THE BEST OF SCOTTISH BOOKS

This practical travel guide to the North Coast 500 features detailed factual travel tips and points-of-interest structured lists of all iconic must-see sights as well as some off-the-beaten-track treasures. Our itinerary suggestions and expert author picks of things to see and do will make it a perfect companion both, ahead of your trip and on the ground. This North Coast 500 guide book is packed full of details on how to get there and around, pre-departure information and top time-saving tips, including a visual list of things not to miss. Our colour-coded maps make the North Coast 500 easier to navigate while you’re there. This guide book to the North Coast 500 has been fully updated post-COVID-19 and it comes with a free eBook.The Rough Guide to the North Coast 500 covers: Inverness to the Black Isle and beyond, the road to John O’Groats, along the North Coast, exploring the Northwest and Wester Ross to Inverness.Inside this North Coast 500 travel guide you’ll find:RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLERExperiences selected for every kind of trip to the North Coast 500, from off-the-beaten-track adventures in the Black Isle, to family activities in child-friendly places, like Dunrobin Castle, or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas, like Inverness.PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPSEssential pre-departure information including the North Coast 500 entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more.TIME-SAVING ITINERARIESIncludes carefully planned routes covering the best of the North Coast 500, which give a taste of the richness and diversity of the destination, and have been created for different time frames or types of trip.DETAILED REGIONAL COVERAGEClear structure within each sightseeing chapter of this the North Coast 500 travel guide includes regional highlights, brief history, detailed sights and places ordered geographically, recommended restaurants, hotels, bars, clubs and major shops or entertainment options.INSIGHTS INTO GETTING AROUND LIKE A LOCALTips on how to beat the crowds, save time and money and find the best local spots for going whale watching off the west coast or hiking.HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS NOT TO MISSRough Guides’ rundown of the Caledonian Canal, Inverness, Ness Islands, and Thurso’s best sights and top experiences helps to make the most of each trip to the North Coast 500, even in a short time.HONEST AND INDEPENDENT REVIEWSWritten by Rough Guides’ expert authors with a trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, this North Coast 500 guide book will help you find the best places, matching different needs.BACKGROUND INFORMATIONComprehensive ‘Contexts’ chapter of this travel guide to the North Coast 500 features fascinating insights into the North Coast 500, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary.FABULOUS FULL COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHYFeatures inspirational colour photography, including the stunning Assynt and the spectacular Duncansby Head sea stacks.COLOUR-CODED MAPPINGPractical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys for quick orientation in the North Coast, the Black Isle, and many more locations around the North Coast 500, reduce the need to go online.USER-FRIENDLY LAYOUTWith helpful icons, and organised by neighbourhood to help you pick the best spots to spend your time.FREE EBOOKFree eBook download with every purchase of this guide book to the North Coast 500 allows you to access all of the content from your phone or tablet, for on-the-road exploration.

Introducing Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope.The Crow Trap is the first book in Ann Cleeves? Vera Stanhope series ? which is now a major ITV detective drama starring Brenda Blethyn, Vera.Everyone has something to hide . . .Three very different women come together at an isolated cottage on the North Pennines to complete an environmental survey. Three women who each know the meaning of betrayal . . .Rachael, the team leader, is still reeling after a double betrayal by her lover and boss. Anne, a botanist, sees the survey as a chance to indulge in a little deception of her own. And then there is Grace, a strange, uncommunicative young woman, hiding plenty of her own secrets.Rachael is the first to arrive at the cottage, but when she gets there she is shocked to discover an apparent suicide. But then another death occurs, and a fourth woman enters the picture ? the unconventional Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, who must piece together the truth from these women?s tangled lives . . .Enjoy more of Vera Stanhope?s investigations with Telling Tales, Hidden Depths, and Silent Voices.

Ghostalker Ropa Moyo and her rag-tag team of magicians are back in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book in the spellbinding Edinburgh Nights series by T. L. Huchu.

She came for magic. She stayed to solve a murder. . .

Ropa Moyo is no stranger to magic or mysteries. But she’s still stuck in an irksomely unpaid internship. So she’s thrilled to attend a magical convention at Dunvegan Castle, on the Isle of Skye, where she’ll rub elbows with eminent magicians.

For Ropa, it’s the perfect opportunity to finally prove her worth. Then a librarian is murdered and a precious scroll stolen. Suddenly, every magician is a suspect, and Ropa and her allies investigate. Trapped in a castle, with suspicions mounting, Ropa must contend with corruption, skulduggery and power plays. Time to ask for a raise?

‘An artful combination of magic, history and imagination wrapped up in an engaging story’ Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London, on Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments

‘The Library of the Dead’s alluring, shadowy Edinburgh with its hints of sophisticated academic magic will draw you in’ Olivie Blake

Ghostalker Ropa Moyo and her rag-tag team of magicians are back in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book in the spellbinding Edinburgh Nights series by T. L. Huchu.She came for magic. She stayed to solve a murder. . .Ropa Moyo is no stranger to magic or mysteries. But she?s still stuck in an irksomely unpaid internship. So she?s thrilled to attend a magical convention at Dunvegan Castle, on the Isle of Skye, where she?ll rub elbows with eminent magicians.For Ropa, it?s the perfect opportunity to finally prove her worth. Then a librarian is murdered and a precious scroll stolen. Suddenly, every magician is a suspect, and Ropa and her allies investigate. Trapped in a castle, with suspicions mounting, Ropa must contend with corruption, skulduggery and power plays. Time to ask for a raise?’An artful combination of magic, history and imagination wrapped up in an engaging story’ Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London, on Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments’The Library of the Dead?s alluring, shadowy Edinburgh with its hints of sophisticated academic magic will draw you in’ Olivie Blake

Ghostalker Ropa Moyo and her rag-tag team of magicians are back in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book in the spellbinding Edinburgh Nights series by T. L. Huchu.She came for magic. She stayed to solve a murder. . .Ropa Moyo is no stranger to magic or mysteries. But she?s still stuck in an irksomely unpaid internship. So she?s thrilled to attend a magical convention at Dunvegan Castle, on the Isle of Skye, where she?ll rub elbows with eminent magicians.For Ropa, it?s the perfect opportunity to finally prove her worth. Then a librarian is murdered and a precious scroll stolen. Suddenly, every magician is a suspect, and Ropa and her allies investigate. Trapped in a castle, with suspicions mounting, Ropa must contend with corruption, skulduggery and power plays. Time to ask for a raise?’An artful combination of magic, history and imagination wrapped up in an engaging story’ Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of Rivers of London, on Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments’The Library of the Dead?s alluring, shadowy Edinburgh with its hints of sophisticated academic magic will draw you in’ Olivie Blake

Grayson Perry is one of Britain’s most celebrated contemporary artists and cultural figures. This book, which includes first sight of new and previously unpublished works, is published to accompany the largest-ever retrospective of Perry’s art. It offers a vibrant insight into his life and work, from his youth in rural Essex to sell-out stage shows at the Royal Albert Hall.

Grayson Perry vividly reflects on his art, life and career, remembering the sources of inspiration and influences along the way. Victoria Coren Mitchell’s thought-provoking contribution considers the role of humour in Perry’s art, highlighting the often-underestimated effort involved in being at once a serious artist and a lovable character. Patrick Elliott provides an illuminating biographical essay of the artist. The reader is also given a fascinating glimpse into the technique and process behind Perry’s prints, pots and tapestries.

Showcasing 76 exhibited works, the book covers the full range and breadth of his astonishing career.

William Bell Scott’s screen, The King’s Quair, was commissioned by James Leathart, an important collector of Pre-Raphaelite art. The beautifully decorated folding screen took as its inspiration The Kingis Quair, a 15th-century Scots poem attributed to James I of Scotland. Depicting key scenes from the king’s 18-year imprisonment in Windsor Castle, it is adorned by exquisite botanical details and gold leaf.

Split into three parts, this book reveals the history of the screen’s commission, details the remarkable imagery of the screen itself, and finally situates the screen in its historical context by explaining the fascinating personal relationships that were the backdrop to its creation, including Scott’s relationship with the artist and heiress Alice Boyd.

Drawing together the chivalric medieval tale of an imprisoned, love-struck king with the vibrancy of the Pre-Raphaelite social circles in which Scott moved, the reader is given a vivid picture of how this captivating artwork was created. Illustrated with new photography of the screen, this book is a vital new part of the story of British, as well as Scottish art.

A beautifully illustrated story with a gentle and encouraging message to help children deal with their worries – from the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Catherine Rayner.Victor the wolf has lots of worries. He worries that he isn’t brave enough, that he isn’t big enough and that he isn’t fierce enough. In fact, Victor feels anxious about almost everything. But when Victor shares his concerns with his best friend Pablo, he starts to feel a bit better. And with Pablo’s help, Victor learns even more ways to deal with those pesky worrying thoughts. And as the worries grow smaller, Victor feels a bit bigger, a bit braver, and bit fiercer inside!Victor, The Wolf With Worries is a comforting and reassuring tale that is especially helpful for little ones who have trouble talking about their feelings.

A gorgeously illustrated book about friendship and looking past differences from the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal winner Catherine Rayner.

Bear is walking through the forest, minding his own business when he comes across another bear. The Other bear is different. The two bears wander along, thinking different thoughts, and looking in different directions. Soon the two bears come across another bear and then another bear and eventually find a bear stuck in a tree. The bears realize that perhaps they aren’t that different after all and perhaps they could be friends?

Five Bears is a tale of friendship and acceptance perfect for little ones.

In 2017, holed up in a hotel room, feverish, despondent and aimless, Iain Maloney chances upon an article about Richard Henry Brunton, a Victorian civil engineer unknown in his Scottish homeland but considered ‘The Father of Japanese Lighthouses’ in Japan. With more than twenty of his lighthouses still in use today, Maloney sets out with newfound purpose to visit them all. Part travel memoir, part history, The Japan Lights visits isolated regions of rural Japan, discovering compelling stories from its past. Maloney witnesses the lingering trauma of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, and comes to a new understanding of the precariousness of life on a planet that is 71 per cent water. On the way he explores the paradox of Brunton, a flawed human being whose work saved hundreds of thousands of lives and made the seas around Japan safer for all.

As he works his way through his medical training, Ike Anya’s grandmother reassures him,

Everything worthwhile is achieved small by small.

Ike’s story charts the triumphs and failures of his student days through to his first demanding year as a house officer. A medical memoir unlike any from the West, this is filled with the colour and vibrancy of tempestuous 1990s Nigeria, where political unrest, social change and a worsening economy make a doctor’s life particularly challenging.

It would be impossible to invent Don Roberto today – a fantastic combination of Don Quixote and Sir Gawain, Indiana Jones and the Lone Ranger. He was so multi-faceted, so complex, that every chapter in his story reveals some new and contradictory aspect of his personality. He is best known as the co-founder, with Keir Hardie, of the Scottish Labour Party, and later as the founding president of the Scottish National Party. But in a long and extraordinary life he was many other things besides.

“My dog Sam has a superpower. He doesn’t wear a costume. He can’t fly. And he definitely can’t make himself invisible. Sam’s superpower is happiness.”

Sam can find happiness in the most unexpected places: a smelly old boot, a deflated ball, even in a muddy puddle! When Dad leaves for work, Sam’s young owner needs a little help to be happy again. Can Sam show his best friend how to be a bit less sad and a bit more dog?

This is a funny and heart-warming picture book about finding joy in the simplest things. With uplifting text from Caroline Crowe and engaging, lively illustrations from Carlos Velez, this feel-good story celebrates the connection between children and pets and encourages us all to be more dog!

It’s never too late to follow your dreams…

Twenty years ago, Abigail Patterson put her promising tennis career on hold to have her baby son, Robbie. But after a wild card entry to Wimbledon, she suddenly finds herself swept up in a world she thought she’d left behind – and against all odds, she’s winning!

Yet as those long-buried dreams of lifting the sparkling silver trophy on centre court inch closer, Abi knows that it’s only a matter of time before the press start digging into her past and uncover the secret she’s kept hidden for so long.

The stakes are raised, but this time nothing – and no one – is going to stand in her way. But could the greatest comeback of all time destroy everything she’s sacrificed to protect?

From the presenter of BBC One’s Scotland from the Sky

You scramble up over the dunes of an isolated beach. You climb to the summit of a lonely hill. You pick your way through the eerie hush of a forest. And then you find them. The traces of the past. Perhaps they are marked by a tiny symbol on your map, perhaps not. There are no plaques to explain their fading presence before you, nothing to account for what they once were – who made them, lived in them or abandoned them. Now they are merged with the landscape. They are being reclaimed by nature. They are wild history.

In this book acclaimed author and presenter James Crawford introduces many such places all over the country, from the ruins of prehistoric forts and ancient, arcane burial sites, to abandoned bothies and boathouses, and the derelict traces of old, faded industry.

Iona Abbey Kitchen, run by two cooks and powered by volunteers, provides nourishing food for the Iona Community’s weekly guests.

It aims to serve tasty, colourful, healthy, mainly vegetarian meals, many of which are reflected in this cookbook where Anja Jardine, Abbey Cook for over 17 years, has collected people’s favourites. Easy to cook at home, these recipes won’t just fill a hole in your stomach, but will also nourish your soul. Includes (often with vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free alternatives) soups, salads, numerous vegetarian main courses, fish and seafood, meat, sandwich spreads, bread, sweet treats, drinks and – as many Abbey guests will affirm – the best porridge ever.

In this book Anja draws on her own childhood on the other side of the Iron Curtain, to remind us that food should never be taken for granted.

In Britain now, an increasing number of people are living in poverty – with poor housing, low income, unaffordable fuel bills and more and more families going hungry.

The cheapest food on offer in the supermarkets is often the least nutritious.

But who can blame those who buy it? So, living with austerity that’s the result of government policies, one reaction is rage at unfairness – but another (which you will find here) is a celebration of simple nutritious food which is affordable.

Born into a family of successful pilots, Morag is used to flying high. But when a tragic accident above the clouds grounds her, could the future she’d always imagined be suddenly out of reach?

When she receives a call telling her that her beloved grandfather has been taken ill, Morag leaves her fast-paced life in London to return home to the tranquil Scottish Highlands. With her grandfather out of action, Morag has no choice but to take over flying the local route in his rickety old plane, ferrying locals across the beautiful islands of the archipelago.

But as the weather takes a dramatic turn, Morag is forced to crash-land on a remote island and suddenly finds herself far from civilisation and all alone. Then she discovers Gregor, the gruff and reclusive ornithologist taking care of the island for the season. Though the pair don’t see eye to eye, Morag is forced to seek shelter at his cabin and it seems the pair are stuck together until help arrives. However long that may be . . .

As she awaits rescue, might Morag discover that a remote Scottish island, cut off from real-life, is exactly the place she needs to be?

Liturgical and practical resources from Iona Community members, friends and others designed to create more awareness and understanding about mental health.

‘I have never known anyone who hasn’t experienced a mental health problem at one time or another. So to me this book is simply about being human. There are worship resources for services on mental health here, but I think a lot of the resources could, should be used in any worship service. And I hope some of it – the beautiful gutsy poems and powerful reflections – is used well beyond church. Much of it comes from the edge anyway …’
From the Introduction

Redeeming Our Cracks is a book about seeing beauty in brokenness and strength in vulnerability. 

You come,
walking among
the brittle fragments
of our broken lives,
gathering up every sharp shard,
to fashion
a new and beautiful
mosaic.

Kellan MacInnes really wants to get away. Newly divorced, HIV positive, flat broke and with a house full of Airbnb guests driving him crazy, he badly needs to find himself again. Inspired by the little known poet and pioneer of wild swimming Brenda G. Macrow, who quit London for the Scottish Highlands in the summer of 1946, Kellan takes the night train north. Accompanied only by a cantankerous and flatulent Labradoodle, Kellan follows in Macrow’s footsteps and sets off in search of the hill lochs of Kintail. Hoping to find his ‘single self’ again on the way, he plans to wild swim all 28 hill lochs within the boundary of the Parish of Kintail. Only being Scotland, half the time it’s too cold to swim, even in July, so he just washes his face or has a paddle!

The book is multi-faceted and there are many different layers to the story. As Kellan tackles the challenge of wild swimming – or at least wild paddling – the hill lochs of Kintail, he recalls scenes from the disintegration of his marriage, some funny, some poignant, some shocking.

Meanwhile a parallel narrative about Macrow’s summer in Scotland in 1946 is told in flashbacks from ‘Kintail Scrapbook’, the book Macrow wrote about her time in Kintail.

The Wild Swimmer of Kintail also contains practical information for those wishing to take on the challenge of wild swimming the 28 high-altitude hill lochs of Kintail.

Far more than a mere travelogue, much more than simply nature writing, The Wild Swimmer of Kintail tells the story of the end of a gay relationship as well as being a deeply perceptive account of what it is like being a writer. Laugh out loud in some places, painfully honest in others, The Wild Swimmer of Kintail is a life-affirming tale about the healing power of wild swimming.

With his dying breath, Hamlet asks Horatio to tell his true story. Chris Rush has taken up the narrative where Shakespeare bids it farewell.

A dark and sometimes humorous reworking of the Bard’s most famous play. one by one the characters who live in the Prince of Denmark’s world, give a very different take on the events centring on Elsinore.

With refreshing originality, Christopher Rush breaks down the barriers between history, drama and psychology to present the reader with a richly complex inner world, which takes us from the disintegrating reality inside Hamlet’s head to the rebellious turbulence underlying Ophelia’s demure surface.

If you thought you understood Hamlet before, think again.