Mark Beaumont, a 25-year-old man from Fife, Scotland, has broken the record for cycling round the world. He completed the trip in a staggering 195 days.
Mark Beaumont, from Fife, completed the 18,000-mile journey this afternoon, when he crossed the finish line at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris Read the full story.
Tonight, 25 January is Burns' night, honoring the birth of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns. Born in Alloway, Scotland, this son of a poor tenant farmer grew to be Scotland's answer to William Shakespeare and is today toasted throughout the world; he authored Auld Lang Syne and many other well known poems and lyrics. Next year will be the 250th anniversary of his birth.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
Today's end of week videos feature one of the most arduous, fun-packed adventure races on the planet. The Drambuie Pursuit is inspired by the legendary chase of an escaping Scottish prince across Scotland but brought into the 21st century with powerboats, Zapcats, Rage buggies, mountain bikes, archery, rock climbing and abseiling.
That first cool video was from racer dadhemar and this second video is a promo from drambuiepursuit.
Think you could cope with the challenge of this not-for-the-squeamish cross country dash? If you're interested in entering, you're over 18 years of age and have what it takes to impress, they invite you to visit the official pursuit site for registration forms and full details.
Over the next couple of weeks, mountain and outdoor adventure lovers are in for a treat on both sides of the Atlantic.
In Scotland, the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival from 19 - 21 October, 2007, is an annual event, now in its fifth year, that uses films, lectures and exhibitions to inspire an enjoyment of the natural environment.
Then, in Canada, the annual Banff Mountain Festivals gets underway, from October 27 ? November 4, 2007. The Banff Mountain Festivals, which include the famous book and film festivals, are dedicated to promoting mountain culture and offer inspiring mountain stories, together with the exhilarating beauty of mountain landscapes.
The Wickerman Festival - Scotland's Alternative Music Event
The Wickerman Festival is Scotland's alternative music event, held annually at East Kirkcarswell Farm, Dundrennan, Scotland; a site close to various locations used in the classic British horror film 'The Wicker Man' (1973). Now entering its seventh year, the festival is regarded as a smaller version of England's Glastonbury, or T in the Park, with a wide mix of music to suit all tastes. The festival organisers have developed a relaxed, family friendly event, with the accent on eclectic tastes in music. Stages include two main stages, a world music and funk tent, a classic Jamaican reggae sound system, an acoustic village, a punk/ska/northern soul tent, a new Scottish bands tent, several dance tents, children's area, workshops, crafts, cinema, camping and, of course, a 30 foot Wickerman who is sacrificed to the festival gods on the closing night.
The 2008 Wickerman Festival will be happening on the 25 and 26 July.
The Edinburgh Festival is underway but just a hop and a skip to the west, thousands of musicians from around the world have descended on Glasgow for the World Pipe Band Championships, 11th August 2007.
8,000 musicians from over 50 countries, will be playing in 225 bands at the championships and it is estimated that the performances will be watched by 50,000 spectators.
In late August and September, ospreys across Scotland begin their long migration to West Africa; this includes the young, just 12 weeks after hatching. Roy Dennis, an independent ornithologist, writing in Living.Scotsman.com says, "One of the summer's most exciting sights is to watch a male osprey diving to catch pike and trout in fresh water, or flounders in coastal estuaries." There are nearly 200 pairs of ospreys nesting in Scotland, so you have a great chance to see them at Scottish Wildlife Trust and RSPB reserves or Forestry Commission osprey watch centres. However, Roy points out that you only have a few weeks left, if you want to see them in Scotland this year. Of course, you could always go on a birdwatching trip to Africa.
I was looking for a video to give a feel for the atmosphere surrounding the Edinburgh Festival and came across this fantastic clip from lurkyblix of Clann an Drumma at last year's festival, giving an open air performance just off Princes Street. Absolutely awesome sound. The video comes complete with a lady who is so engrossed in the music that she parks herself straight in front of the camera, and a nice little shot of a youngster dancing in the street.
Apparently the band split and four of them formed a new group called Albannach, with two new percussionists. They are phenomenal and I will be posting a video of them on The Sessions.
Scotland's Edinburgh in August is unique and at its centre is the Edinburgh International Festival of classical music, theatre, opera and dance. This year it celebrates its 60th year and runs from the 10 August to 2 September, 2007.
A central theme of the 2007 festival is Renaissance and earlier music, spearheaded by a performance of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo which itself celebrates 400 years since its first performance, regarded as the birth of Opera.
There are a large number of Music Holidays to be found in our database.
Tomorrow, the last Tuesday in January, is the day that Lerwick in the Shetland Islands celebrates its annual 'Lerwick Up Helly Aa', when a large torchlit procession of over 800 people dressed in Viking costume, culminates in the burning of a replica galley. After the galley has been burnt, there follows a night of revelry and it is said that few reach home with a clear head, before 8.30am the next morning; Wednesday is sensibly a public holiday in Lenwick.
They know how to keep warm in those Scottish Isles, there are another eight, similar fire festivals in various districts of Shetland during the late winter.
