EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS

SERIES 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |5 |Hogmanay Special | 6 | 7|

SERIES 1
*Number in parentheses following description is BBCWA tape number.

1. Young restaurant-owner Archie MacDonald rushes from London to his ailing father's bedside the Scottish Highlands. As the reluctant new laird of the Glenbogle estate, he foils an Osprey nest robbery and plans to sell the rundown property. (1)

2. Archie is still adamant that the estate must be sold. Hector seems unable to face reality. A banker arrives to foreclose on the estate's loan. Archie prepares for the annual hill race. (2)

3. Archie's long-suffering girlfriend and business partner, Justine, has arrived from London to find out what he is up to. (3)

4. An old genealogist friend of Hector's visits Glenbogle and discovers a secret love diary in the attic. (4)

5. Archie's sister turns up with her New Age boyfriend and the two become intent on converting Glenbogle into a healing center. (5)

6. As the new laird, Archie must take part in a traditional boat race against a wily and confident neighboring landowner, Kilwillie. (6)

7. It's the Glorious 12th, Archie and Lexie fly to London in a bid to be the first restaurant to serve the first grouse of the season, and meanwhile it's Election Day for Katrina. (7)

8. Matters romantic and financial come to a head as Justine gives Archie an ultimatum and the house is to be found in terrible disrepair. (8)

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SERIES 2
1. The drama inspired by the Highland Novels of Compton MacKenzie returns for a second series. Archie must gamble all to resurrect his inheritance but his plans are thrown off course when the estate's bankers arrive. (9)

2. Archie and his father, Hector, go head-to-head as they battle for possession of a rare and valuable barrel of whisky. (10)

3. Hector must dig deep to save Archie's bacon after a vital grant application is rejected. Hector is forced to confront old flame, Edith Rankin, the fearsome council leader, whose feelings of rejection are still burning. (11)

4. Archie wants to forget about his 30th birthday but Mollie and Hector both organize secret celebrations. Hector resolves to marry Archie off. (12)

5. Molly's gambling addiction threatens to bankrupt the MacDonald family when she falls foul of a hard-bitten Glasgow gangster. (13)

6. Archie finds himself caught in the mother of all catfights when Lexie's estranged mother wants to hold her wedding at Glenbogle. (14)

7. The arrival of a pregnant Lizzie provokes Hector into disowning his errant daughter. Archie races against time to reconcile the warring clan. (15)

8. Concluding part of the series inspired by the novels of Compton MacKenzie. A distant relative from the USA stakes a claim to Glenbogle and Archie invokes the 'chieftains challenge' to determine who is the rightful laird. (16)

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SERIES 3
1. First in new drama series set on Scottish estate. Archie thinks he has found a solution to the estate's financial problems, but the bank's ruthless new manager - Stella Moon - arrives with plans of her own. (17)

2. Archie is struggling under Stella's regime as she imposes a series of drastic cutbacks, including banishing Hector's dogs. Will Lexie, Golly & Duncan be the next to go? (18)

3. Archie must use all his powers of persuasion when Stella lands Golly in hot water. Hector and Kilwillie manage to make matters worse by winding up in jail. However, to Hector's complete horror, Archie invites the now-homeless Stella to come and live with them at the house. (19)

4. Golly comes face to face with his past when he meets his old flame Alison and their daughter Jessica. Stuart arrives to repair the access bridge and flirts with Lexie, & tries to buy the deserted cottages. (20)

5. Stella and Archie come to blows over the sale of Glenbogle. Stella wants to sell it to Ian MacIntosh, a sharp entrepreneur with an eye on Lexie. (21)

6. Stella makes sure everyone pulls their weight to make Glenbogle a success. Archie invites a journalist, Graham, to stay and write a review of Glenbogle - when he arrives it turns out he's Stella's ex. (22)

7. When Duncan and Archie have to trade places to save Duncan being humiliated in front of his French penfriend, Archie is forced to deal with a surprise H&S. (23)

8. Hector's regimental reunion brings chaos to Glenbogle, Lexie accidentally damages a valuable painting and learns of Stella's true feelings towards Archie. (24)

9. Archie organizes a magnificent Midsummer's Ball to celebrate regaining control of the estate, as well as Stella's departure. Yet it appears someone is trying to sabotage the event. (25)

10. Archie and Lexie get a mixed reaction when they announce their engagement. Molly is delighted, but not so Hector who predicts that the marriage will be short-lived. (26)

11. Lexie fears that her wedding may be jinxed. Has Hector's prediction of dire calamity come true? Her mother's dramatic arrival at Glenbogle doesn't help. (27)

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SERIES 4

1. Molly returns from an extended holiday, determined to put the memory of Hector’s untimely demise behind her and to look to the future. (28)

2. There are obstacles at every turn for Archie as he tries to open his Wildlife Centre.(29)

3. There are a few hiccups and one major blow that leave Lexie reeling as she prepares for her big day with Archie. Preparations for the wedding hit a snag when Lexie realises that Archie has his mind set on a full Highland bash. (30)

4. Archie is visited by people from his past, and Molly’s conversations with Hector are a cause of concern for the rest of the family. David Fraser, an old friend of the Macdonald family, arrives with his friend Jonathan. (31)

5. Duncan has booked a camping party into the campsite at Glenbogle.All seems well, until he realises that the campers are not naturalists, as he had first thought – but naturists. (32)

6. Archie is adjusting to life around the estate without Golly, and Lexie is troubled when she discovers that the late Hector had been making monthly payments to a woman named Grace. Archie can’t believe that Golly has finally left but life at Glenbogle must go on. (33)

7. Drastic measures are needed to help Archie pay off Hector’s death duties, Kilwillie makes Molly an offer she finds hard to refuse and Irene’s secret past threatens to destroy her relationship with Duncan. (34)

8. Convinced there is a ghostly presence in the house, Lexie begins to fear for Archie’s life. Duncan decides to take control of his relationship with Irene and Molly is less than impressed by Glenbogle’s new neighbour. (35)

9. Lexie’s preparations for the Ghillies’ Ball don’t run according to plan and the arrival of young man searching for his past rocks the future of Glenbogle for ever. (36)

10. The family secret threatens to destroy Archie and change Molly’s life for ever … It’s the morning after the Ghillie’s Ball and a troubled Archie has made his decision. (37)

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SERIES 5

1.
Returning to the peace and tranquillity of Glenbogle, newlyweds Archie and Lexie seem to have finally realised their dreams together. Happily married he may be, but with Glenbogle finally secure, Archie soon finds himself wanting a new challenge in his life, something to keep him fulfilled. (38)

2.
A familiar face makes a return to Glenbogle, but not everyone is prepared to make Paul, Archie's half-brother, feel welcome. After leaving the army, Paul decides to move back to Glenbogle to build relations with Archie. (39)

3.
Eager to get his new Outdoor Activity Centre up and running, Paul informs Archie that, instead of attracting corporate clients, he wants inner-city teenagers to benefit from his new business venture. (40)

4.
The brothers MacDonald attempt to put their differences aside and Archie decides to share more responsibilities with Paul. Archie is coaching the Glenbogle five-a-side team for their big match against Glencampbell. (41)

5.
An opportunistic Dorothy sets her sights on building an Eco-Dome in Glenbogle, but not everyone believes her business venture is honourable. (42)

6.
Despite their best efforts, it is clear that Paul and Archie's partnership can't work. When Jess informs the brothers that she cannot accept Duncan's job, they offer it again to Duncan, who refuses - as far as he is concerned, it's her job by rights. (43)

7.
In Archie's absence, Lexie is determined to run the estate the way her husband would have wanted.A power struggle develops as Lexie takes on more and more of the estate's responsibilities, leaving Paul feeling increasingly left out of the family affairs. (44)

8.
Dorothy has taken over the island in the middle of the loch for her latest business venture, a Tai Chi retreat. Lexie is furious. The island is a lucrative source of income for Glenbogle, as it has the best fishing on estate. (45)

9.
Much to her delight, Lexie is splashed across the pages of a magazine as part of a publicity stunt to raise the profile of Glenbogle estate. She tries to dismiss the family's gentle teasing but is secretly thrilled with her new-found notoriety. (46)

10.
An intruder is sneaking about Glenbogle House.The family are just about to call the police when they discover he is Lexie's estranged father. Alex (Ron Donachie) is a sweet-talking rogue with an erratic relationship with the truth, and he immediately charms the MacDonald family with his far-fetched stories. Everyone except Lexie, that is. (47)

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HOGMANAY SPECIAL

Paul opens a long-forgotten chest and discovers a strange link to his past, which leads him to dream of his great-grandfather, Bertie. Duncan helps out a pair of visiting amateur ghost hunters - but are there really spirits roaming the corridors of Glenbogle? The story is split between two time periods - the present and the late 19th century, with all the main cast taking dual roles. (48)

SERIES 6

1.It’s a new era for Glenbogle, as Paul sets about making his mark by attempting to modernise the estate. However, while his intentions are honourable, his dismissive attitude towards the estate’s long-held traditions causes him to clash with Golly.Their relationship is further soured when Paul spoils the ancient ceremony of blessing the loch by forgetting the words.(49)

2. After a 40-year absence, Donald MacDonald returns to Glenbogle, but his homecoming receives a mixed reaction. The black sheep of the MacDonald family, former racing driver Donald has been forced home by the police who, tired of his persistent law breaking, have placed him under the supervision of his estranged family. (50)

3. It’s the morning after the night before, and an awkward atmosphere lingers between Paul and Lexie, following their secret kiss. Paul tries to talk to Lexie but she is determined to act as though nothing happened.
Ewan may be content with his newfound independence at Glenbogle House, but his mother, Ros (Maureen Carr), is less willing to let her son flee the nest.(51)

4.The discovery of a German Second World War fighter plane at the bottom of Glenbogle loch brings long-buried secrets to light. A day’s fishing takes a dramatic turn for Donald and Ewan.(52)

5.Having quit his job at the Ministry Of Defence, Alex Faversham (Steven Elder), Paul’s former army officer, settles into a quieter pace of life at Glenbogle. However, Alex’s disciplined army background soon rears its head after he voices his concerns that Paul’s lairdship isn’t as efficient as it could be - the staff at Glenbogle are too informal towards their laird and respect is required.(53)

6. Isobel’s farm is under threat. She is behind on her rent, but stubbornly refuses Paul’s offer of help. However, she forgets her woes when an unkempt and bearded stranger (James Fleet – The Vicar of Dibley) turns up at her door.(54)

7. With Golly away on holiday, Jess’s ghillie skills are tested after she suspects poachers are at large on the Glenbogle estate. Worried that the poachers are taking advantage of her inexperience, Jess’s insecurities are further fuelled after Paul suggests they join forces with another local ghillie, Stuart (Eoin McCarthy), to catch those responsible. (55)

8. Rivalry rears its head as sparring partners Chester (Antony Head) and Paul prepare for a clay pigeon shooting competition. Donald practices for the event using an old dinner service.This annoys Paul – as far as he is concerned, Donald is an unnecessary drain on Glenbogle’s finances.(56)

9. With only weeks to go before the end of his Glenbogle confinement, Donald eagerly looks forward to driving away in the Morgan he’s lovingly restored with Ewan.The only trouble is, he can’t fit into it any more. Car worries are also uppermost in Chester’s mind as his brand-new Porsche Cayenne, purchased partly to impress Isobel, has developed an annoying rattle.(57)

10. Paul’s coronation as laird of Glenbogle is threatened by an unexpected challenge to his title. Clan elder Proctor Sheila MacDonald (Sandra Voe) makes the startling revelation that, as the only surviving legitimate MacDonald male, it is Donald who is the rightful laird, not Paul. Spotting an opportunity to have some fun, Donald enthusiastically accepts
the title, much to Paul’s fury.(58)

SERIES 7 EPISODE GUIDES

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