My Kind of Town - Episode Guide

Ian Hamilton and his guide dog Major are off to Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, the coastal town and ferry port known as the gateway to wealthy Arran. It is very much the kind of place people pass through rather than a destination in itself. Once an important medieval fortress, then a centre for shipbuilding, Ardrossan, like many towns in Scotland has been down on its luck for several decades.

But Ian wants to get away from this well-worn narrative and get under the skin of the place. What are the community and generational dynamics of this town? Who knows who? Where are the old-timers and who are the new kids on the block?

Ian Hamilton and his guide dog, Major, are off to Blairgowrie and Rattray in Perthshire. The town is the soft fruit capital of the UK, but is there more to the town than raspberries? Ian chats to those in the know and tries his hand at chocolate making and dog sledding. On the way, he asks those who live in the town how they feel about the place and what its future might hold.

Ian Hamilton and guide dog Major are off to Annan in Dumfries and Galloway. With its important industrial history, including boat building, fishing and even nuclear power, how is Annan adapting to the modern world? Ian and Major take a journey around the town and talk to those invested in its future.

Ian Hamilton and his guide dog Major head on a journey across Scotland to find out the issues that matter to Scottish communities as the country gets ready to go to the polls.

Second of a two-part special as Ian Hamilton and his guide dog Major head on a journey across Scotland to find out the issues that matter to Scottish communities.

Ian and Major head to the once-popular seaside resort of Girvan in Ayrshire. Ian has many happy memories of going there as a child and wants to find out how much it has changed. From the more traditional fun of the boating lake and the games arcade to newer aspects of the town like accessible bicycles and bubble football, there is something for everyone.

Ian and Major head to Wick, a royal burgh in Caithness. At one time a vast herring port, the town is now trying to maximise tourism from its location on the North Coast 500 route.

Ian enjoys the stunning landscape while kayaking and admires some of the Iron Age remains for which the area is famous. Against his better judgement, he is also persuaded to take a chilly dip in an outdoor pool carved into the harbour.

In this episode, Ian and Major head to the South Lanarkshire town of Larkhall. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, and traditionally a mining, weaving and textile area, the town is now well placed for rail and road links to Glasgow.

Ian finds out how the local school is giving extra support to traveller children, before trying his hand at the traditional sport of quoiting, which was popular in mining and farming communities. Ian also challenges a famous local resident to a game of pool.

Hawick, a town nestled in the Border hills, is Ian and Major's next stop.

The Hawick folk are immensely proud of their traditions, and Ian gets dressed up to join some of them in a battle re-enactment. Hawick was one of the biggest weaving towns in the country, and Ian tries his hand at product quality testing at one of the surviving mills.

Rugby is another huge source of pride in Hawick, and Ian makes his debut at the famous Mansfield Park.

In this episode, Ian and Major spend time in the Fife town of Cupar. A traditional market town, Cupar now has ambitions to be a digital town, and Ian finds out from the locals what this means.

It's not all work for Ian, as he gets the chance to practice his swing on the stunning Kingarrock Hickory golf course and sample some tasty morsels at the farmers' market. He also gets creative in the kitchen at family bakers Fisher and Donaldson, and Major takes time out for some pampering at the grooming parlour.

In the final episode of the series, Ian and Major head to Fort William, the biggest town in the Highlands, and the UK's self-styled outdoor capital.

Ian heads up Ben Nevis to find out what the countryside has to offer and speaks to the mountain rescue team about how they keep people safe. He also hears about how the town is trying to reconnect with the shore of Loch Linnhe, which was cut off from the town by a trunk road for several decades, and learns how to swing a shinty stick with the town's famous club.

Ian and Major head to Kirkcudbright, also known as Scotland's Art Town.

Ian and Major visit Stromness, the second largest town in Orkney.