0:00:01 > 0:00:02'Her clay pigeon expertise won silver at the Delhi Games in 2010.'
0:00:11 > 0:00:142014 is an extraordinary year for Scotland.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17So much is happening across the length and breadth of the country.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19And it's not all about politics and sport.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21We're here with a brand-new series,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24a journey to discover the events worth celebrating.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26And the stories behind them.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30Everything from theatre to comedy.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Great music, and festivals!
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Activities we can all get involved in.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39Birdie.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45We're exploring what's happening inside our buildings.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47And what's going on in your street.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51We'll tell you about the quirky...
0:00:52 > 0:00:53..and the exciting.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00We'll delve into Scotland's tastiest food and drink.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And meet the people creating these incredible experiences
0:01:04 > 0:01:07for all of us. So plan your summer with us.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Join us as we head On The Road 2014.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Our route tonight -
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Martel heads to the UK's biggest cycling festival
0:01:21 > 0:01:25and learns to perfect the action photo.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27We're joined by actor David Hayman,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31who seeks out performances in the unlikeliest of places.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34It did have a nickname of Sugaropolis.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38'And, in preparation for the Ryder Cup, I get the chance of a lifetime
0:01:38 > 0:01:42'to play the championship course with my all-time golfing hero.'
0:01:42 > 0:01:43That wasn't a good shot.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46But first...
0:01:46 > 0:01:48GUNSHOTS
0:01:48 > 0:01:50When is a sport not a sport?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Bang! Do you see what you get?
0:01:52 > 0:01:55When it's something myself and good mate comedian Ed Byrne
0:01:55 > 0:01:56can actually excel at.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Well...almost.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03I nicked it. If that was actually a pheasant or something,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05you'd have to go and break its neck.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07With the Commonwealth Games coming this summer,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Scots are embracing activities they never would have considered before.
0:02:11 > 0:02:12And clay pigeons is one of them.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18I got it twice! Another bite of the cherry there.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Today, I'm in Auchterhouse, near Dundee,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24to prove everyone from elite athletes to complete novices
0:02:24 > 0:02:25can enjoy this great pastime.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29The thing is, as soon as you fire that first shot...
0:02:29 > 0:02:32as soon as hit your first clay...
0:02:32 > 0:02:34you're absolutely hooked.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37To prove my point, I've enlisted total first-timer
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'and committed slacker Paula McGuire.'
0:02:41 > 0:02:42Are you excited, you nervous?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45I think more nervous than excited at the minute.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47I'm really clumsy and someone's handing me a gun
0:02:47 > 0:02:51and standing me near you. Always keep it pointing away from me. OK.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'Paula's a woman who recently decided to get off the couch and try
0:02:55 > 0:02:57'all 17 Commonwealth sports.'
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Boxing, I was not so good at.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I was likened to a Muppet because I have no strength in my arms.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07'Incredibly, she's so far ticked 14 sports off the list.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10'And to help Paula to also become a crack shot,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13'I've roped in Commonwealth Games champion Shona Marshall.'
0:03:13 > 0:03:15How are the guns?
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Pretty good. Are they? Not bad!
0:03:17 > 0:03:22'Her clay pigeon expertise won silver at the Delhi Games in 2010.'
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Complete beginner,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27amateur,
0:03:27 > 0:03:28how can you help?
0:03:28 > 0:03:31'First, you have to hone your hand-eye co-ordination.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35'And yes, colouring in really does help.'
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Oh, you're just doing the one colour, Paula?
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Are we getting competitive? How very one-dimensional of you!
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Then, it's a must to identify your dominant eye.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47If you just point your right hand,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49right finger at my right eye.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52It's this one you line up the target with.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54You've got a right master eye. OK.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59The trick is letting your eyes lead, and your gun follow.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Put the gun up on your shoulder.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Hand on the stock. And down onto the back of the trap house. OK.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09GUN FIRES
0:04:09 > 0:04:12'It's a near miss, but not bad for a first attempt.'
0:04:12 > 0:04:13What did I do wrong?
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Don't need to know what you did wrong.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Think about what you're doing right!
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Pull!
0:04:21 > 0:04:23I think I shut my eyes that time!
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Though believe me, success comes
0:04:26 > 0:04:28when you don't over-think the process.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Just give your eyes time to see target.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Lock on to it, then you move up and just shoot the target. OK. OK?
0:04:35 > 0:04:37'And after lots of practice
0:04:37 > 0:04:40'your brain will settle into a more quiet-eyed period,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44'impervious to distraction, what we call being in the zone.'
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Pull.
0:04:47 > 0:04:48Perfect! Well done!
0:04:50 > 0:04:53'What did I tell you? In the space of just over an hour,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56'Paula's gone from complete novice to crack shot.'
0:04:56 > 0:05:00Thank you! Hurray! Well done, Paula. I got something.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02'She's a convert, and if you are too,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'there are more than 80 clay pigeon shooting clubs up and down the country.'
0:05:05 > 0:05:08And who knows, you might even bump into me and Ed.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11There you go!
0:05:12 > 0:05:15As for the pros, this Commonwealth Games you'll find them
0:05:15 > 0:05:19defending their titles at the Barry Buddon shooting range in Carnoustie.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33In October 2013, the Queen's Baton began a monumental journey.
0:05:33 > 0:05:3770 nations, 118,000 miles,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41and on June 14th it arrives in Scotland...
0:05:42 > 0:05:45..where more than 140 different choirs
0:05:45 > 0:05:48will in turn sing a specially composed song
0:05:48 > 0:05:52as the baton makes its way through our towns and villages
0:05:52 > 0:05:54en route to Glasgow.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56It's called the Big Song Relay.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59One of its first stops is Langholm near Dumfries.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03'And I've been asked to join their choir
0:06:03 > 0:06:07'for the very first rehearsal of Here's To All Our Common Wealth.'
0:06:07 > 0:06:12Most of my singing practice these days comes from hogging the karaoke
0:06:12 > 0:06:14in the pub, I'll be honest, though I will have you know
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I did play Laurie in Oklahoma in my school musical.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21But how hard is it to pick up a song for the first time
0:06:21 > 0:06:25as part of a choir? And can a novice like me do it?
0:06:25 > 0:06:28'While the short answer might actually be "no",
0:06:28 > 0:06:30'let's talk about what it takes to create
0:06:30 > 0:06:32'such an important piece of music.'
0:06:34 > 0:06:35'In this case,
0:06:35 > 0:06:40'renowned Scottish composer and folk musician Phil Cunningham.'
0:06:40 > 0:06:42We were getting close to the deadline,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44so I was feeling a degree of panic.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47I was getting letters every day, "Have you finished yet?"
0:06:47 > 0:06:48And very late one night
0:06:48 > 0:06:51I was just sitting messing with this old Cajun accordion,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54and I was just thinking about simplicity
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and something that would be memorable.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00'Once the music took shape,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04'it was then the job of Alison Burns, one of Scotland's top choirmasters,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06'to help write the lyrics.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11'And a few weeks from now it will be performed on this street.'
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Right here in Langholm is the point
0:07:13 > 0:07:16where the baton runner is going to come down, pass over the baton
0:07:16 > 0:07:20and four choirs will be waiting to sing the song that you penned.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24That's pretty exciting. It is pretty exciting, yeah.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'For this historic event, four local choirs are joining forces,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31'so Alison has the challenge of training them - and yours truly -
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'to perform as one cohesive group.'
0:07:34 > 0:07:36So we're going to go...
0:07:36 > 0:07:37FALLING NOTE
0:07:37 > 0:07:39CHOIR MIMICS THE NOTE
0:07:39 > 0:07:40Meow!
0:07:40 > 0:07:42CHOIR MEOWS
0:07:42 > 0:07:45'What's more, there's not a lot of time to practise.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47'Tonight's session is only two hours,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50'so Alison has to make every second count.'
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Alison's asked everyone to get into place, so you've got your sopranos,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55altos, tenors, basses. I've no idea where I sit.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00'So I'm going to try sopranos and hope for the best.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:02So let's put a harmony in here with the...
0:08:02 > 0:08:07# Ours the sun and ours the land... #
0:08:07 > 0:08:08Try that.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12ALL: # Ours the sun and ours the land. #
0:08:12 > 0:08:13That's lovely.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15'And before long...'
0:08:15 > 0:08:17One, two, three, four...
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'..all four choirs really are singing as one.'
0:08:20 > 0:08:25# For each and every hand to hold
0:08:25 > 0:08:30# And every tongue to sing. #
0:08:30 > 0:08:32WHISPERS: I got it that time!
0:08:32 > 0:08:33That was fantastic.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I could really hear that starting to come together.
0:08:36 > 0:08:43# And every tongue to sing. #
0:08:43 > 0:08:45'Not bad for a first rehearsal.'
0:08:45 > 0:08:46APPLAUSE
0:08:46 > 0:08:50'But how does Alison feel about performing this song for real?'
0:08:50 > 0:08:53There's never quite time enough to kind of polish it enough,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55but I think at the end of the day
0:08:55 > 0:08:57it is about having a great time together
0:08:57 > 0:09:00and building a community together that are going to sing.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02'Though what I really want to know is...'
0:09:02 > 0:09:05What did you think of my singing? I thought you did really well.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Really? I thought you entered into the spirit of the whole thing
0:09:08 > 0:09:12and you gave it your best shot, and it was not too hard to listen to.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14"Entered into the spirit", "gave it my best shot",
0:09:14 > 0:09:17that's your nice way of saying, "but you were no good".
0:09:17 > 0:09:20I'm telling you, it wasn't too hard to listen to. It was good.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22If you'd like to hear the choir perform
0:09:22 > 0:09:25and cheer the baton's arrival in Langholm,
0:09:25 > 0:09:27it's all happening on June 19th.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31You can also find out more about its 40-day journey to the Glasgow Games,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and what else is happening in Scotland, on our website...
0:09:40 > 0:09:42CHEERING
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Stay with us as Martel gets competitive with her camera
0:09:45 > 0:09:46at the TweedLove Bike Festival.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52And BBC Radio One DJ Ally McCrae gauges the reactions to
0:09:52 > 0:09:56a controversial Turner-Prize-winning artist's work in Thurso.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57That's sick!
0:10:00 > 0:10:04But first, there's no denying, Scotland has a sweet tooth,
0:10:04 > 0:10:08though sugar's arrival on our shores didn't just change our diet.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11MUSIC: "Sugar" by Garbage
0:10:11 > 0:10:14It made us wealthy beyond belief.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Creating a rich heritage in more ways than one,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21as actor David Hayman is about to discover.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23In the 18th century,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25we became a hub for this new industry,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27shipping in sugar from the Caribbean
0:10:27 > 0:10:29and refining it here.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33We certainly were one of the hubs of the empire.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37And at the very centre of this booming business was Greenock,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39a small town on the Clyde,
0:10:39 > 0:10:43though while the industry we used to call white gold is no more,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45its impact can still be felt -
0:10:45 > 0:10:48both on the people who live here,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52and the sugar sheds themselves, once bustling with activity.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56But these sugar sheds may actually have a very exciting future,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59albeit a temporary one. It's going to be turned into a theatre,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03where the memories and stories of the people of Greenock
0:11:03 > 0:11:04will be brought alive,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08so that once more White Gold will fill the sugar sheds.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13And that's because it's both the inspiration and the name
0:11:13 > 0:11:15of this unusual production,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18which will see the audience being led through different parts
0:11:18 > 0:11:21of the building in order to view eight different stories.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26What's more, many of the 80-strong volunteer cast and crew
0:11:26 > 0:11:29are actually ordinary folk who live here -
0:11:29 > 0:11:33most with little or no experience of working in the theatre.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35When I came yesterday, I thought,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39when I joined, "I'll sell programmes or I'll sell cups of tea and coffee,"
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and then when I came, she said, "You're in the cast."
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Pretty daunting, but the real challenge for the performers
0:11:46 > 0:11:49is the fact the people whose stories are being told
0:11:49 > 0:11:51may well be part of the audience.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54It's just all the kind of stories that we got brought up with,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57and I think a lot of them are getting forgotten about,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59and this is going to bring it all back.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09Each story has been refined from oral recordings of Greenock locals,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12then brought to life by the White Gold team.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Joseph Traynor is one of the production's directors.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Most of the ones that we got were kind of tales of humanity,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23about falling in love, about death in the family,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25about losing people,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27there were a few about addiction.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Such as this piece,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33which tells one person's experiences of alcoholism.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36This guy walked through the pub door when he was 17,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40and ever since then, for the next 30 years,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44he described his life as living in Dante's Inferno.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46He became an alcoholic.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49So you're trying to recreate Dante's Inferno. The Inferno,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51with the pub life going around him
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and he's left in this perpetual loop that he can't get out of.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59While the stories in this performance explore
0:12:59 > 0:13:01the town's more recent past,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05local history curator Vincent Gillen can go a lot further back.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08It must have been a real powerhouse of the Scottish economy.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10It did have a nickname of Sugaropolis.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14One shipload of sugar come in would set you up for...almost life.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19After all, at its peak, Greenock had 14 refineries,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22requiring 400 shiploads of sugar a year.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25We do tend to get subsumed by Glasgow.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30I always try to tell people, we were competing with Glasgow at one point.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Even so, the sugar sheds face a very uncertain future,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39but locals like Paul Bristow
0:13:39 > 0:13:43hope projects such as White Gold can revitalise this important building.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Do you think the theatre production of White Gold
0:13:45 > 0:13:47will make a difference?
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Definitely, because what it does is bring people over here.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51It gives people the opportunity
0:13:51 > 0:13:53to get involved in making something happen here
0:13:53 > 0:13:55because there's no point saving old buildings
0:13:55 > 0:13:58just for the sake of saving them. They need to have life and purpose,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01and things like this production, that's what they do.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I couldn't agree more.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05And, if you'd like to see this exciting production,
0:14:05 > 0:14:10it runs from this Wednesday June 4th through to Saturday the 7th.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13And, if the enthusiasm of the performers is anything to go by,
0:14:13 > 0:14:15it's going to be a very special event indeed,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and I wish them all the very best.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Cycling - we have the landscape, we have the terrain
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and we have the action.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30Welcome to Britain's biggest cycling festival.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32This is TweedLove.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36Running from the 24th of May to the 8th of June, the festival boasts
0:14:36 > 0:14:39over 40 events in 16 days,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and attracts world-class competitors.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45The focus for some of the mountain biking events is
0:14:45 > 0:14:49here in the stunning Glentress Forest near Peebles.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53And the first race of 2014 is about to kick off.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59If you love cycling, this festival has it all,
0:14:59 > 0:15:03with events for road racers, for speed freaks, for families.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07But TweedLove's not just about the peddling.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10The festival also hosts a photography competition,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13and it's got me excited, too.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17Like lots of people, I take hundreds of pictures on my phone and tablet.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19They're not always very good, lots of family,
0:15:19 > 0:15:24but I'd love to learn the art of taking a great action shot.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28So I've asked adventure photographer Daniel Wildey for three basic tips
0:15:28 > 0:15:30to get me started.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34And joining our impromptu class is Lucy Grant,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37a local cycling champion who took up photography
0:15:37 > 0:15:40while recovering from an injury.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43The first tip I wanted to talk about was the rule of thirds.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Rather than framing your subject right in the centre,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48just try and look for lines of thirds.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52What you notice about the subject's face or head is that it's
0:15:52 > 0:15:55right on this intersection of thirds.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59It's just more pleasing to the eye, more engaging to the human brain.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The second tip is that you need a really fast shutter speed to
0:16:02 > 0:16:05be able to freeze the action.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08If you're using something like a smartphone or an iPad,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12you're kind of at the mercy of how the camera itself decides to take the shot.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14So a really easy way to make the shutter speed
0:16:14 > 0:16:18as fast as possible is to just look for the light.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21The brighter a scene, the faster the shutter speed will be.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Finally, it really helps to know
0:16:23 > 0:16:26what the key moments of the sport are.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29In this case it was someone who's just about to land a jump.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Just think about those few basic things,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34and you will see an instant improvement in your shots.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36OK.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39As if it wasn't tricky enough, Daniel's set us a challenge.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42We have to take a better picture than him!
0:16:42 > 0:16:45We'll exhibit our best photos for the crowds at the end of the day,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49and let them decide which photo best captures the spirit of the race.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55Was that the rule of thirds?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58The light conditions are a bit challenging,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02but, yeah, it's a fantastic location. CYCLIST: Hello!
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Mainly at races people go to the bit where
0:17:05 > 0:17:09they think there's going to be the most crashes and accidents.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15And there's Daniel's cyclist, bathed in light.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21And somehow I've managed to obey the rule of thirds.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Oh! and there's the magic moment shot right there -
0:17:28 > 0:17:31though maybe not quite so magic for the rider.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33They're great, really good. I'm very impressed, well done.
0:17:33 > 0:17:38Thank you. Did you use the flash to take this one? Yeah, I cheated.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43We had trouble getting a fast shutter speed like I was talking about earlier
0:17:43 > 0:17:45because it was quite dark in the trees.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49What Martel did is flipped what I was saying about shutter speed
0:17:49 > 0:17:54and used it to a creative advantage to create this really blurry,
0:17:54 > 0:17:58slow shutter speed effect, which looks as professional as all of them.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Time for the ultimate test. The public must decide their favourite shot.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06I actually like the blurry one,
0:18:06 > 0:18:10I think that kind of sums up the speed - someone just really pinning it and going for it.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Obviously this one, because someone's crashed.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17And we always like to see someone crash in the pictures. That's what it's all about.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20I just think it's a brilliant action shot.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24The public have voted, and they put Lucy number one,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27they really liked the action shot that was so dramatic.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30She got ten votes, I got eight, which I'm super chuffed at,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34that people thought this was arty and creative, where it was just a bit blurred,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38and Daniel got a good few votes, but, yeah, Lucy is our winner.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41We certainly rose to the challenge,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44thanks to a good helping of beginner's luck.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48The great thing about the techniques that we've learned is they don't just have to be used on action shots,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51so you could use them to take pictures of your dog, your family.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55And remember, the TweedLove Festival is on until the 8th June,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58so why not go down and take part, or take pictures?
0:18:58 > 0:19:04For more information go to our website:
0:19:11 > 0:19:16Go almost as far north as it's possible to go, and you could be asking yourself
0:19:16 > 0:19:19what does a remote Highland town
0:19:19 > 0:19:24and one of Scotland's most controversial Turner Prize winning artists have in common?
0:19:24 > 0:19:25The answer?
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Possibly the most unusual exhibition
0:19:29 > 0:19:31the good folks of Thurso have ever seen.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Which is why we've asked Radio 1 DJ Ally McCrae
0:19:36 > 0:19:39to gauge the local reactions to it.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43This town is about to take its place on the great map of contemporary art
0:19:43 > 0:19:48thanks to an exhibition of Douglas Gordon's work at the Caithness Horizons Gallery.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54In fact, he is just one of more than 100 artists
0:19:54 > 0:19:57exhibiting across the country as part of the Generation Project,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02celebrating 25 years of Scottish contemporary art.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07And Douglas Gordon's pieces are bound to stir up lively debate.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09after all, this is the man
0:20:09 > 0:20:15who slowed down Hitchcock's classic film Psycho over 24 hours.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18But that's not nearly as dark as this exhibit.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21I find all of this a bit kind of...
0:20:21 > 0:20:23A bit weird, a bit kind of creepy.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Though enough about me, let's find out what the locals think.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32Meet Bob and Colin, two dedicated members of the Thurso Camera Club.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36This - I don't know about you guys - is going to be a culture shock for me. Contemporary art.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40I think it will be for me, as well.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44So, to understand the pieces a little better,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47I've invited Keith Hartley from the National Galleries to explain.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51After all - what does THIS actually mean?
0:20:51 > 0:20:58That's sick. That is a fly glued to a desk, dying.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01There's this wonderful quote in King Lear:
0:21:01 > 0:21:07"As flies to wanton boys Are we to the gods. They kill us for their sport."
0:21:07 > 0:21:12Yep, there is no denying it - Douglas Gordon likes to be provocative.
0:21:12 > 0:21:18Our next case in point - this work entitled "A Divided Self, I and II."
0:21:18 > 0:21:20It was asking questions. Yeah.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24I didn't know what the answers were, but it was interesting.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29Maybe we can get an explanation. That's the whole point, there is no one explanation,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33And the richness of a work really lies in its ambiguity.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36So while some see it as being sexual,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40and others the conflict of good versus evil,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44what most people don't know is both arms actually belong to the artist himself.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Outside we said we didn't really know what to expect.
0:21:48 > 0:21:53I thought the images and the portrayal were very powerful.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57It stimulates thought, and in that way I was pleasantly surprised.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Douglas Gordon's work is in Thurso until the 11th of October.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05But if that's a wee bit far to travel, the Generation project
0:22:05 > 0:22:08has more than 60 exhibitions across Scotland
0:22:08 > 0:22:10that you that you can check out for yourself.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12If you're a bit like me, and you think...
0:22:12 > 0:22:14HE SCOFFS: "What is this?",
0:22:14 > 0:22:18it is worth getting out and checking out some of the amazing projects
0:22:18 > 0:22:23just like the Generation one that are going on across Scotland right now.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25It's nice to expand your mind a little bit.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28And you never know, you might enjoy it.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40In September, the Ryder Cup returns to Scotland.
0:22:40 > 0:22:4624 premier golfers, 45,000 spectators a day...
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and the chance to thrash the Americans again.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54The venue where the European team will take on the USA -
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Perthshire.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00But this championship won't be easy,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03the course has been redesigned to up the ante.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06And I've got exclusive access to meet
0:23:06 > 0:23:11the people behind the changes, plus... I'll take that. Great shot.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15..I'll be testing them out with Ryder Cup legend Sandy Lyle.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18This Ryder Cup has been about 13 years in the planning,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21but what you might not know about Gleneagles is that this is
0:23:21 > 0:23:24where transatlantic golf tournaments began.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27It was here in 1921 the
0:23:27 > 0:23:29International Challenge took place.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33The first time British and American professional golfers ever faced off,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and this eventually inspired the Ryder Cup.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40And at this year's competition
0:23:40 > 0:23:45this course will boast 250 of the most manicured acres in Scotland,
0:23:45 > 0:23:49requiring a 91-man team to cut the grass twice a day,
0:23:49 > 0:23:53and as head greenkeeper Steve Chapel is ably demonstrating,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55tend those bunkers.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59How many bunkers have you got to rake? 79.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03OK, I think I've been in 74 of them.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Redesigning the course has involved bringing in
0:24:07 > 0:24:0940,000 square metres of turf.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10Now it's up to Steve
0:24:10 > 0:24:14and his team to make sure every blade of grass on the fairway
0:24:14 > 0:24:16is exactly 10mm.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19And in the rough, it's five times that.
0:24:19 > 0:24:2250ml, that's going to be a pretty difficult shot, isn't it?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Yeah, it's going to be pretty thick and juicy.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27So, it's going to be a challenge for a player to get through there,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30but you're talking about the best 24 golfers in the world.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34The course redesign is an ambitious project which golf courses
0:24:34 > 0:24:38and estate manager Scott Fenwick began on the ninth hole.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42The last time I played this course, there was a huge bunker
0:24:42 > 0:24:44but that's now all water.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47We decided to extend the pond out into the hole
0:24:47 > 0:24:49and make it more of a feature.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Then that changed the whole strategy of the way the golf hole played.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Before you could reach the green in as little as two shots.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Now there's not only a massive water hazard to avoid
0:25:02 > 0:25:05but three new bunkers as groomed by yours truly.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09But it's the 18th hole that's seen the biggest changes.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Not only was the green rotated 90 degrees,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14it's now 2m lower.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17We wanted to give the golf hole a flatter feel,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21so we took off 50,000 tons of soil away from here.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25So it was moved up on these mountains up the left-hand side here.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28The end result has been the creation of a amphitheatre,
0:25:28 > 0:25:32ensuring a perfect vantage point for the spectators.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34And while I'd love to be one of them,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38right now I'm going to put these transformations to the test
0:25:38 > 0:25:40with the help of Sandy Lyle.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you as well.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Whose Ryder Cup credentials include the first-ever European
0:25:46 > 0:25:48victory on American soil.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52What kind of challenges are there for me, a 13 handicapper?
0:25:52 > 0:25:56You're going to have to hit 200 yard plus to even reach the fairway.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Shall I go first? By all means.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00And then you can tell me what I did wrong.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03That was a good shot.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Not a bad start, though this is how the pros do it.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I didn't see that finish, Sandy. It's too far for your eyes.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17But now things really get complicated.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21There are three bunkers to navigate, all designed to trick the eye.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Then there's another even more deceptive one.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26From the middle of the fairway there,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29that bunker really makes the green look a lot closer.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32And is that a trick the course designers deliberately do?
0:26:32 > 0:26:34All the time.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40Whether it's a tree or a bunker, just to catch you out now and then.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44So the ninth's a bit of a struggle... Oh, dear.
0:26:44 > 0:26:45..but the 18th is even trickier.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Oh, you're trying for that cut path again.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54The entire hole appears flatter and there's a lot of run-off
0:26:54 > 0:26:57on the green which can lead to one of five bunkers.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59That wasn't a good shot.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03This new and improved course really will put the world's best golfers
0:27:03 > 0:27:05to the test. Do you think they've done well?
0:27:05 > 0:27:07I think they've done very well.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09I think the 18th looks tremendously different.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12The ninth hole has come a long way now with water on the right more
0:27:12 > 0:27:14and the water with the second shot.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17And visibility-wise for a player, it looks really good.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Sandy, thanks very much for spending time with me. You're welcome.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Enjoyed it. Can I buy you a cup of tea or a coffee?
0:27:24 > 0:27:26A bacon butty.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Now you're talking.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Tickets for the practice days of the Ryder Cup are still available.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36You can also catch highlights of the competition itself on the BBC.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39And if you fancy giving the game a go Scotland has more than
0:27:39 > 0:27:43550 golf courses to choose from.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Though before I go... Just check.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52It's 11mm, it's too long. I'm away to get the lawn mower.
0:27:57 > 0:27:58Next time...
0:27:58 > 0:28:01we're at the Happyness Festival in Inverness where Fred meets
0:28:01 > 0:28:06Jason Byrne and other comics as they reveal the secret to making it.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08When I was younger I would go, "Is that funny?"
0:28:08 > 0:28:09"I'll try it." And it wouldn't be.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12I'd go, "Oh, my God." So we tend to die less now.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Reporter Cat Cubie reveals the tipple that might just become
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Scotland's other national drink.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Mmm. That is really nice.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25And weather favourite Carol Kirkwood discovers why there's more to
0:28:25 > 0:28:28the Forth and Clyde Canal than just The Kelpies.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30Some fine sailing ahead.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Hello, I'm Ellie Crisell with your 90 second update.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Reports of alleged abuse carried out by Jimmy Savile now
0:29:08 > 0:29:11total more than 500. NSPCC research found most victims were
0:29:11 > 0:29:14aged between 13 and 15, but the youngest was just two.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16Details in Panorama at 8:30.