With over six thousand miles of rugged coastline, nowhere in Scotland is more than forty-five miles from tidal waters, and seven of the biggest towns and cities are seaports. No wonder then that the sea has shaped Scotland, and in turn the Scots have helped to shape maritime history, trade and communications. Scots and the Sea is a unique and compelling account of a small, sparsely populated country's relationship with the most powerful force on earth. It is a celebration of the courage and endurance of fishermen and their families, the selfless bravery of lifeboat volunteers and the individual brilliance of leaders like Admiral Cochrane, who helped establish free nations across the globe. The illicit activities of scoundrels like Captain Kidd also provide a taste of the darker side of the story. Scotland's proud maritime tradition is traced through this volume, which examines the development of trade, the founding of a Scottish merchant navy and the pressures towards Union with England. It explores ports, harbours and shipyards, and outlines the vital role Scotland has played in shipbuilding and marine engineering - from the galleys and longships of early history to clippers, steamships, ocean liners, hovercraft and oil rigs. Also recounted are the exploits and achievements of Scots in all these fields, including those of James Watt, William Symington, Henry Bell and Robert Stevenson. Finally, it takes a look into the future, where Scottish research into wave and tidal power could become vital in providing a source of sustainable energy. Over the years, many Scots have made their living and their fortune from the sea, others have lost their lives to it – Scots and the Sea is a tribute to all of them.
Alexander Fenton writes on the uses of shellfish as a way of examining the relationship between small-scale and large-scale fishing, and Ian Morrison investigates boat types in Shetland and in the Scandinavian islands.
Echoes of the Sea is an anthology celebrating Scotland's relationship with the sea as it is found in fiction, ballads, poetry, journal-writing and reportage. It includes extracts of work by...
A sweeping historical fantasy of love, danger, and time travel, Susanna Kearsley masterfully weaves Scotland's past into Carrie's present in this stunning book.
Roving freely across the centuries, from the first migrations of the regions' paleolithic tribes and their encounters with Greek and Roman explorers, to the grand colonial projects of the Vikings, Normans and Stuarts, this is the story of ...
Lavishly illustrated exploration of the ways in which the unique Scottish character has been shaped and influenced by its turbulent relationship with the sea. Based on popular BBC tv series.
Also by Robert Jeffrey Peterhead – the inside story of Scotland's toughest prison Gentle Johnny Ramensky The Barlinnie Story A Boxing Dynasty (with Tommy Gilmour) Real Hard Cases (with Les Brown) Glasgow's Godfather Gangs of Glasgow ...
As well as providing essential information on where to start and finish, distances, times and tidal information, the book does much to stimulate and inform our interest in the environment we are passing through.
And the evidence is still here, in the Cutty Sark, the Denny test tank at Dumbarton, and the Burrell Collection at Pollock, all reminders of a remarkable story.As seen in Scottish Memories Magazine.
The kingdom of Dal Riata flourished for a few brief centuries but the legacy of that period is profound. According to legend, the Irish king Fergus Mor arrived on the...
This volume traces the long-standing relationship between Scotland, the Scots and the sea from the early historic period to the present day.