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AND thus began the second year of Recommends with a piece of exciting news... the book of the supplement, Scotland Recommends, will be out next week, available in all good bookshops (as they say) and many other places.

Full details of how to get hold of the publishing event of the year, if not the decade, will be in Recommends next week. Having never been published before, how excited am I that Luath Press have chosen to use four small words "Edited by David Lee" on the front page? Having not yet penned a historical blockbuster (like one of my more talented colleagues) or had any of my sixth form poetry thought fit to inflict on the public, this is my big moment.

The Recommends book pulls together well over 100 of the best (and most useful) categories that appeared during our first year. I have always enjoyed the mad categories that have become a feature of Wednesdays, but Best Irvine Welsh Radge – or indeed Best Horse Film from today – isn't all that useful if you want to find a coffee shop on a wet Wednesday in Achiltibuie (there are statistically lots of wet Wednesdays there, but luckily also a fab coffee shop at The Hydroponicum – call 01854 622202).

Back to today's fun-packed issue, which is stuffed full of ideas and opportunities to put a smile back on your face if you're feeling blue. The back page has one of our best-ever giveaways as we ride tandem with Cycling Scotland to give away a set of bikes for the whole family – plus helmets, brightly-coloured vests, locks, pumps and everything you could possibly need. There are family tickets for Blair Castle on page 3, and the usual wine from Herbie too – plus some top ideas on bike rides, where to eat steak, where to get a tattoo, and lots, lots more random stuff. Enjoy.