Katharine Hay Latest News | The Scotsman

Katharine Hay

Rural affairs correspondent

I come from a farming background and have been a journalist for five years. I am interested in writing about regenerative agriculture, food production, island communities and land and wildlife restoration.

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Latest Articles

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) stag/male backlit against hillside, Alladale Wilderness Reserve ,Scotland

Venison added to Scottish west coast peninsula primary school menu

Inver dam on the Isle of Jura in the Hebrides

Hydro sector warns £10bn investment 'at risk' in 13-year rates clash

40 Manx shearwater chicks have been successfully translocated to Canna from the neighbouring colony on Rùm during the first two years of the Return of the Manx project, which aims to re-establish the Manx shearwater population on Canna.

Eerie cry of seabird decimated by rats to return to Scottish island

Every retailer surveyed increased its Scottish sourcing, with Aldi recording the strongest performance.

Scottish food increases on supermarket shelves, shelf count reveals

Glen Tanar Estate spans 25,000 acres of ancient Caledonian pine forests.

Forestry groups warn against Scottish Government 'super agency' merger

Locked Antlers by Mike Daniels review: 'compelling'

Otters are one of Scotland's creatures that can be more challenging to spot

Hay's Way: Spotting four out of Jura's 'big five'

Isle of Jura

Jura calls for ministerial intervention in ferry row

An oak forest

The right tree matters more than planting a greater variety - study

Droimeann cattle at Ardtornish

Exclusive Ancient cattle herd practice brought back to life on highland estate

The Soay Sheep Project has been ongoing since the 1980s

Welfare report calls to euthanise ill St Kilda sheep ahead of winter

A marsh harrier. Credit: JeremyRichards - stock.adobe.com

Marsh harriers breed for first time at reserve after wetlands restored

The region is the only UK destination to be included in the prestigious list, with praise given to its awe-inspiring dark skies and cycling offering.

Scottish region named in National Geographic's best travel spot 2027

A stag on the Isle of Jura during the rutting season

Hay's Way: Changing tide of stalking on Scotland's Deer Island

More from this author

Feolin ferry terminal on the Isle of Jura

‘Our day doesn’t stop at 6.30pm’: Island fight to restore axed ferry

Lerwick Harbour

Norwegian vessel lands half Shetland fish species quota in one day

Sheep grazing at Shemore Farm in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park

Three Loch Lomond farms chosen to future-proof food production

Isle of Jura

Hay's Way: Hard to remain a mere passing visitor on Jura

St Kilda's Soay sheep

A warmer St Kilda could be changing the fate of its famous sheep

Work starting on the Water of May.

3,000 trees to be planted by Scottish river to prevent flooding

Fish farming is worth around £885 million to the Scottish economy and ministers have set out ambitions to expand the industry, with a target to produce between 300,000 and 400,000 tonnes annually by 2030. Picture: Richard Johnson/Getty Images

Chris Packham campaign takes aim at M&S over Scottish farmed salmon

Soay sheep on Hirta, the main island in the archipelego of St Kilda.

Hundreds of sheep die on St Kilda each year as welfare concerns mount

The beautiful Isle of Jura

Hay's Way: The Scottish island that claimed me — literally

Twelve Droimeann cattle have arrived at Ardtornish, where they will be put to work across woodland, scrub and rough grazing.

Rare Irish cattle brought to Scotland in rainforest recovery project

The Cameronbridge Distillery (Pic: Mike Wilkinson)

Scotland workers at 'Europe's largest grain distillery' go on strike

An offshore wind farm. PIC: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

John Swinney vows more offshore wind investment ahead of climate week

Port Askaig Hotel on Islay

Hay's Way: 'Scotland's Fawlty Towers' or an island treasure?

Residents of Orkney and Shetland saw internet and other services disrupted after a cable linking the islands to the UK mainland was damaged (Picture: Adrian Dennis)

Sudden closure of Orkney's main post office 'deeply concerning'

Sphagnum moss is a primary building block of northern peatlands and is unusual in that it has no roots or stomata - the tiny openings that help most plants regulate water loss.

The tiny moss that could help save peatlands from drought

Helicopter used during a wildfire to douse flames

Exclusive Single helicopter to be on standby in Scotland to tackle wildfires

New plans have launched to protect and expand the wildcat population in Scotland

Plans launched to make Scottish wildcat population 'thrive' by 2045

Former Scottish rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon has been appointed to a key role in the country’s fishing sector.

Former rural secretary given top role in Scotland's fishing sector

Ben Nevis hut littered with rubbish from visitors

Ben Nevis shelter trashed as public urged to respect the mountain

Lochranza on the Isle of Arran

A quintessential ferry disruption as Hay's Way reaches Arran

Todrig from the air, property acquired by Gresham House Forest Growth and Sustainability LP

Landowner uses carbon credit firm Verra for new woodland

Looking towards Coire Ardair, Creag Meagaidh NNR ©Peatland ACTION

Mountain peatland restored by hand to help highland ecosystem

Breakthrough offers hope for Scotland’s ash trees ravaged by disease

Oystercatcher chick in the grass

Small changes to farming could increase some waders by more than 50%

Breaching minke whale off the coast of Eigg

Up to 30 minke whales gather off Eigg in rare Hebrides spectacle

Clava Cairns is a well-preserved Bronze Age cemetery complex features ring cairns, passage graves and standing stones.

Investigation into Clava Cairns vandalism as fire lit at ancient site

'Ghost' golf course put up for sale by owners of Highland Spring

The Isle of Gigha on the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula

Island loses bottled milk for good as 'glass tax' drives closure

A view of Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula

Rural patients travelling 300 miles, three-days-a-week for dialysis

Hay's Way reaches the Mull of Kintyre

Hay's Way: Reaching the Mull of Kintyre and the Wee Toon

At present the site has 60 fully stocked trestles at various stages of development, however the lease from the Crown Estate allows up to 200 trestles and therefore offers significant potential to expand the operation.

Mull oyster farm with two-bed cabin goes up for sale for £250,000

The forest is 91 per cent Sitka spruce

Scottish forest planted with 91 per cent Sitka goes on sale for £10m