Open Country

Ardtornish


Listen Later

In Open Country this week, Helen Mark visits Ardtornish Estate in Morvern, in the western Highlands of Scotland. The estate covers around sixty square miles of hill, woodland, rivers and lochs and has been in the Raven family for three generations. Hugh Raven describes himself as the present 'steward' of Ardtornish, working on behalf of the whole family and the local community, and, along with his wife, Jane Stuart-Smith, is building on groundwork laid down at Ardtornish by his late brother, Andrew Raven.

Helen is here to see how the way Ardtornish is managed has changed over the years, and chief among those changes is the way in which the climate is being exploited. The estate is harnessing the power of the rainfall, which is never in short supply in this part of the world, to supply electricity to the National Grid. Estate manager Angus Robertson and farm stock manager James Laurie discuss how Ardtornish's natural qualities and produce can help secure its future, while Faith Raven, who was born as her father bought the estate, and estate gardener Ian Lamb, tell Helen why change and continuity can go hand in hand in the Highlands.

Producer: Moira Hickey.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Open CountryBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8
  • 4.8

4.8

83 ratings


More shows like Open Country

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,608 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,061 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,461 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,802 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,747 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,041 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,085 Listeners

Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

Desert Island Discs

1,981 Listeners

Great Lives by BBC Radio 4

Great Lives

477 Listeners

Saturday Live by BBC Radio 4

Saturday Live

39 Listeners

Farming Today by BBC Radio 4

Farming Today

65 Listeners

Gardeners' Question Time by BBC Radio 4

Gardeners' Question Time

287 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

265 Listeners

Scotland Outdoors by BBC Radio Scotland

Scotland Outdoors

251 Listeners

Ramblings by BBC Radio 4

Ramblings

157 Listeners

The Plodcast by Our Media

The Plodcast

105 Listeners

Gardening with the RHS by Royal Horticultural Society

Gardening with the RHS

256 Listeners

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast by National Trust

Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

105 Listeners

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle by BBC World Service

13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

4,166 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,201 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

718 Listeners

As the Season Turns by Ffern

As the Season Turns

236 Listeners

Life Changing by BBC Radio 4

Life Changing

103 Listeners

A Life More Wild by Canopy & Stars

A Life More Wild

26 Listeners

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth by Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

480 Listeners