Tag: Isle of Lewis

BBC ALBA serves up fresh flavours from the Hebrides in new series

Well-loved presenter and foodie Gregor MacLeod is back on BBC ALBA with a mouthwatering new show, Greim-Bìdh le Gregor, exploring the culinary delights found on his doorstep.

Across six weeks, Gregor will uncover the finest ingredients grown, reared, fished and prepared on the Isle of Lewis, and uses these to create his own imaginative recipes.

Emerging as a foodie hotspot, the Outer Hebrides is home to some of Scotland’s finest produce, from fresh seafood to Stornoway Black Pudding, complemented by a plethora of home baking available at popular honesty boxes dotted around the islands.

In the first episode, now available on BBC iPlayer, Gregor heads to the island’s east coast to meet a local fisherman and to collect ingredients for a Hebridean feast with a Mediterranean twist. Securing the freshest langoustines, he whips up an enormous, vibrant paella, perfect for hosting a large party.

For dessert, he visits a local honesty shed to collect homemade raspberry jam, perfect for assembling his comforting jam roly-poly. Not forgetting the all-important cheese course, Gregor shares his popular fruit and nut crackers recipe to accompany a selection of his favourite local cheeses.

Throughout the series, Gregor’s passion for self-sufficient living shines as he prepares a range of vibrant yet accessible dishes using local and homegrown ingredients. Championing the idea of making the most of what’s close to home, he welcomes BBC ALBA viewers into his own garden pantry where he grows vegetables, rears chickens and keeps his own beehive.

Gregor comments: “When it comes to a tasty bite to eat, you don’t have to look any further than the incredible variety of produce the Isle of Lewis has to offer.

“This new series is a celebration of the island’s wonderful cuisine. We’re so lucky to have such a bounty of fresh, accessible ingredients and it’s my mission to inspire viewers to cook and bake simple and flavourful dishes using what’s right on their doorstep.”

Produced by Caledonia TV, Greim-Bìdh le Gregor is now available on BBC ALBA on Monday evenings at 8.30pm(in Gaelic with English subtitles).

Watch live or on demand on BBC iPlayer: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002g83p

Mystery of the Arnish Moor Man explored in new exhibition

Objects recovered from a mysterious 250-year-old burial on Arnish Moor on the Isle of Lewis, star in a new exhibition, opening today. The exceptionally well-preserved knitted bonnet and personal belongings of a young man, on loan from National Museums Scotland, are displayed for the first time in a generation at Kinloch Historical Society.

In 1964, the body of a young man was discovered on Arnish Moor, south of Stornoway. Forensic analysis at the time revealed that he was around 20 to 25 years old and identified a fracture on the back of his head that indicates he may have been murdered. The young man’s identity remains unknown, but his clothing and personal belongings provide a rare insight into life in the Outer Hebrides in the early 1700s.

The knitted bonnet is now a brownish green colour, but analysis has revealed traces of indigo typical of the traditional blue bonnets worn in the Scottish Highlands and Islands in the 18th century.

It is displayed alongside other personal items that were found with him, including a wooden comb and quills.

These suggest he was educated and was perhaps a scholar or an apprentice clerk. The young man’s clothing, including a stylish but well-worn jacket covered in intricate hand-stitched repairs, is too fragile to be displayed.

Although the young man’s remains were not discovered until the 1960s, stories of a murder on the moor have been passed down through generations, becoming part of the lore and identity of the local community.

Dr Anna Groundwater, Principal Curator of Renaissance and Early Modern History at National Museums Scotland, said: “We don’t know who this person was, but the quality of his clothes and possessions paints a portrait of a learned young man who cared about how he looked, despite being of limited means.

“We do know that his life was cut tragically short. It has been a privilege to work with colleagues at the Kinloch Historical Society and with the local community in Lewis to bring his story to life and learn more about the historical context and oral traditions that surround the mystery of the Arnish Moor Man.”

Anna MacKenzie, Heritage Manager at Kinloch Historical Society, said: “The story of the Arnish Moor Man is one that appears regularly in our local Folk Lore. What happened to this young man is a mystery.

“By hosting this exhibition, we hope members of the public will be inspired to revisit the tales they grew up with and seek the answers of this 18th century murder. The Kinloch Historical society are very proud of the relationship we are building with National Museums Scotland. They have been a great source of support and it is a privilege to be displaying these items, that have never been shown locally before.”

Arnish Moor Man opens today, Thursday 13 March 2025, at the Kinloch Historical Society, Lewis, and runs until March 2026.

This loan is part of National Museums Scotland’s National Strategy, which sees collections and expertise shared through loans, participation in national projects, community engagement, funding for acquisitions and free knowledge and skills development opportunities for museums across Scotland.

Over 2500 objects are currently on loan to Scottish organisations, bringing the National Collection to audiences across the country.