Category Archives: Dumfries and Galloway

Transported

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Stephen Shellard

Observations from a meeting advocating the reopening of rail links in Dumfries and Galloway. Anyone who lives in Dumfries and Galloway will be aware that a railway line once spanned the region, snaking its way from Dumfries to Portpatrick, with … Continue reading →

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Friday Portraits

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Stephen Shellard

A Sitter’s View of the Matter In September of last year I had to run an errand which took me into the studio of artist Hugh Bryden.  I found him surrounded by the output of his work.  Canvases,  linocut prints, … Continue reading →

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Reflections from the Kirkcudbright Book Festival, 2026

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Stephen Shellard

Poets Fixing the World, A Graphic Novelist, A Pioneering  Musician with Roots in the Scottish Folk Tradition; and a Path of Slime Just the other day, I was talking with a friend about the challenges of appreciating poetry.   I think … Continue reading →

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Great Lives, The Lisbon Lions, Scottish Landscape and Bohemia in a Small Scottish Town

Posted on September 24, 2025 by Stephen Shellard

I’d never heard of the  improvisational guitarist Derek Bailey until I encountered his story on BBC Radio’s Great Lives programme. Amongst other things, the programme was memorable for a short and fractious exchange between the presenter Matthew Parris, and comedian … Continue reading →

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Kirkcudbright Fringe 2025

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Stephen Shellard

Three Stories from This Year’s Festival of Art and Culture Story 1: Home Truths for Home Rule: Scotland After 25 Years of Devolution Lesley Riddoch and Henry McLeish in Conversation Kirkcudbright Fringe has once again presented us with a fine array … Continue reading →

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Roncadora

Posted on August 30, 2025 by Stephen Shellard

I arrived at the Coach and Horses last Thursday with no intention to write anything about the evening which was to come.   But I went home with a different idea entirely for the event celebrated not just poetry but … Continue reading →

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Bogland

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Stephen Shellard

Tradition, Memory, and the Future of Peatlands Once upon a time, the burghers of Dumfries would dig and burn peat to keep them warm in the cold of winter. The town had an array of bogs or mosses from which … Continue reading →

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A National Park for Galloway…

Posted on December 7, 2024 by Stephen Shellard

A Chance for Revival or a Risky Gamble? A proposal is afoot to make some part of Galloway – as yet undefined — a national park also to include, perhaps, South Ayrshire. This proposal has sparked increasing debate, with strong … Continue reading →

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From Apex Predators to the hidden World of Mycorrhiza

Posted on November 23, 2024 by Stephen Shellard

I’ve never been much of a bird watcher. I can just about name the birds that turn up at my feeders, which occasionally include some eye-catching specimens. Greater spotted woodpeckers come from the woods nearby for peanuts and there’s also … Continue reading →

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The Climate Kitchen and the Ghost of Christmas Past

Posted on November 16, 2024 by Stephen Shellard

If I had my way, there would be no Christmas music or decorations or lights before mid-December. But I know that ain’t gonna happen and I’ll just have to make the best of what is on offer and hope I never tire of listening to A Fairy Tale of New York.   Continue reading →

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