A Richness of Martens
The Ardnamurchan Peninsula on Scotland’s west coast is Tolkienesque in more than just name: it’s a land of rock and salt, wind and water, hill and burn. There are woods here, too, lush with rain; their trees, especially oaks, are low-laid wraiths, forced into ‘advanced yoga positions’ by the wind.
No surprise, then, that a childhood here left its mark on naturalist Polly Pullar. The mammal spirit of this place is the pine marten, a species whose history, like that of the Highlanders who lived here, is scarred by persecution, but whose present is a story of resilience and recovery. This delightful memoir-cum-documentary records both with familiarity and humour, weaving the lives of individual martens with those of Les and Chris Humphreys, a couple whose lochside garden has become an extraordinary wildlife crossroads. The multi-generational mustelid saga that unfolds through their passion, patience and inventiveness, and Pullar’s expert and affectionate observation, is rich indeed.
Amy-Jane Beer Wildlife writer