Making Scotland's Landscape

Andrew Marr explores the lives and works of the Scottish writers who helped define a national identity over the last three centuries.

Presented by Neil Oliver, A History of Scotland is a television series first broadcast in November 2008 on BBC One Scotland and later shown UK-wide on BBC Two during January 2009. The second series began on BBC One Scotland in early November 2009, with transmission at a later point on network BBC Two. Along with the series, BBC Scotland planned a range of radio programmes, a new website, an interactive game, and concerts. The Open University, in collaboration with the BBC, also created a series of audio walks around historic locations in Scotland, with narration from Oliver. In Australia, series one aired on SBS One Sundays at 7:30pm from 6 December 2009 to 3 January 2010. Series two commenced on 24 October 2010 running until 21 November in the same Sunday night Lost Worlds strand. It has since been repeated.

Series showcasing Scotland's wildlife, habitats and scenery. Scotland is moving into a new age of the Wild. Driven by the passion of youth and a spirit of innovation, the re-wilding of the Nation has become a flagship issue for the 21st Century. With a new appreciation of the wild and its wildlife the future of Scotland’s most iconic habitats may be wilder than we could ever imagine …..

A tale of ambition, power and broken friendships. Candid interviews reveal the whole story, from the spectacular rise of the SNP, to the fracturing of one of the worlds most important political parties.

The Earth’s continents are instantly recognizable. These iconic landmasses seem permanent and unchanging, yet they are merely the wreckage of a much larger long-lost supercontinent – Pangaea. In this stunning four part series Professor Iain Stewart uncovers the evidence for this ancient past. He reveals how the world around us is full of clues – in the rocks, the landscapes and even the animals. All of which tell us how the land we live on was created.

The people, places and stories making news in the British countryside.

Billy Connolly goes far off the beaten track into the places you’ve heard of but have rarely seen, as he follows the migratory trail of the Scots through America, starting in New York and finishing in the heart of America, Nashville, Tennessee.

Enclaves, loaned territories, disputed areas and microstates: This is the series that looks at places with absurd borders.

Crushed, flooded and exploded into life – Europe is a battlefield of Nature. Discover the extraordinary and shocking geological story of how Europe was created by nature’s most titanic forces.

A three-part documentary series that journeys to the heart of Ireland's coast, revealing its fascinating origins, rich biodiversity and magnetic charm.

John Creedon is a man on a mission, teasing and exploring the true meaning behind some of Ireland's most unusual, iconic and famous place names.

From picturesque scenery and rich history to sumptuous spa rooms and culinary artistry, Alan Cumming revels in the Royal Scotsman's splendour on an opulent odyssey through the heart of Scotland.

This four-part nature series reveals the extraordinary stories of Scotland’s secret wild places and the unexpected animals that live there. Scotland hosts a spectacular array of wildlife, from highland red deer, white-tailed eagles, red squirrels and pine martens to coastal dwelling puffins, grey seals, otters, and even killer whales. Stretching from the Shetlands to the south of the country, each episode focuses on how animals strive to survive through four very different seasons in one epic year, dominated by a maritime climate that’s both punishing and unpredictable, with their lives always at the mercy of the elements.

Biologist Liz Bonnin and geologist Martin Pepper set out on a global expedition to answer the most thought-provoking questions in earth science today. Throughout history, such geologic events as volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, tectonic plate motion, earthquakes, and asteroid impacts have continually reshaped Earth's surface, spreading chaos across the planet. By performing experiments, making observations in the field, and consulting expert scientists, the eight-part series works to uncover Earth's immeasurable capacity to create and destroy.

No two volcanoes are alike; each one has its own distinctive landscape, climate, and geological context. Just as unique are the people we meet along the way who help us comprehend how greatly our planet – and our lives – have been shaped by volcanic phenomena. For the scientific aspect of each episode, we explore the very diverse range of questions raised by volcanic phenomena in such varied fields as earth sciences, climatology, biodiversity, oceanography, geography, agronomics, and archaeology. The cultural part of the show delves into mythology, religion, philosophy, folk and artistic traditions, cooking, and ways of life.

A look ahead at the cataclysmic events that could extinguish the human race.

The Landscape Man stars expert gardener Matthew Wilson as he helps couples design and create bold and beautiful gardens.

A spectacular journey which uncovers how the Viking era has left its imprint on the way of life and landscape of Norway, and the parallels observed in Lorraine’s home nation of Scotland to this day when it was once sieged under Norse rule. Lorraine will meet people along her travels that are keeping the rich history of Norway alive through folk traditions and Nordic tales, and immerse herself in the crafts and culinary delicacies of the region. The TV icon will sail north along the coast to see what natural beauty it offers, spotting whales and eagles, in hopes to end her journey with a Northern Lights (aurora borealis) spectacle.

David Tennant narrates the story of giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang, who arrived in the UK in December 2011 to be resettled in Edinburgh Zoo for the next decade. The program also follows the zoo's vet and head keeper as they travel to China to see how giant pandas are cared for in their homeland, and head keeper Alison visits a remote panda reserve in Wolong to witness the efforts to reintroduce the creatures back into the wild.

Take a peek inside some of the country's most stunning properties, as three judges travel the length and breadth of the nation in search of Scotland's Home of the Year. Architect Michael Angus, interior designer Anna Campbell-Jones, and lifestyle blogger Kate Spiers will visit some truly unique homes over the course of the series, looking for stand-out design and impressive interiors. From Arran to Aberdeen and Boat of Garten to Coupar Angus, there's a vast array of property styles to consider, from renovated period farmhouses to innovative contemporary builds. The regional heats take place over seven 30-minute episodes, building to the one-hour final in which Scotland's Home of the Year is decided.