distillery and Mortlach Parish Church from here you will head up Church Street and finally back to the Dufftown Square and the start of the walk. I would recommend dropping in past Beinn Coffee & Books, which is located just off the square on Balvenie Street, for a post hike coffee.
Carpets and blinds now available
Large stock of Beds and Mattresses, Mobility Rise and Recline Chairs, Pictures and Gift Ware all available for immediate delivery
A great new café trail for you to follow. This is an excellent idea from the wonderful Laura at Bumble & Brae and will launch fully with all the necessary instructions in the Aug/Sept issue of Lifestyle.
There are many fabulous independent cafés in our beautiful area. I am sure you have already visited some, but I am sure there are many more that you have still to discover. When we tell you about them all in the next issue, you will absolutely want to visit them all.
Laura is producing a map for you to follow, and you will collect stamps on each visit. There might even be a prize at the end for someone who visits the most. You will need to wait until August to find out.
The final details have still to be worked out but it will definitely be a trail I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy undertaking. Who doesn’t enjoy some good food and good company. I know this will be on offer by the bucket load. What else do you have planned this autumn!
If you are a café owner in the Lifestyle area and would like to participate in the trail, then please contact: Laura@bumbleandbrae.co.uk as soon as possible.
OPENING TIMES: Wed–Sun 10am–4pm
Cosy Café By The Coast
Delgatie Castle TURRIFF
Rain in Arabia: Rediscovering Oman in a Season of Storm
Back in March, just nine days after the latest Middle East conflict began, I boarded an Oman Air flight to Muscat. At the time, many people had to cancel or postpone holidays to the Gulf, particularly to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Yet life in Oman carried on much as it always does. Oman has never been subject to a UK FCDO “do not travel” warning, and flights between Oman and non-Middle East destinations continued uninterrupted throughout the unrest.
Honestly, I had no qualms about going.
Originally, I was supposed to be leading a guided self-drive tour around Oman, but my
UAE expat guests suddenly found themselves unable to take leave due to rapidly changing circumstances. Rather than waste the time, I decided to turn the trip into a deep reconnaissance mission, to see what new corners of Oman I could uncover for clients who ask me to design authentic, immersive, self-guided adventures across the country.
Over the next three weeks, I covered 3700 kilometres, experiencing dramatic weather, incredible landscapes and a renewed reminder of why Oman continues to pull me back year after year.
Normally, when travelling in Oman, I favour what I affectionately call a “giant sofa on wheels”, a 4-litre Nissan Patrol. This time, I deliberately chose something smaller: a Mitsubishi Montero Sport.
To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised. It was cheaper to hire, easier to park in towns, considerably lighter on fuel, yet the 3-litre engine was far more capable than I expected. Of course, I had to stress-test it thoroughly: steep mountain roads, wadis, beaches, desert tracks, muddy diversions and even floodwater. “Monty” barely got a day off.
Now, not much scares me, but heights certainly do! On the map, and indeed on Google Street View, the road looked perfectly manageable. In reality, the dusty track clung precariously to the mountainside with steep climbs, alarming drop-offs of several hundred metres and almost no passing places. For me at least, the drive was mildly terrifying.
The scenery, however, was worth every nervous glance over the steering wheel, and the feeling of exhilaration when I finally drove slowly and safely back down to the wadi below was better than any adrenaline kick money could buy.
One place I had been especially excited to revisit was Wadi Hawqayn. I’ve visited the area many times before, but this was my first opportunity to properly explore the famous Hawqayn trenches - and it was one of the most extraordinary places I have ever swum in my life. Stretching for around 300 metres and fed by warm spring water, the waters apparently reach depths of up to nine metres in places, but as I am quite petite, I could only test that to 1.6 metres!
Now, I admit to being a complete geology nerd in Oman, and along part of the Muscat Geotrail, I once again found myself staring in awe at rock layers bent and folded like someone had crumpled the earth. Oman is so much more than
Muscat Geotrail Rock Fold
Fath Al Khair Maritime Museum, Sur
Old Mud Brick House at Al Hamra
deserts and dunes. It is mountains, coastlines, canyons, caves and ancient landscapes that feel almost untouched.
The weather did however curtail some aspects of my trip.A short storm in Oman is not unusual, particularly in the mountains, but this trip brought wave after wave of rain systems. In total, I experienced nine days of heavy rain and accompanying wadi flooding. Roads vanished beneath muddy water, wadis became raging torrents and I had to rethink my plans, swapping my tent for a cheap hotel some nights. Yet somehow, rather than ruining the experience, it added to the sense of adventure and reminded me very quickly that Mother Nature was very much setting the agenda. Downtime was spent in museums, testing new restaurants and checking hotels and desert camps.
Part of the reason I had travelled in mid-March was to spend time in the border town of Al Buraimi during Ramadan and join my friend’s family for iftar. Al Buraimi feels like the real Oman to me — wonderfully authentic and, quite frankly, a little like home nowadays.
As the sun set and families gathered to break their fast, I was greeted not as a visitor, but like part of the family. “Marhaba, ahlan wa sahlan” — welcome, our home is your home.
No five-star hotel can compete with that sort of kindness.
Marina Bruce is the owner of Arabian Cities and Sands, an independent, ATOL-protected travel specialist creating authentic, supported self-guided and self-drive adventures across the Middle East and beyond.
Isabella Gordon, Marine Biologist
By Janice Meldrum Keith & District Heritage Group
On the 18th May 2026, Keith Primary School hosted a very special event to celebrate the life of Isabella Gordon OBE on what would have been her 125th birthday.
The pupils of Keith and Newmill Primary Schools had been working for many months, with the Electric Voice Theatre Group. The pupils had written and performed songs inspired by Isabella’s life and work.
A Children’s book had also been created with the pupils help and they were all presented with a copy.
The event was attended by dignitaries from across the world, including Katsutoshi Takeda, the Consul General of Japan, Andy Simpson, Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, Laura Mitchell, Moray MSP and Isabella’s Nephews John and Paul Gordon.
The inside performance was followed by special ceremonies of feeding and shell laying at the base of blossom trees that have been planted in three locations in Keith. A plaque was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant.
The seven trees were gifted to Keith from Japan as part of the Sakura Cherry Tree project.
Isabella Gordon OBE was born in Keith on 18th May 1901. She was the eldest of three children of James and Margaret Gordon. Isabella’s father was a farm servant and would have been very poorly paid.
Isabella attended Keith primary and Grammar school. Most children of Isabella’s background left school at the age of fourteen, but Isabella’s parents applied for a bursary of £8 a year so that she could stay at school, where she excelled.
In 1918 Isabella was accepted to attend Aberdeen university where she studied zoology and in 1922, she graduated with a BSc.
In 1923 she was awarded the Kilgour research scholarship. She used the funding to study soft corals. She then went to imperial college, London to study echinoderms and in 1924 she travelled to Montego Bay, Jamaica to study the marine life, especially sea urchins.
In November 1928 Isabella went to work at the natural history museum in London as assistant curator in the zoology department. And in 1937 Isabella became principal scientific officer of crustacea malacostraca, which includes crabs, lobsters, shrimps and about 40,000 other living species.
Isabella’s work took her all around the world and in 1961 Isabella was invited to Japan as part of the 60th birthday celebrations for Emperor Hirohito. Isabella spent several weeks lecturing and was granted a private audience with the emperor and a tour of the laboratories of the imperial house hold, the emperor himself being a very keen marine biologist. Their meeting was spent discussing marine biology, with special attention on the classification of sea spiders.
Isabella was invited to become an honorary member of the newly formed carcinology society of Japan, a great honour as she was the only non-Japanese member. Isabella kept in touch all through her life with the society and collaborations with the natural history museum saw the exchange of specimens between the two countries.
In 1963 Isabella was awarded an OBE
In 1966 Isabella retired after 38 years’ service. Her work was and still is renowned all over the world, and she became known as “the grand old lady of carcinology”
Isabella’s story might inspire some of you to follow in Isabella’s footsteps.
Lord L, Consul General Katsutoshi Takeds, Asia Webster, Amy Davenport & Charlotte Burgess
We’ve had some beautiful new deliveries here at the gallery. A New range of linen summer wear and batik furniture. Great colour textures, and all hand-picked to be stand out pieces. Floor to ceiling creativity in our gorgeous yarns, crafting supplies, unique artwork, home décor, beauty treats, fashion pieces, and thoughtful gifts.
Keep updated on our socials.
79 High Street, Aberlour AB389QB
Tel: 01340 521132 : 3bagswool
Open: Tue–Sat, 10am – 4pm (Closed Sun/Mon)
Summer is calling at The Gather’n
New Menus
Manifesting sunshine with menu changes to bring delicious summer touches and as always the best quality ingredients to fuel you!
Artisan bread
Our local artisan baker continues to supply us with a variety of fresh breads each week - perfect pairing for weekend brunch.
Little treasures
We also stock the perfect gifts. Lots of little treasures from mugs, highland coo art, coasters and plaques.
ImpROVise, local ROV team specialises in working well under pressure.
Based at Keith Grammar School, Moray we build our own Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to fly and complete tasks underwater at the Marine Advanced Technology Education competition (or MATE for short). This year, the team won the Regional MATE competition held at Robert Gordon’s University, which now takes us across the globe to Labrador, Canada to represent Scotland at the MATE World Championships.
Over the last year, we have been consistently improving our ROV, Astrid, and building our profiling float, Morag. Astrid consists of components such as vectored motors for highly stable movement, a claw manipulator for task completion, fish-finder cameras and a slightly positively buoyant frame.
The tasks we complete at the MATE ROV World Championships are designed to replicate real world challenges large scale ROV companies may face in their daily work life, from fixing pipelines to data collection for scientific research, all of which must be done within a tight time frame. At ImpROVise, we make this possible by equipping our ROV with all the necessary tools to fly at maximum capacity and at a high standard. For example, we have one camera angled downwards, and one front facing camera that is able to pivot up and down. Combined, this allows our pilot to gain enhanced perception whilst operating the vehicle underwater.
Our float, Morag consists of an acrylic tube, with 3 syringes that are opened and closed automatically using a bilge pump controlled by an Arduino. This allows water to be taken into the syringes and alter the buoyancy of the float to allow it to ascend and descend within the water smoothly.
Our team takes pride in developing a workforce of young, Scottish engineers and giving them vital skills to be transferred into everyday life and future careers. These are provided across our team’s departments.
• CAD, which handles the physical construction of the ROV, working on the design, planning and eventual creation of key components is made possible through their extensive knowledge of 3D modelling software, laser cutters, CNC machines and 3D printers.
• Our electrical team works with electrical design and programming. They are also in charge of designing the electrical aspects of the ROV including power distribution, cameras, control and tooling mechanisms.
• The administration team works on all impROVise’s outreach, financial accounting and public facing aspects. Admin works closely with the graphics department to raise awareness of the work the team produces and maintain relationships with our sponsors, local businesses
and individuals who are keen to support our project. This team also includes our CFO, who specifically oversees everything from team finances and expenditures to transportation, public events and fundraising.
• Graphics team members work with CVMG software such as Canva and Adobe Photoshop to create the promotional material and documentation such as the team poster, team logos and branding that takes our company visuals to the next level.
• Overseeing all teams are our two co-CEOs, each employing their strong leadership skills to ensure all our team members are carrying out their duties to the best of their abilities and maintaining a positive team environment.
ImpROVise meet every Friday afternoon to discuss next steps, overcome technical obstacles and build stronger bonds with each other, not just as colleagues but as close friends. Every member of the team agrees that joining impROVise has made them infinitely more confident, knowledgeable and well-rounded as individuals. Regarding our recent success, allowing us to travel to Canada to represent Scotland at the MATE World Championships, it would be an understatement to say the team are overjoyed to be a part of this wild adventure. Experiencing the world in a different light is a life changing experience, and to represent your country at an international competition is something that only happens once in a lifetime. All the team members who have come before us have experienced that same elation, and now it’s our job to continue that for future pupils’ years into the future, passing on a rich legacy that was once passed on to us.
Staying within your comfort zone is easy, but moving beyond it, however difficult it may be, is what motivates us to become better than what we thought was possible.
Please support this amazing young team to win in Canada
Fantastic Fundraising Brothers smash target to support local charity
The Archie Foundation is a local children’s charity headquartered at The Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH), supporting babies, children, and families across the North East of Scotland. For over 25 years, Archie has been dedicated to improving healthcare experiences and outcomes for children and their families.
At the heart of Archie’s work is a clear vision: that every child across the North of Scotland should have equal access to world-class healthcare and bereavement support, delivered in a way that puts children and families first.
David and Daniel Uzowulu experienced firsthand the impact Archie makes. When David (16) had to get surgery in 2025, his mum, Cynthia, was
able to stay close by during this and his recovery thanks to Archie’s hospital accommodation at RACH. Cynthia reflects:
“This was a big stress reliever for our family and meant I didn’t have to leave David on his own. It was comforting for both of us to know I was just down the hall from him if he needed me.”
The Archie Family Centre is designed to house parents of children receiving treatment at RACH, as the hospital covers a large geographical area across the North of Scotland, including Orkney and Shetland.
The accommodation has 19 en-suite rooms available and is fully funded by donations to The Archie Foundation. In March, a total of 350 nights were provided to families.
After seeing the long-stay facilities, David’s younger brother Daniel (11) asked, “Where did this all come from?” From there, Daniel learned about Archie, and the fundraising idea blossomed. “Initially, it was just Daniel who was going to take on the challenge,” Cynthia continued. “David soon decided that he’d also like to get involved as they’re both active and he also wanted to do something positive for Archie.”
During the Easter holidays, from Monday, March 23 to Wednesday, April 1, the boys ran for 30 minutes every day, with their final run finishing at RACH.
“Daniel does not even like running but wanted to challenge himself to do something that was out of his comfort zone,” added Cynthia.
Together, the brothers shared their story, promoted their fundraising page, and inspired so many people to get involved. Behind them, every step of the way was their incredible support network. From their mum Cynthia’s daily updates to family and friends cheering them on, the encouragement was truly amazing.
On the final day, the Archie team couldn’t wait to welcome them to RACH. The boys completed a 5K and crossed the finish line set up for them just beside the entrance, surrounded by loved ones, Archie staff, and supporters.
Nathan Reid, regional fundraising officer at The Archie Foundation, said:
“It was a fantastic moment, witnessing David and Daniel cross the finish line and cheering them on as they concluded their running challenge. The boys have put so much heart into this challenge, and it truly shows. We are so grateful for this support, and it will help the family centre greatly”
“Fundraising challenges like this truly capture the spirit of community that makes our work possible. Their determination, commitment and willingness to push themselves for the benefit of children and families across north Scotland is incredibly inspiring.”
The brothers originally hoped to raise £500 to support other families in a similar situation to the Uzowulus. Together, they have raised an outstanding £2,170! Enough to fund 86 nights in the Archie parent accommodation.
Nathan concludes, “A huge congratulations and thank you to Daniel and David Uzowulu. It’s been wonderful watching this idea grow into something so impactful.”
To learn more about support available through Archie or to complete a fundraising challenge of your own please get in contact with the charity at hello@archie.org
Lifestyle
by Alex Russon
About 200,000 people are employed in the Aberdeenshire and Moray regions, I wonder how many would claim to be content in their roles? I’d like to believe it’s the great majority, but the law of averages suggests this is unlikely.
For some, work is a necessary evil which makes ends meet but I’m fortunate enough to enjoy my job and I don’t take this blessing for granted. I’m useless at anything requiring technical expertise so careers in engineering, mechanics and such were off the agenda from the moment I left school, instead I settled into white collar work. These days I’m a financial salesman, lending money to businesses and I love it, I meet people from all walks of life and get a kick out of being able to help companies grow.
It does have its downsides, every job does, and sometimes I feel I’m just a professional coffee drinker since I attend so many events, exhibitions and conferences, consuming vats of the stuff. Modern day parlance finds the business community arranging ‘a coffee’ rather than a meeting, I therefore find myself drowning in caffeine. Finance might grease the wheels of industry; coffee seems to lubricate it. But returning to the notion of happiness in the workplace, I heard a wonderful story recently which might inspire you as it did me.
A chap was fortunate enough to be spending a week in New York and, whilst caught short one afternoon, visited the city’s underground public lavatories. Expecting the conveniences to be somewhat lacking in cleanliness, given they were
run by an apparently underfunded council, he was stunned to discover they resembled a top hotel’s restrooms in terms of hygiene and spotlessness. You could have eaten your breakfast off any of the surfaces (not that he was in the habit of scoffing bacon & egg from a toilet seat).
A janitor was patrolling the facility, impeccably dressed in crisp, clean overalls with a starched shirt and tie evident beneath. He welcomed every visitor warmly with a big, beaming smile and wished them well as they departed before returning to his work, wiping down sinks and mopping the floors. Later, one member of the public who’d earlier used the facilities, bumped into the janitor in a coffee shop and intimated his sorrow that he was forced to earn a living cleaning up after people. The janitor though was black affronted, explaining that it was an honour to provide folk with an immaculate public convenience, and he felt blessed that he could provide a clean, comforting environment when nature called. To him it was very genuinely a privilege to contribute in this manner to the community of New York and any visitors to it. “Many may look down upon me Sir,” he said, “but I don’t look down upon myself. It’s my pleasure to provide a respectful amenity to my fellow man. I’ve been doing it twenty years and look forward to another twenty”.
I’m inspired by this NYC janny and maybe you will be too. Those of us fortunate enough to be in employment may sometimes lament our chosen profession or wonder what took them there in the first place, but if we apply this guy’s attitude it’ll sure help us through the day. In the words of Talk Talk’s 80’s hit tells us; ‘Life’s What You Make It’. Next time I’m grumbling about drinking coffee, feel free to give me a boot up the rear.
Need dependable, great-value van hire in Aberdeenshire? Jim Reid delivers more for your money without compromising on service. With competitive, transparent pricing and modern, well-maintained vans, you’ll get quality you can rely on at a price that makes sense. Enjoy a stress-free experience every time — because outstanding service shouldn’t cost the earth.
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Telephone: 01467 634000 | WhatsApp: 07946 394525 | Email: hire@jimreid.co.uk | Web: www.jimreid.co.uk Unit 5, Craigearn Business Park, Morrison Way, Kintore, Inverurie Aberdeenshire, AB51 0TH
Low & Partners: Your Local Estate Agency with a Fresh Approach
In a busy property market, it’s easy to feel like just another listing, but not with Low & Partners. This independent North East estate agency has quickly become known for its friendly service, standout marketing, and genuine commitment to helping people move on to their next chapter with confidence.
Led by Founder and Director Lee Ann Low, the team brings a modern, energetic approach to selling homes. Every property is presented with care, creativity, and attention to detail. From bright, inviting photography to clear, honest advice that helps sellers feel supported from start to finish. It’s estate agency done with heart, backed by strong local knowledge and a passion for showcasing the best of the communities they serve.
Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, or taking your first step onto the ladder, Low & Partners offers a service that’s approachable, transparent, and refreshingly down to earth. For anyone thinking about a move, this is the team that makes the process feel that little bit easier, and a lot more exciting.
Book your valuation today with Lee-Ann: 07595 459852 enquiries@lowandpartners.co.uk
Scan the QR code to visit our website
FOOD
Summer swings in with big, bold colours and flavours that encourage you to really embrace the outdoors with a smile and carefree attitude. You can choose a windswept stroll along the beach with the sun beating down on your skin, with or without an ice cream, or head up into the forests for the fresh, cool air and be mesmerised by the dappled sparkles of sunlight that filter through the trees and their canopies.
Laura’s Chef Adventure
@lauras_chef_adventure
LIFESTYLE
Gardening club with the school children is a very happy place to be. We’ve discussed how fulfilling it is to be able to raise food and plants from seed, and what we need to provide for each individual plant’s needs. A bit like us really; we all need tailored care to support our specific needs and wants. When we get it right, for us and the plants, we thrive. We’ve had some amazing discussions about herbs and their uses in cooking, taking the opportunity to plant thyme, oregano and rosemary in our rockery area, then squeeze/rub the leaves to release their oils so we can close our eyes and tell each other what that particular smell reminds us of. I couldn’t think of a better way of teaching than when using multiple senses to learn.
Big news! You may have seen on my social media that I have been invited to partner with Wave Radio in Elgin. This wonderful charity radio station, operated by volunteers, is a perfect platform for me to grow and develop my journalism capabilities and reach a wider audience to share my passion for living an incredible life through good food, optimal health and wellbeing, and generally embracing every opportunity to live a fulfilling life. Some exciting times ahead! It is such a joy to support local people in creating something good for our community and work with printed/digital publication like this Lifestyle Magazine, as well other platforms online and in person. Variety is exciting after all.
You’ll find this edition’s delicious recipe on the next page for you to try.
Until next time, Eat Well.
Laura
...recipe on the next page!
Laura’s Recipe
SERVES 1
This dish is a cracker, and you’ll be wanting to eat it again and again over the summer months. Little pops of citrus, spice, and smoke with hidden gems of bacon lardons and lime segments tucked away between fresh leafy greens. Treat yourself to a slow morning cooking up a storm for breakfast/ brunch/lunch. You can multiply up the recipe for the potato cakes to freeze and reheat later. Invest in a good quality smoked paprika, thank me later!
2 large free-range eggs, (1 beaten for the potato cake and 1 for poaching)
1 small sweet potato (grated)
1 handful parsley (roughly chopped)
½ cup spelt flour
¼ tsp hot smoked paprika
1 lime, (½ for squeezing / ½ peeled and cut into little pieces)
3-4 heaped tbsp Live natural yoghurt
1-2 tsp runny honey
1 tbsp harissa paste (Belazu brand)
1 small clove garlic (crushed)
Pinch dried chilli flakes
½ pack of smoked bacon lardons (about 1-2 tbsp)
1 spring onion (sliced)
1 tbsp mixed toasted seeds
Smoked sea salt (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper (to season)
1. Mix together the yoghurt, honey, garlic, a pinch of smoked sea salt and chilli flakes, and the juice of ½ lime. Taste, adjust seasoning, and put to one side to develop in flavour.
2. Mix your grated potato, beaten egg, chopped parsley and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper in a bowl. Once combined, shake in the flour and paprika and mix and push together until it forms a ball. Divide into two and shape into patties, then gently lift into a medium-hot frying pan with a little olive oil in. Fry gently for a couple of mins without disturbing until sealed, then flip and repeat. Remove and put into an oven at 180c to finish cooking while you prep the rest of your dish.
3. Add your bacon lardons to the same pan, adding more oil if needed. Cook off and keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, poach your egg and drain well.
ASSEMBLE:
Arrange salad leaves, spring onions, seeds, and lime segments in a circle around the edge of your plate. Drizzle over the harissa paste, loosening with olive oil if needed.
Spoon a little of the yoghurt mix in the middle of the circle and place one potato cake on top. Spoon another dollop of yoghurt on top of this and lay the second potato cake on top, followed by the last of the yoghurt and your poached egg. Sprinkle over the bacon lardons, some chilli flakes, another flurry of smoked paprika and a teeny pinch of sea salt if liked. Squeeze the last bit of juice out of the lime over the top and you’re good to go!
jane@wildcatcreativestudio.com
PSYCHOTHERAPY
Family Therapy
Family and Systemic Psychotherapy – most people know as Family Therapy.
It is not easy to understand what Family Therapy would involve.
For some, the image portrayed in the popular american Simpsons cartoon sketches of Family Therapy, when all the family attend a clinic-to be “fixed”– comes to mind.
Guided by Nature, Family and Systemic Psychotherapy offers an opportunity to work inside together, online and outdoors- or a combination of these approaches. The focus for individuals and/ or family is making time to support an episode of growth and change, that is needed.
Nature as a guide
Evidence and experience tell us about the benefits of being at one with nature.
The seasons and rhythms of nature have so much to enrich us with. How often do we pause, notice and connect with nature, just doing this can be therapeutic.
Nature offers us the predictability of growth, loss and change. Nature navigates crisis and storms. All of this, can be mirrored in our inner and outer worlds – so what better co therapist can there be, than nature?
Exploring relationships in our lives, with nature as our guide can offer something different.
Karen Wells Smith
Experiencing ease in the relational parts of our lives; in our wider community and family, has a significant positive impact on our wellbeing.
Family and Systemic Psychotherapists can provide therapeutic support to work with you and your family, to understand the strengths and any imbalances that may be impacting your relationships
Our Self – Our Family
We all know what is familiar and what we appreciate and feel comfortable with. When we experience stressors, change, loss of what we know or challenges to the things we are familiar with, we can feel lost or stuck. This can often cause unhealthy repeating cycles and coping strategies that can impact our relationships.
Finding safe, supported space to slow down; take time to voice how we feel; think freely; listen compassionately to our instinctive needs; notice what is organising us, can be a helpful base to unbalance our self-critical thoughts we can build alone, when times are difficult.
What we look at together
A Family and Systemic Psychotherapeutic approach aims to honour everyone’s opinions and their account of the relationships. It is an approach that explores opportunities for realistic changes.
Acceptance, understanding and support in our families during times of stress, hurt and challenge can be our lifeline. Professional, therapeutic support can help to strengthen this, allowing growth and development of new ways of thinking and processing.
Having an opportunity to be open, identify and share our own and family intentions and behaviours, reconsider assumptions and understand responses and actions together can be transformative. When a system works along with you, the change and growth is more likely to be sustained.
It takes courage to stop and review your own self-perception and consider the presence or absence of significant others in your life.
With nature as a guide, family and systemic psychotherapy approaches, aim to walk alongside the experiences of life, often mirrored in nature.
However, we connect with nature it can bring a new perspective, stillness, movement and distance that can support our emotional journeys.
We can offer either an introductory and brief therapeutic session, short, medium, long or returning episodes of time, with breaks, you decide.
Family and Systemic Psychotherapy allows us to think about our own journey through different lenses.
If you are curious about a therapeutic path or journey that supports working with the relationships and people that matter to you…
Contact: Guided by Nature Family and Systemic Psychotherapy: https://www.guidedbynature.uk
YOGA
Presentation Skills using Yoga
By Sophia Hanson
If speaking in front of people sends your body into panic mode, here’s something important to know; you need to learn how to work with your body to help it feel safe, stop fighting against it.
This is exactly where the right kind of yoga can support you.
You don’t need fast flowing classes that leave you exhausted or sweaty. You don’t need complicated pretzel poses. You don’t need a class that will try to contort you into picture perfect poses.
You need the kind of yoga that teaches nervous system regulation so you can easily do it for yourself.
You need to learn how to breathe when your chest feels tight, how to ground yourself when your thoughts are racing, and how to stay connected to your body when adrenaline kicks in.
Usually when presentation nerves kick-in people abandon themselves completely. Their breathing becomes shallow, their muscles tighten, then their inner critic starts shows up and makes everything worse.
If your nerves feel intense right before speaking, do this:
1) Stop trying to “get rid” of the nerves.
2) Remind yourself “My body is activated right now, and that’s okay.
3) Focus on the sensation of your feet pressing into the floor.
4) Create a little space between your upper and lower teeth.
5) Let your shoulders melt away from your ears.
6) Unclench your hands (yes, they will have been holding tension).
7) Breathe in gently through your nose, then breathe out slower than you breathed in. Even three slow breaths can make a noticeable difference.
This is one of the quickest ways to calm your body when anxiety spikes.
When I teach, I combine these practices with hypnotic relaxation techniques, which help solve the deeper fear patterns underneath presentation anxiety. Once your mind and body repeatedly experience speaking from a calmer, safer state, confidence begins to build naturally instead of feeling forced.
And remember, a racing heartbeat does not mean you are failing. It is simply energy moving through the body. The goal is not to become emotionless; it’s to stay grounded enough that the nerves no longer control you.
One of the greatest gifts yoga teaches is that you can feel discomfort without collapsing into it; you can feel nervous and still speak clearly and deliver your message.
Most audiences aren’t looking for perfection. They want warmth, presence, and authenticity.
And often, the speakers who connect most deeply are simply the ones who learned how to breathe, soften, and trust themselves.
M: 07787 701 131 | E: Sophia@sophiahanson.com
: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiajhanson/
: www.sophiahanson.com
Where Experience Meets Fresh Ideas at Speyside Spa
In the world of hair, beauty and wellness, trends are constantly evolving. New techniques, treatments and ideas appear every year, often driven by younger professionals bringing fresh energy and creativity into the industry. At the same time, experience remains invaluable, especially when it comes to understanding clients, building trust and delivering consistently high standards of service and care.
The most successful salons and spas are often those that embrace both.
At Speyside Spa in Aberlour, our team reflects a wide range of ages, backgrounds and specialisms, and we see every day how beneficial that combination can be both for our staff and for our clients. Younger team members often introduce new ideas, modern styling influences and the latest wellness trends, while more experienced therapists and stylists bring knowledge, perspective and the confidence that comes with years of working closely with people.
In a single visit, clients can experience new skincare treatments, modern hairdressing and barbering, alongside therapies such as Reiki, Reflexology, Emmett Therapy or Lymphatic Drainage Massage, all rooted in a deep understanding of wellbeing and relaxation. The balance creates an atmosphere that feels modern and reassuring.
A mixed-generation team also creates a welcoming environment for clients of all ages. Whether someone visits for a manicure, facial, massage, teeth whitening or simply a moment of calm in a busy week, they want to feel understood and comfortable.
At its heart, the beauty and wellness industry is about helping people feel their best. By combining fresh thinking with experience and care, we believe salons and spas can offer something truly special, not just treatments, but genuine connection, confidence and wellbeing for the whole community.
Part One
Perimenopause: Why So Many Women Feel Dismissed, Misunderstood and Alone
By Dr Deborah Kingston
For many women, perimenopause arrives quietly and unexpectedly. It does not always begin with hot flushes or obvious physical changes. Instead, it can look like anxiety, overwhelm, poor sleep, low mood, brain fog, irritability, exhaustion, or suddenly feeling unlike yourself.
Many women describe a sense that they are “losing themselves” without understanding why.
Perimenopause can feel incredibly isolating, particularly because so many symptoms are still poorly understood or minimised. Phrases such as “the change” can unintentionally make it sound as though this is a brief transition women should simply tolerate. In reality, hormonal changes can significantly affect the brain, nervous system, body, and emotional wellbeing for years before periods stop completely.
Perimenopause usually begins in the 40s, but for some women, symptoms can begin much earlier. Unfortunately, many women under 45 are still more likely to be offered antidepressants or anxiety medication before anyone explores whether hormones may be contributing to what they are experiencing.
This does not mean mental health medication is never appropriate. For some women, it can be helpful. However, hormonal changes are often overlooked, particularly when symptoms present psychologically rather than physically.
During perimenopause, oestrogen and progesterone do not simply decline in a neat, predictable way. They can fluctuate chaotically, rising and falling unevenly from day to day or month to month. These hormonal shifts can affect sleep, mood, anxiety, concentration,
emotional regulation, and physical wellbeing, which is why symptoms can feel so sudden, intense, and confusing.
One symptom many women quietly describe, often with guilt or shame, is sudden and intense anger. An Elgin midwife assistant once described it to me as “a rage like no other” that seemed to come completely out of the blue. Many women recognise this immediately when it is spoken about openly. They describe feeling emotionally flooded, reactive, or overwhelmed by anger in ways that feel unfamiliar and out of character.
One reason perimenopause can be difficult to identify is because symptoms often fluctuate dramatically. Hormone levels during this stage can rise and fall unpredictably, which means blood tests are often not particularly useful for diagnosing perimenopause in women over 40. Symptoms and changes over time tend to provide far more useful information.
Symptoms can include poor sleep, night sweats, anxiety, panic, brain fog, memory difficulties, fatigue, joint pain, palpitations, emotional sensitivity, low mood, irritability, and changes in menstrual cycles. For some women, these changes can feel frightening, particularly if they begin affecting work, confidence, or daily functioning.
Unfortunately, there is still a significant lack of education around female health and midlife hormonal changes. Many GPs are working under enormous pressure and may have had limited menopause training during their medical education. This can leave women feeling dismissed or unsupported when they seek help.
Because of this, many women are turning towards reputable online resources and specialists to better understand what is happening to them. People such as Davina McCall, Dr Louise Newson, and Dr Helen Wall have helped increase public awareness and provide accessible information for women who may otherwise have felt completely alone.
Perimenopause is not “all in your head”. Hormonal fluctuations can affect emotional regulation, sleep, cognition, stress tolerance, and overall wellbeing. Many women who have coped well throughout most of their lives suddenly find themselves struggling with things they previously managed without difficulty.
What many women need most during this stage is not judgment or dismissal, but validation, support, and accurate information.
For some women, lifestyle adjustments, therapy, movement, and better sleep support can help. For others, Hormone Replacement Therapy can make a significant difference to quality of life. Every woman’s experience is different, which is why informed and compassionate conversations matter so much.
Perhaps one of the most important things we can do is talk more openly about perimenopause so women stop feeling as though they are facing it alone.
In our next edition, we will explore how perimenopause can affect relationships, intimacy, communication, and self-esteem. We will also look at how partners can offer meaningful support. A good place to start is by reading this article, understanding that these changes are real, and recognising that many women need compassion, patience, and support rather than criticism or dismissal.
Why WindowsWell-Styled Matter
Windows are one of the first things anyone notices about a home. Long before a visitor steps inside or a prospective buyer makes a decision, the windows and doors have already made an impression. When styled correctly, they enhance everything around them. When they are not, they can quietly undermine even the most beautifully finished property.
That is why styling matters. Even high-quality products can detract from a home if they are poorly chosen or incorrectly specified. Replacing windows and doors is a significant investment, so it should elevate your home, not diminish it.
The good news is that CR Smith has been designing windows and doors for over 50 years, so they know the principles of good window styling – as well as what doesn’t work.
Scotland’s homes are wonderfully varied, from Victorian terraces to modern new builds. Each has its own architectural language, and your windows should complement it.
For example, sliding sash windows suit traditional Georgian and Victorian homes, where their vertical proportions and pane divisions feel natural. Installing a modern style in their place can feel off, even if it is hard to pinpoint why. Equally, highly decorative period details can feel out of place on a contemporary property designed around clean lines and simplicity.
When choosing a style, consider:
• What window style was the property originally built with?
• What are the proportions of the existing windows?
• What style do neighbouring properties use, particularly in a terrace or on a uniform street?
• Are there planning or conservation area requirements that limit your options?
In some cases, particularly in conservation areas, permissions may be required, but expert guidance from CR Smith can make this process straightforward.
The principles of good window & door styling
Colour matters
Frame colour should complement the building. White or rosewood can suit red brick, while oak tones often work beautifully with lighter render. Poor colour matching is one of the most noticeable mistakes.
Consistency is key
Sight lines, the visual alignment of frames and glazing bars, should be even across windows. Inconsistent lines draw attention for the wrong reasons, while balanced proportions create a cohesive look. Opening sections should sit towards the outer edges of a window, not the centre. This small detail helps maintain visual balance from the outside.
Think about the whole elevation
Mixing window styles on the same elevation can disrupt the overall look. Even when different types are required, careful attention to proportions and alignment will keep the design cohesive. Elements like dormer surrounds should also be replaced alongside new windows. Keeping old timber frames next to new installations can detract from the finish and create ongoing maintenance issues.
Do not forget the interior
Styling does not stop at the exterior. Internal finishes play a big role in the overall impression. Well-crafted sills and surrounds, whether in painted MDF or hardwood, add a level of quality that basic alternatives simply cannot match.
A considered investment
Great window and door styling is about balance between function, aesthetics and architectural integrity. When done well, it enhances your home’s character and value. When overlooked, it can have the opposite effect.
With the right expertise and attention to detail, your windows will not just perform well, they will complete your home perfectly.
For expert advice, visit the CR Smith showroom on Lotland Street, Inverness. Explore styles up close, compare finishes, and speak with specialists who can guide your choices and help you find the right windows and doors for your home.
How often have we heard of sketches on the back of an envelope or ideas being bandied around a group of friends in the pub becoming successful enterprises? Trivial Pursuit and those crime fighting turtles come to mind instantly, but there are countless more success stories that owe their existence to random meetings of minds.
One such success story is Advanced Electrics, a local company that started with Alec Green and James Walker kicking ideas around in a pub in Jersey (where they were based and working) way back in 1986, long before Microsoft, Apple, mobile phones and instant communication became the norm. The name Advanced Electrics was born and has become the well-known and respected firm that has had a steady place in the community ever since.
After leaving Jersey the two friends started the firm, initially working from Dalmeny Cottage in Mulben, then moving to Glentauchers in 1988, working from James’s house until the original office building was built in 1990. This was not to be their last move, however, and in 2015 they relocated to Unit Q1 in Isla Bank Mills in Keith, where they have been to this day.
As with all new businesses, the biggest challenges in those early years were cashflow and repeat business but with their determination and approach they weathered the storm and have seen steady growth in the last 40 years. In many ways this sustained successful growth has been down to their approach to the staff members, apprentices, additional staff as and when required and, overall, to their customers.
Lots of their employees they class as friends, as they do with customers. This attitude shows in the fact that many of their employees have stayed for the long haul: Gary Thomson, who has clocked up over 34 years and is one of the first employees, but who will retire this summer. To say he will be greatly missed is an understatement but, who knows, maybe he will return to do another stint with the company, as Iain Bain did, who retired twice.
These are not the only employees who have shown incredible loyalty to the firm – Gary Morrison has been there 29 years; Lesley Jamieson (without whom the office would not survive!) has been there 28 years; Tommy Cornes has clocked up 13 years and David Green is in his 9th year. All of these people are testimony to the way the firm is run and the attitude of management to staff – highly commendable in an age when employees stay for short periods of time, moving on to pastures new.
The company has seen incredible growth in the last 40 years and, during that time, company culture has changed so much with more rules and regulations, the introduction of Health and Safety, rigorous rules and regulations regarding training and a lot more audits and inspections.
But Advanced Electrics has weathered the changes mainly due to the ethos that was present when the company started and which has not changed in all the years since.
Gary Thomson, Gary Morrison & Tommy Cornes
Acky & Jim in Jersey
The firm has been involved with the whisky industry from the off but with the current climate of added tariffs, international problems, climate change and the cost of living things have become very challenging. Involvement with the food industry and also the fishing industry have softened the blow somewhat but today’s climate has necessitated adding services such as fibre optic cabling and instals, energy monitoring, environmental monitoring and renewables. You do not rest on your laurels in today’s world!
But it is not only in the business world that Advanced Electrics makes its mark – the firm donates and sponsors where it can, signs at local football grounds, a presence at the Keith Show, donating a defibrillator unit and being part of Keith in Flower. They support the community which, in turn, supports the business. And this is all down to the basic ethos of those two men who kicked things off in 1986. Sadly James passed away in 2021 but the values he brought to the company still remain – provide an honest, personal and professional service, respect your customers and they will remain with you.
It is fitting to end with Alec’s thoughts, which he has eloquently put into words and perfectly sums up what has made this firm so successful:
“Reaching 40 years means a huge amount to me, it’s a huge part of my working life but it would not have been possible without all the people that still work here and have worked here, they have all helped to get the company to where it is today.
To all my customers, colleagues and friends, thanks to each and every one of you who have supported myself and the company, it has been an incredible journey from 1986 to 2026, the company and myself would not have made it without your support.
Goals for next 5-10 years – I hope the business can evolve in these challenging times; there are so many good people involved in the business I would love to see it continue. I plan to get a life free of work!
A lot of 6/7 day weeks, 12 hour days takes its toll. It’s time to enjoy some of the things I have wanted to do for a long time, as they say, you’re a long time dead!
Advice for new business owners-
Good luck (you need it)
Patience (you need it)
Be humble, understanding and supportive.
Be honest and appreciate loyalty.
Be willing to listen, change and adapt.
Be careful it does not take over your life.
Enjoy it – If you don’t, it won’t work!”
Over 25 Years of proudly manufacturing and installing top quality PVC windows and doors for homes across the North East of Scotland
A family run business in Buckie serving customers within a 60 mile radius.
We provide everything from supply only for trade orders to full installation of windows, doors, roofline cladding, composite doors and conservatories.
NORTH EAST WINDOWS & DOORS LTD
The Douglas Centre, Marchmont Crescent, Buckie, AB56 4BT enquiries@newd.ltd | 01542 835825
No pressure sales Workmanship you can rely on
Every window and door is made to measure in our own factory, ensuring local local craftmanship and attention to detail at every stage.
Call now or pop in to Marchmont Crescent to discuss your requirements
Stay Strong. Stay Independent.
If you’re living with a medical condition, or you’ve finished physio but don’t feel back to normal, the next step matters.
My name is Linda Bailey, and I run Bailey’s Wellness Studio at Curves in Inverness. I have a background as a GP Exercise Referral Practitioner, working with individuals with a range of medical conditions, helping them rebuild strength, improve movement, and regain confidence safely.
Bailey’s Wellness Studio provides structured, coach-led sessions to help you rebuild strength, improve movement, and maintain a good quality of life.
This is not a typical gym.
You are guided every step of the way in a small group setting, with sessions designed to be safe, controlled, and effective.
We focus on what matters in everyday life:
• Getting up and down with ease
• Moving with confidence
• Improving balance and stability
• Staying strong and independent
Sessions are 30 minutes, fully supervised, and built around your needs.
Sessions are adapted to your condition and ability, and we start with a short consultation to understand what you need.
Suitable for a range of medical conditions and recovery stages.
If you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to help.
Call or message to arrange your first visit.
Bailey’s Wellness Studio at Curves
Inverness, IV1 1UA
Tel: 077 6969 3993
Closing date
All competitions: Friday 24th July 2026
June already, how did that happen? They do say the older you get, and I have just had another birthday, and I am feeling very old now. Lifestyle is ten years old this year. Look out for our plans coming up soon.
Prizes on offer from our wonderful advertisers this issue are fabulous as always.
The much sought after weekend tickets for Speyfest have kindly been offered again this year, I’ll see you there. Pray for sunshine please.
Also needing the sun is Grantown Show who have again offered a family ticket. A great day out.
Afternoon Tea for four people, I know will be a favourite, Delgatie Castle have generously offered this prize.
Fully kit out your pooch for the World Cup with a £35 voucher from Lilypips Petgear.
Last but not least, Morrison Motors in Turriff have kindly offered an XPENG merch bundle and a Autoglym Car cleaning kit.
Good Luck!
COMPETITION CODES
SPEYWKND
Speyfest weekend ticket for two people
GRANTOWNFAM
Family ticket for Grantown Show
DELGATIETEA
Afternoon Tea for four people at Delgatie Castle
LILYPIPSVOUCH
£35 voucher from Lilypips Petgear
XPENGMERCH
XPENG merchandise and car cleaning kit from Morrison Motors
Email competitions@lifestylemoray.scot with your name, address and contact number or send a postcard to: Lifestyle Magazine, 5 Green Lane, Newmill, Keith AB55 6NX
Remember your competition codes and please send multiple entries on one card.
Terms & conditions: All Lifestyle competition prizes are kindly donated by Lifestyle advertisers. There is no entry fee, one e-mail or postcard with the relevant codes is all that is necessary. Winners are chosen at random by a computer generated programme. There is no cash alternative available. Names of winners will be published in the following issue.
Congratulations to our April/May winners.
We receive hundreds of responses and love your letters and emails... Keep ‘em coming. Who knows... It could be you next time.
PORTHAAL Cheryl Bickel Elgin
BOATFEST Ian Watt Keith
TMSA Shona Stuart Insch
DROUTHY John Ross Buckie
BUMBLE Wilma Fielding Buckie
RINGBELL Linda MacFarlane Elgin
Broil King Royal 340 Shadow
£522.95
Ideal compact family BBQ featuring 2258 sq. cm. of primary cooking surface and includes 3 stainless steel Dual-Tube™ burners, 10 mm reversible cast iron cooking grids, stainless steel Flav-RWave™ cooking system, and electronic ignition together with a 2.7kW side burner. Painted steel drop-down side shelves and enclosed cabinet base for your Calor 5kg Patio Gas bottle.
