Scotland

When Kostas Tsimikas swept in Greece’s goal on 62 minutes, it followed a passage of play that involved Greece making 54 almost unchallenged passes over three minutes during which Andy Robertson’s glancing header to clear a cross was the only Scottish touch.

It typified the passiveness of the first hour.

“I wonder whether Steve will look at bringing Billy Gilmour on,” McCann had already said at the break.

“I don’t think it’s worked with Ryan [Christie] and Lewis [Ferguson] playing really narrow and deep, because they’ve not got on it. We’ve not been able to build the game going through.”

Gilmour did not come on and suddenly grab the game by the scruff of the neck and change things on his own, but nonetheless his influence was there after Christie’s equaliser.

His first real opportunity to get his head up and pass was on 69 minutes and he fired it through a tight space to Ferguson, whose first-time pass round the corner just evaded Che Adams as Scotland sprung forward quickly.

Gilmour’s clever free-kick also teed up Adams for a good chance at 1-1 and he ended up with five passes into the final third during his half hour on the pitch.

Only Robertson and Ferguson had more – and they played nearly the full game.

“I think Billy Gilmour coming on was pivotal in terms of us getting hold of the ball,” McCann said at full-time on BBC Scotland’s Sportscene.

“He was instrumental in the cross-field pass which Tsimikas takes out Ferguson when he eventually scores.”

As McCann described, Gilmour’s prints were on the build-up to the second goal as his positioning allowed Grant Hanley to find a pass to him between two Greece players.

He turned and moved it forward to Christie, got it back, moved the ball to Robertson, before executing the crucial pass once McTominay returned it to him.

Tsimikas fouled Ferguson and the Bologna man did brilliantly to take his chance in the box from the free-kick as Scotland hit the front.

The biggest difference between the Denmark game and the one at Hampden – as well as emphatic friendly wins over Slovakia and Bulgaria and the first qualifier against Belarus – was that the Danes did not allow those young talents to flourish.

They were not afforded anything like the same time and space – something Scotland will have to learn from.

Don’t expect Jovanovic to abandon his new commitment to this potentially golden generation as a result of that wake-up call.

If Karetsas is fit to start, the likelihood is that he, Konstantelias and Tzolis will once again support Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis.

In midfield, 31-year-old Dimitris Kourbelis was given the nod over another teenager, Christos Mouzakitis, against Denmark, but the 18-year-old could well reprise his role alongside Christos Zafeiris, both of whom operated well at Hampden.

At the back, Dinos Koulierakis is already an established first choice at just 21 and goalkeeper Konstantis Tzolakis, 22, has started the first two qualifiers having also played the double-header against Scotland.

The line-up has not varied greatly since and one bad result will not change that, so Scotland will be up against familiar opponents.

They just have to make sure they use the lessons from March and September to their advantage in order to keep up the positive start to World Cup qualification.

Fifty years ago, I headed north for the first time. I’d dropped out of my university literature course – with the arrogance of youth, I thought I could read books anywhere. After a chance meeting in a Putney pub, I got a job as assistant cook in the Bird Observatory in Fair Isle. At that point, I didn’t even know where Fair Isle was. I came from Devon and hadn’t made it farther north than Durham. Scotland was unknown territory.

Of course, Fair Isle is part of the Shetland group and lies halfway between Shetland mainland and Orkney. That summer, I fell in love with the Northern Isles, with the romance of the isolation, the bleak beauty and the stories. Over the summer, I worked in the observatory with Alison, an Orcadian lass, who was there for her college holidays. “When you’ve finished your contract,” she said with the easy hospitality of islanders everywhere, “why don’t you come and stay? It’s kind of on your way home.”

It kind of was, and so I did. Alison lived with her parents in a solid house on the outskirts of Kirkwall. After my nine-month stay on Fair Isle – three miles long and a mile and a half wide, a scattering of crofts, 50 people and a lot of sheep and seabirds – Kirkwall felt like civilisation. There was a beautiful cathedral, a street of shops and bars, schools and a hospital. What struck me most, though, were the views. Much of Orkney mainland is low and green, and there are lochs so big that a stranger might think they were looking at the sea. So, there are long vistas from land to water and then land again. And more water. All under a huge sky.

At that time, Alison was more into partying than history, so I didn’t do a lot of sightseeing. We went to a dance at the Harray community hall, and I drank too much. There was little communication with the locals there. I’d become used to a Shetland voice, but an Orkney accent is quite different, lilting, musical, almost Welsh. I missed much of what was said to me.

Later, I got the plane to London, on my way home. If Kirkwall had seemed big, London with its towering buildings was overwhelming, and I scuttled west on the train to be on the coast again.

Over the years, I’ve come to know Orkney better. My husband and I went to Alison’s wedding in the cathedral. She was magnificent in a grand white dress, and she sailed up the aisle to Chariots of Fire. That evening there was another party, only a little more sedate than the Harray dance. Drink was passed round in the traditional Orkney way, in a wooden bowl, known as the cog, created for the purpose. I’m not sure what was in it, but it was warm, and it packed a punch.

At other times, we stayed with friends who lived in a converted chapel, looking down to the Stones of Stenness. Just as there’s always a view of water in Orkney, there’s always a reminder of its neolithic past, and I would come to explore the islands’ history more deeply when I was researching my latest novel, The Killing Stones.

Over time, we explored some of the smaller islands: Hoy with its dramatic cliffs, the tiny island of Papa Westray, home to the Knap of Howar, the oldest domestic stone dwelling in Northern Europe, and North Ronaldsay, where we stayed in the Bird Observatory’s accommodation, a reminder of the work that first took me north. North Ronaldsay is surrounded by a stone dyke, not to keep animals in, but to keep them out on the shore. The island sheep have adapted to living on seaweed, and perhaps because of that the meat is delicious.

For years though, Shetland was the focus of my trips north. One of my best friends lives there, and I was still writing the Jimmy Perez books, adapted for television as Shetland. In 2018, I decided to finish the series with the novel Wild Fire. I didn’t think I could find anything fresh to say about a community of only 23,000 people. I’d already killed too many of them.

The book ends with Perez and his partner moving south to Orkney. Perhaps I was influenced by a real police inspector, who covered both sets of islands and made the move. Certainly, I had no intention of writing about Perez again.

More recently, I felt a longing to go north again in my fiction, a kind of homesickness for the islands, for the dark winters and the bright, light summers. For the dramatic contrast between long, clear horizons and secrets hidden in small communities. I remembered that first image of Orkney, the stretches of land and water, and I realised it was time to go back. After all, to explore Perez’s new life, I’d have to stay there. It’s small details that bring a book to life, and Google research can’t help with that.

I stayed with my friend Stewart in his rather grand house on Orkney mainland. He became my driver, fixer and human research. I’d met him first when he worked for Orkney libraries. We’d had book-related adventures together – flying into North Ronaldsay in the eight-seater plane to celebrate the anniversary of a scheme that brought book boxes to islanders, and a crazy attempt to set a record by doing 24 events on 24 of the Northern Isles in 24 hours. We met the challenge, but only with the support of library staff in Orkney and Shetland, and the help of other writers.

My research visit took place in December 2023. It was clear, still and very cold. The frost didn’t melt all day. Stewart took me to the island of Westray, where he grew up and his family still farms. We stayed in the Pierowall Hotel, which features in the novel, and explored the site of the abandoned Noltland dig near Grobust Bay. I talked to his parents and to volunteers in the Heritage Centre. The book wouldn’t have been written without their help.

Back on Orkney mainland, we explored Kirkwall and Stromness and drove south across the Churchill Barriers, the causeways built between islands after a German U-boat entered Scapa Flow in 1939 and sank HMS Royal Oak. I was met everywhere with kindness and the most useful information. The pattern of the book was starting to take shape.

I ended my stay with an almost mystical experience. Maeshowe is a neolithic burial chamber. Entry is through a low, narrow tunnel positioned so that at the winter solstice, as the sun sets behind the hills of Hoy, the light floods in. There aren’t many entirely cloudless winter dusks in Orkney, but we were lucky enough to experience the magic. In the chamber, first a trickle of apparently liquid gold ran across the floor, then it grew wider and wider until it flooded the entire space with light. As the sun set, all was dark again.

I believe that setting is more than a pretty backdrop to the action. It informs character and moves the action of the plot. The Killing Stones couldn’t have been set anywhere other than Orkney, and I couldn’t have written it without spending time there with Orcadians.

The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves is published by Pan Macmillan at £22. To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

TENS of thousands are without power as Storm Amy’s 90mph gusts and torrential rain lash Britain leaving one dead.

The first named storm of the season has swept into the country with yellow weather warnings covering the whole of Britain on Saturday.

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Irish Police confirmed on Friday that a man in his 40s had died following a “weather related incident”.

While 234,000 homes were also left without power across the island of Ireland as Storm Amy brings widespread disruption.

The highest wind speeds so far have been recorded in the Hebrides Islands, Scotland, at 96mph with 92mph gusts recorded in Co Londonderry in Northern Ireland, say the Met Office.

An amber wind warning has been issued for the north of Scotland until 9pm on Saturday with yellow warnings covering the whole of Scotland, the north of England and north Wales until the end of the day.

A yellow wind warning will run until 7pm for the rest of England and Wales.

Additionally, yellow warnings for rain are in place in north and west Scotland until midnight and in Northern Ireland until noon.

Travel chaos has also been sparked across the country with road closures and disruption to public transport.

Train operator, Avanti West Coast, warned of “short notice changes” on Saturday and “strongly recommended” customers making journeys north of Preston to check updates before travelling.

In Scotland, ScotRail suspended services on Friday night and anticipated the disruption would extend in Saturday and possibly Sunday.

Network Rail Scotland route director Ross Moran said more than 60 incidents of flooding, fallen trees and debris on the tracks were reported across the network in the first two hours of the storm.

“Storm Amy has hit parts of the country much harder and more quickly than expected,” he said.

National Rail is carrying out safety checks for obstructions on the line and damage to infrastructure, warning of possible disruptions throughout the UK on Saturday.

Elsewhere, CalMac Ferries also said it expect many services to be disrupted on Saturday into Sunday with many routes already cancelled.

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The iconic Severn Bridge between Gloucestershire and Wales was also forced to close overnight due to strong winds.

While parts of the A19 Tees Viaduct, the A66 in Cumbria and the A628 near Manchester were all closed to high-sided vehicles.

Traffic Scotland has also reported a long list of road closures with Forth Road Bridge closed in both directions.

The Skye Bridge, Queensferry Crossing and Clackmannshire Bridge were also closed to high-sided vehicles.

They also reported a number of road closures due to falling debris and overnight flooding including the M9 eastbound near Stirling.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency had 30 flood warnings in place on Saturday with the Environment Agency issuing six in the north of England one in north Wales from Natural Resources Wales.

Belfast International Airport said it was expecting delays on Saturday and advised passengers to check with their airlines.

All eight of London’s royal parks, including Hyde Park and Richmond Park, will also be closed on Saturday due to the strong winds.

In a statement on its website, the Royal Parks said: “Due to severe wind gusts caused by Storm Amy, all of the royal parks, plus Brompton Cemetery and Victoria Tower Gardens will be closed on Saturday October 4.

“This closure includes all park roads and cycleways, cafes and kiosks, parks sports venues, the Serpentine lido and boating lake, and the royal parks shop.”

“The safety of visitors and staff is our top priority,” the Royal Parks added.

“We’re sorry for any inconvenience that these closures may cause.”

It said opening times on Sunday will be delayed because of safety inspections.

The Met Office said wind and rain was expected to ease throughout the evening for much of the country, but severe gales are forecast to continue in north east Scotland with a yellow warning for wind in place from midnight until 9am on Sunday.

Sunday is expected to turn dry and less windy with sunny spells for most areas, but outbreaks of rain developing in the north west.

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Scottish schools are now required to enforce toilet polices on the “basis of biological sex.”

Back in April, the UK Supreme Court dealt a devastating blow to trans rights when it ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex.

The decision stemmed from a dispute centring on whether a trans woman with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) should be treated the same as a cisgender woman under the UK’s Equality Act 2010.

A week later, a Scottish judge ordered that schools must provide single sex toilets after a case against the Scottish Borders Council (SBC) was brought to the court, per the BBC.

In light of the aforementioned rulings, the Scottish government issued “revised guidance for schools on supporting transgender pupils” on 29 September, which includes new recommendations for campus toilets and changing rooms.

The updated guidance says that under the law, schools must provide separate toilet facilities for boys and girls “on the basis of biological sex” – which the document refers to “sex recorded at birth – and accessible facilities for young people with a disability.

It also says that “educational authorities and schools should consider toilet provisions necessary for transgender pupils,” such as “gender neutral provisions.”

“The design of gender neutral facilities should ensure privacy for all young people. In practice, this should include features such as full height walls and doors and should take account of the particular needs of female pupils,” the guidance adds.

“Where any change is being introduced to the arrangements that a pupil has been familiar with, there should be additional planning and consideration of their needs, including relating to their safety and wellbeing.

“It is necessary to recognise and mitigate as far as possible, the risk of ‘outing’ a young person. This may mean that it is necessary that practical arrangements such as enabling young people to use facilities outwith usual breaktimes, or for particular facilities to be available aligned to the young person’s activities within school, to reduce visibility of them moving across and within the school building to access toilet or changing room facilities.”

Previously, schools were told that trans students could use any toilet they felt most comfortable in.

In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth gave further insight into the adjusted guidance.

“The Scottish Government has made it absolutely clear that we accept the Supreme Court ruling, and since April we’ve been taking forward the detailed work that is necessary as a consequence of the ruling,” she said.

“Now we know in Scotland all schools are required to provide separate toilets for girls and boys, and in addition, the guidance makes clear that councils should give careful consideration to the individual needs of transgender pupils in light of the school context.”

Gilruth went on to say that the guidance was not mandatory, just suggestions from the Scottish government.

“That’s because of the statutory legal requirements that mean under the 1980 Education Act that our councils run our schools, not the government directly,” she continued.

“There are not penalties, but of course it is incumbent on the government to update our guidance in line with legal changes.”

While Gilruth confirmed that the guidance isn’t mandatory, she confirmed that schools are “required by law to have separate toilet facilities for boys and girls and also to have accessible toilet provisions.”

“And of course the guidance has been updated to recognise the clarification of the definition of sex under the Equality Act 2010 following the Supreme Court judgement,” she added.

In a separate interview with Good Morning Scotland, the general secretary of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) discussed the challenges that arise with the new guidance, stating that it doesn’t fully address the needs of trans youth. 

“Considering the nature of the Supreme Court judgement, it would be difficult for the Scottish Government to advise anything other than something which is considered to be compliant with the law,” she explained.

“The difficulty with it is that it perhaps does not fully address the needs of transgender young people in that many of them will not feel comfortable whatsoever using the toilets that the guidance suggests that they should.

“There’s suggestion in the guidance that perhaps those young people could use disabled toilet facilities or even staff toilet facilities, and neither of those are perfect.”

People will be bale to easily access picturesque views of Scotland easier from the Midlands as the popular Caledonian Sleeper Train has announced a brand new route

A popular sleeper train has announced a brand new route – offering the chance for more people to experience the journey to Scotland.

The Caledonian Sleeper has announced a band new route, making it the biggest timetable change in 30 years as it will now link Scotland with Birmingham.

According to the operators, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William train services will travel to and from London via Birmingham, and have also assured the new stop won’t affect journey lengths or departure times either.

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The Scottish government took over the Caledonian Sleeper in 2023 after its previous operator Serco had its contract ended seven years early and it came at the time when the government was looking to increase the number of people using the service.

According to BBC, Caledonian Sleeper’s interim managing director Graham Kelly said research suggested there was demand for Birmingham to be added to the route and it was hoped the change would help contribute to tourism in the north of Scotland and the West Midlands.

He told BBC Scotland News: “We are continuing to run our service in its existing and current format. It is about adding in Birmingham as that additional opportunity. So in terms of the length of the trains and the resourcing on board, it will all continue to remain.”

The new service will depart from Birmingham International on 15 January 2026 and will run six days a week, with no services departing stations on a Saturday night. The Lowland service that goes to Glasgow and Edinburgh is unaffected by the change.

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “This iconic service means people from across the West Midlands will soon be able to travel comfortably and sustainably to discover the stunning beauty of northern Scotland. But this also means our Scottish friends can come and explore the wonderful West Midlands. That’s a win-win for our tourism and hospitality businesses on both sides of the border.”

It comes after one of the most picturesque train lines in Britain is to get a new service for the first time in ten years. The West Coast Main Line will be blocked while Network Rail replaces the rail bridge over M6 near Penrith, which has led Avanti West Coast to divert its Class 805 Evero fleet onto the Settle to Carlisle line.

The stretch of railway, which is renowned for its beautiful scenery, will be used as a diversionary route when the West Coast Main Line is blocked between Preston and Carlisle for two weeks in the new year.

To keep customers moving on trains across the North West and into Scotland, Avanti West Coast is planning to run a shuttle service broadly every two hours between Preston and Carlisle non-stop via the Settle to Carlisle route.

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A NORMAL-looking terraced home has hit the market for £140,000 – but it hides a “satanic” secret.

The two-bedroom house went viral on TikTok after Ashleigh Anderson, 33, shared its unique decor with the world.

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The tattoo enthusiast bought the property in Barrhead, Scotland in 2022 and spent three years turning it into her dream home.

With its brick walls and manicured lawn, the house appears like a regular terraced home from the outside.

But inside lies a Goth’s paradise – fit with jet black cabinets and radiators, as well as signature Halloween-inspired artwork.

Ashleigh said her living room was inspired by a tattoo studio.

To achieve this particular look, she adorned the walls with a number of eclectic decorations.

The house features spooky sculptures and a large neon sign that covers part of the ink-coloured wall.

Eerie statues form the base of a glass-mounted coffee table, while dark sofa cushions are emblazoned with bold exaggerated eyes.

Meanwhile, two mannequin tattoo-covered legs poke out from either end of the sofa.

Continuing the gothic theme, skulls appear dotted around the room, alongside a zebra head taking pride of place by the steps.

Now on the market for £140,000, with Kelly Residential, the property has gained widespread acclaim for its “unexpected character”.

The listing reads: “This two-bedroom semi-detached property may appear understated from the outside, but step inside and you’ll discover a striking interior with a bold, gothic-inspired design.

“The front door opens into a spacious living room, where dark hardwood flooring, dramatic black walls, gothic artwork, and a distinctive tartan media wall create a stylish and memorable space.

“To the rear, the generous kitchen continues the contemporary feel with high-gloss black cabinets, integrated appliances, and ample worktop space, offering both flair and functionality.

“Upstairs, the main bedroom is large and finished with a neutral feature wall and built-in mirrored wardrobes.

“The second bedroom, currently arranged as a dressing room, offers ample space to serve as a comfortable double bedroom or versatile home office.

“Combining a bold interior aesthetic with practical modern living, this home is ideal for buyers seeking something truly distinctive.”

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Craig Gordon has returned to the Scotland squad for the home World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Belarus.

The 42-year-old goalkeeper has not played since early May and is yet to feature in a Hearts squad this season as he returns to full fitness after a neck injury.

Capped 81 times, Gordon replaces club-mate Zander Clark, with Derby County full-back Max Johnston and Blackburn Rovers central defender Dominic Hyam also dropping out.

Scotland have four points after opening with a 0-0 draw in Denmark and a 2-0 victory against Belarus in Hungary.

The Greeks visit Hampden Park on 9 October and Belarus are in Glasgow three days later, with both matches live on the BBC.

Greece, who beat Belarus then lost to Denmark in Athens, have good memories of their last trip to Hampden.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg of a Nations League play-off in March, the visitors ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in what was Gordon’s most recent international appearance.

With head coach Steve Clarke opting for a smaller squad, there is no room for Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland, who has hit seven goals so far this season, or Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway.

Anthony Ralston, who withdrew from the previous squad along with fellow Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney, made his club return at the weekend after a month out.

Angus Gunn kept two Scotland clean sheets earlier this month but has not featured for Nottingham Forest since signing in the summer, while Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly has only played against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup during this campaign.

SEIZURES of beer smuggled  to   Britain   have   nearly quadrupled in five years.

Some 5.6million pints were confiscated at ports compared to 1.5million in 2019, according to ­government figures.

Many cans and bottles from mainland Europe are hidden in trucks and routed through Ireland.

Customs bosses said checks had been increased at ports such as Heysham and Birkenhead, in the North West, and Cairnryan in Scotland.

Illegal booze is now estimated to cost the UK around £1billion a year in lost duty payments.

The British Beer and Pub Association said: “A third of the price of an average UK pint goes to the taxman.

“No wonder illicit trade is booming.”

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The Scotland women’s national team play most home games at Hampden Park but have also used Tannadice and Easter Road of late.

Andreatta’s reign as head coach began with a narrow home defeat by Austria, which confirmed relegation back to League B, but her second game was an impressive draw away to the Netherlands.

The Scots will view the October and November friendly windows as preparation for next year’s World Cup qualification campaign, which begins in February.

Scotland have failed to qualify for the past three major tournaments, most recently missing out on this summer’s Euros following a play-off defeat by Finland last December.

Shortly after that loss, Pedro Martinez Losa left his job as head coach and Andreatta was appointed in April.

BONNIE Blue’s security has revealed they often deal with aggressive attacks aimed at her after she was “slapped” in a club.

Bonnie arrived at Onyx Nightclub in Sheffield, South Yorkshire at 1am on Friday as part of her “Bang Bus” tour before chaos ensued.

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The notorious adult film star was appearing at an event dubbed “the wildest freshers experience in Sheffield”.

But carnage soon followed 40 minutes later as footage showed cops tackling suspects at the venue after an attendee reportedly punched her in the jaw.

However, Bonnie’s head of security told The Sun that she wasn’t punched but was “slapped” by a fan.

“Bonnie takes risks every time she poses for thousands of pictures with fans — and that’s always the main challenge for us, as we keep constant eyes on her safety,” he said.

“In this case, a fan took a split-second opportunity to slap her. Our team immediately stepped in with reasonable and necessary actions to de-escalate the situation, and Bonnie carried on with her night’s work.

“For the sake of content and socials, Bonnie often allows fans within arm’s reach, but our team has successfully managed numerous situations to stop anything aggressive — whether verbal or physical.

“This was an opportunistic attack, and it will not be tolerated.”

Bonnie also downplayed the altercation and said she was “totally fine” and thanked her security.

“She said: “There was a tiny incident last night but I’m totally fine — big thanks to my A+ security for keeping everything smooth.

“No scratches, no stress, and definitely no slowing me down. Can’t wait for my Nottingham homecoming for the next two days.”

A separate video from that night showed Bonnie ordering her security to get rid of a woman who said she was “setting feminism back”.

A woman with bright pink hair had approached Bonnie who told the woman: “Your hair looks so cool.”

She replied: “Thank you – but do you know how many years you’ve set back feminism?”

Bonnie is heard to say: “Oh get out. I haven’t.”

She appears to tell security to “get those fat f**** out”.

Her “Bang Bus” tour across the country promised “high energy DJ sets” but “no sexual behaviour”.

The event site, Skiddle, said in the build-up to the event: “This is a night built for making new friends, laughing until your cheeks hurt, and throwing yourself into the wildest Freshers experience in Sheffield.

“Important Notice: This event is a safe space for all. No sexual behaviour is permitted inside the venue – respect others and enjoy the party the right way.”

The adult film star has previously insisted that there were no plans to film herself having sex with students after she appeared at Glasgow University.

She told The Scottish Sun in an exclusive chat that she just wanted to “have a good time and meet more people that would never be able to come to London to see me normally.”

She announced Scotland was the first stop on her tour and said: “I wanted to go on tour through the UK, from the top to the bottom and Glasgow gave me the warmest welcome when I mentioned I would be going to Scotland.”

But all three of the city’s universities distanced themselves from her with Glasgow, Strathclyde and Caledonian, all saying they “have no links with Bonnie Blue”.

Bonnie infamously claimed a record in January 2024 after she was filmed having sex with 1,057 men in 12 hours.

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A recent study named the cities in the country that are the safest to stay in or travel to – and this one took the number one spot

When choosing where to live, everyone will have their own preferences. Whilst easy access to green spaces and parks might be the top priority for some, others will focus on amenities and shopping facilities.

Nevertheless, many Scots would agree that few things matter as much as safety. Thankfully, Scotland’s villages, towns, and cities are typically very secure places to call home.

If you place safety above everything else, though, it can be challenging to know where in Scotland to put down roots. Luckily, a recent study has revealed the cities in the country that are the safest to reside in or visit.

OPINION

Milo Boyd

As reported by the Daily Record, the “safest cities” in Scotland were identified earlier this year by Reolink. Five cities across the nation were ranked by their ‘safety index’ score, which “shows the consistency of local police in managing crimes and maintaining peace within the city”.

Topping the experts’ list was Edinburgh. The Scottish capital achieved a high safety index score of 68.98. Reolink also discovered that 82 per cent of people living in Edinburgh feel secure. According to the experts, “continuous patrolling has been done in heavy traffic areas” of the city. Meanwhile, Edinburgh was found to have a ‘crime index’ of just 30.99.

Also, theft, dishonesty, and house break-ins are amongst the most common offences reported in the Scottish capital. Reolink declared: “Edinburgh is ranked as the safest city in Scotland. It has a safety index of 68.98 according to Numbeo, with the lowest crime index of 30.99. It usually reports cases of theft, dishonesty, house break-ins, and offences.”

“According to the reports, over 82 per cent of the residents feel safe living there. It’s a student-friendly city where continuous patrolling has been done in heavy traffic areas.”

Reolink also branded Edinburgh as being “significantly safer” than Glasgow. The specialists revealed that Scotland’s biggest city “has higher violent crime rates, which makes it less safe than Edinburgh”.

Trailing in second spot on Reolink’s ranking of Scotland’s most secure cities was Aberdeen. The Granite City was discovered to possess the “lowest violent crime rate and high safety standards”, achieving a safety index rating of 63.20.

Meanwhile, Inverness claimed third position as the nation’s safest city. Based on Reolink’s findings, the Scottish Highlands city boasts a safety index rating of 62.13.

Completing the top five on the ranking were Glasgow and Dundee. The former achieved a safety index rating of 54.56, whilst Dundee’s safety index rating stood at 51.40.

Beyond Scotland’s cities, Reolink revealed that Orkney and Shetland rank amongst the nation’s most secure regions. The specialists noted that the archipelagos maintain lower crime figures when measured against other Scottish locations.

Reolink stated: “Safety ranks as one of the major concerns for people visiting and living in Scotland. It is necessary to inquire about the safety of everywhere you stay or travel.”

A recent study analysing passenger review data has named the best train journey in all of Europe, offering travellers unparalleled views of the Scottish Highlands

A scenic train trip across Scotland has been named the best in Europe according to a new study. The journey offers impeccable views of some of the country’s most iconic vistas and natural landmarks.

Conducted by FruityKing, a recent study analysed the rating data of thousands of passenger reviews to determine which European train lines offer the most scenic routes for travellers. The analysis revealed that the Kyle Line had the highest average passenger rating, scoring 4.72 out of a possible 5.

The Kyle Line runs from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh. Inverness makes for the starting point of multiple great day trips, including a full-day trip through the Isle of Skye, which you can find via TripAdvisor.

The Kyle Line costs £32 to ride and accompanying children can travel for a mere £1 return each, with up to four children allowed per adult. The line crosses some of the most awe-inspiring and remote landscapes in the Scottish Highlands.

Passengers can comfortably enjoy panoramic views of misty mountains including Ben Wyvis in Easter Ross, the Torridon Peaks in the Northwestern Highlands, and the famous Loch Luichart Estate.

Travellers interested in exploring more under-the-radar destinations along the line can also consider a stop in Duirinish. Trainline has highlighted the town as one of the most underrated, isolated destinations on the UK rail network.

A spokesperson for the ticketing app told the Mirror: “The penultimate stop on the Kyle line, the UK’s most remote yet underrated railway, and with only 17 passengers booked via Trainline in the last year, Duirinish is frequently overlooked.

“This quaint township provides insight into crofting, a practice unique to the Highlands, with the opportunity to spot Highland cows thanks to a nearby dedicated tour.” While you’re there, you can get off at the market town of Dingwall for the Far North Line for more distinctive mountain range views and the Torridon Peaks.

The journey from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh takes roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes, so you can return back to Inverness on the same day.

The passenger review study listed the Isle of Man Steam Railway as the second best train journey in Europe, earning an impressive average rating score of 4.71 out of 5 based on 1,327 reviews.

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways and West Somerset Railway were also highlighted as top train lines in the study.

As well, Switzerland’s Bernina Express made the list with an average passenger rating of 4.67. The renowned route traverses the Swiss Alps through staggering and stunning mountain passes.

If you’ve been dreaming of a Scotland trip but haven’t had the budget for it, this cheap new route operated by the ‘Ryanair of trains’ might make your plans a reality

You could soon find yourself on a train from London to Scotland for a complete bargain.

Budget-friendly rail company Lumo has just announced a new line going straight from London King’s Cross to Glasgow Queen Street, which promises to be “fantastic value” for customers.

Lumo has previously been dubbed the ‘Ryanair of trains’, drawing comparison to several budget carriers due to its cheaper tickets, baggage limits and lack of first class.

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The all-electric company already runs a direct line between Edinburgh and King’s Cross with one-way tickets costing as little as £49 if you book in advance (which can be even cheaper with a railcard).

The extension of the existing service, which has been approved by the ORR, will see Lumo provide two northbound services and one southbound service between London King’s Cross and Glasgow Queen Street on weekdays. They will also provide one in each direction on Sundays.

At present, the only direct rail service between London King’s Cross and Glasgow is by Avanti’s West Coast line, where an off-peak single ticket can cost as much £133, while passengers can see themselves paying out £208 in peak times.

Meanwhile, Lumo’s current Edinburgh-London service hovers just under or over the £50 mark for single tickets, depending on when you travel. While they haven’t set an exact fare for the Glasgow-London tickets, Lumo’s website promises passengers “fantastic value tickets, that don’t cost the earth or your wallet”.

Richard Salkeld, head of communications and partnerships at Lumo told Metro that most of its customers are travellers who want to journey between London and Glasgow but can’t afford extortionate rail prices.

He explained: “Lumo is an open-access operator, which means we take full commercial risk for running the services. We don’t get government or public subsidiary — we take on the risk and have to be confident that we can make it work, all while complementing the existing services that already run.

“Glasgow is somewhere we’re looking forward to serving, and we’re confident we can make it as successful as our London to Edinburgh route.”

Given that Lumo’s route between London and Edinburgh comes in at £49, with Glasgow’s stop coming after, customers can likely expect the tickets to be somewhat more expensive.

While Lumo does not call itself as a budget service, Consumer site Which? claims that the company’s prices and services can be compared to low cost airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet, due to the cheaper tickets, lack of first class carriages, no buffet cart, and baggage limits.

England score six tries on their way to an impressive 40-8 win over Scotland to set up a clash with France in the semi-finals of the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

MATCH REPORT: Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-finals – England 40-8 Scotland

Available to UK users only.

Scotland have not been able to lay so much as a glove on England since however.

Instead it has been one-way traffic, with the Red Roses juggernaut steaming through Scotland again and again.

England have played Scotland 34 times in total, and, apart from those two defeats from another millennia, have won every time.

In the past five meetings, the average points difference between the teams has stretched to nearly 50.

The Auld Enemy has become old news; a rivalry devoid of jeopardy, a bitter punchline delivered on repeat for the Scots.

Kennedy believes the current gap between the teams is due to three things; structure, investment and raw numbers.

“There are a lot more players in England, firstly,” she says.

“Secondly, it is the pathways for players to become internationals. England set them up early on. They were ahead of every nation in that, not just Scotland.

“England were a lot quicker off the mark with investing in both sevens and XVs, which then feeds into domestic rugby. You don’t just become an international player, you have to come though those clubs.”

Kennedy is hopeful that the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border club competition with teams from Scotland, Ireland and Wales that launched in 2023, can provide a proving ground to rival England’s PWR in time.

I don’t remember the picture being taken. Somewhere in Scotland, sometime in the 1980s. It has that hazy quality you get with old colour prints: warm but also somehow melancholy. I’m wearing blue jeans, white trainers, an army surplus jumper – and am perched on a standing stone.

My mum gave me the photo when I turned 50. She found it up in the loft. Some of these childhood pictures, souvenirs of trips with my grandparents to historic sites, have the place names written on the back. This one was blank, a tantalising mystery. Though I didn’t recognise the location, something about the landscape and quality of light suggested it was Islay, an island I’d visited just once – when I was not quite 12. So I decided to see if I could find the spot, slipped the photograph into my notebook and set off.

Islay is the southernmost point of the Inner Hebrides, lying on the same latitude as Glasgow. That makes it sound an easy hop from the city, but the watery fractures of Scotland’s west coast require a long drive north and then south along the shores of sea lochs, before a two-hour crossing from the port of Kennacraig. Islay is the eighth largest of the British Isles (bigger than the Isle of Man and Isle of Wight) and yet not, I think, well known. Some of its communities – Ardbeg, Bowmore, Lagavulin – have given their names to famous whisky brands, but the island as a whole feels a little obscure.

A saltire (Scottish flag) flapped on the prow as the CalMac ferry eased up the Sound of Islay. The cloud-shrouded mountains of nearby island Jura were a dark presence to starboard. Islay, to port, appeared far more friendly, with its purple heather and bright strand. But appearances can deceive. A cormorant – the devil’s bird – flew in front of the ship in the direction of Islay, not Jura, and I wasn’t at all surprised. I remember, as a boy, being much taken by an illustrated map in which the island was made to look like a demon. The Rinns peninsula formed its horns and snout, the Oa peninsula its claws, and the north-east headland its leathery wings. It sat hunched on the edge of Scotland, poised to take flight for Irish shores.

Disembarking at Port Askaig, I drove to Port Charlotte, where the Museum of Islay Life, housed in a former church, is a charming jumble. A wooden figurehead poses next to the island’s old telephone switchboard; a stuffed red squirrel sits glassy-eyed in a bell jar; and an American flag, sewn by Islay women to be flown at the burials of the many US soldiers whose bodies washed ashore when the SS Tuscania was torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1918, hangs faded with age.

I’d spent a lot of time in this museum during my childhood stay, fascinated by one exhibit in particular: the skull of an Irish elk. It had been found in a peat bog in the 19th century, and in my recollection was stained almost black, but seeing it again now I realised that memory had played me false; it was greyish brown, no darker than an oatcake. Yet I had not misremembered its great size – an almost 2-metre span between the tips of its antlers. This creature, now extinct, lived and died on Islay about 12,000 years ago, at about the same time, it is thought, as the first people, a party of hunters, arrived on the island, travelling from Scandinavia or northern Germany. Perhaps they glimpsed the elk across the virgin landscape. Perhaps it scented the unfamiliar human stink and wisely kept its distance.

Islay has a great many ancient sites. The standing stone in my photograph could be any of them. I had arranged to speak with Steven Mithen, an archaeologist with a particular interest in the island, in the hope he would identify it. I was lucky to catch him. The University of Reading professor would soon leave for a few days camping on Nave, a tiny island off Islay’s northern coast, where he hoped to find a Viking boat burial. We met for a cuppa and I showed him the picture.

“That’s Cragabus,” he said. “Lovely photo. Wonderful place.”

The stone on which I was sitting, he explained, was a surviving part of a chambered cairn – a Neolithic stone tomb probably built around 3,500BC. It had been excavated in 1902. Human remains were found along with fragments of clay vessels, known as beakers, their presence indicating that the cairn had been reopened in the bronze age and used by those later people for the burial of their own dead. I knew a bit about beaker burials. I’d excavated one myself – in 1984, the same year, I think, as my visit to Islay, helping my grandparents to trowel up the bones of the person buried alongside a decorated pot.

My grandfather, Eric Ross – Grumps to his grandkids – was a coachbuilder. That was how he earned a wage, building buses in a factory, but archaeology was what he loved. He fell for it during the second world war. He had joined the RAF in 1941, aged 20, serving in north Africa and Italy. “He was the only man I knew who had used a genuine working Roman bath,” one of his friends once told me. “Just before the victory parade in Tunis, his squad was given a few minutes in the still-operational baths fed from the hot springs.”

So, washing desert sand from his body in Roman ruins is how history got under his skin? I like this very much as an origin story. I wish I could have asked him but, of course, it is too late. People slip away before we are ready to hear their stories. I wish, too, that I had become an archaeologist myself. Whenever I think back to our old adventures, it feels like a path not taken. This trip to Islay, and my new book, Upon a White Horse: Journeys in Ancient Britain and Ireland, are attempts to walk it a little.

Prof Mithen told me where to find Cragabus: in the south-west of the island, just off a single-track road, marked on the map with that gothic type so evocative of strange old places. At Port Ellen, I followed a sign marked Mull of Oa and was soon there. Climbing a farm gate, I walked up a short, steep rise. There was the megalith I had sat upon: nearly 2 metres tall, the same distinctive shape, tip bristling with a pelt of lichen, its lower parts soft with snagged wool where sheep had rubbed. I propped my phone on a fence post and took a photograph, 41 years after the first: a middle-aged man touching a stone.

People who were taken to ancient places as children often have fuzzy old photos of themselves at the sites. Such pictures increase in power as the years go by. The people who took us pass away, and we ourselves grow up and change, but the stones stay the same. So, when we return as adults, we can measure ourselves against them, see our little lives in relation to eternity. That was how I felt at Cragabus: bigger yet smaller, older yet no age at all.

Peter Ross’s Upon a White Horse: Journeys in Ancient Britain and Ireland is published by Headline at £22. To buy a copy for £19.80, go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

JAMES McAvoy was allegedly punched by a stranger at a Toronto bar while in town for the premiere of his directorial debut, California Schemin’.

The 46-year-old Scottish Hollywood star was enjoying a quiet night out with his wife, Lisa Liberati, when things reportedly turned sour at around 11.55pm on Monday.

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“James was having a casual get-together with the producers of his movie and, as he later learned when speaking with the staff, there was a man who drank too much who was getting escorted out,” a source told People.

“James’ back was to him and the man just punched him.” 

McAvoy apparently tried to defuse the tense situation.

Despite taking a blow, he stayed at the bar and even laughed off it with others, the source added.

The alleged assault happened at Toronto bar Charlotte’s Room.

It’s unclear whether the stranger knew he was punching the X-Men star – or if McAvoy was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Scotsman is believed to have escaped injury.

He had been in the Canadian capital for the premiere of California Schemin’ – his directorial debut – at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday.

The movie tells the wild true story of two Scots – Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd – who tricked music label bosses into singing them a record deal by posing as Eminem protégés from the US.

Performing as Silibil N’ Brains, the duo partied with Madonna, appeared on MTV and toured with rap legends.

The cast includes Séamus McLean Ross as Gavin, Samuel Bottomley as Billy, Lucy Halliday as Mary Boyd and Rebekah Murrell as their manager, Tessa.

The film is based on Bain’s memoir California Schemin’, which was later reprinted as Straight Outta Scotland.

McAvoy, who grew up in the Drumchapel area, said that coming from a council estate in Glasgow himself, he wanted to tell stories about people from similar backgrounds.

Speaking last year at Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom, he said: “I was interested in telling a story not just solely set in Scotland, but about people from backgrounds where they have fewer opportunities, whether that’s council estates or whatever.”

The star added that he was passionate about “telling a story that was entertaining and aspirational, and not just dwelling on the grime and dirt, which is part of that sort of lower economic background, definitely”.

McAvoy rose to global fame as Mr. Tumnus in the 2005 fantasy film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and as an assassin in the 2008 action blockbuster Wanted.

He won the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2006 and went on to earn BAFTA Award nominations for the period dramas The Last King of Scotland and Atonement during that time.

In 2011, he took on the role of Charles Xavier in the superhero film X-Men: First Class, reprising it in the later X-Men films.

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Scotland fans with even average memories take nothing for granted on the road, their mind’s eye still capable of conjuring up disturbing images of losing qualifying matches to Georgia in Tbilisi in 2007 and Kazakhstan in Astana a dozen years later.

Zalaegerszeg in western Hungary doesn’t get to join the hall of infamy, not after Scotland won a fairly joyless, but wholly professional, behind closed doors contest against Belarus. Get in and get out with three points was the mission and the mission was accomplished. Quality was optional on this occasion.

There wasn’t much of it, but for now it doesn’t matter. There was an encouraging performance from Ben Gannon-Doak, operating on the left wing with Andy Robertson as his minder. There was a solid outing from Che Adams who scored the first and was involved in the second. There was another clean sheet and the feeling of a job done adequately.

The drama on the night didn’t come in Hungary, it came in Greece where Denmark hauled themselves off the floor after dropping a home point against Scotland.

In taking the previously thrusting Greeks to the cleaners – 3-0 going on two or three more – they shook up the group. After being thoroughly outclassed by Denmark, a team that Scotland kept goalless a few days ago, Steve Clarke has a right to think that Greece are maybe not as good as they were made to look at Hampden in March.