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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
There's so much to explore beyond the seafront in Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth isn't just about the glittering lights of the seafront. Beyond the buzz lies a quieter side, one of rivers, reeds and rich natural beauty waiting to be explored. Located where the Broads National Park meets the North Sea, Great Yarmouth Borough boasts a unique landscape. The meeting point for the rivers Bure, Yare and Waveney marks the beginning of more than 125 miles of navigable rivers, broads and man-made channels that wind through some of Norfolk and Suffolk's most peaceful and picturesque countryside. These waterways can be explored by boat, paddle board or on foot, a great way to take in the beautiful, natural surroundings. A standout destination is Breydon Water, a vast RSPB nature reserve that is also part of the Berney Marshes. Wet grassland, intertidal mud and saltmarsh makes an ideal place for wading birds and waterfowl to shelter, feed and rest. Throughout the year, thousands of ducks, geese and swan's visit. Look out for pink-footed geese, widgeons and black tailed godwit in the water. While on the banks, you might spot redshanks, avocets and lapwings. For those who love a good walk, the Angles Way is a breathtaking route from Breydon Water to Burgh Castle. As you stroll past windmills and grazing marshes, you'll eventually arrive at one of the best-preserved Roman sites in East Anglia. Burgh Castle Fort, built in the third and fourth centuries, was once part of a chain of 'Saxon Shore' forts defending the coast from invaders. Today, it stands as a peaceful reminder of our region's ancient past, with panoramic views stretching across the marshes. Take a walk from Winterton to Martham Broad (Image: Great Yarmouth Borough Council) Across the borough nature thrives, from windswept dunes at Winterton Beach, where you may spot a grey seal along the shoreline in the winter, to the picturesque and peaceful stretch of water at Martham Broad, which is teeming with dragonflies and rare birds. Many of these places are connected by scenic walking paths or cycle routes, making it easy to discover nature just moments from the town. There are also a variety of parks where you can enjoy the peace and quiet, play with the kids or enjoy a picnic. Bure Park sits alongside the River Bure and features a children's playground, seasonal pitch and putt and 20 acres of open space. It also has a lake with wildfowl and plenty of picnic seating – something to please everyone. In the centre of town, St George's Park features memorials for the First and Second World Wars, as well as beautifully planted flower beds and a children's play area. You'll also be able to spot a couple of pieces included in the sculpture trail that takes place this summer from here, too. St George's Park will host a couple of pieces included in the sculpture trail that takes place this summer (Image: Great Yarmouth Borough Council) Exciting new additions coming to the town include the redevelopment of Emerald Green Park in Gorleston-on-Sea, which will include a brand-new skate park, a multi-use games area, and exciting new play equipment. Designed with inclusion in mind, this will be a vibrant space for all ages to enjoy – encouraging active lifestyles and a stronger sense of community. Whether you're visiting for the first time or rediscovering your hometown, take time to venture beyond the promenade. From ancient ruins and wildlife-rich marshes to peaceful parklands, Great Yarmouth is so much more than just a seafront – it's a place where nature, history and community live side by side.
Edinburgh Reporter
6 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Bonnyrigg footballer's medal sold to Tottenham Hotspur
The medal awarded to Captain James Ross, from Bonnyrigg in Midlothian, was bought by Spurs, the London club he went on to play for after the war. Ross won the Military Cross for his 'conspicuous gallantry' fighting with the North Staffordshire regiment on the Western Front in 1918. After the war 'Jimmy' played as a right back for Raith Rovers before transferring to Tottenham in 1923. The Military Cross and five other medals presented to Ross for his services in the First and Second World Wars went under the hammer at Noonans' sale of Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria in London. Tottenham Hotspur, who this week won the Europa League final against Manchester United, paid a hammer price of £1900 — almost double the £1000 estimate — to secure the group won by their former player 'for their collection'. Ross was born in Bonnyrigg on 7 March 1895 and joined the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 12 May 1915. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the North Staffordshire Regiment on 26 March 1918 and was given the medal for conspicuous gallantry and good work during the fighting in the Forêt de Mormal on 4 November 1918. His Military Cross citation in the London Gazette of 4 October 1919 read: 'For conspicuous gallantry and good work during the fighting in the Forêt de Mormal on 4 November 1918. 'His company was held up and his company commander was wounded. He assumed command, and owing to his coolness and ability the advance was properly continued and two field guns were captured with personnel complete.' Christopher Mellor-Hill, Head of Client Liaison at Noonans, said: 'Captain Ross was 23 years old when he was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry during the final push to victory. 'A keen footballer, initially with Raith Rovers, Ross subsequently signed professional forms with the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, then playing in the top division of English football. 'He made seven appearances for them as a defender in the 1922-23 and 1923-24 seasons.' Ross saw further service during the Second World War in the Cameronians. His Military Cross went under the hammer along with Ross' 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Defence Medal; and War Medal 1939-45. He died at Lasswade, Midlothian, on 5 November 1962, aged 67. James Ross Military Cross Credit Saltire News James Ross Credit Saltire News Credit Saltire News Like this: Like Related
Daily Record
29-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Rare Scottish Golden Eagle spotted as majestic bird seen soaring south to England
Conservationists and environment lovers have something to cheer about as a rare Golden Eagle was spotted in England After vanishing from England more than a century ago, golden eagles are making a remarkable comeback, soaring south from Scotland in a revival that has thrilled conservationists and bird lovers alike. Among the majestic birds spotted across the border this year is a young male named Talla, who recently turned heads in Northumberland National Park, much to the amazement of wildlife enthusiast Ian Glendinning. 'It was the end of March and I was driving in a remote corner of the national park with a couple of friends and the rear passenger suddenly shouted out 'what on earth is that?'' he told the BBC. 'I looked over to my right and about 30 metres away there he was, sitting on a rocky outcrop." Talla is one of around 50 golden eagles now thriving in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway, an extraordinary rise from just a handful in the region less than a decade ago. Their resurgence is thanks to the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project (SSGEP), launched in 2018 in a bid to boost dwindling numbers. Since then, the project has successfully relocated 28 juvenile golden eagles, collected from the Highlands at six to eight weeks of age, along with 15 older birds aged between four months and three years. 'Thanks to our satellite tagging, we can confirm that some are beginning to venture into Northumberland and further afield and these sightings reaffirm the importance of us extending our groundbreaking work,' said Michael Clarke, chair of SSGEP. The golden eagles have now been tracked far beyond the Borders, gliding over the North Pennines, the Lake District, and even as far south as the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire and Nidderdale in Yorkshire. 'While it is too early to say if they are settling in these areas, it is a potentially exciting and significant milestone,' Mr Clarke added. Once wiped out across England and Wales by the mid-1800s due to persecution by gamekeepers and landowners, golden eagles only made a fleeting return following the First and Second World Wars, when driven shoots temporarily ceased. The last known English resident disappeared from the Lake District in 2015. Now, the golden eagle, the UK's second-largest bird of prey after the white-tailed sea eagle, may finally be reclaiming its lost territory. These powerful raptors are known for their incredible hunting skills and wide-ranging territories, with pairs covering up to 150 square kilometres. They favour remote, undisturbed landscapes and are most commonly found in the Scottish Highlands and islands, where they glide silently above open moorland and craggy cliffs. They feed on a variety of prey, from rabbits and red grouse to squirrels, smaller birds and even fish. They also scavenge carrion, playing a vital role in recycling nutrients through the ecosystem. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Dwarf birch and downy willow trees once offered ideal nesting spots in Scotland's uplands, but widespread overgrazing by deer and sheep has devastated these habitats. Nonetheless, golden eagles continue to adapt, building vast nests in the most secluded spots, from rocky cliffs to towering trees, and returning to them year after year. The birds mate for life and build multiple nests within their territory, selecting their preferred site depending on the season and weather. The largest golden eagle nest on record measured an incredible 4.5 metres deep. Most golden eagles live between 15 and 20 years, though some have been known to reach 30.
Press and Journal
25-05-2025
- Press and Journal
I tracked down the Ellon hippo - but I've yet to solve the mystery of its origins
Bonnie Aberdeenshire is full of surprises. I discovered yet another one of them this week – the so-called 'Ellon hippo'. I'd been scrolling on my phone when I'd come across a chat on social media about this fabled beast and was determined to find it for myself. The comments I'd read were intriguing – especially those that claimed the hippo was one of the iconic sculptures created by artist Stanley Bonnar in the 1970s to dot throughout the Fife town of Glenrothes. Whatever the truth, I was keen to track down the Ellon version for myself. There are various ways of reaching it, but as the sun was shining, I decided to turn the hunt into a nice wee walk with my year-old Labrador puppy, Dante. Parking by Auchmacoy Mission Hall, we marched down a grassy lane towards the River Ythan. It's a quiet corner of the world – a beautiful, tranquil place, away from traffic, and the perfect spot to spy all sorts of birdlife. Keen to get Dante in for a cooling swim, I headed to the water's edge. Not a good idea. His legs were covered in stinking mud before he'd got near the river, and he looked up at me with disdain. Instead, we shimmied up onto the bridge over the Ythan – the Logie Buchan war memorial bridge. Built in 1935, there are bronze plaques set into either side of the parapet that commemorate locals who lost their lives during the First and Second World Wars. I find it fascinating that before the bridge was constructed, a ferry took people across the river. The remains of the old jetties and pilings can still be seen, and a cottage on the east bank is the former ferryman's house. The views up and down the water are stunning, and the chances are you'll spot a decent amount of birdlife. I saw swans and ducks. Once across the bridge, we came to the small parish church of Logie Buchan and its atmospheric graveyard. This, too, is in a glorious setting, in gently rolling countryside, with fields, lush grazing, trees, and wonderful views across the estuary. Passing through the tiny hamlet of Kirkton of Logie Buchan, I didn't spot a soul, which was a shame as I had hoped to ask someone if they knew the exact whereabouts of the hippo. The road straight ahead, flanked by old drystane dykes and with the gorse in full bloom, appealed, and so I decided to see where it led me. After about half a mile, when the road started to head uphill, I began to doubt myself. It's just as well I carried on, because right at the top of that hill, in a gated woodland enclosure, was the Ellon hippo! I felt as though I'd found the Holy Grail, such was my joy. But I can see how so many people have failed to spot the hippo over the years. A friend told me he had cycled past it for at least a decade – but only set eyes on the beast last year after someone told him of its existence. But the thing is, nobody I've spoken to thus far seems to have an answer as to how the hippo came to be here. One thing I know for sure – after doing a bit of detective work – is that he is not one of Stanley Bonnar's creations. I sent the artist, now 77, an email, and he confirmed that the hippo has nothing to do with him. However, Stanley revealed he was once asked by Kirkcaldy-born sculptor Denis Barnes to 'join him and make more hippos'. Denis, who had installed public artworks in Livingston in the 70s, had set up a 'commercial company' by the time he asked that of Stanley. 'I didn't feel that was my direction, so turned them down,' said Stanley. 'So they made a copy. This may be one of those.' Of course, my next step was to try to contact Denis. As yet, I've had no luck – and so the mystery of the Ellon hippo's origins remains a mystery. If any readers know more than me, please feel free to get in touch. Also on the Logie estate, waiting to be discovered, is an elusive, little-known, but fairly big, 'pyramid'. I'd been told this was near the entrance to Ladymire Equestrian Centre, and drove there in my mission to find it. Alas, I didn't spot this at all. Maybe another time. Since my afternoon spent hunting down strange sculptures, I've been told by a contact that the pyramid was commissioned by a local property entrepreneur as a 'millennium project'. Bizarrely, it's split in two halves. One half is said to represent the old century, and the other represents the new. It's fascinating stuff. There's so much to discover in this wee corner of Aberdeenshire. And you're never too far from Ellon should you need to hunt down coffee and cake after all that exploring.
Scotsman
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Six teams to look out for in 125th Dispatch Trophy
College kids among players teeing up at the Braids in team tournament's milestone edition Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The 125th Edinburgh Evening News Dispatch Trophy gets underway at the Braids on Saturday, with 32 teams setting out in the annual battle for one of the best trophies in golf. Here are six teams to keep an eye on in the event's milestone edition, having been first played in 1890 and held every year thereafter apart from the First and Second World Wars and then for two years during the Covid pandemic. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The 125th edition of the Edinburgh Evening News Dispatch Trophy stars at Braid Hills Golf Course on Saturday | National World Duddingston The winners for the last two years are heading back to the Braids with a similar squad, led by seven-time gold medallist Allyn Dick. He'll be joining forces with Jamie Duguid, winner of last month's Craigmillar Park Open, with Craig Pirie, Gary Thomson, David Miller and Conor Scott also in the squad. 'The 125th edition will mean this year is just that little bit extra special, combined with the chance of us equalling the record of wins in a row set by Carrickvale adds a little bit more pressure,' said Dick. 'But we're there to have fun and enjoy ourselves.' Heriot's A team comprising Scott Dickson, Sam Hall, Stuart Langlands and Steven Sinclair made it to the last eight 12 months ago before they all then missed out on the remainder of the rescheduled event after being hit by bad weather due to being involved in the Grafton Morrish, one of the FP events, in Norfolk. They'll start out on this occasion with Lothians champion Hall and Dickson being joined by Elliot Innes and Fraser Smith, with Sinclair and Langlands then set to come in if they progress to next week. 'We are hoping to have a good run again,' said Dickson, with a second-round meeting against Heriot's Quad (John Archibald, Ewan Gordon, Scott Johnston and Roddy Stevenson) on the cards if both teams win on Saturday, which would mean a repeat of the 2023 semi-final. Silverknowes The six-time winners and last year's beaten finalists are back with the same team from 12 months ago, meaning Keith Reilly, Graham Robertson, Chris Milligan and Connor McWatt will be hoping to go one better and land the club's first trophy triumph since 2014. Tam Caldwell, meanwhile, is teaming up on this occasion with Steven Garioch, Anthony Howden and Keith Tulloch for Silverknowes B. Stephen Gallacher Foundation It's a welcome return to the event for the four-time DP World Tour winner's foundation. 'We are thrilled to be involved in the Dispatch and especially the 125th edition,' said Stuart Johnston, who runs the foundation along with Scott Knowles. 'Both Scott and myself have been part of winning teams and know how special an event it is.' If flights home from the US at the end of their college campaigns all work out, Jake Johnston, Andrew Hendry, Calum Kenneally and Dylan Cairns will be flying the SGF flag on Saturday. 'All four have come through our SGF events and squads from an early age and are looking forward to representing the SGF,' added Johnston. 'The Braids is just made for matchplay and the boys know they will have to be at their very best to do well.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Murrayfield Archie Wyatt will also be teeing up straight after getting home for the summer at the end of the US college season. He's teaming up with Carl Johnstone, who played in the event for the first time last year, as well as Stuart Thurlow and Cammy Whyte, both of whom know the format well and what it takes to win matches. 'As has been the case every year since we started playing in the Dispatch, we are really looking forward to it,' said team manager Stevie Anderson. 'It's a tough tournament, but I am hoping we can do well. The guys are all playing well just now in the Summer League, so we have no excuses heading up to the Braids.' Hailes Ten years after picking up the trophy for just a second time, the Kingsknowe club are being represented by two teams and will be men on a mission. Steve McCulloch, a member of the triumphant team a decade ago, is joining forces on this occasion with his son Nathan as well as Paul Page and Danny Crolla, the current and a past Hailes champion respectively, in the top team. Fellow 2015 winner Marc Cairnie, meanwhile, is teaming up with Scott Finlayson, Robbie Sanderson and Fraser Sutherland in the B team. 'With two of the winning squad playing again this year, we are hoping we can channel the spirit of 2015 and bag the famous trophy once again!' declared Hamish Hamilton, another former Hailes champion and past participant.
