0:00:09 > 0:00:122014 is an extraordinary year for Scotland.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15So much is happening across the length and breadth of the country.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18And it's not all about politics and sport.
0:00:18 > 0:00:22We're here with a brand-new series, a journey to discover the events
0:00:22 > 0:00:23worth celebrating.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25And the stories behind them.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Everything from theatre to comedy.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Great music and festivals!
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Activities we can all get involved in.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Birdie.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44We're exploring what's happening inside our buildings
0:00:44 > 0:00:46and what's going on on your street.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50We'll tell you about the quirky...
0:00:50 > 0:00:51and the exciting.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56We'll delve into Scotland's tastiest food and drink.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03And meet the people creating these incredible experiences for all of us.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07So plan your summer with us. Join us as we head On The Road 2014.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08HORN BEEPS
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Our route tonight - I'm on the Moray Firth asking what
0:01:19 > 0:01:24this lighthouse, Egyptian design and the RAF have in common.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27The sight, the noise, it's wonderful. It's thunderous!
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Comedian Phill Jupitus reveals why his upcoming Edinburgh Fringe show
0:01:31 > 0:01:33isn't just for laughs.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35It's just...
0:01:35 > 0:01:37absolutely hypnotic.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And Cat Cubie is chain-saw carving in Carrbridge.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Try saying that three times faster!
0:01:46 > 0:01:49It's a good job you didn't give me the chain saw, I think.
0:01:49 > 0:01:50It's a very good job.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54But first...
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Let's talk about the biggest party to hit Scotland - possibly ever.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04The host for the Commonwealth Games
0:02:04 > 0:02:05will be Glasgow.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07CHEERING
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Yes, we've been building to it for seven years, and we've spent
0:02:14 > 0:02:17more than a billion pounds across the city, but finally
0:02:17 > 0:02:18the wait is over.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Festival 2014 kicked off on the weekend
0:02:21 > 0:02:24and in just two days, the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony
0:02:24 > 0:02:28will be performed live, with an expected audience of 1.5 billion
0:02:28 > 0:02:32watching 3,000 performers in front of 40,000 people
0:02:32 > 0:02:33at Glasgow's Celtic Park.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Rehearsals are currently taking place in a top secret location.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43And while I can't reveal where, I'm hoping to uncover
0:02:43 > 0:02:46some of the other hush-hush details.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48What do we actually know?
0:02:48 > 0:02:50There'll be athletes, singers, there'll be royalty,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53celebrity guests, the Queen's Baton Relay will complete
0:02:53 > 0:02:56its 190,000th kilometre on the night.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00There will also be thousands of volunteer performers,
0:03:00 > 0:03:05and a procession of 4,500 athletes from 71 countries and territories.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09And maybe a few invited politicians in attendance.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Well, you've got to let a few in.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17But while you can expect a shedload of VIPS and famous faces,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20most of the dancers in the opening ceremony will actually
0:03:20 > 0:03:22be regular folk.
0:03:22 > 0:03:253,000 were selected, we've got 500 of them here.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26ALL: One, two, three, four...
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Actually, make that 501.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36It's all about timing.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40And, yes, it's just as hard as I'm making it look.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42# When I grow up I wanna be famous
0:03:42 > 0:03:45# I wanna be a star I wanna be in movies
0:03:45 > 0:03:47# # When I grow up I wanna see the world
0:03:47 > 0:03:49# Drive nice cars... #
0:03:49 > 0:03:52To make sure the soundtrack is a surprise on the night,
0:03:52 > 0:03:54each performer must wear headphones.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58And it's also a good way of hearing what choreographer Simone Sault
0:03:58 > 0:03:59has to say.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01There's some heavy looking guys around here.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Is it OK for me to see this? Should I be in here?
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- What, seeing what?- Seeing what? - Mum's the word. Mum's the word.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09There's great enthusiasm there. Mixed abilities,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12different age groups and I think that's a lovely thing.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- But they have one focus. And that's to get the show on.- Right.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17They all want to be here. They're 100% committed.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19My final question is, what is the costume?
0:04:19 > 0:04:23- I can't give things away like that. - Oh, come on!- No, no, not to you
0:04:23 > 0:04:26or anyone. You'll have to wait until the big night, my friend.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28- Is it tartan?- I can't say anything. My lips are sealed.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33Oh, well - maybe I can prise a few secrets from the volunteers.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35And find out what's motivating them
0:04:35 > 0:04:38to perform for an audience of 1.5 billion.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Well, we could tell you the overall, it's going to be great fun,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44it's going to be a great showcase for Glasgow in itself.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- But the specifics...- Details we'll have to keep to the day.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49The biggest challenge for me,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52because I'm in my 60s, is trying to remember it all.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I think it's a good chance to represent Scotland,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59if you don't have much else going for you in life.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04If I fall over in the middle of Celtic Park, I'll just jazz up
0:05:04 > 0:05:07my hands and put a big smile on my face and jump back up.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Just to add to the pressure, imagine seeing your dance moves
0:05:12 > 0:05:16on a 100-metre-wide screen filling the South Stand at Celtic Park,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20what the creators are calling a 'Window on the Commonwealth.'
0:05:20 > 0:05:21It's dual function,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25so when we have performances on stage it will create a fabulous backdrop.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28But it also allows us at certain moments in the ceremony,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30not everything is going to happen in Celtic Park,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33some parts of the show will happen in other bits of Glasgow,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36or other countries or territories around the world, so it gives us
0:05:36 > 0:05:40a broader stage to invite the world into our home and welcome them
0:05:40 > 0:05:42to our ceremony.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Glasgow 2014 promises to deliver an unforgettable opening ceremony,
0:05:46 > 0:05:49plus the BBC will be awash with wide coverage.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53So, wherever you are on Wednesday night from 8pm,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55this is an event not to be missed.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Or at least it will be, once I master these dance moves.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01HE BREAKS WIND
0:06:01 > 0:06:02Sorry about that.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03'Awkward!'
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Throughout August, Edinburgh is the epicentre for all things
0:06:15 > 0:06:19cultural, hosting six flagship festivals from arts to books
0:06:19 > 0:06:20to the Military Tattoo.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25All of which collectively involve over 60,000 performers.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Festival stalwart Phill Jupitus is better known as a comedian.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30LAUGHTER
0:06:30 > 0:06:34I'd only go up a pyramid if I thought it was a Toblerone.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36But his real love has always been art.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40And at this year's Fringe Festival, he will be hosting Sketch Comic,
0:06:40 > 0:06:44a very special event that will see him armed with his tablet
0:06:44 > 0:06:47and sketching some of the Scottish National Gallery's
0:06:47 > 0:06:51most iconic artwork, inviting his audience to sketch along with him.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53I've been coming to Edinburgh
0:06:53 > 0:06:54for the Fringe Festival
0:06:54 > 0:06:58for nearly 25 years, and it's a place that I love.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00I started coming here off-piste, as it were.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04But to me it's about more than gigs.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08One of my favourite places is here at the Scottish National Gallery.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14I can spend hours and hours in galleries.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18There is so much detail in these pieces.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20There's so many different things you can look at
0:07:20 > 0:07:22in these works.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25The walls of the National Gallery are home to everyone
0:07:25 > 0:07:27from Cezanne to Rembrandt.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31But today what's caught my eye is this Titian -
0:07:31 > 0:07:32Venus Rising from the Sea.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Not a big piece but it's just...
0:07:37 > 0:07:40absolutely hypnotic.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44She's almost like iridescent, there's almost a light coming out
0:07:44 > 0:07:46of Venus herself.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51I've drawn since I was kid, and before comedy I even made
0:07:51 > 0:07:54my living as an illustrator, so sketching comes as second nature
0:07:54 > 0:07:59to me. Except now I use a tablet with a drawing app instead of paper.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02I started sketching at galleries the way that
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I am now a couple of years ago.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I went to a gallery and somebody got very, very cross with me,
0:08:08 > 0:08:09taking photos,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and so almost as an act of defiance,
0:08:12 > 0:08:13I started drawing.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19And then through the drawing you just look at the art differently.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Gallery attendants like Amanda Wright will have to get used to me
0:08:23 > 0:08:27hanging about the place sketching paintings like Titian's Venus.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It's an almost incomprehensible level of beauty.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- There's a sort of perfection in that somewhere.- Yeah.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33And that's what it is.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36You see it in some things and it might be the colour, it might
0:08:36 > 0:08:39be the shape, it might be how somebody has framed the shape
0:08:39 > 0:08:44- of a hand.- Mm, yeah.- But there's something perfect in there.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47It's just been in various galleries, she's been there
0:08:47 > 0:08:50ringing her hair out for hundreds and hundreds of years.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52It's not got any drier.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57- It has not.- I'll let you concentrate.- Thank you. Cheers.- Bye.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05All right, my version
0:09:05 > 0:09:09of Titian's Venus Rising from the Sea is done.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14It's in the ballpark, but I've got the spirit of her face better
0:09:14 > 0:09:17than I thought I would, so I'm quite happy with that.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18But it's fun to do,
0:09:18 > 0:09:22and certainly a good way to spend an afternoon with the painting.
0:09:29 > 0:09:30And that's basically it.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33For a month, I'm going to be coming to one of the best art galleries
0:09:33 > 0:09:36in the world and copying some of the most beautiful paintings.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38Come and join me if you want.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Just bring yourself, one of these and your imagination.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47So, why not join Phill with a tablet or a pencil and paper?
0:09:47 > 0:09:51He'll be sketching every weekday from the 4th of August for three weeks
0:09:51 > 0:09:54at Scotland's National Galleries in Edinburgh.
0:09:54 > 0:09:59He'll also give a talk every Thursday about the paintings he's sketching.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02For more information,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04go to our website...
0:10:09 > 0:10:10Stay with us,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13as author and broadcaster Muriel Gray discovers
0:10:13 > 0:10:15the children's book being transformed
0:10:15 > 0:10:17into ground-breaking theatre.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Aagh! That's fantastic!
0:10:22 > 0:10:26And at Thunder in the Glens, I unearth the Scottish ancestry
0:10:26 > 0:10:29of what's probably the world's most iconic motorbike.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33The streets are lined, crowds are cheering, flags are out waving.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35It's just a marvellous event.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Though right now...
0:10:40 > 0:10:44..at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains,
0:10:44 > 0:10:47in one sleepy village,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49things are about to get real.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53ROAR OF CHAIN SAWS
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Every August, Carrbridge and its population of around 700
0:10:59 > 0:11:03welcome 3,000 people to their annual wood-carving competition.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08It's called Carve Carrbridge,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and we sent Cat Cubie to find out why this event
0:11:11 > 0:11:12really is a cut above.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22It's a test of skill and artistry on a massive scale.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And thousands of folk will come here to witness it
0:11:25 > 0:11:26as Carrbridge goes carve crazy.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Now in its 12th year, it attracts competitors
0:11:31 > 0:11:34and spectators from across the globe.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Not bad for something that started as a simple fundraiser
0:11:37 > 0:11:41and today, according to organiser Carol Ritchie, supports a wide range
0:11:41 > 0:11:43of local charities.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45It's not your normal show.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47It's loud.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48CHAIN SAW BUZZING
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It's something different, it's got a huge buzz.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Wielding chain saws is pretty exciting, I have to say.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Great entertainment and get some beautiful art out of it.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02Exactly.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Over the last decade,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09the likes of chain-saw art has gone from being a novelty...
0:12:10 > 0:12:14..to something many artists are making a living from.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Even so, Carve Carrbridge is a tough competition to crack.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21It has strict rules and regulations
0:12:21 > 0:12:25and the competitors have to battle against the clock to finish in time.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Yes, four hours is all you get to turn a eight-foot-high block
0:12:28 > 0:12:31of wood into a striking piece of art.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Your only tools - a set of chain saws and a blowtorch,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38though you will also require a chain-saw licence.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And while this contest sounds testosterone-fuelled,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43actually, it's one for the girls as well.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51At last year's event, Alice Buttress was the only female competitor.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58And at 62, she was also the eldest.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- So how did you get into it? - Ten years ago
0:13:00 > 0:13:02they were having a one-day workshop,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04the competition was much smaller then.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07We all got to have a go and I thought this was really quite
0:13:07 > 0:13:10good fun. I've sculpted for years with clay
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and so using a chain saw was just another method to sculpt with.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17And while Alice is modest about her chain-saw prowess,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21even in the early days it was easy to see her potential.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24I won the Novice Cup the first year, I was quite delighted,
0:13:24 > 0:13:25I even beat my husband.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29- And ten years later, you're still going strong.- Still going strong!
0:13:29 > 0:13:33One trick of the trade is to have a few trial runs before the big event,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35so that's what Alice is doing today.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Her mission - to transform this block of wood
0:13:40 > 0:13:41into an owl.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48Requiring up to five different chain saws to get the detail just so.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53Oh, my goodness, look at this guy. He's incredible.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55That's as much as you can do with the chain saw.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57But we are allowed to burn it, so you can put some
0:13:57 > 0:13:58highlights in for me.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01You'll need to show me exactly what I need to do.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04It's a good job you didn't give me the chain saw, I think.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05A very good job.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08'This year's Carve Carrbridge is taking place
0:14:08 > 0:14:10'Saturday 30th of August.'
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Oh, I don't want to do it too long.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15'As well as wood carving, there's also a fete
0:14:15 > 0:14:18'and a range of activities to get involved in.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21'Everything from crockery smashing to axe-throwing.'
0:14:21 > 0:14:22That's excellent.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Meanwhile, the finished pieces will be up for auction at the end of
0:14:25 > 0:14:29the competition, so you might even get your hands on an original.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42The Moray Firth was once one of the most treacherous parts
0:14:42 > 0:14:44of Scotland's coastline.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49It was here many a sailor met his demise.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56In fact, in November 1826 a series of violent storms sunk
0:14:56 > 0:14:58a staggering 16 vessels.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Which is why soon after, the locals of Lossiemouth
0:15:06 > 0:15:08petitioned for a lighthouse,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11so I'm here to discover both its fascinating history
0:15:11 > 0:15:14and its exciting future.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17After all, it was designed by a member of Scotland's
0:15:17 > 0:15:20lighthouse building dynasty - Alan Stevenson.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24It's striking, it's majestic
0:15:24 > 0:15:27and it was clearly built to withstand the harsh Scottish elements.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30But without the determination of the local people
0:15:30 > 0:15:33here in Lossiemouth, it would never have been built.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Though, after almost two centuries of making this a safe harbour,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41ultimately it was the lighthouse that needed saving.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45The Covesea Skerries Lighthouse has stood empty since the last keeper
0:15:45 > 0:15:49left 30 years ago, but it's about to take on a new lease of life.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53Their first move was saving this decommissioned lighthouse
0:15:53 > 0:15:55from the developers, and they achieved that
0:15:55 > 0:15:57by setting up a charitable company.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00The people of Lossiemouth are very special.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03If they want to achieve something, they will do that.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07And proof of the pudding is, we have the lighthouse.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11And they've raised over £300,000 in government funding,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15allowing them to open the lighthouse to the public for the first time.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Project manager Robert Forbes is giving me a sneaky peek.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22So what makes this a classic Alan Stevenson lighthouse?
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Alan Stevenson was fascinated by all things Egyptian.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28And in this case, you've got the full spectrum of what
0:16:28 > 0:16:30he was trying to produce at the time.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34There are stylised arches and chimneys designed to look
0:16:34 > 0:16:36like the pillars of a temple.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42And this lighthouse is literally topped off with design flourishes
0:16:42 > 0:16:43such as this.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46But wait - there's more.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49You can see here we have just an air vent,
0:16:49 > 0:16:50but on top of the air vent
0:16:50 > 0:16:52we've got a brass plaque
0:16:52 > 0:16:55of the god Isis, who was the god of lighthouses.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57It allowed them to be a little bit individual.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01His father Robert built lighthouses and he followed in the family
0:17:01 > 0:17:03tradition, but by doing things like this
0:17:03 > 0:17:08he just set himself apart from the normal lighthouse builder.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12This was the third lighthouse that Alan Stevenson built in Scotland,
0:17:12 > 0:17:14and he went on to design 13 in total.
0:17:14 > 0:17:20Though this one is perhaps his most inspiring, standing at 36m,
0:17:20 > 0:17:24its outlook over the Moray Firth is absolutely breathtaking.
0:17:24 > 0:17:29The views here are incredible. That coastline is just stunning.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30On a fine day,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33you can see bottlenose dolphins in the sea beyond us.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40But that's not even the main attraction, as the locals are also
0:17:40 > 0:17:44promoting their lighthouse as being the perfect vantage point
0:17:44 > 0:17:48for plane spotters - yep, RAF Lossiemouth is just next door.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52I've just seen an aircraft taxiing down, so you are going to see
0:17:52 > 0:17:54one as it climbs away off to the north.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55JET ENGINE ROARS
0:17:55 > 0:18:00Wow, the noise is loud - the sight, the noise, it's wonderful.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02- It's thunderous.- Yes, it is.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06If you're an air enthusiast, you're not going to get a better place
0:18:06 > 0:18:09than this, and this viewing gallery from the top of the lighthouse.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12You will see Typhoon aircraft, Tornado aircraft,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14then we've also got the search-and-rescue helicopters
0:18:14 > 0:18:16on the far side of the airfield.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24What's more, the locals have been campaigning once again,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28this time to build a heritage centre next to the lighthouse
0:18:28 > 0:18:32that will make RAF Lossiemouth's history available to the public.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Hopefully by March 2015.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Meanwhile, the Covesea Skerries Lighthouse is planning to open
0:18:41 > 0:18:43its doors from August this year.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52With the Commonwealth Games just two sleeps away,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55there's also much excitement over the £13 million
0:18:55 > 0:18:58that's been invested in companion arts programmes.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05So we sent author and broadcaster Muriel Gray to explore
0:19:05 > 0:19:07one of the highlights.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12A festival of storytelling taking place across Glasgow
0:19:12 > 0:19:14that culminates in a ground-breaking performance
0:19:14 > 0:19:17from the National Theatre of Scotland
0:19:17 > 0:19:21inspired by a children's story called The Tin Forest.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26MURIEL READS
0:19:26 > 0:19:28"..near nowhere and close to forgotten
0:19:28 > 0:19:31"there was a small house, with small windows,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35"that looked out on other people's rubbish and bad weather."
0:19:35 > 0:19:36If that sounds familiar,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40then that's probably why this resonated with the National Theatre,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42seeing it is a metaphor for Glasgow,
0:19:42 > 0:19:46for its transformation from industrial powerhouse,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49through its decline to its subsequent regeneration.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52And given they're the people who brought us the multi-award
0:19:52 > 0:19:57winning Black Watch, it's a sure bet Tin Forest will also be a must see.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's the story of an old man who transforms the ugly world around him
0:20:01 > 0:20:03into a beautiful forest.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07We've come to where the set is being built
0:20:07 > 0:20:10to meet one of the designers, Gavin Glover.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12- Hi.- Gavin. Hi, Muriel.- Mrs Gray.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15'It won't be your typical play either,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18'as audience members will immerse themselves within it
0:20:18 > 0:20:20'by walking around different parts of the set.'
0:20:20 > 0:20:22It is The Tin Forest show.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25But it's going to be a slightly different version of The Tin Forest.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29So we're in this 1920s David Lynch-y kind of hotel lobby.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- And what happens? - I'm not sure if I can tell you.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33Oh!
0:20:34 > 0:20:37It's completely interactive, with characters like the old man himself
0:20:37 > 0:20:41ready to take on the pluckiest of spectators.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Aagh!
0:20:43 > 0:20:44That's fantastic.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48- It's always risky, interactive theatre, because...- It's live.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52..you'll get children, they might want to come in here and touch...
0:20:52 > 0:20:54That's great. Every performance will be different.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56- Can I touch him?- "Eh...
0:20:56 > 0:20:57"Get out!"
0:20:59 > 0:21:02The National Theatre is also famous for staging their productions
0:21:02 > 0:21:04in unusual spaces,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and the location for Tin Forest is a perfect example.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11The South Rotunda on the Clyde, once part of a Victorian
0:21:11 > 0:21:15under-river tunnel system, it's lain derelict for years.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18But now it's being transformed,
0:21:18 > 0:21:23and it reflects the regeneration theme at the heart of the festival.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25And there's some added surprises too.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30This is not just interactive theatre, this version of The Tin Forest,
0:21:30 > 0:21:31it's also multimedia.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38The Glasgow School of Art's Digital Design Studio is digitally
0:21:38 > 0:21:42mapping the interior, bringing to life The Tin Forest itself
0:21:42 > 0:21:44with dazzling projected images.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47What we do is we use
0:21:47 > 0:21:50a laser scanner and the laser scanner fires a laser at the wall
0:21:50 > 0:21:52and computers can generate a model of this wall.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54If you've got a horse galloping across the wall,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58it'll literally be as though there's a horse galloping across the wall
0:21:58 > 0:22:00- and shouldn't distort based on the shape.- Cool!
0:22:00 > 0:22:07The Tin Forest Festival begins today, July 21st, and runs for two weeks
0:22:07 > 0:22:10with live events and shows by over 300 performers
0:22:10 > 0:22:12at various venues around Glasgow.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16And if you want to get along to the Puppet Experience itself,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20it runs at the South Rotunda from Thursday the 24th July
0:22:20 > 0:22:22until the 3rd of August.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26The sheer volume of work that has gone into it, the unique ideas,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29the amount of creativity is absolutely staggering.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Only one word for it, really - and that's unmissable.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40The Cairngorms are Britain's highest and biggest mountain range.
0:22:40 > 0:22:4555 summits over 900m, surrounded by beautiful forest.
0:22:45 > 0:22:50It's no wonder this national park attracts over a million skiers,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52climbers and walkers every year.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55But it's also the place of pilgrimage
0:22:55 > 0:22:58for the Harley-Davidson obsessives who make up the riders
0:22:58 > 0:23:01and followers for the annual bike fest Thunder in the Glens.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03ENGINE PURRS
0:23:07 > 0:23:12This annual event began in 1997 with around 150 bikes
0:23:12 > 0:23:14but it has grown year on year.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21And this August promises to be the biggest yet, with Aviemore expecting
0:23:21 > 0:23:25around 1,500 bikes and 3,000 mad keen enthusiasts.
0:23:27 > 0:23:28So what I want to find out
0:23:28 > 0:23:30is why so many of us love that roar of the engine
0:23:30 > 0:23:32and the romance of the open road.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35And why an event like Thunder in the Glens might well be worth
0:23:35 > 0:23:38a visit even if you've never straddled a motorbike.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43It's basically just a group of people that want to
0:23:43 > 0:23:46get on the bikes and ride out and show the bikes off to the public.
0:23:47 > 0:23:53To ride up the street with crowds at the side of the street waving
0:23:53 > 0:23:55and shouting, it's just unbelievable.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57What do you get out of it?
0:23:57 > 0:23:58It's fun.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01# Born to be wild... #
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Bike or no bike, everyone's welcome.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08And this festival takes over the entire town with rock,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10pop and blues gigs across Aviemore.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Though as far as the event's head road captain is concerned,
0:24:14 > 0:24:15the biggest highlight
0:24:15 > 0:24:19is the Saturday ride out to Grantown-on-Spey.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21You can see for miles all the bikes coming,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23you can hear them from miles away. Everybody loves it.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25The streets are lined, crowds are cheering,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28flags are out waving, it's a marvellous event.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32We've got maybe 200, 300 Harley-Davidsons
0:24:32 > 0:24:36with the loud pipes, that's when you get the "Thunder in the Glens".
0:24:37 > 0:24:42But today, ahead of August, I'm at a bike meet near Brechin in Angus,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45where 400 riders are hitting the road.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48And it's given me the chance to fulfil a lifelong dream.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Because, for the first time ever, I'm going to get to ride
0:24:51 > 0:24:53a Harley-Davidson.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56MUSIC: "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
0:25:01 > 0:25:03I'm joining the Dunedin Chapter,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06a group of bikers committed to the ride out -
0:25:06 > 0:25:09a phenomenon that became popular at bike rallies
0:25:09 > 0:25:11from as far back as 1917.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13These tours were devised to let riders discover
0:25:13 > 0:25:15the countryside around them.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18And I reckon riding out is still one the best ways
0:25:18 > 0:25:19to see Scotland.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Today's route also has a strong connection to the history
0:25:25 > 0:25:27of motorbiking.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Because here in Aberlemno by Brechin is the ancestral home
0:25:31 > 0:25:33of one of the families behind Harley-Davidson.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35And this is Davidsons' Cottage,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38once home to the Davidson family before they emigrated to
0:25:38 > 0:25:40escape poverty to America.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42And little did they know then that they would become
0:25:42 > 0:25:45one of the biggest families in motorcycling history.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48Mind you, it took a couple of generations.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52In 1901, the family fortunes changed when Sandy and Margaret Davidson's
0:25:52 > 0:25:58grandchildren began experimenting with the idea of motorised bikes.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Teaming up with William S Harley to create what's arguably
0:26:01 > 0:26:05the most iconic motorbike brand in the world.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- How do you do? Nice to meet you. - Come on into the Davidson Cottage.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Cheers.
0:26:10 > 0:26:11'Which is why fan Mike Sinclair
0:26:11 > 0:26:14'has restored the Davidsons' former home.'
0:26:14 > 0:26:16We get people from all over the world,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18our visitors book is...
0:26:18 > 0:26:22every page, you know, South Africa,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Australia, Brazil even.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27We're always pleased to see them and they're always really excited
0:26:27 > 0:26:31to come here and be in the place where it kind of started off.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35And descendants of the Davidson family will also make their own
0:26:35 > 0:26:39pilgrimage from the USA to Thunder in the Glens this August,
0:26:39 > 0:26:40for the very first time,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43making a lot of the bikers here very happy indeed.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Well, we've got Jean Davidson coming over this year, Fred,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49from the family. We've never really had that level of support.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52Yeah, we get a lot of visitors from the company
0:26:52 > 0:26:56in the States, which is fantastic, but to have that family connection
0:26:56 > 0:26:59because, when we ride our bikes, we are a big family.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00MUSIC: "Layla" Derek & the Dominos
0:27:00 > 0:27:04If you fancy getting to know some big and noisy motorbikes better,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Thunder in the Glens is taking place in Aviemore
0:27:07 > 0:27:12August 22nd to the 25th, with live music and ride outs taking place
0:27:12 > 0:27:14across the festival.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18The open road beckons and I've got a new spirit of adventure,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20so I shall see you in the Cairngorms.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22ENGINE ROARS
0:27:29 > 0:27:31That's it for this series of On The Road.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33But summer's just beginning.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36There's so much we've featured you can still get involved in.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Like Scotland's National Airshow.
0:27:41 > 0:27:46The Italian Chapel in Orkney - an historic gem with a touching story.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50- You're not going to cry.- I might!
0:27:50 > 0:27:53There's the Pittenweem Arts Festival.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58Or why not head to Eilean Ban near Skye for some otter spotting?
0:27:58 > 0:28:00And then of course there's The Kelpies.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04Oh, my goodness, they are ENORMOUS!
0:28:04 > 0:28:06- Or...- Hiya.
0:28:06 > 0:28:07..Scotland's secret nuclear bunker.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12This is Susan Calman speaking to you from the secure nuclear bunker
0:28:12 > 0:28:15that I've managed to get into somehow.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19And the Ryder Cup, with highlights on the BBC.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23So, what are you waiting for?
0:28:23 > 0:28:25For more information,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28go to our website...