When I was 20, I went to Edinburgh, to become a student at the university there. I fell in love with the city and have continued to adore every visit I’ve made there since. Edinburgh’s Royal Mile has to be one of the most literary streets in the world – every wynd and close has a story to tell, or a connection with a novel or poem.
I am thrilled that next year I’ll be leading a literary tour in Scotland, exploring its lochs and mountains, museums and literary homes, artistic legacy and cultural traditions. The tour brings some very special experiences that a tourist on his own could never have – dinner in the childhood home of Robert Louis Stevenson, a viewing of precious manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland, a splendid dinner in Dumfries House and a visit to James Boswell’s home of Auchinleck. You can find details of the tour on: The Banks and Braes of Literary Scotland 2023
Scotland has such a rich literary tradition – Burns, Scott, Stevenson, Robert Ferguson, J.M. Barrie, Muriel Spark, Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith are just a few of the country’s famous writers. But Scotland’s legacy has been great in other areas as well. I am planning to explore this in my next Trailblazer series – GREAT SCOT: Four Scottish Trailblazers. The lectures will be on Mondays, 21st March, 28th March,4th April and 11 April, all at 5pm. Pour yourself a wee dram, sit back and learn about four extraordinary Scots who changed our world forever. For more information and bookings go to my 4 Scottish Trailblazers page.
I’m delighted that there have been so many requests for more Trailblazer lectures, and that so many of you have already booked. I’d love to see you on Zoom for a chat, but each talk is recorded, so you can watch it at your leisure at a later date if you prefer.
I look forward to sharing with you my love of bonnie Scotland and all things Scottish. What is your favourite Scottish thing? Tell me by leaving a comment.
Pamela
How can you forget O. Douglas – sister of John Buchanan. I re read most of her books each year.
Her real name was Anna Buchanan. She lived most of her adult life in Peebles. The descriptions of Peebles are amazingly accurate.
She named it Priorsford. I have read some of her characters were based on real people.
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, I’ve read a couple of her novels and also seen the house in Peebles where the Buchans grew up.Amd I’ve been lucky enough to meet John Buchan’s granddaughter, Lady Deborah Stewartby, who is of course Anna’s great-niece.