From the Trossachs to the Kelpies and A Handmade Tale

Paul Murton follows the River Forth from the eastern slopes of Ben Lomond in the southern Highlands, through the picturesque Trossachs to the Firth of Forth. On the way, he walks in the footsteps of outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy, discovers the secrets of Flanders Moss – the biggest lowland raised bog in the UK – and takes part in the victory over an English army at Bannockburn.

In the city of Stirling, Paul is uplifted by the musical story of Big Noise, a movement that originated in Venezuela, and which champions musical skills for young people from less privileged backgrounds. Heading downstream, Paul arrives at the riverside town of Alloa, where he discovers the story of a teenage backing group. In 1960, they played a gig here with the heartthrob and crooner of the day, Johnny Gentle. The backing group called themselves The Silver Beetles. A few years later, they went on to conquer the world of music as The Beatles.

Paul then heads to the River Irvine in Ayrshire. From its source close to Loudoun Hill, Paul follows the river through ancient battle fields and discovers a legacy of lacemaking and a treasure trove of gemstones along its banks. At Kilmarnock, he salutes the memory of whisky giant Johnnie Walker – but is shocked to learn how the national poet Robert Burns once contemplated emigrating to Jamaica to work on a slave plantation. In Irvine, Paul visits the Scottish Maritime Museum and pulls at the oars as he joins a team of rowers heading out to sea.