Wild about Scotland: New book is a guide to something special
WILD swimming, ancient forests and secret islands... if you are looking to pack your bags for a getaway, then you may not have to travel as far as you think.
A new edition of a Wild Guide To Scotland will be published next month and will cover more than 1,000 different adventures all over the country.
The compact but diverse land offers everything from swimming in hidden lochans to welcoming country pubs with roaring fires to huddle around.
The turquoise blue bays are perfect for kayaking, or if you want something less vigorous, there are white beaches scattered around that are great for a picnic.
As well as telling readers what Scotland has to offer, it also gives advice on how to travel with sustainability in mind.
Over the last few years, a number of areas have been subjected to “over-tourism”, which has resulted in calls to introduce a tourism tax.
In recent weeks, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-hamilton used a visit to the Highlands to highlight his party’s election pledge to support tourism, ensuring “it works for the communities who call the place home”.
The Libdems’ local election manifesto called for adopting new tourism strategies to take advantage of a boom in people choosing to holiday in Scotland.
Locations such as Skye have gained traction on social media and become a “bucket-list location” for travellers from all over the world.
However, while tourism can be great for some areas, it can also cause others to become “clogged” if there is a lack of planning. Throughout the guide, there are tips on how to respect the land, wildlife and locals.
There is also advice on how a visit can contribute to the local economy by eating, shopping and staying at local businesses.
One destination the guide described as a “perfect weekend” is the northern Cairngorms.
The Cairngorms ,which roughly translates to the Red Mountains, got their name from the rosy-red pink granite that would have been the dominant colour of the mountains after the last glaciers retreated after the
Ice Age.
The red hills of the northern Cairngorms are described in the book as “one of the last truly wild and desolate areas in the Highlands, to explore them fully is to discover an area uniquely shaped by natural forces and largely untouched by humans”.
For a spectacular beach, the Wild Guide recommends Kearvaig – known locally as Kerwick for its white sandy beach and amazing sea stacks.
Located near Cape Wrath, in Sutherland, the book claims, “a single track leads down to one of the country’s loneliest places.”
Also at Kearvaig Bay, standing alone is one of the country’s most beautiful bothies. But the book warns that wood is scarce, so people should carry some with them for the fireplace, adding that it “makes for one of the best bothy experiences on offer”.
Three new chapters to the Guide have been added, with a focus on the more southern areas of Scotland.
The Borders are described as “less conspicuous than the Highlands or the west coast, but are nevertheless seriously beautiful in their own right and feature the whole plethora of Scottish staples”.
The book says the Borders is still well placed for 21st-century adventure, stating that “crowds flock here for mountain biking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and the usual pursuits of walking and running”.
The trio of Kimberley Grant, David Cooper and Richard Gaston who authored and photographed the books explain the appeal: “This is the only guide book where you can discover lesser-known mountains and secret glens with shimmering lochs and hidden waterfalls, perfect for a summer swim.
“Go out and explore lost ruins and castles, watch sea-bird colonies on dramatic cliffs or walk barefoot on white-sand beaches lapped by turquoise waters. Wild camp in flower-covered dunes and retreat to ancient inns with roaring fires and even warmer welcomes.
“This is the best of Scotland’s unspoiled Highlands and Islands, but the places other guide books don’t reach.”
This is the only guide book where you can discover lesser-known mountains and secret glens
▪ The Wild Guide will be published on June 1 at £18.99.