A novel idea... lose yourself in Scotland
Ideas to inspire a new love for your home
There is nothing better than getting lost in the pages of a good book, escaping to different destinations and embarking on new adventures.
It’s World Book Day on Thursday, but Covid restrictions mean it’s not possible to explore Scotland just yet, but readers can enjoy discovering Scotland on page, either through the eyes of a Scottish author or by reading a story inspired by Scotland.
Whether it’s hard-hitting crime novels, action-packed adventures or old favourites, discover Scotland’s literary links and stay inspired for travel when it is safe to do so.
Here are a few favourites:
The Waverley novels by Sir Walter Scott
From epic poem,the Lady Of The Lake, set in the wild romantic landscape around Loch Katrine and the Trossachs to Rob Roy, inspired by Highland folk hero Robert ‘Roy’ Macgregor and set against the backdrop of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1715, Scott’s works are landmarks in Scottish literature.visit Rob Roy’s cave at the head of Loch Lomond and Glen Falloch, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, the ancestral home of Sir Walter Scott.
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The swashbuckling adventure was written during a stay in Braemar. It’s thought Stevenson based some of the characters on people he met in the village.treasure Island is also rumoured to have been inspired by Fidra Island in East Lothian.
The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
Edinburgh is woven throughout the pages of the famous novel, particularly locations such as Greyfriar’s Kirkyard, Barnbougle Castle and Dalmeny House.
Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon
Sunset Song, encapsulates the struggles of farming life in an Aberdeenshire village. Grassic Gibbon’s novel mentions real-life places including Laurencekirk, Stonehaven, Dunnottar Castle and The Aberlemno Standing Stones in Angus.arbuthnott, is home to The Grassic Gibbon Centre, the perfect place to learn more about the author.
The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan
Buchan’s love of the Borders is often depicted in his books and the region is home to the John Buchan Story in Peebles and The John Buchan Way
– a 13-mile route between Broughton and Peebles.
The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Follow Harry and his friends, at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Visit Tom Riddle’s grave at Greyfriars Kirkyard, meet Hedwig’s feathered friends at the Scottish Owl Centre. Or hop aboard the Hogwarts Express across the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
Peter Pan by JM Barrie
The story of a young boy who never grows up has entranced for decades. .A statue of Peter can be found at JM Barrie’s Birthplace in Kirriemuir,angus but it was Moat Brae in Dumfries, where Barrie lived as a boy, that inspired Neverland, the enchanted faraway place where Peter Pan and the Lost Boys outwit Captain Hook.
Beano, Dandy and Oor Wullie by DC Thomson
The antics of Dennis and his pals in Beano, and A’body’s favourite wee laddie, Oor Wullie are published by DC Thomson in Dundee. Once restrictions allow, look out for statues of fellow legends, Desperate Dan, Minnie the Minx and Oor Wullie, in the city centre.
Peter Rabbit and Friends by Beatrix Potter
Potter created her fluffy friend, Peter Rabbit, following childhood summer holidays in Dunkeld.add Birnam Arts to future travel plans as it is a great place to learn about the region that inspired her, and meet some of her other characters in the Beatrix Potter Exhibition Garden.
Report For Murder & My Scotland by Val Mcdermid
On a more grisly note, a doyenne of Scottish crime fiction is Val Mcdermid whose first book, Report For Murder was published in 1987. My Scotland, a personal journey through Scotland and how she has used the country’s distinctive settings in her works, was published in 2019.
Factfile
For more suggestions of books to read about Scotland, see visitscotland. com/blog/scotland/ must-read-books/
Sunday Post Travel has announced a new and exclusive river cruise, which celebrates the best of the Dutch bulb fields. The new 2022 cruise – The Blooms of Holland & Belgium River Cruise with Brian Cunningham – will feature a bespoke itinerary created with our readers in mind.
The exclusive sailing, created in collaboration with Emerald Waterways, will depart on May 7, 2022. Starting and finishing in Amsterdam, the river cruise will embark on a seven-night voyage, featuring exclusive excursions while visiting historic cities of The Low Countries.
Hopping on board the river cruise will be convenient for readers across the UK, with direct flights available from 15 UK airports, including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness and Glasgow. Return flights are included in the available packages.
Craig Houston, head of ecommerce & partnerships for DC Thomson Media, said:“we have been looking into this idea for quite some time and I am delighted that we can now confirm the departure in 2022. It is fantastic to be able to develop a partnership with a company that has the calibre of Emerald Waterways.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to collaborate on a specific departure with a river cruise partner.the stylish and contemporary on-board experience will, I am sure, be a big hit with our newspaper readers. I just hope they are as excited as we are.”
The incredible itinerary will take in places such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam,antwerp and Arnhem and will also feature some horticultural highlights with the help of our special guest on board, gardening expert Brian Cunningham.
Brian will be familiar to viewers of The Beechgrove Garden and readers of The Courier and The Press & Journal for his Ginger Gairdner weekly columns.you can join Brian for an evening drinks reception followed by a Q&A session before visiting Keukenhof Gardens in his company, where he will give a talk inside the bulb field.
Brian said:“i am genuinely excited to be joining and spending time with the passengers on this Emerald Waterways cruise. Such an amazing opportunity to visit the gardens of Keukenhof and to see the work of the Dutch horticultural masters at their best.”
There is also an opportunity for passengers to have an afternoon visit to the renowned gardening festival Floriade 2022, an extremely popular event that only takes place once every 10 years.
Your home-from-home for your river cruise is an awardwinning Emerald Star-ship, where innovation meets relaxation. It will carry just 180 passengers offering an intimate on-board service, similar to what you would expect from a world-class hotel.
Colin Downing, managing director for Emerald Cruises, said:“we are very pleased to be launching an exclusive river cruise in partnership with DC Thomson Media.
“Together we have created a unique eight-day itinerary through Holland and Belgium packed with exclusive inclusions, activities and excursions especially created with readers in mind, and so we hope the readers enjoy it.
“The bulb fields of Holland are beautiful in May and the chance to visit the Floriade exhibition will be real treat given it only occurs once a decade.”
When recently asked to pick a place he’d love to revisit, Sir David Attenborough replied: “A coral reef, with its sheer magnitude of different, wonderful, beautiful things.”
Reefs weave through oceans across our globe, but there is no system more famous than Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, a natural phenomenon so vast and dramatic, it can be seen from space.a collection of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for more than 1,400 miles along the Queensland coast, it’s a spectacle of colourful critters, mighty marine mammals and curious deep-sea organisms.
Of course, the opportunities for snorkelling and scuba are outstanding but, as legendary broadcaster Attenborough pointed out: “You don’t need to be a great underwater swimmer to see the miracle of a flourishing coral reef.”
From glass-bottomed boats to underwater galleries and even bedrooms, there are many ways to marvel at marine life without getting even slightly soaked.
On the Great Barrier Reef, close to the Whitsundays, the Reefsuites pontoon features two submerged rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, providing views of tropical fish, turtles and manta rays. There’s also an option to sleep out under the stars on deck, in several comfortable pods.
Nearby, the split-level Heart Island pontoon allows guests to explore the Insta-friendly
Heart Reef lagoon.appreciate exactly how the much-loved coral formation earned its name by gazing from above on a helicopter ride.the two-and-a-half-hour trip is available to guests staying on Hamilton Island.
Further south, off the coast of Bundaberg, the new Lady Musgrave Experience pontoon (opening in the next few months) will offer underwater accommodation for up to 24 people, and an observatory.
Desert-island paradise is evoked on Pumpkin Island, a low-key 6.1-hectare patch of land set along the Capricorn Coast in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Reserve, off the coast of
Yeppoon. Stay in a cottage or beach bungalow, where electricity is provided by wind and solar power, and rainwater is filtered for drinking. Gather enough friends and family together and it’s possible to rent the whole place for a reasonable rate; split between 34 people, a seven-night stay works out at £46 per night.
Also along the southern stretch of the reef,wilson Island reopened to guests in late 2019. Only accessible from neighbouring Heron Island on a 30-minute boat ride, it’s a sleepy coral cay, no phones,tv or wifi.
There are nine luxury Reef Safari Tents hidden in an ancient Pisonia forest, with meals served in a central dining area. Follow nature trails and see turtles nesting and hatching.the island closes every year from February until April, to allow the resident bird population the peace and quiet they need to nest. Elysian Retreat in the Whitsundays is the first fully solar-powered resort on the Reef, with 10 bungalows dotted along the beach. Meals are prepared with a focus on health and nutrition, while wellbeing treats come in the form of daily yoga classes and massage treatments.
For a more hands-on experience, Daydream Island Resort in the Whitsundays has a man-made Living Reef, ideal for families to learn about what happens beneath the waves.
A coral lagoon wrapping 200m around the resort, it hosts more than 100 species of local marine life. Resident marine biologists lead a range of activities, including tours of an underwater observatory and an interactive touch pool.
A collection of new raceways, tanks with an inlet and outlet enabling a simulation of tides, are also used for coral propagation.