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The publisher says: National Trails were established as part of the post-war program to keep areas of Britain "special" and to protect them from development. The first such route, the Pennine Way, opened in 1965, and since then another 14 have been designated in England and Wales, with a further 4 in Scotland. Together, the National Trails cover well over 5000 km (3100 mi), each one with unique qualities that explore the rich, scenic and historic countryside of Britain. Even the most dedicated long-distance walker would take over 200 days to walk them all, but most are happy to explore them one after another over several annual holidays. With its route descriptions, photographs and profiles, this book is not only an invaluable reference for anyone researching our National Trails, but is in itself a celebration of these wonderful routes across Britain's landscape. Paddy Dillon has walked all the National Trails twice, and keeps abreast of all the latest developments.

Details:
Title: The National Trails of England, Scotland and Wales
Publisher: Cicerone Press
Pub. date: Feb. 28, 2008
Author: Paddy Dillon
Paperback; 256 pages
List price: $29.95
ISBN-10: 185284504X
ISBN-13: 978-1852845049
Product dimensions: 9.3 x 6.7 x 0.9 inches
Shipping weight: 1.5 pounds

The publisher says: From cottages in Cornwall to manor homes in the Scottish Highlands, hundreds of personally inspected residences are listed in this fully updated, lavishly illustrated guide to B&Bs throughout the United Kingdom. Savvy American travelers know that bed and breakfast accommodations offer great value, interesting locations, and unique hospitality in private homes. Organized alphabetically by county, the hundreds of B&Bs listed here range from splendid Tudor houses and modern city apartments to quaint 19th-century cottages and country pubs. Many accept children and pets; some serve dinner in addition to a full English breakfast; some have magnificent views, a swimming pool, or babysitting services. Best of all, no two are alike. All homes listed in the guide have been reviewed by the Worldwide Bed & Breakfast Association, and all information on rates and amenities has been updated. Each entry includes a detailed description of the home and setting; fully updated information on rates, amenities, and other practical details; and a color photograph. Road maps of each county clearly show the location of each B & B. This is the best reference available for travelers in England, Scotland, and Wales who enjoy B&B accommodations.

Details:
Title: Best Bed & Breakfast England, Scotland, Wales 2008-2009 (23rd edition)
Publisher: Globe Pequot
Pub. date: Jan. 1, 2008
Paperback; 384 pages
List price: $19.95
ISBN-10: 0762745665
ISBN-13: 978-0762745661

The publisher says: The master of whisky crafts a travelogue through the distillery regions evoking the magic of Scotland's landscapes and its most famous exports -- the great malts. With his Malt Whisky Companion, Michael Jackson was the first writer to describe in detail the aromas and flavors of Scotland's most famous product. Now he depicts the country that shapes the whiskies, with a calm clarity that doesn't hide his passion for Scotland and its whiskies. Ten chapters take us to each of the great distilleries, detailing the influence of climate and geography. Also included are a directory of distilleries and their malts, and a glossary. Whether studying the ancient varieties of barley in the Orkney Islands, drinking tea with peat cutters while a storm brews over Islay, or relishing the finished product by the shore at sundown, Jackson and photographer Harry Cory Wright bring a personal understanding to the magic of malt. Anyone with even the slightest fancy for Scotland or its water of life will gain from joining their exploration. Their collaboration has produced an original contribution to the literature of whisky and a dazzling composite portrait of Scotland.

Details:
Title: Scotland and its Whiskies: The Great Whiskies, the Distilleries and Their Landscapes
Publisher: Duncan Baird
Pub. date: March 4, 2008
Author: Michael Jackson
Paperback; 144 pages
List price: $19.95
ISBN-10: 1844836142
ISBN-13: 978-1844836147

The publisher says: The Literary Traveller in Scotland opens up Scotland's literary landscape for the first time in one concise volume. All prominent Scottish writers from the 14th to the 21st century are included and discussed in their literary, historical and cultural contexts, set in the landscapes where they were born and which inspired them. It details the birthplaces, childhoods, former homes and burial places of famous Scottish authors, uncovers sites, restaurants and pubs with a literary connection, and lists notable bookshops, literary museums and other places of relevance in the world of Scottish writing. This attractive tome is lavishly illustrated with photographs, while maps enhance many of the entries.

Details:
Title: The Literary Traveller in Scotland
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing
Pub. date: Jan. 22, 2008
Author: Allan Foster
Hardcover; 256 pages
List price: $22.95
ISBN-10: 1845961897
ISBN-13: 978-1845961893
Product dimensions: 9.1 x 4.6 x 0.9 inches
Shipping weight: 15.5 ounces

IN Edinburgh recently as a guide for summer school students, I struck up a conversation with a museum guard. For a moment, I wondered if I’d made a serious mistake: His Scottish brogue was so thick I had to work to understand the words. As it turned out, the struggle was worth it.

Perking up when he heard my own accent, the guard said he’d been to America before. In fact, he’d been married in Toronto. Is your wife Canadian, I asked? “No,” he said, “but ’er granny was.”

It turned out that she’d left Scotland for Canada in the early 1900s, a victim of the English endeavor to buy out land for sheep-grazing and send the inhabitants, well, anywhere else. The “Highland Clearances,” which often involved forcibly evicting inhabitants from their homes, are notorious among the Scottish. Today, they help account for the wild, deserted look of the Highlands. They also explain how there are more Highlands descendants in North America and Australasia than in Scotland itself.

Even today, the guard said, nearly everyone in the Highlands knows someone—a friend, a relative—who was sent from their land and across the sea.  read more »