Harnessing recent developments in computer technology the latest New Naturalist volume uses the most up-to-date & accurate maps diagrams & photographs to analyse the diverse landscapes of Scotl&. Most people share an enthusiasm for beautiful & breathtaking scenery explored variously through the physical challenge of climbing to the top of the tallest mountains or the joy of viewing the work of a painter; but while easy to admire from a distance such landscapes are usually difficult to explain in words. Peter Friend highlights the many famous & much loved natural landscapes of Scotland ranging from the rolling agricultural lowlands of the east to the wild & rugged mountains of the west from the whitewashed villages of Galloway to the traditional fishing ports of the east. He provides detailed explanations for the wide variety of natural events & processes that have caused such an exciting range of surroundings. Setting apart the topography that has resulted from natural rather than man-made occurrences Friend focuses on each region individually from the windswept islands that fringe the Atlantic to the sheltered straths of Perthshire & explains the history & development of their land structures through detailed descriptions & colourful diagrams. Illustrated with beautifully detailed photographs throughout Scotland comprehensively explores the formation of these wonderful landscapes that are so universally admired. ...

Since Devolution in 1999 Scotland has become a focus of intense interest both within Britain & throughout the wider world. In this Very Short Introduction Rab Houston explores how an independent Scottish nation emerged in the Middle Ages how it was irrevocably altered by Reformation links with England & economic change & how Scotland influenced the development of the modern world. Examining politics law society religion education migration & culture he examines how the nations history has made it distinct from England both before & after Union how it overcame internal tensions between Highland & Lowland society & how it has today arrived at a political social & culture watershed. Authoritative lucid & ranging widely over issues of environment people & identity this is Scotlands story without myths: an ideal introduction for those interested in the Scots but also a balanced yet refreshing challenge to those who already feel at home in Scotland past & present. ...

Columba Bannockburn Robert Bruce the nobles Home Rule Kenneth mac Alpin the Wars of Independence the union of the crowns Mary Queen of Scots the Convenanters the Reformation Flodden the industrial revolution James VI Thomas Chalmers the union of parliaments John Knox the Canmore dynasty Glencoe the Enlightenment the Highland Clearances devolution the Jacobites... Scotland is the first full-length one-volume history of the country for more than twenty years. It spans twenty centuries from the Picts to the present day. It is thrilling comprehensive provocative & timely. ...

Here is the new revised edition of Macleans classic work with a new added chapter by Magnus Linklater who also revised the last edition that brings the story of Scotland right up to date. Linklater examines how the new Scottish Parliament has fared & discusses significant events such as the controversies over the Holyrood parliament building devolution & the transfer of taxation rights from Westminster & the release of the Lockerbie bomber as well as the fallout from the 2008 global financial crash & the debate about independence & the future of the United Kingdom now that the Scottish National Party is in power. ...

No touring holiday is complete without one of these essential guides. The driving guides series holds a range of 23 titles offering an extensive list of destinations for you to choose from. They contain everything the self-drive traveller needs en route with exciting detours away from the main tourist trail. ...

Its long been acknowledged that Scotlands great outdoors is one of its biggest visitor attractions & that one of the best ways of experiencing its awesome scenery is on a camping motorhome or caravan holiday. However there is an extensive range of campsites & caravan parks to choose from perhaps making the decision over where to stay a more difficult or confusing one. Scotland Campsites & Caravan Parks map is the most comprehensive directory for tent motor-home & caravan travellers in Scotland & a practical resource either for those planning to visit Scotland for the first time or those with some knowledge of the country. Alongside displaying the locations of over 400 sites this easy to use touring map provides essential information on the units accepted at each site along with contact details. Other facilities for each site such as pets allowed are also noted. The map which folds to a handy travel size also features airports roads rail & ferry routes & helpfully lists cycle routes long distance footpaths & national parks for the travellers convenience. It has a protective cover to withstand weather conditions while in Scotl&. This is the 2nd edition of the map which has been updated to indicate sites which are open all year round. ...

By walking all the way through Scotland from Kirk Yetholm in the Borders to Cape Wrath in the far North-West author & broadcaster Cameron Mc Neish witnesses at first hand the changes that have taken place in the landscapes of the country of his birth. From the rolling history drenched hills of the Borders he experiences the de-industrialisation of the Union & Forth & Clyde Canals between Edinburgh & Glasgow & the massive popularity of long distance walking on routes like the West Highland Way. Throughout the central highlands he records the changing use of landscape from the Romans to the contemporary shooting estates to the advent of Scotlands two National Parks & further north he walks in the footsteps of cattle drovers Jacobite armies poets & priests. But its north of the Great Glen that he records the biggest changes from the horrors of the Highland Clearances to large scale sheep farming & from the Victorian shooting estates to large scale wind farm industrialisation. But through all the changes one thing remains constant the natural beauty the grandeur & the sensational wildlife that makes Scotland one of the finest wildlife tourism destinations in the world. First of all I believed passionately that Scotland should have a long-distance trail that ran the length of the country " said Cameron "and secondly I wanted to walk through my own country of birth simply to get to know it better to weigh up aspects of its character & culture to remind myself of its history & factions its nuances & its remarkable diversity of landscape at a time when this small nation was beginning a process of re-discovery & questioning if it could go it alone outside the comfort zone of the UK. I wanted to re-discover this land of my birth for myself especially those areas that I wasnt so familiar with. To link the all various routes together has been the challenge of the Gore-Tex[registered] Scottish National Trail a route that I believe can stand comparison with the best walking routes anywhere in the world." The book is gloriously illustrated throughout by the photographs of landscape photographer Richard Else. It is a lavish book to keep & treasure. It is a celebration of all thats best about Scotl&." ...

An engaging new collection of recent plays from Scotl&.
Includes:: Wormwood by Catharine Czerkawaska; Brothers of Thunder
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The true Scot's insider's guide to the very best Scotland has to offer. Whether you live in Scotland or are visiting why settle for anything second-rate when you can be guided to so much that is superb? Peter Irvine's personal guide points you towards the best places to stay (whatever your budget) the best beaches the best ice-cream the best hill walks the best bakers the best spooky places the best seafood the best places for kids the best ceildhs & so the list goes on. However well you know Scotland Peter Irvine will guide you to something excitingly new. That's why it remains the only guide to Scotland that the Scots themselves buy. Scotland the Best was first published in 1993. Since then its reputation has grown & it has been widely praised in reviews won awards from the Tourist industry & above all delighted readers from all over the world. & it's also sold close to 250 000 copies! In this new edition every recommendation has been reassessed to see whether it is still worthy of inclusion & the selection criteria has become even more stringent. Clear colour mapping from Collins & website links for all entries a new look to the cover plus an exciting new picture section & new chapter intros make this a more vibrant book to have as your companion. Quirky personalized & informed Peter Irvine's guide gives you what other travel guides only claim to
- a true Scot's insider's guide.
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When Scotland Yards first detective branch was set up in 1842 crime was very different from today. The favoured murder weapon was the cut-throat razor; carrying a pocket watch was dangerous; the most significant clue at a murder scene could be the whereabouts of a candlestick or hat; large households (family servants & lodgers) complicated many a case & servants sometimes murdered their masters. Detectives had few aids & suffered many disadvantages. The bloody handprints found at two early murder scenes were of no help there being no way of telling whether blood (or hair) was human or animal. Fingerprinting was fifty years away DNA profiling another hundred & photography was too new to help with identification. The detectives had no transport & were expected to walk the first three miles on any enquiry before catching an omnibus or cab & trying to recoup the fares. All reports had to be handwritten with a dip pen & ink & the only means of keeping contact with colleagues & disseminating information was by post horseback or foot. In spite of these handicaps & severe press criticism the detectives achieved some significant successes. Joan Lock

Includes:: such classic cases as the First Railway Murder as well as many fascinating fresh reports weaving in new developments like the electric telegraph against a background of authentic Victorian police procedure. Charles Dickens said that Scotland Yard detectives gave the impression of leading lives of strong mental excitement. Readers of this book will understand why...

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