Lesley Riddoch

Why we need to see some real flesh on St Andrew's bones

The culminating event of St Andrews Day/Night/Weekend -- held in the atmospheric, chilly moonlit grounds of St Andrews Cathedral -- was powerful proof that vision also requires explanation.

Europe’s leading light designer, Ross Ashton had been commissioned to create the most complex light and sound installation in Britain this year. The performance was a stunning mosaic of vivid images drifting across the ancient walls beneath a real, cloud-circled moon, synchronised to a surround-sound musical soundtrack. In St Mary’s Quad, the pictures described the journey of Scotland from the Ice Age to the present. In the Cloisters the story was the journey of St Andrew’s bones to Scotland and the subsequent history of the Fife town.

The last 'On the Bike' and a debrief

 In this last podcast of the 'On the Bike' series, Lesley reveals some of the secrets and things that happened on the epic cycle. She comes clean about the 'behind the scenes' operation. Pictured here is Lesley's back up driver for the trip.

 The whole production team would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write and say nice things about the series. As you will hear if you listen carefully, Lesley may be tempted back On the Bike

Enjoy and feel free to comment/email or buy a bike and cycle the Western Isles...

Listen and enjoy.

Time for straight talking on capital's great traffic tangle

This may be a stupid question. But better to look daft now than see another avoidable kink added to the trams saga. If Edinburgh's trams are to run beside a central reservation – not pavements – with buses on either side, can a cyclist on Princes Street be anything other than a cycle sandwich?

If almost the same number of buses are running – only 23 of 520 will go when the trams start running – with 12 trams an hour in each direction, won't Princes Street be horribly congested for pedestrians too?

To go to the Scotsman article click here.

The last of the 'On the Bike' repeats but stay tuned....

This is the last of the repeats of the series 'On the Bike', in which Lesley cycled from Barra to the Butt of Lewis. She arrives in StornowayIn this programme, it's festivals, Ali Baba, the Levellers, presenters and psalms. Oh and tides and broken cameras.  Although this programme is the last of the original ones; stay tuned for next week.

If you want a signed copy of the book that accompanies this series, send a cheque for £9.99 to Karen McLeod at Feisty Productions 4th Floor 21A Commercial St, Dundee DD1 3DD and tell us what you want Lesley to inscribe...

Listen again here.

Best-ever chance for Gaeldom to embrace 'non-believers'

Scotland 0, Wales 3 It’s the worst result by the national team since the last one – but has served to heighten interest in the biggest digital decision ever likely to be taken by intelligent Scottish males. Should key Scottish football matches be broadcast on terrestrial TV or left on Sky? The first option delivers the biggest audience. The second delivers the biggest revenue.

Nightmare.

The Guardian Podcast

Lesley appeared this week in the Guardian's 'Politics Weekly' podcast in the aftermath of the Glasgow North East by election result. You can listen to it here.

And more saddle sores this week...On the Bike

After a long night at Callanish, Lesley pushes on to meet people like Moira MacLean, artist of the parish, and others who want to talk Gaelic. She gets a grass roots explanation of local tourism and a few other things in this week's repeat of 'On the Bike'. 

MPs are showing contempt in the court of public opinion

Amidst doubts about Afghanistan, mega-bucks being poured into banks, and the wisdom of Stephen Fry rejoining Twitter, MPs may quietly be getting off the hook.

Last week Sir John Baker, former head of the Senior Salaries Review Body, said what many in high places are thinking – that the expenses crackdown may have been a bit… harsh. And the way out may not be to argue, but to purge the worst offenders, repay whatever sums have been demanded, sacrifice flipped homes, resettlement grants, subsistence allowances, employed spouses, first class travel, second homes, gardening expenses, moat cleaning, duck-pond maintenance and state-paid mortgages and opt for a rise in the basic MPs salary instead.

“Once the new expenses regime is in place and the last repayment made there should be a substantial increase in MPs’ pay no matter what the “court of public opinion” or tabloid headlines may say.”

Well that’s us told then.

One of the funniest 'On the Bike' episodes

Lesley has met a lot of different people over her career to date. They have ranged from the famous to the infamous; but this On the Bike is something completely different. Choirs, chessmen, and shamans all feature in a visit to Uig and beyond.

Check out this programme guaranteed to make you smile.

A welcome stand taken for evidence in policy makingscotsman

It’s been a good week for reason.

Firstly European leaders kicked Tony Blair’s Presidency bid roundly into touch. Now the former PM can concentrate on the important job he already has (Middle East envoy) and the important job he is about to undertake – defending his decision to invade Iraq before Sir John Chilcot’s inquiry.

Secondly an amusingly named pharmacologist from Bristol became a hero for our age.