Description
Book SynopsisFor 20 years, since 1991, historian and poet Angus Martin has been documenting in the Kintyre Magazine his observations and experiences while walking the hills and shores of his native Kintyre. This volume - an eclectic mix of natural history, history, archaeology, folklore, and much else, ranging from snippets to mini-essays - comprises a selection of 'By Hill and Shore' from the past 40 issues, plus supplementary articles and some 90 illustrations, mostly his own photographs taken during the past 30 years. Rich in its evocation of places, people, and creatures great and small, this anthology should provide lasting enjoyment to all readers, at home and abroad, with a passion for 'lovely, long Kintyre'.
Table of ContentsIllustrations xvii Introduction xxi 1991 1 Otters 1 Mink 3 Foxes 4 Moles 6 Crossbills 7 Sparrowhawks 8 Peregrine Falcons 8 Red Grouse 9 'Wee Donald Ban' 9 'Skye John' 10 Atlantic Winkles 10 Wild Goats 12 Blaeberries 12 Horse Mushrooms 15 Mushrooms in Local Tradition 16 Hedgehogs 16 1992 19 Mermaid's Purses 19 Peat-cutting 21 Cladach: A Peat-Cutting Term 26 An Encounter with Old Nick 26 Giant Puffballs 28 Ben Gullion Trail Opened 30 Mail Delivery to Innean Mor 31 Basking Sharks 34 A Conger Eel 35 Tree-Creeper 35 Oysters 36 1993 38 Scallops 38 Wild Goats 40 Sarah Finds a Flint Arrowhead 40 Tropical Beans 41 Blaeberry-gathering with an Austrian 42 Bringing Worms to the Surface 44 'Back o' the Trinch' 44 Gleneadardacrock 45 Slow-Worms 45 Sand and Limpets 47 To Largiebaan Caves 47 Stalactites and Stalagmites 50 Hooded Crows 50 1994 52 A Rooks' Nest 52 A Spring Outing to the Lochs 52 Encounters at the Inneans 53 Mink 55 1995 57 Cockles and Mussels 57 Peat-cutting and a Laggan Moss Spade 58 Prehistoric Artefacts from Peat 59 Archaeological Finds at Erradil 60 The Anchor of the Madelaine Ann 64 Bramblers 66 Sloes 66 Largiebaan 68 Visit to Borgadale 69 A Winter's Day on Ben Gullion 71 A White Christmas 71 1996 72 Sunset from Bluebell Hill 72 Erradil and MacKays 72 Achadhdubh 76 Triangulation Pillars 78 Risso's Dolphins 80 'Shellisters' and 'Sheggans' 82 The Rat Stane 84 Grey Mullet 86 Wing-beats 86 'Kanejachs' 86 Witch-Hares, Brown Hares and White Hares 88 Tall Tales 90 Roe Deer 90 Glenrea 91 1997 93 Innean Dunain 93 Low-flying Jets 95 Quartz Rock 95 A Dying Lumpsucker 96 Rushes 96 Eggar Moth Cocoons 97 An Evening on Auchenhoan Hill 99 Mushroom-gathering 100 1998 101 Oitir as a place-name 101 Razor-fish 104 Saint Kieran's Cave 105 Alastair Responds 105 Trapped at Saint Kieran's Cave 107 Blue Tits 109 To the Inneans 109 A Herring Gull Eel-Fishing 110 Wild Strawberries 112 An Astonishing Downpour 112 A Further Deluge 113 Our Caravan is Destroyed 114 1999 115 Moonlight and Pri
