50 THINGS TO DO ONLINE
Many visitor attractions and public places are still off-limits, but these virtual tours can provide some much needed escapism, finds Peter Ranscombe
We may be twiddling our thumbs indoors, but with virtual tours you can have your fill of bonnie Scotland
Wildlife and outdoors
1. Explore secret gardens Scotland’s Gardens Scheme’s physical open days may have been cancelled in May but the organisation took its annual event online, with gardeners sharing videos of their efforts. Watch the videos on the charity’s website. www.scotlandsgardens.org
2. Brush up on your birdsong Can’t tell your great tit from your chaffinch? Now’s the time to brush up on your birdsong identification, thanks to the RSPB’s audio files. www.rspb.org.uk
3. Head for the hills Video tours of some of Scotland’s most stunning landscapes – including Ben Nevis, Knoydart, Schiehallion and Skye – are available online from the John Muir Trust. www.johnmuirtrust.org
4. Fall for the Falls of Clyde The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s reserve
at the Falls of Clyde is home to badgers, bats and a whole host of other species, which you can watch online. www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
5. Discover a new ‘local patch’ The guides at Speyside Wildlife have been uploading videos to their Facebook page, sharing which species they’ve seen in their local patch. www.facebook.com/ SpeysideWildlife/
6. Spot a squirrel Do you have bushy-tailed visitors to your garden or local park? Send your sightings of reds or greys to the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project. www.scottishsquirrels.org.uk
7. Enjoy Abernethy Forest The RSPB’s Loch Garten reserve in Strathspey is famous for its ospreys, but its webcams also give views of other species, like crossbills and crested tits. www.rspb.org.uk
8. Pick up a penguin Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park plan to reopen as soon as they’re allowed under the lockdown rules, but if you can’t wait then check out their webcams featuring pandas, penguins, snow monkeys and much more. www.rzss.org.uk
9. Get inspired by art The Cairngorms Nature Big Weekend may have been rolled over into 2021, but the national park still ran its schools art competition – check out the entries and winners on its Facebook page. www.facebook.com/ cairngormsnature/
10. Soar over Loch Lomond Lockdown has become known as ‘lochdown’ in the Trossachs, with the national park releasing virtual tours of Loch Lomond and the lesser-known Loch Achray and Loch Voil. www.lochlomond-trossachs.org
History and heritage
11. Get your history questions answered Got a burning question about history? Ask the experts from Historic Environment Scotland during their weekly ‘We Love History Live’ events on YouTube. www.youtube.com/historicenvironment-scotland
12. Be nosy online Doors Open Day will be going digital throughout September – instead of queuing in person, you can skip the line and go behind the scenes at some of Scotland’s most intriguing locations online instead. www.doorsopendays.org.uk/ visiting/
13. Explore the archives Glasgow Archives has been posting stories from its collection on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels at 11am on weekdays and 6pm on weekends throughout lockdown. www.glasgowlife.org.uk
14. Learn about photo forensics Among the fascinating articles on the National Trust for Scotland’s website is archivist Fiona Mackenzie’s explanation of how she fills in the gaps from the Margaret Fay Shaw photographic collection catalogue in Canna House. www.nts.org.uk
15. A night at the museum The National Museum of Scotland has teamed up with Google to offer online tours of its galleries. www.nms.ac.uk
16. Create your coat of arms Ever wanted your own coat of arms? Stirling Castle has a fun online tool – just don’t tell the Lord Lyon… www.stirlingcastle.scot
17. More than books The National Library of Scotland is not only uploading recordings of new talks to its website during lockdown, but also giving access to its back catalogue, including talks about the slave trade, military maps and female mountaineers. www.nls.uk/player
18. Man behind the monument Abbotsford House and the University of Aberdeen’s online course about Sir Walter Scott is free to access until mid-August. www.scottsabbotsford.com
19. See Edinburgh Castle in 3D Explore hidden parts of Edinburgh Castle using a jaw-dropping immersive virtual tour. www.edinburghcastle.scot
20. Highland Folk Museum The UK’s first open air museum offers an aerial tour of its site on the internet. www.highlifehighland.com
Arts and culture
21. Needles at the ready Knitters are invited by the Prince’s Foundation to make colourful squares that will be draped over the Adam Bridge at Dumfries House next year as part of an art installation. If you’re new to knitting, watch the demonstration video on Facebook: www.facebook.com/dumfries. house/
22. Watch #WigtownWednesdays ‘Resilience’ and ‘Connection’ will be the themes for this year’s Wigtown Book Festival, which takes place online from 25 September to 4 October. To whet your appetite, watch the festival’s #WigtownWednesdays videos on its website, including those from Sally Magnusson, Hallie Rubenhold and Natalie Haynes. www.wigtownbookfestival.com
23. Open yourself to opera Opera glasses are optional to watch Scottish Opera’s latest short
Listen to performances from Scottish artists including Biffy Clyro
production, The Narcissistic Fish, which is set in a restaurant kitchen in Leith and is available on its website. www.scottishopera.org.uk
24. Enjoy art online Royal Scottish Academicians have been busy creating works for the ‘Academicians in Isolation’ online exhibition. www.royalscottishacademy.org
25. Listen again to Radio 1 Radio 1’s Big Weekend festival was due to take place in Dundee but shifted online instead. Listen to performances from Scottish artists including Biffy Clyro and classic tracks from Calvin Harris. www.bbc.co.uk/events/egrj6q
26. Tune in for poetry Kevin Mclean chats with a different guest each month in his I Am Loud podcast, with his first episode focusing on poetry. Listen again on his website. www.iamloud.co
27. Keep it traditional This year’s Edinburgh Tradfest was cancelled but 36 artists recorded Wild Mountain Thyme to raise funds for next year’s comeback festival. Play the track on the festival’s website. www.edinburghtradfest.com
28. Appreciate bird art The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club’s art exhibitions in Waterston House at Aberlady in East Lothian are a real treat and now you can see some of the works online. www.the-soc.org.uk
29. Mountains of the mind The Mountaineering Scotland writing competition takes on added meaning this year during lockdown, so put pen to paper and get your entry ready before the deadline on 31 August. www.mountaineering.scot
30. Outlander online Can’t visit Outlander filming locations? Linlithgow-based tour Mary’s Meanders is running online experiences instead. www.marysmeanders.co.uk
Food and drink 31. Virtual whisky tastings
The Whisky Lounge’s online tastings include Asian whiskies from India, Japan and Taiwan, plus independent bottlers from a wee bit closer to home… www.thewhiskylounge.com
32. Super seafood suppers
Follow Seafood Supper Club recipes from chefs including Carina Contini, Jak O’Donnell and Craig Wilson. www.seafoodfromscotland.org/ supper-club/
33. Gen up on gin
It might be called Edinburgh Whisky Academy but it also runs an online gin school course for those who prefer their spirits clear. www.edinburghwhiskyacademy.com
34. Tune into food
Kat Holbrook’s new The Doorstep Kitchen Podcast features chef Roberta Hall from The Little Chartroom in Edinburgh and Sam Britten from Orkney Craft Vinegar. www.doorstepkitchen.com
35. Revel in Raasay
Transport yourself to the Isle of Raasay via your computer and enjoy a virtual tour of its distillery – with an amazing view. www.raasaydistillery.com
36. Bally brilliant recipes
Learn how to make pancakes and caramel cheesecake with Scottish Ballet and Graham’s dairy. www.grahamsfamilydairy.com
37. A rum deal
Scotland’s first rum festival was due to take place at The Merchants’ Hall in Edinburgh during July, but has now moved online, with live-streamed talks and tastings. www.scotrumfest.com
38. Catch of the day
Search an online directory of local fishmongers that deliver and then get recipe ideas, all on Seafish’s website. www.fishisthedish.co.uk
39. Online wine tastings
Experts including master of wine Rose Murray Brown and Wine Events Scotland’s Diana Thompson are leading online wine tastings. Spittoons at the ready… www.rosemurraybrown.com
40. A pizza the action
Try your hand at pizza making by buying a Cold Town house kit from McLarens Market Corner in Edinburgh and then following the steps at home on the online video. www.mclarensonthecorner.co.uk
Kids 41. Sing along at home
Fever, a show performed by Scottish Opera during its primary school tour, is available online, along with lyrics so kids can sing along at home. www.scottishopera.org.uk/fever
42. Make a play date
National Theatre of Scotland’s ‘Play Dates’ workshops and activities are available on its website to inspire children to explore their creative sides during lockdown. www.nationaltheatrescotland. com
43. Mixing Lego with history
From online films to recreating your favourite museum exhibits using Lego bricks, the National Museum of Scotland is packed full of ideas. www.nms.ac.uk
44. Get close to nature
The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s ‘Learning Zone’ is packed full of ideas for activities – even on the rainy days when you can’t get outside. www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
45. Learn about Scottish history
Pupils may not have been able to visit the National Trust for Scotland’s sites but they can still brush up on their history this summer with online resources about Bannockburn, Culloden and dozens of other key events from our nation’s past. www.nts.org.uk
46. Bring science to life
Making a peat bog in a bottle and using chocolate bars to illustrate geology are just some of the fun ideas for activities from the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. www.lochlomondtrossachs.org
47. Life goes on in Glasgow
With 1.6 million items in its collection, Glasgow Museums aren’t short of an idea or two to keep wee ones entranced. It is posting art challenges and holding ‘Toddler’s Tale’ singalongs on its social media channels under the #glasgowlifegoeson hashtag. www.glasgowlife.org.uk
48. Celebrating our seas
Oceans Week is just one of the highlights among the online activities uploaded to Dynamic Earth’s website over the past few months, with plenty to keep curious minds occupied. www.dynamicearth.co.uk
49. Pairing up
Stirling Castle’s online matching pairs game is rather addictive and is a great way to get young ones interested in history too. www.stirlingcastle.scot
50. Science at home
Colour blind dogs, tremendous turtles and food chain tai chi are among the awesome videos posted by the Glasgow Science Centre to keep kids thinking and entertained. www.glasgowsciencecentre.org
Glasgow Museums aren’t short of an idea or two to keep wee ones busy