Finlay Wilson, whose first Kilted Yoga video has had more than 70 million views on the internet, was among the guests at the 20th Wigtown Book Festival.
Wilson, who 11 years ago had to use a wheelchair or walk on crutches because a bone condition in his legs left him in such pain, has transformed his life through yoga.
Later this month he will present an online BBC Scotland mini series called Kilted Breathers and is looking forward to more work with the corporation on its new Scottish channel.
Yesterday Wilson prepared for his talk in Wigtown County Buildings about his life and his work as a yoga teacher with an outdoor session where he demonstrated some key positions.
He said: ‘Eleven years ago I was in such pain that I had to use a wheelchair or walk on crutches. While I always expected to end up as a teacher, I thought it would be of history or classics rather than yoga.’
Wilson now teaches full time, has five hugely popular videos under his belt, and enjoys a worldwide social media following – as if that wasn’t enough he is co-owner of two wholefood shops in Dundee and St Andrews.
This year’s Wigtown Book Festival, from 21 to 30 September, is a landmark for an event that has grown from small beginnings to be one of Scotland’s best-loved festivals.
The line up of guests includes fiction writers, poets, broadcasters, philosophers, countryside lovers, historians and many more. There is, as ever, a substantial presence from the political sphere including Liberal Democrat MP and equality campaigner Jo Swinson and former Conservative Home Secretary Kenneth Baker.
Among the other guests are Clare Balding, Patrick Gale, Susan Calman, Louis de Bernières, comedian and radio presenter Robin Ince, historian Tom Devine, crime writer Ann Cleeves, actor, writer and comedian Arabella Weir, philosopher John Gray, mountain walker and writer Cameron McNeish and broadcaster and writer Sally Magnusson.
The festival always puts an emphasis on authors from and books that are relevant to Dumfries and Galloway. Historian Ted Cowan will discuss John Ross of Stranraer’s ill-fated voyage to discover the Northwest Passage, Shaun Bythell talks about his bestselling Diary of a Bookseller one year on and Sara Maitland presents A Pocket Pilgrimage – St Ninian’s Cave.
Julia Muir Watt will look at Whithorn: An Economy of People. Meanwhile journalist Stephen Norris explains the unique charm of the Galloway hills and Jessica Fox discusses her re-released memoir Three Things You Need to Know About Rockets, which has now been optioned by a major Hollywood film company.
There will also be a series of events as special celebrations for the 20th festival. These include panel discussions offering writers’ perspectives on how Scotland has changed in the past two decades and what Europe will look like 20 years from now.
The festival is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council, EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, Creative Scotland and The Holywood Trust.
For full details of Wigtown Book Festival go to wigtownbookfestival.com.
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