2020-21 is the Year of Coasts and Waters for Scotland as we celebrate the wonderful coastline that we have. Those who are lucky to live by it over the past year have still been able to appreciate its beauty and the chance it gives just to take a deep breath and then take it all in. For those of us who live inland during lockdown the coast was somewhere we longed to be though many of us are lucky to be able to access Lochs and Rivers and indeed wild swimming has become a growing sport as a result. We all love to be by the water and no more so than now.
Apart from the wild swimmers most of us need a boat to access our waters and coastline whether that be a ferry or a kayak or a canoe or a paddle board. And for many of us the ferry is the start of the holiday, something to be enjoyed and looked forward to while we cry a tear on it on the way back. So, the ScotlandHour team came up with this theme last December. But felt that over lockdown it was unfair to promote boats and kayaks and any other type of vehicle that gets you across the water when many of us were stuck indoors with only our dreams to keep us going.
Thankfully, the news is brighter, and restrictions have lifted to allow many of us back on the water or to return to our favourite island home. So, we are finally celebrating the Year of Coasts and Waters. Scotland Hour’s theme for June, is places you can go to by boat. This is not just about our wonderful islands, though they are of course core to it, but all our water and coast where you need a boat or similar vehicle to access it. We want it as varied as possible.
Fiona Drane from the ScotlandHour team is taking the lead on this. Fiona as well as her passion for the South of Scotland is well known for promoting the islands and rumour has it she has also been on a paddle board and only fell a dozen times. Fiona is joined by Cal Mac who need no introduction and are central to a holiday on the islands of the west coast. We are also joined by ImagineAlba who are based in Oban and offer walking tours in that great coastal town as well as tours further afield.
For 30th June 9-10 PM local Scotland time:
9pm – Q1. Let us know your favourite destination that you can only reach by boat? #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
9:10pm – Q2. What are your recommendations for activities that take place in the water, such as water sports or whale watching? #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
9:20pm – Q3. What hidden gems can you only get by travelling via boat? #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
9:30pm – Q4. Favourite pub/hotel, or indeed takeaway, that you can only get to by boat? #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
9:40pm – Q5. What is your dream route by boat? #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
9:50pm – Q6. Share pictures of destinations you can only get to by boat or pictures of boats! #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
Get those photos ready. Let’s make it another photo-heavy night in Scotland and don’t forget to start your tweet with A1, A2 and so forth, so everyone can know what question you’re answering, as well as the hashtag #ScotlandHour of course. For this one too we would also like to use the hashtag for the year of coast and waters #ScotlandHour #YCW2021.
We are so lucky to have such a beautiful coastline as well as our Lochs and Rivers so let’s celebrate this on the 30th June and the fact that we can now enjoy them again too.
Thanks,
the Scotland Hour Team