Scottish coastline path

There is a BBC story about a plan proposed by an SNP MSP to build a coastal path that goes all the way along Scotland's coast.

Plans for a long-distance path around the nation's entire coastline are to be discussed in the Scottish Parliament.

South of Scotland MSP Alasdair Morgan said many coastal walks already existed and these could be joined together to form one route around the country.

He said the path could start near Gretna and follow the shoreline all the way round to near Berwick.

Mr Morgan said he believed the project would provide a valuable tourism boost for the nation as a whole.

...

He said: "I do not know how long it would take somebody to walk the entire distance.

"I am sure that, if marketed effectively, it would be a valuable way of attracting people who want to try something different and who enjoy seeing Scotland from a different perspective.

"That is not to say that people would attempt the entire distance, although I suspect it could be done in stages, in the same way as people climb the Munros."

I can certainly see the merits of the idea; Scotland certainly has some beautiful coastlines, publicising and making them more accessible is certainly something I can embrace. Added to that the idea of being able to walk to whole length of the coast appeals to me.

However there seem to be a lot of details that need to be ironed out. To pick obvious examples there's the cost, especially the cost of building and maintaining paths in the most inaccessible parts of the coast. There may also be environmental impacts on delicate ecosystems, the building of the path and foot traffic may be damaging to local wildlife.

If those problems can be overcome I will certainly welcome this new and easy way to explore the beautiful country in which I live.

Plan Bee

The Co-operative is launching a new campaign this year to spotlight a worrying environmental problem. The disappearance of bees worldwide:

We know that bees produce very lovely honey from nectar, but, more importantly, they pollinate fruit and vegetables – a third of the food we eat in fact.

Bees visit flowering plants to collect their nectar. As they move from plant to plant, pollen is picked up on their fur and deposited on other plants in the process, fertilising them.

To address the disturbing issue of bees dying out, The
Co-operative has launched Plan Bee.

To find out more or get involved, click on the links below:

* Bees: What you need to know
* What you can do to help bees
* Plan Bee: what The Co-operative is doing for bees
* Bee involved: sign-up to our campaign group

It's an interesting issues which I think not a lot of people know about, or if they do know something about it they don't realise the significance of the problem. The Co-operative group is having a film screening of the film Plan Bee in Aberdeen:


For non-Aberdonians there is a list of dates here(pdf).

Date: Friday 13 February 7pm-9pm

Location: The Linklater Rooms, Kings College, University of Aberdeen

Event: Plan Bee

Description: We'll be unveiling our brand new campaign, Plan Bee, and screening a stunning new film, never before shown in the UK, on the plight of the bee.

Bees are dying, in worryingly large numbers, and no one knows for certain why. Last year, in the UK alone, one in three hives was lost. It's a global problem that concerns us all; bees pollinate over a third of the food we eat. Our campaign will address the question of why bees are dying in such large numbers and what we can all do about it.

We've secured the rights to a new film about the shocking disappearance of bee colonies around the world and you can be amongst the first in the UK to see it. Come and learn more about the fascinationg life of bees, the crucial role that bees play and what might be causing these sudden losses.

Following the film you'll have the opportunity to find out more about bee-friendly gardening and collect some free wildflower seeds to sow in your garden or window box.

Event Dates Description: We expect these events to be popular so please reserve your free place(s) early to avoid disappointment. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.