Life & style, Anna Millar

Travel guide: Derry-Londonderry

The Northern Irish city is an ideal spot to visit in its year as UK city of culture 2013

As the rain batters down, Derry’s Peace Bridge shimmers in the early evening light. A few feet away, the Ebrington army barracks have been transformed, the parade ground morphing into a 4000 capacity pop-up venue, the barracks proper set to play host to…

Hogmanay holidays in Scotland

New Year breaks and getaways in Perthshire, The Borders and Dumfries & Galloway

If you’re looking to escape the Hogmanay street parties or simply get away over the winter break, Scotland has opportunities galore. Whether you want to bring in the New Year in a West Coast castle or snuggle up in a Perthshire log cabin, Scotland is…

Loch Lomond - the perfect escape from city stress

A quick guide to the towns around one of Scotland's most beautiful natural landscapes

Balloch This town, situated at the southern tip of Loch Lomond, is a 40-minute drive or train journey from Glasgow. On its doorstep is the glorious Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park, which incorporates one of Scotland’s more famous stretches…

Afternoon outings, day trips and week-long holidays in Scotland

Visit Mull, Lindisfarne, Anstruther and Loch Lomond

There comes a fleeting, blissful moment, travelling south down the A1, when a fresh vista sweeps into view and the daily grind of city life fades away. The clear blue sea rushes against the cliffs below and a vast, open sky makes promise of the…

Valentine's Day - date our readers

Need a date for February 14th? Ten eligible List readers are ready and waiting...

Nicola Age: 24 Work: Arts marketing Where do you live: Stockbridge, Edinburgh Hobbies: Frequenting the cinema, gym-ing, watching live dance and opera, wandering around galleries and museums and dancing in my bedroom. Describe yourself in 5 words…

Four List readers share their New Year's resolutions

An insight into getting started in trapeze, cookery, ballet or capoeira

'The feeling of achievement is amazing' Name Denise Deutsch Age 30 Profession Fabric buyer, Mandors Skill Trapeze and Aerial Arts I fell into the idea of aerial arts as a hobby after unexpectedly getting a ticket to see Leona Lewis perform in…

The Hot 100 2011: 100-50

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

100: Gordon Ferris. Kilmarnock crime author makes good. The already packed Scottish crime writing field has finally found a bit of elbow room for another burgeoning talent. Joining the likes of Rankin, Brookmyre, McDermid and co is this Ayrshire-born…

The best Hogmanay holiday ideas

The best ways to bring in the New Year

Get on the farm Forget Carry on Camping, the crew at Comrie Croft in Perthshire know how to do camping in style, with this eco-friendly farmstead conversion. Located in Crieff, surrounded by gorgeous vistas, bring in the bells around a campfire…

Hogmanay holidays in Perthshire. Scotland

Ideas on how to bring in the New Year in Scotland

You know the drill. It’s a week before Hogmanay and you’re deciding which shindig you don’t really want to go to. The local street party’s not quite doing it for you, and honestly you’d rather be anywhere but here. So where to start? Firstly, don’t…

A tour of Scotland for food-lovers

Fresh seafood, locally-sourced game and top-notch tourism in Scotland

Standing in the Scottish drizzle at the heart of Monachyle Mhor, a dramatic vista greets us. In front, a stunning Loch Voil. Behind us, bounding black Labrador, Betty, a relatively new addition to owner Tom Lewis’ family. The air is fresh, the…

The best Scottish websites

The top 30 websites made for and by Scots

When putting together this list, we weren’t necessarily looking for the biggest or the best-known cultural websites in Scotland. We were looking for unique and interesting ideas, cleverly realised and lovingly maintained on the web. This might mean that…

New direct flights to Iceland from Scotland make it a hot destination

Natural beauty, a thriving arts scene and lively night life

Nestled down a sloping side street, trendy little tippling-hole Kaffibarinn (as featured in the film 101 Reykjavik) feels like downtown Reykjavik in miniature. Part owned by Blur’s Damon Albarn, this stylish bar area and candle-lit loft oozes the…

Cooking Up Talent

Ingr3dients, a new 3D mural by Alisdair Gray, to be revealed at Ubiquitous Chip

Here at List Towers, where we love food and adore Alasdair Gray, we were heartened to hear that the two are set to complement each other this month, with a new Gray mural set to be revealed as part of Glasgow’s Ubiquitous Chip’s 40th birthday…

Ski, Snowboard + Xtreme Show 2010 hits SECC

Winter sports special features stalls, shows and Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards

Yes, yes, we know: we’re bad people. Summer was barely there and autumn’s only just arrived, and off we go, blighters that we are, promoting winter, or more specifically all things snow. We would normally (honest) tell the freeze-friendly SECC to keep…

How to holiday in Scotland: Scottish Travel A-Z

We’re here to persuade you that you don’t need foreign beaches or backpacking tours to make the most of the summer. There’s a world of wonder right on your doorstep, with plenty of Scottish excursions to keep you entertained until autumn. Anna Millar…

Ewan Morrison and Mall Tales want your shopping centre stories

The highs, lows, and occasional misfortunes of the everyday take centre stage this fortnight as part of a unique new storytelling initiative concerning the world of shopping malls. Inspired by author Ewan Morrison, in conjunction with award-winning…

Ballot proof - the people putting the fun into election night

It’s no Obama showdown, we grant you, but by Blighty’s efforts, vote night is hotting up. Just when we thought Gordy was a goner, and ‘im in the blue corner was in, Nick’s not looking quite so knacked, after a ‘winning’ performance on the live…

Edinburgh International Science Festival

Science is neither just for school kids, nor for stuffy academics – at least that’s the message at this year’s annual Edinburgh science jamboree. The festival is seeking to rouse the interest of people in their late teens and early 20s, as well as the…

Easter Eggstravaganza events 2010

Blair Atholl Aside from the beautiful walks around the castle and the grounds, Blair Atholl Estate is never short of things to do whether it’s activities or bike rides. This year check out Eggy, Steady, Go! (2–4 Apr) complete with egg painting, egg…

Taking the Plunge with Wild Swimming

With spring finally in bloom, it seems some are ready to take the plunge with the adventure that is wild swimming, finds Anna Millar

International Women’s Day

‘IT’S really about stepping back and understanding someone else’s plight,’ explains Edinburgh IWD organiser Jenna Sapiano, as she describes the aim of the capital’s contribution to International Women’s Day, taking place in the city this month. Now…

Alan Cumming, Calvin Harris and Glasvegas among nominees at Scottish Style Awards 2009

Glasgow certainly knows how to do things with class, and this year’s Scottish Style Awards look set to raise the bar even higher. The starry event takes place on Hallowe’en and their stylish cauldron is likely to be spilling over with high profile…

New National Gallery Restaurant Opens Its Doors

Good news for Scottish food and culture buffs

Art lovers have exciting news to nibble on, following the National Gallery of Scotland’s announcement of its collaboration with Victor and Carina Contini, the team behind popular George Street eaterie Centotre. The new look Scottish Café and Restaurant…

Guide to Edinburgh's Old Town

Not for nothing is the Old Town famed for its tartan tat. From Jimmy hats to bagpipes and ‘I Heart Scotland’ badges to ‘I Love Ewe’ cards, it’s all too easy to write off Auld Reekie’s historical hub as simply a place to partake in the city’s…

A local's guide to Glasgow

‘I've always loved Glasgow. I was that person who stayed and studied in the city they were brought up in and I never regretted it. The thing with Glasgow is there is just so much on your doorstep, whatever your 'thing' is. Better still, the Glasgow…