The secret lives of seashells

Rugged coastlines, surging tides and deep, cold water put Scottish shellfish in a class of its own. Nick Hammond heads north to taste his way around some seafood hotspots

Every month, we trawl the nation’s coastline to bring you news of the people, places and exciting goings-on that are worth knowing about

Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap. “Oh, there it goes – that wee one’s for the pot.” The mussel in my hand slowly and silently hinges shut, like a lid on a fancy electronic bin. “If it closes completely that’s

All they need is a specialised organ, some calcium-rich food and time

Galls, which can range from the delicately beautiful to hideously unattractive bulbous growths, are among Nature’s most intriguing phenomena, discovers Deborah Nicholls-Lee

I HAVE ALWAYS loved unusual aquatic creatures. It isn’t surprising then that I was among the early adopters who embraced shrimp-keeping, a special branch of the aquarium hobby. I started off with the