Gill Steele

My two-week Tring to Turkey rail holiday — that even won over my teens Mark Smith, the voice of rail travel website The Man in Seat 61, gathers his family and takes the scenic route to the Turquoise Coast via Prague, Budapest and more

My article in The Times today, telling the tale of our family summer holiday to Kusadasi by train (includes a quote from Eurostar’s train manager Blake!):
www.thetimes.com/travel/desti...

Hi @glenuiginn.bsky.social don’t know if you already know but you are in here

YouTube video by Lyn Cat Irv Film made by John Lubbock & Daisy Steinhardt

"It's democracy, but not as we know it"
Nerve Reform UK correspondent
@johnsweeneyroar.bsky.social
went to Caerphilly on byelection day. Where *was* candidate Llŷr Powell, ex-colleague of Russian puppet Nathan Gill? And what did Plaid Cymru's Lindsay Whittle say?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq83...

Noted but it’s what the Bella Caledonia article is all about. The cartoon was drawn by American media as part of the attacks on Mandani as a left wing NY mayoral candidate. There is a clip showing Mandanis response, understandably not impressed, in the article too.

‘Much of the British media/political elite is in meltdown over the ascendancy of Zack Polanski, the new Green leader, who has offered some political ideas which, until recently, would have been thought mainstream. Such is the extent to which the Overton Window has hurtled to the right’

'The Ukrainians have been counting on Europe, but they no longer hide their disillusionment' With Donald Trump's diplomatic inconsistencies and Russia escalating its war, Ukraine's European allies must finally seize their moment, writes Le Monde columnist Sylvie Kauffmann.

'The Ukrainians have been counting on Europe, but they no longer hide their disillusionment'

These are a few I follow (apologies if you have followed already)

@eunews.social
@hhesterm.bsky.social
@marcoinbxl.bsky.social
@euobserver.com
@vonderleyen.ec.europa

The usual thing have a look at who they are following etc

In what is perhaps a slightly unusual alliance, Don MacLeod (Head of Property at Turcan Connell) & myself have written to the Cabinet Secretary urging further scrutiny of key provisions in Land Reform (Scotland) Bil due to be debated 28-29 Oct & 4 Nov. andywightman.scot/wp-content/u...

‘Much fairer’: all profits from new Orkney windfarm to benefit locals Construction due to begin in 2027 on what is expected to become UK’s largest publicly owned windfarm

Public ownership raises a different kind of local/community distribution model versus private ownership + Community Benefit Fund.

A very worthwhile read below.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

We need legally-binding targets to drive Scotland's nature recovery We know that Scotland’s nature is in serious trouble - but we know how to fix it

It’s hard to imagine a more important task than restoring nature, which sustains our very lives and is our only home. By supporting real action through the Natural Environment Bill, our politicians can show us that at last they’re starting to make nature a priority.

www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

New research with WPI Economics shows Scotland could learn from global best practice to build a fairer, greener land tax system.

www.landcommission.gov.scot/downloads/68...

Plan approved to build Scotland's first broch for 2,000 years The tall, double-walled drystone towers have only been found in Scotland.

Some great news coming out of Caithness!

News | New Report Highlights Key Priorities for Human Rights Incorporation in Scotland We’re pleased to publish a new expert briefing by Professor Nicole Busby of the University of Glasgow, commissioned by HRCS. The report, Current Priorities for Human Rights Incorporation in Scotland, ...

🟣 New expert briefing just published!
We commissioned Prof. Nicole Busby (Uni of Glasgow) to analyse the Scottish Government’s proposed Human Rights Bill. Her report offers timely insights and clear recommendations for civil society ahead of the 2026 elections.
🔗 www.hrcscotland.org/news/news/ne...

6 key recommendations:
▪️ Compliance-based incorporation as the long-term goal
▪️ Clarifying devolution’s impact on rights delivery
▪️ Articulating the right to a healthy environment
▪️ Streamlining positive duties
▪️ Deepening focus on CERD, CEDAW & CRPD
▪️ Safeguarding public services from privatisation

Ex-bothy at Culra to be demolished next week The Mountain Bothy Association is planning for the replacement of the old bothy at Culra, which was closed some years ago due to the presence of asbestos. Next week contractors will commence demolitio...

Ex-bothy at Culra to be demolished next week

The Mountain Bothy Association is planning for the replacement of the old bothy at Culra, which was closed some years ago due to the presence of asbestos. Next week contractors will commence demolition...

www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/ex-both...

Is rising popularity of Welsh language driving Plaid's poll lead for 2026 - what can Scotland learn from Cymru? Starmer makes another bad call letting Andrew keep title as Prince. And Burntislanders need a law change to access their own harbour - why? Listen lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

Are Scots the most indoor folk in Europe? Daytrippers. Next to no family weekend huts. Priced out of overnight stays. Lost family links. Strangers in our own land. Why no outrage? Speaking at Blether of Books Festival Nov 2 Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Alloway. Tix tinyurl.com/bdfcfev2

Yet again I thank the @snp.org that I live in Scotland

Beware voters in Scotland no matter what Labour say we can’t trust them on this

A Labour government in Scotland would have to make sure we were the same as England & introduce tuition fees again in Scotland

Look at what Starmer promised 👇

Climb each hill like it’s your last The picture shows an old man lying in the heather looking across a loch at a great cliff face. The cliff is the massive Creag an Dubh Loch and the man is Dod Thomson, a bothy pal of many years stan…

A lesson learned and a day of utter joy in the #Cairngorms.
cairngormwanderer.wordpress.com/2025/10/13/c...

Excellent news

“With the setting up of EMiS Brussels, we are starting to bridge the Brexit gap between Scotland and Europe.

In July a poll by YouGov found voters in Denmark, Germany, Spain, Italy and France would be in favour of an independent Scotland joining the European Union”

Autumn Norman MacCaig Wanting to go, all the leaves want to go though they have achieved their kingly robes. Weary of colours, they think of black earth, they think of white snow. Stealthily, delicately as a safebreaker they unlock themselves from branches. And from their royal towers they sift silently down to become part of the proletariat of mud.

Wanting to go,
all the leaves want to go
though they have achieved
their kingly robes.

Weary of colours,
they think of black earth,
they think of
white snow…

—Norman MacCaig, “Autumn”
in The Poems of Norman MacCaig (Birlinn, 2009)
#BookWormSat #poem #Poetry
birlinn.co.uk/2022/10/21/p...

Lacking not making!

Making scale understanding but looks like it could definitely make some jam with that 🤔
No idea on relative ripeness though 🙈

This winter I’m definitely planting a plum tree

Always interesting reading sone the ideas around how we can deliver things if we become independent

Particularly interesting Scotland could set up Enterprise Foundations like Denmark. Hadn’t heard about these before

Assuming alongside Cooperatives, SMEs etc

www.gov.scot/publications...

My Gaelic definitely isn’t good enough to help. We should develop some Scottish civic award system in recognition of amazing folk away from all that CBE crap

See I was thinking “Interesting, I haven’t read that” but then it might just make me so angry I’ll explode! 🤣

We have a community Campus via PFI signed under Labour in 2007. It’s owned by Axiom Education Ltd

Nobody hires rooms it’s too expensive we all use the community owned town hall 🤷‍♀️

This is a cracking idea Auntie!

Morning @auob.cymru. See you in Rhyl. nation.cymru/news/thousan...

Prince Andrew gives up royal titles including Duke of York after 'discussion with King' In a statement, the prince says:

Inadequate. We need a deeper inquiry into exactly what Royal Family has known and crucially the giuffre civil sexual assault lawsuit filed against Prince Andrew and whether queen paid £10M to settle.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
Prince Andrew gives up royal titles including Duke of York.

Always lovely to see those young trees in amongst the Granny Pines