Weir's Way — Season 1

Aired 17 August 1979

Tom visits Glen Affric in the central Highlands of Scotland to discover how such an expanse of remote land is managed. Finlay McRae, the district's conservation officer, takes Tom deep into Glen Affric Tom is given a tour of the western encalve of Glen Affric, which stretches as far as Kintail in the west. Former deer-stalkers describe the changes in gamekeeping. Tom learns more about how changes in modern society have altered Glen Affric.

Aired 24 August 1979

Tom Weir visits Inner Loch Torridon to discover the history behind the road built between Shieldaig and Loch Torridon in 1963.

Aired 31 August 1979

Tom continues his travels in Wester Ross as he visits Loch Maree.

Aired 7 September 1979

This episode looks at the remote coastline of North & South Applecross

Aired 14 September 1979

Climber, author and broadcaster Tom Weir explores the history of Alexander Selkirk, a real-life Robinson Crusoe, who chose voluntary exile from his birthtown of Largo.

Aired 21 September 1979

Tom Weir visits Anstruther, part of the Royal Burgh of Kilrenny. A place where the past is always present and the language of the people seems not to have changed.

Aired 28 September 1979

A first for Tom Weir as he brings us a show from a town, and an English one at that. Celebrating it's 500th year under English rule, Berwick-Upon-Tweed had previously been Scottish.

Aired 5 October 1979

In this episode Tom Weir visits Braes O'Mar on the edge of one of the biggest wilderness areas in Scotland. A place passed through by untold thousands every summer.

Aired 12 October 1979

Tom visits Breadalbane - "The Heights of Alba". A country where history has been hammered out and along its course, the history of Scotland can be traced over 500 years.

Aired 19 October 1979

Colliestown was noted for a special delicacy of sundried Haddock grilled in butter, and one man who was very fond of them was Lawrence of Arabia, who lived here for two years.

Aired 26 October 1979

Kincardineshire is the focus of this episode. It's been called "The Fatherland of Robert Burns" because his Grandfather farmed just inland from here, near Stonehaven.

Aired 2 November 1979

Tom Weir tours the Oban line from Crianlarich, a renowned journey that occupies a special place in his heart as it is home to the first mountains he ever climbed.

Aired 9 November 1979

Since Pictish times "Dunnotar" has meant "the fort in the Highland low country". In this episode, climber and author Tom Weir explores the history of its splendidly positioned castle.

Aired 16 November 1979

Tom Weir visits Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, the most studied volcano in the world and where the very beginnings of geology were laid by Edinburgh geologist James Hutton.

Aired 23 November 1979

In this episode, Tom takes the 5 mile trek from the remarkable Fast Castle, built on craggs and reckoned to have been built for shipwrecking to the popular summer destination of St Abbs.

Aired 30 November 1979

Tom takes the West Coast railway line from Fort William to Mallaig, one which he describes as the most thrilling forty miles in Britain.

Aired 7 December 1979

Tom visits the Highland Wildlife Park over the A9, learning the secrets of the loneliest and highest stretch of country over 4000 feet in Britain, set in the hills above the main road.

Aired 14 December 1979

Twenty years ago the outstandingly beautiful island of Inchcailloch was known only to a few outdoor enthusiasts, it is now visited by tens of thousands every year.

Aired 21 December 1979

Tom begins a trip around the Isle of Eigg, a peaceful place where taking a walk you may think this was an island where nothing had happened, but its history is one of violence.

Aired 28 December 1979

The trip around the Isle of Eigg continues. Tom meets some of the residents and explores the lifestyles adopted by crofters who have chosen the Hebridean way of life.

Aired 8 December 1981

Tom Weir treads new ground with his first visit to the Island of Muck. With a total population of just 29, it is said to belong to the sea more than any of the other Hebridean islands.

Aired 18 December 1981

The bonniest of all the Galloway's wee towns and villages is Kirkcudbright, the capital of the Stewartry on the estuary of the River Dee. Tom Weir explores its delights.

Aired 25 December 1981

Tom examines the history of the Lady of Lawers, a woman whose gift of the second-sight saw many prophecies come true and how her visions carried on beyond the 17th century.

Aired 1 January 1982

Lerwick, where everything, including the language, is different welcomes Tom Weir as he continues his journey around Scotland, before setting off for the Island of Noss

Aired 8 January 1982

Tom Weir speaks to the crofting community of Abriachan, overlooking Loch Ness, a hidden treasure often missed by visitors who are busy looking for monsters on the water.

Aired 15 January 1982

Tom meets the New Settlers of Kenmore, where he meets some of the talented craftsmen and women of the area and witnesses their remarkable works, including wood and horn carvings.

Aired 22 January 1982

Tom makes his way round the North-East of Scotland in this episode, visiting the coastal village of Gardenstown before moving on to his favourite fishing village, Pennan.

Aired 29 January 1982

The islands of the Orkneys are occupied by owner-farmers, descendants of those who survived the bad farming times of the 1920 and 30s. Tom Weir examines their way of life.

Aired 5 February 1982

Tom heads to Loch Garten to meet with the one millionth visitor to the Osprey Centre and to hear more about the Scottish home of these birds, previously thought to have been extinct.

Aired 12 February 1982

Peter Buchan, poet and fisherman amongst other things, joins Tom to talk about his work and the people and places that have inspired it, including Peterhead harbour.

Aired 19 February 1982

Tom recounts the tale of Bonnie Prince Charlie's accidental landing on the Benbecula coastline after the battle of Culloden and his journey across the Hebrides thereafter.

Aired 26 February 1982

Author and climber Tom Weir journeys to Cramond, or Caer Amon - "The Fort in the River" - used by the Romans to receive materials for the building of Antonine's Wall.

Aired 5 March 1982

In this episode, Tom walks in the footsteps of Bonnie Prince Charlie, travelling to Culloden to take us on a tour of the area's scenery and to delve into its rich history

Aired 12 March 1982

Queen Victoria's diaries have given us a unique record of what life was like in Royal Deeside in the second half of the 19th century. Tom explores the area to find out more for himself.

Aired 19 March 1982

Tom visits Ruthwell, the home town of The Rev. Dr. Henry Duncan, the man who founded the world's first savings bank as a means of battling poverty in the local area.

Aired 26 March 1982

Tom begins a tour around Selkirk, a place rich in history and home of the 'Kirk O' The Forest', where William Wallace was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland in 1298.

Aired 2 April 1982

Tom Weir's visit to Selkirk continues. In this episode he takes part in the local pageant, meeting the standard bearers who have the honour of casting their flags in the market square.

Aired 9 April 1982

Tom recounts the tale of The Seven Men of Glenmoriston, who protected Bonnie Prince Charlie from capture after the Battle of Culloden, despite a reward being offered for his capture.

Aired 16 April 1982

Skipness, "The Ship Point", is the destination for Tom Weir in this episode as he explores the small village in Kintyre, meeting its residents and finding out about its history.

Aired 23 April 1982

Weir's Way takes him on a trip around the South of the Kintyre peninsula, visiting Campbeltown, Dunaverty and eventually meets the lighthouse keeper of the Mull.

Aired 30 April 1982

Tom spends time with Sydney Scroggie, a man who was left blind and one-legged by a mine in World War 2, who remained passionate about the mountains despite losing his sight.

Aired 7 May 1982

In this episode, Tom meets some of the residents of Tarbert in Kintyre, a small harbour village proving very popular with summer yachtsmen and tourists who stop off for a day or two.

Aired 1 March 1988

Tom looks back on his trips to Tillicoultry, Arran and Loch Leven Castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned, before escaping in 1568, although he meets a man who has a different theory..

Aired 11 March 1988

Glen Torridon is said by geologists to be the oldest glen in the world. We can see in it the very beginning of geological time as everything is revealed, scalped to the bone.

Aired 18 March 1988

Tom takes a stunning trip through the skies over Loch Lomond in a hot air balloon, learning all about how this method of transport works, while enjoying breathtaking scenery.

Aired 25 March 1988

Loch Maree is the largest freshwater loch North of the great glen, named after St Mael Ruba, and Tom takes a tour round one of her many islands finding some fascinating sights.