Ranald McBay of Honeyhill Bee Farm is getting more calls than ever about his unrefined local honey. His 320 hives are stationed by grateful farmers' oil seed rape fields until July 1, when they're trucked to the heather-covered hills until October.

After a bruising year affected by disease, McBay is building hive numbers back up to 600, the better to fulfil demand. Alongside Scarlett's Scotland, just over the Perthshire border, these bees are responsible for everything from Mackays jams (they pollinate the fruit) to Glen Esk's rolling heather-red landscape to – McBay swears – curing hay fever.