Thursday 10 December 2009

Old Pals


Andy had noticed a wee advert last week for a lecture in the local arts centre:

Thursday December 10: Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Airdrie Arts Centre, Anderson Street, Airdrie. Sutherland: The Empty Lands, Cameron McNeish with Richard Else. Starts 7.30pm

(No cracks about "Airdrie" and "Arts Centre" appearing in close proximity, incidentally.)

It's good to support these local clubs, plus me and Cameron go way back*, so we wandered along.




There was no' a bad turnout, considering the limited attraction of a geography-related lecture on a Thursday evening in darkest Lanarkshire, and I have to say it was a good talk. It was basically a presentation on the "Sutherland Trail" which as far as I can work out is a new long distance path invented by Cameron & his mates because the West Highland Way is good but overly popular, the Southern Upland Way is too long, and the Great Glen Way is rubbish.

;0)

He explains it succinctly on his own website: "The Sutherland Trail - a journey through north-west Scotland, is based on the BBC television programme Richard Else and I made last summer. I’ve written the book and Richard has illustrated it with some superb images of Sutherland. The book will be distributed through Cordee but it is also available from this website, price £20 + p&p." Hint - if you pay the £4 to get into the lecture you can get the book for only £15.

But not just "the book". A signed copy, no less!




Actually it looks like a brilliant walk. Five to seven days to complete it, he says, depending on how many of the hills you decide to wander up en route. More incisive observations to follow, once I've read the thing.

:0)





*No, he didny remember.

2 comments:

  1. The GGW is a bit disappointing, it was my first long distance walk. Some nice sections, but too much forest track and not enough views...

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  2. Hi Fraser. Aye, the lack of views seemed to be one of the issues he mentioned. He also said that the Sutherland Trail was designed to go through, or near a few villages or communities at least, so that the folk that live there & the economy, for want of a better term, get some benefit from the walkers that pass by.

    Seems reasonable enough!

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