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I am a former British Army officer, serving a full career in one of the most famous Scottish Regiments. My job and my hobbies (mountains, artist, guide) have taken me all over Scotland - I am an accredited Blue Badge tourist guide, having completed the challenging 20 month qualification course. I have lived in Edinburgh, Stirling, Paisley, Glasgow and now live in the beautiful Scottish Borders, so my knowledge of Scotland is deep and wide! I was the Deputy Governor of Edinburgh Castle, was military commander of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and have even been the Executive Producer of an award winning venue for the Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh’s vibrant and occasionally anarchic arts festival!

Hi, I'm Ian MacLeod. I've lived in the Highlands of Scotland for over 35 years, although my connection with the area goes back much further. My parents both came from the Isle of Skye where I spent most of my Childhood holidays. I came to live here because of my interest in the great outdoors, and I was working in the outdoor industry. My passions for skiing, sailing, mountain climbing, mountain biking and sea kayaking have given me an intimate knowledge of the nooks and crannies of my home region, as well as the more familiar visitor attractions. In 2007 I took my love of photography to a professional level and started offering workshops and location guiding around the Fort William area where I was living at the time. This morphed into wildlife guiding in 2009 as I loved taking photos of the wildlife and developed an increased understanding of how and where to find the creatures that were the subjects of my images. In 2019 I studied for and qualified as a Scottish Tourist Guide Association green badge guide for the Highlands of Scotland and Skye, and since borders reopened after the Covid pandemic most of my work has been multi day tours of the Highlands and Islands, often staring from Edinburgh and Glasgow