Book review: Madame Scotia, Madam Scrap by Hélène Witcher

What’s the story? Madame Scotia, Madam Scrap is the story of Héloïse Russell-Fergusson, an eccentric free spirit and pioneer of Hebridean and unconventional clarsach, or Celtic harp music. She was given the title of Druidic Bardess for her traditional highland music. Told by her niece Witcher whom Russell-Fergusson met on just one occasion, Madame Scotia,…

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When Frankenstein’s Monster collides with a self-driving car

Man-made monsters and utopian visions of the future enhanced by thinking machines are coming together in the week ahead. The Big Bang arts, literature and science festival in Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town, runs from 2-4 February and promises inspiring talks by leading scientists and authors, plus comedy, music, film, cabaret, food and drink. Among…

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Book review – Secret Peebles by Liz Hanson

For a town of 8376 people, Peebles has one heck of a history. Liz Hanson’s Secret Peebles brings it to life through a combination of facts, anecdotes, photographs and older illustrations, which fully capture the feel of the area. It’s very much a complete history with everything you could possibly want to know, from the…

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Book review – Skye: A Photographic Communion

Allan Wright’s book Skye: A Photographic Communion captures the nature and topography of the island in more than 100 images, from majestic landscapes to magical Fairy Pools and the endless captivating shorelines. The book also includes narrative about each of the main regions of the island, highlighting famous landmarks such as Talisker distillery and Dunvegan Castle.…

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Book review – The Island in Imagination and Experience

From Treasure Island to Robin Island, islands have long proved irresistible to mankind’s imagination. In this book, self-confessed island obsessive Barry Smith explores how islands attract us and examines the kind of human experiences that islands inspire. He has spent much of his 60-odd years at work, rest and play on islands all around the…

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Book review – Edinburgh in 50 Buildings

The capital’s rich and vibrant past is brought to life in Jack Gillon’s fascinating Edinburgh in 50 Buildings, which looks at the Scottish capital’s most significant structures. How many times have you walked past Jenner’s without noticing the ornate detail about its archways? Historic illustrations help to compare the then and now, showing how some…

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Book review – The Finest Road In The World by James Miller

James Miller tells the dramatic and sometimes surprisingly humorous story of travel and transport in the Highlands, from the eighteen century to the present. It is a story of journeys on foot, by horse, coach, steamer, locomotive, motor car and aircraft. Some of the figures in the book are very familiar – General George Wade, Thomas Telford…

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Book review: Cycling Climbs Of Scotland by Simon Warren

This collection of cycling climbs is perfect for any cyclists who wish to challenge themselves against the steepest slopes that Scotland can throw at them. Home to steep mountains, remote hills and windswept landscape, Scotland is a great place for some of the most challenging cycling climbs in the whole of the UK. With the…

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Book review: The Hebrides by Paul Murton

Paul Murton has been exploring since he was a teenager. Inspired by his copy of WH Murray’s Mountaineering in Scotland, the boy from Argyll, before even reaching the age of 16, set out hitchhiking to Glen Coe and Skye, ascending Cuilin’s famous Cioch, and hitched to Switzerland to attempt to scale the infamous Eiger’s North…

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Book review: The White Stag Adventure

Youngsters who grew up in the 1980s, or indeed their parents, may fondly remember the Clan series.  Set in central Scotland, a group of children, Gavin, Clare, Michael and Mot, who have created their own outdoor adventures and become involved in stopping adult criminals. It’s a refreshing reminder of times when children had freedom to…

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