Scotland from the Sky

James Crawford investigates the lost canal just outside Glasgow, a relic of a bygone era. He then returns to the heyday of airship travel, setting foot on the abandoned island of Mingulay, once a bustling hub for dirigibles in Scotland.

The programme follows presenter James Crawford as he sets out to investigate a forgotten waterway situated just beyond the outskirts of Glasgow. It’s presented as a short‑form documentary, with Crawford acting as the on‑screen guide who leads viewers through each location. In the first segment, Crawford examines the lost canal, taking note of its abandoned state and the remnants that hint at its former purpose. He then moves on to a very different environment – the remote island of Mingulay, which lies deserted today. There, the focus shifts to the period when airships once dominated the skies, using the island as a base for their operations. The contrast between the inland canal and the isolated island forms the backbone of the episode, linking two pieces of Scotland’s transport heritage that have both fallen out of use. Crawford’s journey ties together the quiet decay of the canal with the faded glory of Mingulay’s airship era, highlighting how both sites once played vital roles in moving people and goods. By the end of the broadcast, viewers are left with a clear picture of two overlooked corners of Scottish history, each marked by the passage of time and the disappearance of the technologies that once gave them life. The episode’s structure moves smoothly from the canal’s quiet banks to the island’s wind‑blown ruins, offering a concise yet thorough look at these lost transport routes.