Gayle Ritchie
Features Writer at The Courier and Evening Telegraph (Dundee)
Features Writer at DC Thomson
Features writer at DCT Media. Lover of the Great Outdoors. Views are my own.
Articles
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4 days ago |
thecourier.co.uk | Gayle Ritchie
Some of us will go to great lengths to get a tan – sunbathing, using sunbeds, or slathering on bronzing fluid. I’ve always been a fan of a healthy glow, but I’m well aware of the importance of sun protection. Skin cancer is on the rise in the UK and experts are predicting the highest rates on record this year. Cancer Research UK is forecasting approximately 21,000 cases of malignant melanoma this year, which is an almost 22% increase from 2023.
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4 days ago |
thecourier.co.uk | Gayle Ritchie
Nobody wants to swim or kayak through sewage. But bathing at popular Fife beaches like Kinghorn and Lower Largo might be a health risk. These two beaches are designated bathing waters, and have been rated ‘poor’ by Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for 2025. These two spots are among 89 designated bathing waters in Scotland. Along with Fisherrow in East Lothian, they’re the only ones rated ‘poor’.
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4 days ago |
thecourier.co.uk | Gayle Ritchie
The sun was blazing and there was barely a cloud in the sky as I took a drive out past Forfar to Restenneth Priory. It was most definitely a day for sitting and quietly contemplating: I wasn’t planning any mad adventures. Despite having lived in Angus for 13 years, it was my first visit to the priory, which I am rather ashamed to admit. It’s super-easy to access, and there’s a dedicated car park just a few minutes’ walk away.
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4 days ago |
thecourier.co.uk | Gayle Ritchie
Hidden deep in woodland in Glenisla, you would never know Bellaty Lodge existed. Built in the early 1900s for the Dowager Lady Kinloch, today the huge mansion lies in ruins. That doesn’t mean it’s lost all its grandeur: what remains of Bellaty stands proudly, if a little forlornly. I drove deep into the heart of Glenisla on a mission to explore the decaying shooting lodge for the first time last week.
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4 days ago |
thecourier.co.uk | Gayle Ritchie
It sits on an isolated summit on Finavon Hill with breathtaking views in every direction. It’s only a few miles off the busy A90 and yet I’d never taken the time to pay the mysterious Iron Age fort a visit. That changed a few weeks ago, when I was heading north on a gloriously sunny evening and had a few hours to spare. Experts believe the fort is one of Celtic Scotland’s longest-lasting fortifications, apparently in use during the country’s whole Iron Age between 700 BC and 500AD.
Journalists covering the same region
Graham Brown
Angus Area Editor at The Courier and Evening Telegraph (Dundee)
Graham Brown primarily covers news in the Angus region, Scotland, United Kingdom, including areas around Montrose and Forfar.
Andy Philip
Political Editor at The Press and Journal
Host at The Stooshie: the politics podcast from DC Thomson Media
Head of Politics at DC Thomson
Political Editor at The Courier and Evening Telegraph (Dundee)
Andy Philip primarily covers news in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom, including areas around Aberdeen and surrounding communities.
Lucy Jackson
Journalist at The National (Scotland)
Lucy Jackson primarily covers news in Central Scotland, including cities like Glasgow and Perth, United Kingdom.
Craig Quirie
Staff Writer at Project Plant Magazine
Craig Quirie primarily covers news in Scotland, particularly around the central and northern regions including cities like Edinburgh and Inverness.
Rob Haining
Photographer at Newsquest
Rob Haining primarily covers news in Central Scotland, including cities like Glasgow and surrounding areas.
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This was really cool to explore. https://t.co/OpPzeACaNj
Years since I explored Tyrebagger Wood near Aberdeen. 😊 https://t.co/DxdlSejPfk @visitabdn @Aberdeenshire
The fabled Ellon hippo can be found in woodland near Kirkton of Logie Buchan. But what's the story behind it? https://t.co/Dt9EpU6yqV @visitabdn