Julie Wilson Nimmo

Two of the stars of the famous CBeebies series Balamory have reunited 20 years after the hit show ended. The pre-school series, which aired between 2002 and 2005, followed characters dressed in shades that matched their houses.

When actress Julie Wilson Nimmo is captured on Tobermory's waterfront, she is feted like king ­Hollywood royalty. She did warn her husband that this could happen. Greg Hemphill grins with merriment as his other half laps up all the attention. 'I was in Still Game,' he says, to no one in particular. Yes, but his wife appeared in the wildly popular children's TV show Balamory, which was shot in this very town. Miss Hoolie, a kindergarten teacher, was on the Isle of Mull for four years and was instrumental in the emergence of a tsunami of toddler tourism.

It's the health craze that has sent thousands of people, including the Princess of Wales, scuba diving into the country's rivers, lochs, and seas. However, wild swimming has now become so popular that Scottish health officials have been compelled to issue new safety guidelines. While they acknowledge that taking the plunge can improve mental and physical health, Public Health Scotland officials have been quick to point out the alarming range of potential risks, from potentially lethal cold water shock to stinging jellyfish to venomous weever fish. Anybody brave enough to don their costume or wetsuit is also warned of toxins, riptides, and a'swimmer's itch,' a rash caused by tiny skin-burrowing parasites.