The NEN – North Edinburgh News

A new seasonal fire byelaw for the Cairngorms National Park will come into force today. From 1 April to 30 September each year, campfires and barbecues will not be permitted in the National Park.

Sandy Bremner, Convener at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “We want people to keep enjoying all that the National Park offers but we also need everyone to help protect it. We know it only takes one rogue spark to start a wildfire and when there is so much to lose, we can’t take that risk.  

“Alongside the new byelaw, we are rolling out a major communications campaign which will focus on the message of ‘Protect our National Park. No flame, no spark.’ Roadside signs, leaflets, social media and local business support will help ensure people know the rules before they arrive. We are also working with councils, estates, community groups and businesses to share information and take a joined-up approach.”

The changing climate means we are experiencing longer, drier spring and summer months and an increased risk of wildfires. Last year, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service responded to more than 200 wildfires across Scotland, including a major incident on Dava Moor and at Carrbridge. 

Area Commander Robert Lennox, a Local Senior Officer with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Wildfires pose a real risk to people, properties and nature. Each wildfire we respond to can have a significant impact on our resources and these incidents are often in remote locations, which take time to reach.

“Extreme weather events are becoming more common across Scotland, and we know that communities in the Cairngorms have felt this acutely in recent years, with floods, drought and wildfires. This byelaw is an important new tool to tackle wildfire risk and safeguard the National Park.”

Approved by Scottish Government ministers in 2025 following a major consultation – in which 79% of the 1,600 respondents supported the introduction of a seasonal fire byelaw – the measure forms part of a broader package of actions aimed at reducing the growing risk of wildfires across the National Park.

From April 2026, countryside rangers will have the power, through the Procurator Fiscal, to enforce the ban. Failure to comply with the byelaw carries a fine of up to £500, although education and prevention will remain the priority.

The Park Authority is also investing in additional joint patrols with Police Scotland at key hotspots. This will be supported by enhanced ranger training and continued collaboration with partner ranger services.

A record number of countryside rangers will be on patrol this year. Additional weekend rangers have been recruited, a new full-time permanent ranger has joined the team in the Angus Glens and in total, more than 100 rangers – including permanent, seasonal, volunteer, trainee and partner services staff – will be deployed across the National Park this summer.

Grant Moir, Chief Executive Officer of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “This byelaw is part of our wider work on implementing the Integrated Wildfire Management Plan for the National Park.

“This involves working on fire ponds, estate fire plans, our Climate Adaptation Fund and much more. The byelaw is just one of a range of measures helping us tackle the threat of wildfires in the National Park.”  

Julia Duncan, Estate Ranger at Atholl Estates, said: “Rangers are out every day speaking to visitors and helping them enjoy the National Park responsibly.

“This new byelaw gives us an important tool in the box to reduce wildfire risk, protect wildlife and habitats and make sure everyone can continue to enjoy the outdoors safely.”

Members of the public are urged to help by spreading the word that people should not light fires or barbecues outside their own gardens between 1 April and 30 September, follow advice from rangers and local signage, and report any fires immediately by calling 999.

Businesses and community spaces can request a variety of resources, including social media graphics, posters and window stickers, from this dedicated page on the Park Authority website.

For more information on the fire byelaw, go to cairngorms.co.uk/fires.

2 April – 28 June 2026

National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two, Ground Floor Free admission

Joan Eardley | The Nature of Painting | National Galleries of Scotland

Opening this Thursday 2 April, step inside the mind and brushstrokes of much-loved Scottish artist Joan Eardley with a fresh insight into her powerful and expressive paintings in a new, free, two-room exhibition at National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two.

Taking over the ground floor of Modern Two and opening just in time for the Easter weekend, Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting will explore the artist’s vibrant artworks from a whole new perspective.

Consisting solely of works from Scotland’s national collection, this exhibition will bring together over 30 of Joan Eardley’s artworks, alongside some of the most notable names in the art world including Claude Monet, John Constable, Bet Low, William McTaggart, Jean Dubuffet and Antoni Tàpies.

It will offer a unique opportunity to look at how the beloved Scottish artist engaged with the world and artists around her.

Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting will feature 14 of Eardley’s oil paintings from the Scottish national collection alongside a selection of her works on paper and archival materials. Immerse yourself in Eardley’s iconic views of coastal village Catterline, discover never-before-seen objects from her studio in Glasgow and come face to face with the Glaswegian children who inspired many of her works.

The Nature of Painting follows previous National Galleries of Scotland exhibitions dedicated to Eardly’s artwork including Joan Eardley: A Sense of Place at Modern Two in 2017 and Joan Eardley & Catterline at Modern One in 2022.

This new exhibition for 2026 will present a fresh perspective on her artistic practice, inviting visitors to view her paintings amidst a variety of artists and movements, while exploring the possibilities of influence and interest.

Key works on display in Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting will include the glimmering Summer Fields (about 1961), in which a bright golden cornfield dominates a grey Catterline sky.

This painting comes to life in more ways than one, through both Eardley’s expressive brushstrokes and the inclusion of real blades of grass and wheat from the environment around her, giving insight into her artistic methods. Several other scenes of Catterline will also be displayed including the atmospheric Catterline in Winter (1963) and Hedgerow with Grasses and Flowers (1962-1963), inspired by the wildflower fields behind Eardley’s cottage.

Visitors will also meet sisters Anne and Pat Samson, immortalised in childhood through Children and Chalked Wall 3, (1962-1963). In this portrait, Eardley’s signature bold style captures the essence of Anne and Pat’s endearing smiles, as they huddle together in a moment of sisterly affection.

The girls are surrounded by a collage of newspapers and painted graffiti, as well as silver and gold papers, presumed to be sweet wrappers. This portrait, displayed in the exhibition along with others including Street Kids (1949-1951), tells the stories of real Glasgow children who lived close to Eardley’s studio, and captures their friendliness and community spirit which Eardley admired.

Born in West Sussex in 1921, Eardley moved to Glasgow with her family during the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. She studied at Glasgow School of Art and Hospitalfield House where she was taught by Scottish artists including Hugh Adam Crawford and James Cowie.

It was during this time that she began to shape her preference for painting everyday subjects. Eardley rented a studio in the centre of Glasgow in 1948, and a few years later moved to Townhead, where the local children became her artistic subjects.

In 1954, she bought a cottage in the small fishing village of Catterline, south of Aberdeen. Catterline’s coastal charm and dramatic seascapes formed the subject of many of Eardley’s paintings, providing the perfect setting for her expressive artwork to flourish. After her untimely passing from cancer in 1963, Eardley’s ashes were scattered on the beach at Catterline, creating a lasting bond between the artist and the place which inspired her.

A range of archival and photographic materials from the Scottish national collection will also be displayed in Modern Two’s Keiller Library. Donated to the National Galleries of Scotland in 1987 by Eardley’s sister Patricia, the artist’s archive contains a range of interviews, photographs and personal contents from her studio.

This display will give a glimpse into the artist’s world, painting a picture of the woman behind the artwork, as well as giving context to what she admired most in the work of others.

For the very first time, visitor favourite from the Scottish national collection Grainstacks: Snow Effect (1891) by Claude Monet will go on display alongside Eardley’s artworks. A key founder of the Impressionist movement, Monet was known for finding his source of inspiration in the outdoors, bringing nature to life through abstract brushstrokes and textures, much like Eardley’s paintings of the Catterline landscape.

The gentle gold light across frosty stacks of grain and bold use of paint echoes elements Eardley used in Summer Fields. Bringing these artworks together especially for this exhibition highlights artistic similarities spanning generations, whether intentional or not.

Kerry Gledhill, Senior Librarian and Lead Curator of Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting at the National Galleries of Scotland said: “Joan Eardley was an artist so completely driven to paint the truth of what she saw around her that she pushed her medium to its very limits.

“She was drawn to subjects which tap into a common humanity, a connection to nature or a sense of community and kinship. Like all great artists, her paintings speak to us across the intervening decades.

“The opportunity to show Eardley’s work alongside that of Constable, Monet and Tàpies, to name just a few, gives us a unique insight into the nature of painting, experimentation and creativity.”

Joan Eardley: The Nature of Painting is a free National Galleries of Scotland exhibition opening in the lower galleries of Modern Two on Thursday 2 April 2026.

Edinburgh College recently advanced its Net Zero goals after becoming the first college in Scotland to completely decarbonise one of its campuses.

Working in partnership with renewable energy experts Vital Energi, and funded through the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficiency Grant Scheme 2024/25, the College completed one of its most ambitious energy programmes to date by replacing the existing fossil‑fuel heating system at its Midlothian Campus with a new renewable heating system.

The College’s gas heating system has been replaced by a new 640kW air source heat pump, delivered through the Non-Domestic Energy Efficiency Framework (NDEE), with upgrades being made to the secondary heat system and controls, which will reduce carbon emissions on campus by over 100 tonnes each year.

Edinburgh College Vice Principal Jon Buglass said: “We are delighted to reach this important milestone, with our Midlothian Campus becoming the first college campus in Scotland to be fully decarbonised.

“We’ve completely replaced a fossil‑fuel heating system with a modern, renewable alternative that will cut emissions, reduce long‑term operating costs, and create a more sustainable environment that will benefit our college community for years to come.”

The project is being delivered through the NDEE framework and comes with an energy performance contract, which guarantees certain key performance indicators, such as carbon reduction, will be met, providing the College with certainty that its new heating system will perform as promised.

Vital Energi’s Regional Manager, Kieran Walsh said: “Normally, organisations decarbonise in phases, with several smaller projects, but Edinburgh College has been able to electrify their heating system in one single phase, which is an important achievement, and one which we’re sure will inspire other colleges.”

“The scheme allows them to break away from old, fossil fuelled boilers and embrace the latest technology and, as the grid decarbonises through more green sources, such as wind and solar, those carbon savings will continue to grow.”

In addition to eliminating its reliance on gas in a single phase, the project has an added benefit of being an educational resource for the College’s Engineering, Renewables and Energy Efficiency Training Centre, allowing students to study and learn from the new low-carbon system.

The Scottish Government is supporting households struggling with the rising cost of oil and Liquid Petroleum Gas.

From today – 1 April – households will be able to apply for £300 of support with their bills through our Emergency Heating Oil Scheme.

For more information:

http://gov.scot/news/support-for-households-using-heating-oil-and-lpg