My Scotland

Scotland’s finest nature writer shares the places where he finds beauty and inspiration

Nature expert Jim Crumley celebrates his 40th book by sharing his favourite places

“For me the west coast of Mull has pretty much everything, I think of it as the most landscapes” truly beautiful of Scotland’s

“I know of nowhere like orchids” Lismore for

“A group of aspen trees backlit by loch” the sun bouncing off the

The last instalment of Jim Crumley’s Seasons series, The Nature of Summer, is out now.

Beinn Fhada on Mull, looking caption towards Loch na Keal

Glen Einich Walking from Cuillin Bridge to Loch Einich in the Cairngorms you pass through magnificent pine woods. As you walk deeper through the trees it feels as if the woods are inhaling you. It is a truly magical place with morning dew clinging to the swathes of juniper.

Dundee is my home and, despite leaving when I was 21, I’ve never felt anywhere else could ever really be home. I grew up on the slopes of Balgay Hill and I had a wonderful childhood. Now, every time I listen to Michael Marra in the car, I am transported right back to the city. Dundee across the Tay

Lismore The view from the top of Ben More is the best view I have ever come across. You can see across the islands in every direction and right over to the mountains of the mainland and you can sometimes admire the view while surrounded by ptarmigan.

Lismore is the unsung Hebridean island and I’ve always liked unsung places. It has an unique atmosphere with really fertile land. You’ll find the most fantastic wildflowers and I know nowhere like Lismore for orchids. Ben More on Mull

My quartet of Seasons books stemmed from an epiphany. It was autumn, and as I drove around a corner by Loch Garry, I saw a group of aspen trees backlit by the sun bouncing off the loch. Roy Orbison sang through the radio, “Golden days before the end whisper secrets to the wind” and I nearly drove right off the road. I stopped as soon as I could, took out my notebook and wrote, “Golden Days before the end, a book about nature.” Above: Loch Garry

Glen Finglas in the eastern corner of the Trossachs, with Loch Venachar, Ben Ledi and Loch Lubanaig, is where I see as my nature writing territory. I do a lot of field work there, there is a lot of merit to a nature writer in getting to know a landscape very well and this is mine. I was very lucky to have BBC Radio 2 send me to Alaska for a programme and a lot of what I learned from Glen Finglas was applicable there. Loch Venachar

There is a wee village called Burnmouth just north of Berwick. It’s tucked right into the cliff and it’s just one street, with houses on one side and the sea on the other. When I stayed there I just didn’t want to go anywhere. I watched the colour of the sea change each day and admired the cliff behind me, stuffed with wildflowers and butterflies. Burnmouth