READING GUIDE HIKING SCOTLAND's ORKNEY & SHETLAND ISLANDS Here Is a Selection of Recommended Books Prepared for Your Tour

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

READING GUIDE HIKING SCOTLAND's ORKNEY & SHETLAND ISLANDS Here Is a Selection of Recommended Books Prepared for Your Tour SUGGESTED READING GUIDE HIKING SCOTLAND'S ORKNEY & SHETLAND ISLANDS Here is a selection of recommended books prepared for your tour. For your convenience, you may call (800) 342-2164 to order these books from Longitude, a specialty mail-order book service. To order online, and to get the latest, most comprehensive selection of books for your trip, go directly to reading.longitudebooks.com/N924298. RECOMMENDED PACKAGE These four items are available as a set for $64 including shipping, 15% off the retail price (Item EXSCT106). Any additional books ordered will be shipped free of charge. MacLean, Fitzroy, and Magnus Linklater (Contributor). Scotland, A Concise History. Thames & Hudson, 2012. This richly illustrated survey brings Scottish history up to the present through its romantic figures and bloody battles. With 250 well-integrated illustrations, this revised 4th edition includes a newly added chapter on Scotland’s place in the 21st century. (PAPER, 248 Pp., $19.95, Item SCT15) Edwards, Paul, and Hermann Palssom. Orkneyinga Saga, The History of the Earls of Orkney. Penguin, 1981. A fusion of myth and legend, circa A.D. 1200, by an unnamed Icelandic author. The medieval chronicle has its center of action among the Orkney Islands, describing their conquest by Norwegian kings during the Viking expansion of the 9th century. (PAPER, 253 Pp., $16, Item VIK07) Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet Scotland's Highlands & Islands. Footprint Handbooks, 2012. This handy guide in the popular series covers the Hebrides, Shetland, Orkney and other islands, celebrated and remote, throughout Scotland. With 53 maps and terrific background information. (PAPER, 383 Pp., $20.99, Item SCT62) HEMA Maps. Great Britain and Ireland Map. Hema, 2005. A nicely detailed map at a scale of 1:750,000. (MAP, $10.95, Item GBR31) MAPS & GUIDEBOOKS Eyewitness Guides. Eyewitness Guide Scotland. DK Publishing, 2012. This compact, illustrated travel guide features color photography, excellent maps and a region-by-region synopsis of Scotland's attractions. (PAPER, 240 Pp., $25, Item SCT40) Humphreys, Rob. Rough Guide Scottish Highlands and Islands. Rough Guides, 2011. A comprehensive guide in the hip, literate and very informative Rough Guide style. It's divided cleanly between practical information and illuminating background on culture and history. (PAPER, 616 Pp., $19.99, Item SCT132) Michelin Travel Publications. Scotland Map M 501. Michelin Travel Publications, 2012. A clear, colorful road map at a scale of 1:400,000. (MAP, $11.95, Item SCT12) Summers, Gilbert. Fodor's Exploring Scotland. Fodor’s, 2007. With its many photographs, detailed descriptions and practical information, this compact guide covers Scotland in style. (PAPER, 288 Pp.) Out of print, but worth looking for. ISBN-13: 978-1400017720. HISTORY & CULTURE Ascherson, Neal. Stone Voices, The Search for Scotland. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2004. Ascherson writes with verve and insight on the centuries-old impulse toward nationhood in Scotland in this absorbing portrait, interweaving history with archaeology, myth and his own interviews and travels. (PAPER, 240 Pp., $27, Item SCT66) Ferguson, Robert. The Vikings, A History. Viking, 2010. A substantial history of Nordic plunder and trade. (PAPER, 464 Pp., $18, Item VIK32) Fisher, Andrew. A Traveller's History of Scotland. Interlink Publishing Group, 2009. This brief history of Scotland through the 1990s is wide-ranging, accessible and necessarily condensed. With a useful chronology, a list of monarchs and a historical gazetteer, this book marches confidently through the centuries. (PAPER, 256 Pp., $14.95, Item GBR40) Fitzhugh, William (Editor), and Elisabeth Ward (Editor). Vikings, The North Atlantic Saga. Smithsonian Institution Press, 2000. An extensively illustrated volume of Viking culture, history and exploration that focuses especially on voyages to North America. Published in conjunction with a Smithsonian exhibit, it features essays and 400 color photographs. (PAPER, 432 Pp., $34.95, Item VIK11) Herman, Arthur. How the Scots Invented the Modern World. Crown, 2002. Herman argues convincingly in this bestseller that many of the greatest political, intellectual and technological innovations of the 18th and 19th centuries came from the Scots. (PAPER, 472 Pp., $16, Item SCT65) Wickham-Jones, Caroline. Orkney, A Historical Guide. Birlinn Ltd., 2011. A revised edition of this classic guide to the well-preserved archaeology of the island. (PAPER, 234 Pp.) Not available through Longitude Books, but worth looking for elsewhere. ISBN-13: 978-1780270012. LITERATURE Brown, George MacKay. Winter Tales. Birlinn Ltd., 2006. These 12 short stories capture the characters and atmosphere of Brown's native Orkney. (PAPER, 214 Pp.) Not available through Longitude Books, but worth looking for elsewhere. ISBN-13: 978-1904598879. Cleeves, Ann. Blue Lightning. St. Martins, 2011. In the fourth book of Cleeves' critically acclaimed series set in the Shetland Islands, Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez must solve the mystery of a dead woman whose body is found near a bird observatory. (PAPER, 356 Pp., $14.99, Item SCT187) Cleeves, Ann. Red Bones. St. Martins, 2010. The third book in the Shetland Island quartet of murder mysteries. With a claustrophobia-inducing mist appearing over the islands and human remains found by a local archaeologist, Detective Inspector Perez knows the truth: the killer is one of the townspeople. (PAPER, 391 Pp., $15.99, Item SCT157) Cleeves, Ann. White Nights. St. Martins, 2009. Inspector Perez finds a murdered man, last seen causing an amnesia-induced ruckus at an art gallery, in this second novel in the Shetland Island Quartet. (PAPER, 400 Pp., $15.99, Item SCT137) Cleeves, Ann. Raven Black. St. Martin's Press, 2008. In this award-winning debut, Inspector Perez investigates multiple murders in the remote Shetland Islands. Winner of Britain's coveted Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award. (PAPER, 384 Pp., $14.99, Item GBR700) Livesey, Margot. The Flight of Gemma Hardy. HarperCollins, 2012. Inspired by Jane Eyre, Livesey's 6th novel traces the hardships and fate of a feisty young women who travels to the remote Orkney to become an au pair at Blackbird Hall. The brilliant evocation of 1960s Scotland draws on Livesey's childhood in the Highlands. (PAPER, 447 Pp., $15.99, Item SCT181) Scott, Walter, Sir. The Pirate. Aa Balkema, 2001. Set on the southern tip of the main island of the Shetland Islands, this swashbuckling romance is based loosely on the adventures of infamous pirate John Gow. Originally published in 1822. (PAPER, 600 Pp., $19.99, Item GRB149) NATURAL HISTORY & FIELD GUIDES Soper, Tony, and Dan Powell (Illustrator). Wildlife of the North Atlantic, A Cruising Guide. Bradt Publications, 2008. This compact, illustrated guide covers the many petrels, ducks, gulls, terns and other seabirds, as well as the rich abundance of life existing under the waves, that populate the vast Atlantic region from the British Isles to Newfoundland. (PAPER, 176 Pp., $25.99, Item ATL26) Svensson, Lars. Birds of Europe. Princeton University Press, 2010. Featuring 3,500 glorious paintings by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom, the second edition of this exquisite guide has been updated with revised text and maps. (PAPER, 416 Pp., $29.95, Item FG47) TO ORDER 2838 Vicksburg Lane Plymouth, MN 55447 Tel: (952) 252-1203 [email protected] www.longitudebooks.com Shipping charges via UPS or Priority Mail: $4.95 for first book, $1 per additional book up to a maximum of $9.95 Book prices and availability subject to change Checks, Visa, MasterCard, AmEx and Discover accepted Call (800) 342 2164 or go to reading.longitudebooks.com/N924298 © 2012 Longitude Rev 2/14 Also Recommended by Prof. Clint Cowan BIOGRAPHY: Repcheck, Jack. The Man Who Found Time. Perseus, 2009. Repcheck brings Scottish geologist James Hutton (1726-97) to the fore in this tale of the man and of Scottish Enlightenment. Hutton's ideas about the age of the Earth and embrace of gradualism was taken up by Charles Lyle in his ground-breaking Principles of Geology. (PAPER, 17 Pp., $16.95, Item SCT190) WEBSITES: • Shetland Amenity Trust: o Geopark Shetland: http://www.shetlandamenity.org/geopark-shetland o Read more about Shetland's geology on the Shetland Landscapes website o Download Shetland Amenity Trust’s interpretive leaflets on the islands’ geography and cultural/natural heritage: http://www.shetland- heritage.co.uk/download-leaflets • Orkney Islands’ Information & Travel Guide: http://view.vcab.com/?vcabid=geaSeanrpSchjecla • Heritage of the Orkney Islands: http://www.orkneyjar.com/ • Visit Scotland’s Orkney Page: http://www.visitorkney.com/ • Orkney.com: http://www.orkney.com/culture • Scottish Geology: http://www.scottishgeology.com/ • The Iapetus Ocean: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iapetus_Ocean MAP: Ordnance Survey. Northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland (OS Travel Map - Road Map). Ordnance Survey, D edition, 2007. ISBN-13: 978-0319230879. From Amazon.com: “This route planning map...[at] 1:250,000 scale (1 inch to 4 miles)…show[s] elevation with contour lines and relief shading. Includes roads, railways, natural features, elevation points, campsites, parks, historic sights, and recreation areas.” Not available through Longitude Books, but worth looking for online. .
Recommended publications
  • Inner and Outer Hebrides Hiking Adventure
    Dun Ara, Isle of Mull Inner and Outer Hebrides hiking adventure Visiting some great ancient and medieval sites This trip takes us along Scotland’s west coast from the Isle of 9 Mull in the south, along the western edge of highland Scotland Lewis to the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides (Western Isles), 8 STORNOWAY sometimes along the mainland coast, but more often across beautiful and fascinating islands. This is the perfect opportunity Harris to explore all that the western Highlands and Islands of Scotland have to offer: prehistoric stone circles, burial cairns, and settlements, Gaelic culture; and remarkable wildlife—all 7 amidst dramatic land- and seascapes. Most of the tour will be off the well-beaten tourist trail through 6 some of Scotland’s most magnificent scenery. We will hike on seven islands. Sculpted by the sea, these islands have long and Skye varied coastlines, with high cliffs, sea lochs or fjords, sandy and rocky bays, caves and arches - always something new to draw 5 INVERNESSyou on around the next corner. Highlights • Tobermory, Mull; • Boat trip to and walks on the Isles of Staffa, with its basalt columns, MALLAIG and Iona with a visit to Iona Abbey; 4 • The sandy beaches on the Isle of Harris; • Boat trip and hike to Loch Coruisk on Skye; • Walk to the tidal island of Oronsay; 2 • Visit to the Standing Stones of Calanish on Lewis. 10 Staffa • Butt of Lewis hike. 3 Mull 2 1 Iona OBAN Kintyre Islay GLASGOW EDINBURGH 1. Glasgow - Isle of Mull 6. Talisker distillery, Oronsay, Iona Abbey 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Anne R Johnston Phd Thesis
    ;<>?3 ?3@@8393;@ 6; @53 6;;3> 530>623? 1/# *%%"&(%%- B6@5 ?=316/8 >343>3;13 @< @53 6?8/;2? <4 9A88! 1<88 /;2 @6>33 /OOG ># 7PJOSTPO / @JGSKS ?UDNKTTGF HPR TJG 2GIRGG PH =J2 CT TJG AOKVGRSKTY PH ?T# /OFRGWS &++& 4UMM NGTCFCTC HPR TJKS KTGN KS CVCKMCDMG KO >GSGCREJ.?T/OFRGWS,4UMM@GXT CT, JTTQ,$$RGSGCREJ"RGQPSKTPRY#ST"COFRGWS#CE#UL$ =MGCSG USG TJKS KFGOTKHKGR TP EKTG PR MKOL TP TJKS KTGN, JTTQ,$$JFM#JCOFMG#OGT$&%%'($'+)% @JKS KTGN KS QRPTGETGF DY PRKIKOCM EPQYRKIJT Norse settlement in the Inner Hebrides ca 800-1300 with special reference to the islands of Mull, Coll and Tiree A thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Anne R Johnston Department of Mediaeval History University of St Andrews November 1990 IVDR E A" ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS None of this work would have been possible without the award of a studentship from the University of &Andrews. I am also grateful to the British Council for granting me a scholarship which enabled me to study at the Institute of History, University of Oslo and to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for financing an additional 3 months fieldwork in the Sunnmore Islands. My sincere thanks also go to Prof Ragni Piene who employed me on a part time basis thereby allowing me to spend an additional year in Oslo when I was without funding. In Norway I would like to thank Dr P S Anderson who acted as my supervisor. Thanks are likewise due to Dr H Kongsrud of the Norwegian State Archives and to Dr T Scmidt of the Place Name Institute, both of whom were generous with their time.
    [Show full text]
  • The Genetic Landscape of Scotland and the Isles
    The genetic landscape of Scotland and the Isles Edmund Gilberta,b, Seamus O’Reillyc, Michael Merriganc, Darren McGettiganc, Veronique Vitartd, Peter K. Joshie, David W. Clarke, Harry Campbelle, Caroline Haywardd, Susan M. Ringf,g, Jean Goldingh, Stephanie Goodfellowi, Pau Navarrod, Shona M. Kerrd, Carmen Amadord, Archie Campbellj, Chris S. Haleyd,k, David J. Porteousj, Gianpiero L. Cavalleria,b,1, and James F. Wilsond,e,1,2 aSchool of Pharmacy and Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland; bFutureNeuro Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland; cGenealogical Society of Ireland, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin A96 AD76, Ireland; dMedical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, Scotland; eCentre for Global Health Research, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9AG, Scotland; fBristol Bioresource Laboratories, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom; gMedical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, United Kingdom; hCentre for Academic Child Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1NU, United Kingdom; iPrivate address, Isle of Man IM7 2EA, Isle of Man; jCentre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University
    [Show full text]
  • Towards a Sonic Methodology Cathy
    Island Studies Journal , Vol. 11, No. 2, 2016, pp. 343-358 Mapping the Outer Hebrides in sound: towards a sonic methodology Cathy Lane University of the Arts London, United Kingdom [email protected] ABSTRACT: Scottish Gaelic is still widely spoken in the Outer Hebrides, remote islands off the West Coast of Scotland, and the islands have a rich and distinctive cultural identity, as well as a complex history of settlement and migrations. Almost every geographical feature on the islands has a name which reflects this history and culture. This paper discusses research which uses sound and listening to investigate the relationship of the islands’ inhabitants, young and old, to placenames and the resonant histories which are enshrined in them and reveals them, in their spoken form, as dynamic mnemonics for complex webs of memories. I speculate on why this ‘place-speech’ might have arisen from specific aspects of Hebridean history and culture and how sound can offer a new way of understanding the relationship between people and island toponymies. Keywords: Gaelic, island, landscape, memory, Outer Hebrides, place-speech, sound © 2016 – Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada Introduction I am a composer, sound artist and academic. In my creative practice I compose concert works and gallery installations. My current practice focuses around sound-based investigations of a place or theme and uses a mixture of field recording, interview, spoken text and existing oral history archive recordings as material. I am interested in the semantic and the abstract sonic qualities of all this material and I use it to construct “docu-music” (Lane, 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay Pa48 7Tx
    FOR SALE DEVELOPMENT SITE PORT CHARLOTTE, ISLE OF ISLAY PA48 7TX • DEVELOPMENT SITE SUITABLE FOR A VARIETY OF USES SUBJECT TO PLANNING CONSENT • BEAUTIFUL LOCATION OVERLOOKING LOCH INDAAL • SITUATED WITHIN CENTRE OF PEACEFUL VILLAGE • TOTAL SITE AREA 0.309 ACRES (0.125 HECTARES) www.g-s.co.uk the complete property service LOCATION PORT The Isle of Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. It is the fifth largest island in Scotland with a total area of 620 sq.km CHARLOTTE, and has a total population of around 3,300 people. Private car ownership is high. The island has an outstanding ISLE OF ISLAY, natural environment and is a popular tourist destination, offering safety, freedom, outstanding scenery and PA48 7TX beautiful beaches. Port Charlotte is situated within the Rinns of Islay peninsula on the west of the Isle of Islay and enjoys panoramic views over Loch Indaal. The village is very picturesque with beautiful white painted houses and the site is set between The Port Charlotte Hotel and Port Charlotte Youth Hostel. The site is bounded by the shore of Loch Indaal to the east and the to the west. FOR SALE DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION The site extends to a total of 0.309 acres or thereby and currently comprises a derelict warehouse of traditional stone construction with yard space. SITE PLANNING SITE AREA VAT The subjects are situated within an area covered by the Argyll Change SITE AREA wording as follows:- Unless otherwise stated, all figures, prices, etc are quoted and Bute Local Development Plan adopted in March 2015.
    [Show full text]
  • S. S. N. S. Norse and Gaelic Coastal Terminology in the Western Isles It
    3 S. S. N. S. Norse and Gaelic Coastal Terminology in the Western Isles It is probably true to say that the most enduring aspect of Norse place-names in the Hebrides, if we expect settlement names, has been the toponymy of the sea coast. This is perhaps not surprising, when we consider the importance of the sea and the seashore in the economy of the islands throughout history. The interplay of agriculture and fishing has contributed in no small measure to the great variety of toponymic terms which are to be found in the islands. Moreover, the broken nature of the island coasts, and the variety of scenery which they afford, have ensured the survival of a great number of coastal terms, both in Gaelic and Norse. The purpose of this paper, then, is to examine these terms with a Norse content in the hope of assessing the importance of the two languages in the various islands concerned. The distribution of Norse names in the Hebrides has already attracted scholars like Oftedal and Nicolaisen, who have concen­ trated on establis'hed settlement names, such as the village names of Lewis (OftedaI1954) and the major Norse settlement elements (Nicolaisen, S.H.R. 1969). These studies, however, have limited themselves to settlement names, although both would recognise that the less important names also merit study in an intensive way. The field-work done by the Scottish Place Name Survey, and localised studies like those done by MacAulay (TGSI, 1972) have gone some way to rectifying this omission, but the amount of material available is enormous, and it may be some years yet before it is assembled in a form which can be of use to scholar­ ship.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Trip Notes
    Isle of Skye and The Small Isles - Scotland Trip Notes TRIP OVERVIEW Take part in a truly breathtaking expedition through some of the most stunning scenery in the British Isles; Scotland’s world-renowned Inner Hebrides. Basing ourselves around the Isles of Skye, Rum, Eigg and Muck and staying on board the 102-foot tall ship, the ‘Lady of Avenel’, this swimming adventure offers a unique opportunity to explore the dramatic landscapes of this picturesque corner of the world. From craggy mountain tops to spectacular volcanic features, this tour takes some of the most beautiful parts of this collection of islands, including the spectacular Cuillin Hills. Our trip sees us exploring the lochs, sounds, islands, coves and skerries of the Inner Hebrides, while also providing an opportunity to experience an abundance of local wildlife. This trip allows us to get to know the islands of the Inner Hebrides intimately, swimming in stunning lochs and enjoying wild coastal swims. We’ll journey to the islands on a more sustainable form of transport and enjoy freshly cooked meals in our downtime from our own onboard chef. From sunsets on the ships deck, to even trying your hand at crewing the Lady of Avenel, this truly is an epic expedition and an exciting opportunity for adventure swimming and sailing alike. WHO IS THIS TRIP FOR? This trip is made up largely of coastal, freshwater loch swimming, along with some crossings, including the crossing from Canna to Rum. Conditions will be challenging, yet extremely rewarding. Swimmers should have a sound understanding and experience of swimming in strong sea conditions and be capable of completing the average daily swim distance of around 4 km (split over a minimum of two swims) prior to the start of the trip.
    [Show full text]
  • A Genevan's Journey to the Hebrides in 1807: an Anti-Johnsonian Venture Hans Utz
    Studies in Scottish Literature Volume 27 | Issue 1 Article 5 1992 A Genevan's Journey to the Hebrides in 1807: An Anti-Johnsonian Venture Hans Utz Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/ssl Part of the English Language and Literature Commons Recommended Citation Utz, Hans (1992) "A Genevan's Journey to the Hebrides in 1807: An Anti-Johnsonian Venture," Studies in Scottish Literature: Vol. 27: Iss. 1. Available at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/ssl/vol27/iss1/5 This Article is brought to you by the Scottish Literature Collections at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Studies in Scottish Literature by an authorized editor of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Hans UIZ A Genevan's Journey to the Hebrides in 1807: An Anti-Johnsonian Venture The book Voyage en Ecosse et aux Iles Hebrides by Louis-Albert Necker de Saussure of Geneva is the basis for my report.! While he was studying in Edinburgh he began his private "discovery of Scotland" by recalling the links existing between the foreign country and his own: on one side, the Calvinist church and mentality had been imported from Geneva, while on the other, the topographic alternation between high mountains and low hills invited comparison with Switzerland. Necker's interest in geology first incited his second step in discovery, the exploration of the Highlands and Islands. Presently his ethnological curiosity was aroused to investigate a people who had been isolated for many centuries and who, after the abortive Jacobite Re­ bellion of 1745-1746, were confronted with the advanced civilization of Lowland Scotland, and of dominant England.
    [Show full text]
  • Island Place-Names
    Island Place-names Dr Jacob King The names of Scotland’s islands are a fascinating window into the country’s linguistic landscape; the languages of the Gaels, the Vikings and the Angles have all left their mark across the north-western seaboard. The Earliest names Evidence from historical sources suggest there may have existed an unknown language in Scotland prior to the arrival of the later, historic languages. This language might have been utterly forgotten were it not for a handful of names of rivers, islands and regions. Many theories have been put forward as to the identity of the language from which these names derive and what the names may have originally meant, but the jury is still out on the majority of them. Names such as Mull, Unst and Uist all defy analysis. Likewise, Islay is from Gaelic Ìle, the -s- in the English form was inserted on analogy with words like isle and island, but its original meaning has nonetheless been lost. Lewis appears to be from a Norse word Ljóðhús meaning ‘song house’; this is rather an odd name to be given to an island, maybe the Norse adapted it from an earlier unknown language? Norse Names At least in the north, the first historical people to make their linguistic mark on the Scottish seaboard were the Norse or the Vikings. Being a seafaring people, it is no surprise that most Norse place-names appear round the coast of Northern Britain. In general, island names ending in -aigh, -ey, -ay and -a are of Norse origin, reflecting the Norse word for island, øy.
    [Show full text]
  • Orkney in the Medieval Realm of Norway
    Island Studies Journal , Vol. 8, No. 2, 2013, pp. 255-268. From Asset in War to Asset in Diplomacy: Orkney in the Medieval Realm of Norway Ian Peter Grohse Norwegian University of Science and Technology Norway [email protected] Abstract : The island province of Orkney played a crucial role in Norway’s overseas expansion during the Early- and High-Middle Ages. Located just offshore from mainland Scotland, it provided a resort for westward-sailing fleets as well as a convenient springboard for military forays into Britain and down the Irish Sea. The establishment of a Norwegian-Scottish peace and the demarcation of fixed political boundaries in 1266 led to a revision of Orkney’s role in the Norwegian realm. From that point until the its pledging to the Scottish Crown in 1468, Norway depended on Orkney as a hub for diplomacy and foreign relations. This paper looks at how Orkney figured in Norwegian royal strategies in the west and presents key examples which show its transition from a tool of war to a forum for peace. Keywords : diplomacy, islands, medieval, Norway, Orkney, warfare © 2013 – Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada Introduction For roughly seven centuries, from the late-eighth until the late-fifteenth centuries, the North Sea archipelago of Orkney was under varying degrees of influence and overlordship of the Kingdom of Norway. It was one of a string of North Sea and North Atlantic islands including Greenland, Iceland, the Faeroes, Shetland, and until 1266 the Hebrides and Man, known in contemporary texts as skattlondum (tributary countries) of the King of Norway.
    [Show full text]
  • Heritage Book Heritage Book
    HERITAGE BOOK A PROGRESSIVE EXPLORATION OF THE BOTANICAL HERITAGE OF OUR ISLE OF ISLAY. HERITAGE BOOK HERITAGE _HISTORY ISLE OF ISLAY, SOUTHERN HEBRIDES, SCOTLAND. The Botanist is a gin of layered The whisky industry has always They believed in the concept of As serendipity would have it, living complexity. A progressive exploration suffered from cyclical periods terroir, for spirits as for wine. They on the south side of the island of the botanical heritage of our of boom and bust, leading to multiple respected the traditional equipment at that time were two botanical Isle of Islay. 22 hand-foraged local changes of ownerships and closures and methods, the heavy reliance on experts, Dr Richard Gulliver and botanicals delicately augment nine for Bruichladdich over the past skilled manpower. They were prepared Mavis Gulliver. They identified berries, barks, seeds and peels during century. In 1994 it closed for what to contradict the establishment, test 33 herbs, leaves, and edible flowers an achingly slow distillation. Our could easily have been the last time. out new ideas, judge things by their that could be sustainably foraged approach to spirits distillation, and But the distillery was acquired flavour, elevate the ingredients. on the island for their flavour and the Bruichladdich story, begins back by wine merchants Simon Coughlin And together with Head Distiller scent. From these, Jim selected 22, in 1881, when brothers William, John and Mark Reynier, who brought Jim McEwan and Distillery Manager proposing a balanced recipe evocative and Robert Harvey constructed an it back from the brink of closure Duncan McGillivray, they set out of Islay.
    [Show full text]
  • Travels in the Scottish Islands the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland
    Kirsti MacDonald Jareg Travels in the Scottish Islands The Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland In 'Travels in the Scottish Islands' the author skillfully weaves threads from a rich historical past with her observant, humorous and personal account of a colourful, but challenging present. The reader meets Gaelic storytellers, lighthouse builders, whisky lovers, megalomaniac Victorians, mad rally drivers, shrewd clan chiefs and many more. Cappelen Damm 2014 447 pages The music of calling seabirds, the bleating of sheep on the hills, seals singing out on the Original title: Øyene i vest skerries, the eternal washing of waves over white shell sands, and the ever present Hebridene, Orknøyene og Shetland winds form a haunting backdrop. ISBN: 9788202470050 The narrative captures the unique blend of Scottish, Celtic and Norse language, culture FOREIGN RIGHTS and tradition found in these beautiful islands. Includes colour photographs. The right of this book is managed by the The account is based on thorough background research and interviews with local author. For any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me: [email protected] island people. The research includes older travel accounts from 1700th and 1800th century such as the ones of Dr. Johnson and Boswell or Martin Martin, the Orkney OTHER TITLES Saga and letters or writings from prominent British authors such as Charles Dickens and Robert Louis Stevenson. Ireland - a Celtic Journey (Irland - en keltisk reise) Link text Link text Kirsti Jareg, author of "Øyene i vest" hopes not so much to ride the wave of interest for Scotland, as to raise its swell into something more important: a new awareness of the strengt of ancient bonds - The Guardian By adding this new book to your travel library, you'll be well equipped when sailing westwards..
    [Show full text]