Porto press ltd caithness (435 resultados)

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. After giving up a hectic life as a journalist in Europe and Hollywood in the late 1960s to return to his boyhood love of nature, Mike Tomkies found Eilean Shona, a remote island 'between earth and paradise' off the west coast of Scotland. There he rebuilt a rotting wooden crofthouse which sheep had used for shelter from the bitter Atlantic winds and began a new way of life, observing nature, that was to last to the present day. He tracked wildlife, stags, foxes, made friends with the seals, and taught a young injured sparrowhawk to hunt for itself. It was the indomitable spirit of this tiny hawk that taught Tomkies what it takes for any of us to be truly free. Whether he was fishing, growing his own food or battling through stormy seas in a small boat, he learned that he could survive in the harsh environment. This book, the beginning of a remarkable Scottish odyssey, has long been out of print until now - but one which has long been demanded by Tomkies' loyal readers. "Between Earth and Paradise" tells of an astonishing story - of daring to take the first step away from urban routines, which many of us only dream about - which led in turn to an even more remote location and his unrivalled series of books on the golden eagle, the wildcats he reared, and his faithful dog, Moobli. "Between Earth and Paradise" will be of immense interest, not only to Mike Tomkies' fans, but also to anyone with an interest in wildlife, the natural world and those with an interest in living self-sufficiently. Between Earth and Paradise is also an engrossing story which will transport the reader to share Mike's lonely but rewarding lifestyle. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. This new edition brings the story of lighthouses in in Scotland up to date now that the task of automation is finished. Ian Cassells, a former lightkeeper, provides an account of life in the Lighthouse Service where "paraffin-oiler" was the nickname for a Scottish lightkeeper. Cassells provides detail about the lighthouses themselves, their construction and the development of the Service. Through personal reminiscences and tales from colleagues, he builds up an account of day-to-day life and the characters who were involved in this solitary occupation. He also deals with the infamous Flannan Islands mystery. Photographs highlight the locations of many of the lighthouses. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. The history of a 17th-century trading vessel and its master that provides an account of shipping and trading hundreds of years ago. The "George" was probably a product of the well-established shipbuilding industry in Leith, made in the latter part of the 17th century. The book includes a wealth of information is included on topics such as the construction of the hull form and fittings, an inventory of equipment, details of the navigation instruments that were used, how the tonnage was calculated and the different types of sails. Details of the ship's expenses show the food purchased which consisted mainly of meat, beer and bread - apparently standard fare for all voyages for the master and crew! Freight such as salt and coal were carried to surprisingly diverse places as Rotterdam, London, Norway as well as more local ports. Extracts from the accounts show the cost of these journeys. One erstwhile master of the "George", James Forrester, was seized by French privateers in 1710 and held for ransom. It was only due to the efforts of his wife, Janet Johnston, that he was eventually released. This account was taken from records of an Admiralty Court case in Edinburgh that she had raised. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. 'This is an important book. It is written by an expert who probably knows more about wildlife crime in the UK, and especially in Scotland, than anyone else. It is important because so little is known and understood about a widespread and deeply disturbing illegal practice.' Extract from Foreword by Sir John Lister-Kaye, OBE Through the professional life of Dave Dick, the RSPB's Senior Scottish Investigation Officer between 1984 and 2006, the often murky world of wildlife crime is revealed. This is the first book that faces up to the realities of the often unsuccessful efforts by the justice system in its attempt to stop these crimes. Unflinching accounts of the shocking levels of killing and the cruel and callous nature of the killers are related. However black comedy and lighter moments prevent this being just another catalogue of man's inhumanity to nature with personal accounts of the thrill and joy of watching some of our most beautiful birds and animals in their equally beautiful landscapes. The author examines the motives of both criminals and their pursuers in an attempt to show the truth of what has become a highly-charged and politicised topic. He reveals the truth of what is happening in some corners of our countryside, where the public may be discouraged to tread and hopes to inform a more reasoned debate on the topic. This timely and inevitably controversial book lifts the lid on the pressures faced by some of our most iconic wildlife species which are being shot, trapped and poisoned. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. A novel based on the life of Bob Crumley, member of Dundee FC's 1910 Scottish Cup-winning team. The story is told through the eyes of his grandson as a series of snapshots in a family album - except the shots were never taken, for the popular goalie was an outcast from his own family. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. This is a mixture of folk-tale, magic, myth, love story and hymn of praise to the natural world of Scotland's high and low lands, their landscapes and creatures, and the poet-guardians who timelessly maintain their care for them. It is the legend-story of the mysterious Wanderer, who comes from the North to Striveling (Stirling) and its great Castle Rock, and the tales he tells to the five men and a woman who befriend him there. Who is this Wanderer, who seems ageless, who has profound affinities with animals and birds, who can take on the shape of swans and what is his mission to the South? Who are these friends, whose friendship becomes more, as they begin to realize that they are part of the strange, timeless and mythic destiny of a country older than civilization? What is the meaning of the unearthly love of the Wanderer and the mysterious Bella? This volume is a mixture of folk-tale, magic, myth, love story and hymn of praise to the natural world of Scotland's high and low lands, their landscapes and creatures, and the poet-guardians who timelessly maintain their care for them. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. The Storm Leopard is an alchemic blend of travel and nature writing that explores the primary dilemma of the 21st century - the conflict of modern lifestyles with the natural environment. This is an account of the author's journey from the Cape to the Serengeti Plains and his search for an answer to the Old Timer, a Kenyan who foretold the end of the wild. Martyn decided on one more trip, but this time without an agenda, without a timetable and without preconceptions: with no purpose other than to know, to feel and to understand. The book is filled with insights of African elephants and antelope, and with portraits of a natural world inhabited by Bushmen, game wardens and scientists. Running through it is an outspoken and highly ethical regard for humankind's relationship with nature. From his first contact with Bushman rock art in the Western Cape, the author is drawn into a spiritual journey as he grapples with the quandary of balancing our lifestyles with protecting the environment. His travelling companion, Stu, a fellow scientist and arch cynic, is nettled by this lack of rationality. Marooned together in their 4A--4, the friction, humour and hardship of their journey carry the reader across the continent from one adventure to another, to the final revelation atop an isolated kopje in the heart of the Serengeti Plains. The Storm Leopard is a unique book that emanates from the author's passionate affair with nature and many years of experience in the field as an ecologist and consultant in conservation - nothing deals with today's environmental issues in the same way. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. "The Lost Glen" vividly portrays a clash of cultures and personalities against a background of a landscape in visible decay. The cultural collision and its effects are explored through Ewan, a young local man recently returned from university in disgrace, and a retired English colonel staying at the village hotel. Both men in a sense are alienated from the community, the younger because of a haunting sense of failure, and the older through an unwillingness to understand the local culture. They have a mutual antipathy. The Colonel's self-imposed cultural isolation leads to aggressive bullying and an openly lascivious attitude towards local young women. His unworthiness as a representative of Anglo-Saxon culture is largely compensated for by his young niece, who behaves with sensitivity and integrity. She is clearly attracted to Ewan whose sense of failure is complex and does not only concern his enforced withdrawal from university and his involvement in an incident at sea that cost his father his life; it concerns the feeling he has of himself as a spiritual exile - a man who had intended to emigrate but who had remained as an outsider in the land that meant so much to him.He is fascinated by the experience of a local piper, whose finding of a lost glen that had a strange beauty and primordial freshness had been translated into a pibroch. The haunting tune acts as a stimulant to Ewan's Hamlet-like musings on the possibility of a rejuvenation of the landscape or a final disappearance of its life and meaning. The antipathy between the two main protagonists leads to a physical struggle between them that brings to an end a novel, layered with meanings, that is more a symbolic drama than a novel of realism. One of the earliest novels to appear in the Scottish Literary Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, "The Lost Glen" turns its back on the form of writing that had depicted Scotland as a rural paradise in favour of describing Highland life as it really was at that time. Portrays a clash of cultures and personalities against a background of a landscape in visible decay. This work explores the cultural collision and its effects, through Ewan, a young local man returned from university in disgrace, and a retired English colonel staying at the village hotel. Both men, in a sense, are alienated from the community. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. "Rare, Wild and Free" is a testament to the work of one of the finest nature writers Britain has ever produced - Mike Tomkies, who spent 35 years in the wildest and most remote places in Scotland, Canada and Spain to study and photograph the rarest and most dramatic wild creatures. The eminent critic J N P Watson commented in Country Life, 'Mike Tomkies is Mowgli, Robinson Crusoe and Konrad Lorenz rolled into one, a field of exceptional and practical knowledge'.This judgement, and much other critical acclaim including praise from the Duke of Edinburgh, is fully borne out in "Rare Wild and Free", which is a distilled masterpiece of his finest writings and wildlife photographs from the 20 years he spent in the remotast parts of the Scottish Highlands. For all the time he lived without any modern convieniences such as electricity, and the only access to his homes was by a small open boat in all weathers. He put into practice his belief that to study rare wildlife better, one had to live close to the vital animal state oneself. Whether breeding wildcats, stalking them in the wild, looking after injured foxes, owls and badgers in his home, climbing the high hills after the red deer herds, feeding wild pine martens through his window, or spending thousands of hours in hides on precarious cliff ledges to gain insights into the secret lives of golden eagles, Mike often emerged with photographs of stunning urgency, honesty and naturalness. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. After joining the Australian Merchant Navy at the age of sixteen, Dick Jolly trained as an engineer before joining the Australian National Line as a cadet. After a four-year apprenticeship, he gradually gained promotion while travelling around the Australian coast. Fascinated by the world of commercial deep-sea tugs and salvage, his first real break came in Portsmouth in 1963 when he landed a job on RFA Typhoon. Relocating to Singapore and with a Foreign Going tugmaster's qualification under his belt, he went on to travel the oceans of the world, hauling derelict ships, dredgers, floating cranes and all manner of other craft. For four years he left the sea, trying to earn a living as an opal-miner in Andamooka in the Australian Outback where the vast majority of miners go bankrupt! It was an advert for the post of tugmaster in the Port of Eden which brought him to his senses, and he returned to the world of salvage. After further work in the Far East, his no-nonsense attitude was appreciated by the managing director of a new salvage company and the author was sent to Germany to purchase the company's tug, the Intergulf. Many contracts followed, until the Intergulf was sold from underneath his feet. Captain Jolly relates many fascinating stories from the hard-bitten world of commercial salvage: dragging blazing ships off rocky shorelines, rescuing crews from the middle of the ocean and avoiding hostile natives. On one occasion, he had to drive through the jungle at break-neck speed to avoid being taken hostage! These and many other gripping adventures are recounted in this exciting, true-life and humorous story, which is complemented by stunning colour and black and white photographs. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. …

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Whilst on duty in the cramped confines of Muckle Flugga Lighthouse, Ian Cassells, took to walking circuits round the lighthouse station for exercise (12 laps to the mile). With this background, when the Northern Lighthouse Board celebrated its bicentenary in 1986, he made the suggestion that in commemoration of the anniversary he carry out a sponsored walk to raise money for the RNLI, calling at all the then manned lighthouses on the Scottish mainland. It took the author 58 days in which he covered at least 1100 miles on foot. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. A novel set in a Highland shooting lodge, where the focus is a hunt in a remote deer forest; but this is no ordinary thriller. A shooting lodge party of wealthy English people, a team of Highland stalkers, a legendary stag to be hunted and a background of glen and corrie, shrouded from time to time by impenetrable mist. A marvellous blend of ever-changing landscape - be it light and shadow, swift transitiions from light to half light, mist, rain, tones and flowing lines - contribute to the dramatic essence of the novel. Culture and personality clashes and mystery, which portent much deeper clashes between spiritual and material values, provide a vastly enjoyable read. Set in a Highland shooting lodge, this thriller features a shooting-lodge party of wealthy English people, a team of Highland stalkers, a legendary stag to be hunted and a background of glen and corrie, shrouded from time to time by impenetrable mist. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Neil M Gunn, one of Scotlands most distinguished 20th century authors, wrote over a period of 30 years, starting in 1926 and ending in 1956 with his so-called spiritual autobiography The Atom of Delight. Two years before this he wrote his last novel, The Other Landscape, the setting being the east coast of Scotlands most northerly mainland county. This provides the perfect backdrop a fishing hotel and its English residents, the local ghillies who served them, and a solitary white house near the cliffs in which the occupant, a man from the South, lives alone.Add to this the Major, a retired military officer-cum-diplomat, who quickly shows himself to be an insensitive and overbearing man, disdainful of his fellows and aggressive towards those who challenge his views or show any form of disrespect towards him. His paternalistic behaviour towards the local community masks a contempt for it. Life in the hotel is lightened on a more mundane level by two incidents, both directly relating to the Major a false alarm over a drowning incident and a fire in his bedroom, both of which end happily, but with a damaging loss of face for the Major and much amusement for the guests and staff at the hotel.Juxtaposed with the sporting life at the hotel, and in a subtle way connected to it, is the fate of the solitary and bereaved occupant of the white house. The shadow of death, both present and past, hangs over the house and blends with the palette of second sight and the strong phenomenon of recurrence, when patterns of events inexplicably repeat themselves. The reader is thus invited to consider the realities of life and death and the inherent tragedies that are contained within them, but in the end is presented with a glimpse of hope and renewal. Neil M Gunn, one of Scotlands most distinguished 20th century authors, wrote over a period of 30 years, starting in 1926 and ending in 1956. This is his final novel. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. At the heart of The Silver Bough is a cairn on a knoll surrounded by standing stones. This is of professional interest to an archaeologist, around whom the story revolves. The life-enhancing qualities of the crofting family with whom he lodges and the quiet tenor of Highland life bear a curious similarity to his speculations on how 'the cairn people' lived in the distant past. His ideas spread outwards like ripples in a loch, fascinating his colleagues and giving some meaning to the life of a neighbouring landowner, who is mentally scarred from his experiences in the War. The plot of the book is imaginative and intricate, and includes the mystery of skeletons found in a cist in the cairn. As the dig proceeds, gold is discovered and then disappears. Has it been taken by the lad the archaeologist has been employing and, if so, where is it? The search is on and the standing stone claims its sacrificial victim. A cairn on a knoll surrounded by standing stones becomes intriguing to the archaeologist around whom this story revolves. Skeletons are found in a cist in the cairn, and then gold is discovered and later disappears. The search is on and the standing stone claims its sacrificial victim. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Unlike most of Gunns novels, The Lost Chart is set in a city the city of Glasgow and its sea approaches. The untypical choice of background for the story is not the only departure from Gunns usual approach to his novels. The book is also a thriller. The story unfolds in a social ambience of fear and speculation within which certain sinister political forces are at work. Nuclear war is a possibility, if not a certainty. Shipping executive Dermot Cameron gets involved in a street brawl, loses the chart of the approaches to a remote Hebridean island and finds himself in a tussle between the British Secret Service and a locally-based communist fifth-column. The plot turns almost exclusively on the date of a looming crisis, and the imminence of that date pervades the thoughts and feelings of those in conflict with a locally-based sinister and elusive enemy.This timeless work, from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, has a remarkable relevance to the events of today. When it was written in 1949 there was an uneasiness in the West regarding changes to the old order of society and the decline in certain moral standards and spiritual beliefs. Today the problems facing humanity have not changed. The threatening political situations in the Far East, Middle East and Eastern Europe and the concomitant danger of nuclear warfare are all too evident. Against such a background, the way of life on the remote Hebridean island depicted by the author has an almost irresistible appeal. This timeless work, from one of the most important writers of the twentieth century, has a remarkable relevance to the events of today. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: Very Good. Authoritative first-hand account from a lifetime working with horses and their owners in the UK and worldwide An inside story on the high stakes racing world where winning is everything Highlights the challenges facing developing countries whose people depend on their horses, donkeys and mules Reveals the brutal transportation of horses and ponies by unscrupulous traders from market place to slaughter This book is dedicated to the protection of horses, ponies and donkeys and is based on first-hand international experience from a lifetime spent with horses - hunting, racing and welfare - whether with The Pony Club, The Jockey Club or international horse charity. The UK alone has more than 1 million horses and ponies which indicates we like them, and yet we also have more sanctuaries and welfare centres for horses than any other animal, which suggests we also abuse them. Horse Welfare, Use not Abuse is about all equines from The Pony Club to the highest levels of performance - racing, show jumping, eventing and endurance riding. The book challenges all horse and pony owners to care better for their animals.In the developed world we abuse our defenceless horses because we can, while in the developing world there is also abuse, but it is out of desperation for survival and ignorance of how to do better. In his travels, Christopher has met the leaders of most of the equestrian sports both nationally and internationally. Stories about some of these are featured, as well as anecdotes about the work of World Horse Welfare, calling on his role as a leading regulator, chairman of World Horse Welfare and lifelong horseman. From a position of authority - he held one of the highest profile jobs in the Jockey Club, steward in charge of enforcing the rules of horse racing - he provides an insight into the high stakes world of racing where winning is everything. In a sport where controversy is never far away, he calls for tougher measures to fight drug abuse. He condemns outright all those who use drugs to achieve victory, suggesting that cheats are banned for life from equestrian sport. He believes the real victims are the horses.There is a warning to the professionals in the sport that they have a duty of care not just for the horses, which are the real stars, but for the sport they enjoy.The author calls for closer attention to be given to horses, donkeys and mules in the developing world as they are the backbone of the poorest countries; they are often the only means of transporting people and goods, the only power with which to work the land and, far from being a luxury, are an absolute necessity for their owners' survival. Horses are beautiful animals that can work with their owners to the best effect; it is only right that they should all be cared for with respect so that the partnership is more equal, one of working together and free from abuse. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. In clear and utterly compelling English, this moving memoir tells the story of the agony, and the ecstasy, of one refugee and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistans spirit over its seemingly endless suffering. Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, British Ambassador to Afghanistan, 20072010 Flight From Afghanistan is a harrowing account of what drives a man to flee his home country in fear of his life, the trauma of refugee camps and the dangers he faces even when he reaches the sanctuary of the West. Afghans are the second largest refugee group in the world.When confronted by certain death at the point of a gun, Tella Omeri, an uneducated boy from a peasant family knew he had no alternative but to put his life in the hands of ruthless human traffickers, living on his wits and instincts. His 11-year flight, which began as a six-year- old child, is a story combining brutality with courage, hopelessness with resilience. The author asks for no pity, but in his short story he seeks to explain the motivation behind his decisions and paints a radically different picture of life in a troubled region, challenging world leaders and domestic warring factions to find a solution to the endless conflict.While thousands of refugees flee conflict and danger every day, Flight from Afghanistan shines a powerful light on what it actually means to undertake such a journey, and gives a voice to the often forgotten silent victims of the long running wars in the authors home country. Afghan refugees represent one of the worlds largest protracted refugee populations. Over the past four decades, many have been forced from their homes to never see them again. Some were able to return, for a while, but had their lives upended by a fresh eruption of conflict and violence either to be displaced elsewhere in the country, or to become refugees yet again. Amnesty InternationalAfghanistan is the worlds least peaceful country. Institute for Peace and Economics, June 2019Tella Omeri now lives in the UK as a British Citizen with his wife and children. This book is a moving memoir telling the story of the agony and ecstasy of one refugee and of every refugee. A must read for anyone interested in the triumph of Afghanistans spirit over its seemingly endless suffering. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. This is the story of a WW2 airfield that wasnt there.RAF Wick was a decoy airfield near Sarclet, by Thrumster in Caithness. For a brief period it was busy, active and vital, full of people and buildings with three broad and very obvious tracks with lights and noise. It was very much on the map, specifically designed to draw attention to itself. But it was an illusion dreamed up by military strategists and cinema-set designers.Air Ministry cartographers transposed the design of a real aerodrome onto a blank area on the map. Planners added standard building designs in the right places. Construction workers created runways that a plane could not land on. Artists and craftsmen made planes that couldnt fly. Men and women from all over the country came to work at a place that was not a working airfield, although their very presence was an essential part of the deception.This book tells the story of how RAF Wick became a part of the lives of the people who built it, worked there or lived nearby. This is the story of a WW2 airfield that wasnt there. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. During the long winter nights and before the advent of television, people in Caithness used to hold informal gatherings in each other's houses, and spend the night in general conversation around the firesides. These gatherings were known as ceilidhs. The news of the day was always discussed along with other topics of interest. The conversation very often turned to events of long ago and it was then that the storytellers came into their own.With his customary enthusiasm, Robert Gunn has selected a number of these tales and historical events with links to or origins in Caithness, to provide a fascinating read and a few surprises! The author recalls that in the Dunbeath district there were several storytellers who held their audiences spellbound with their tales of long ago. One such story was The Prisoner's Leap this raised considerable debate as to whether it was possible to jump the gorge at Crageneath although the conversation often ended with people agreeing that the distance between the two rocks at the gorge was much less than it was currently!Most people believed that an Earl of Orkney was killed at the battle of Leodibest and that one of the stones near the road marked his grave. Alexander Gunn's recollections of his schooldays at Badbea will be an eye-opener for many when they read of the terrible hardships that the children who lived there had to endure. Swein Asleifson a northern pirateThe son of a Norse governor, Swein followed a life of raiding and looting which encompassed Northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland, Ireland and the Isle of Man. He travelled as far south as Wales and the Scilly Isles and became one of the most powerful men of his time, commanding fear from the people, respect from Earls and admiration from Kings. This book brings together all the action, double-dealing and bloodthirsty adventures surrounding Swein and his people. A new, combined edition of two well-loved Caithness books Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Donald Watson was a seminal figure in the wildlife art and ornithological world from the late 1950s onwards. Since his death in 2005, his work has lived on through active public demand for his outstanding paintings of birds and the continued reading of his books. This is the first time his status and standing in the world of bird art and ornithology has been assessed.This definitive book is a series of biographical essays written by those who knew him and his outstanding contributions. There are so many perceptive insights about him and his work, and many previously untold stories that enliven the text. Reading the stories will bring back memories for all who knew him and hopefully inspire those who didnt but who follow in his footsteps.Readers will find detailed accounts of his life, his character, his work ethic, his link with his ornithologist son Jeff, his high standing in the world of raptor workers written by his daughter Louise, his daughter-in-law Vanessa and by his close friend and neighbour Chris Rollie. His high standing in raptor protection and especially his outstanding Hen Harrier work is updated by Des Thompson and Colin Galbraith. The author reviews his writing skills and describes how his conservation campaigns are still relevant today. They will also learn so much about his art from the perceptive in-depth account by John Threlfall, himself a very successful wildlife artist.Beautifully illustrated with his outstanding paintings, examples of his exquisite scraper board sketches and family photographs, readers will want this book for its images alone. A celebration of one of Britain's finest-ever bird artists and field ornithologists. Covers all aspects of Donald Watson's life from childhood through to his long residence in St John's Town of Dalry in Galloway. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Across Europe to Azerbaijan, Afghanistan and onward to Siberia, Japan and Australia, this is a work that is rich in many dimensions. In essence its a travel story about an eight-month, long and gruelling motorbike ride, but it contains so much more. The author paints a picture with evocative and detailed descriptions of cities and landscapes, accounts of people in different economic and political systems, whose lives were often harrowing, and the unending challenge of riding the machine across diverse terrains in changing conditions.But it has the added perspective of a spiritual journey as the author grapples with the reality of the world about him and his inner demons, bringing an open mind to bear on the people and places confronting him a journey into the writers own soul as well as a cultural education.But most of all its a page-turning adventure story touched with humour and wit, a book that can be opened anywhere with the reader certain to find something interesting, surprising or amusing.Malcolm Dunkeld began his trek in his mid-sixties in sober England and finished it in the Australian desert after a thundering crash. This book has it all! A page-turning story of travel, adventure, people and places. Laugh-out loud funny in places, yet at times poignant and sad. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. A revealing picture of a time when Britain was losing its empire. It draws on letters written at the period by an airman, his vivid memories and experiences from the Canal Zone, Kenya during Mau Mau times, Cyprus and Jerusalem. His time encompassed conducting church services, being shipwrecked, numerous wildlife encounters and the formation of many lifelong friendships. The Canal Zone was no easy life and 50 years later a medal was awarded when the government was forced to admit it was deserved and to confess its own political chicanery in the events. Hamish paints a picture of the highs and lows of RAF life, a station being run down in Egypt, working in oppressive heat and now and then being shot at! He saw the Windrush a week before it exploded and sank in the Mediterranean; both the Windrush story and that of building the Suez Canal are detailed in an appendix. There is much to find in this story including background histories to events and the politics of the time. As a whole it provides a fascinating account of the era. This book paints a revealing picture of a time when Britain was losing its empire. It draws on letters written at the period by an airman recalling his vivid memories and experiences from the Canal Zone, Kenya during Mau Mau times, Cyprus and Jerusalem. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. The West Highland Way is Scotland's first official Long Distance Route and runs near 100 miles from Milngavie to Fort William. It was nicknamed the 'Way Way' by a trio from Fife who set off to walk it in the year of the Millennium. This is not a guidebook but an account of their experiences, the highs and lows which any challenge presents of their marvellous, surprising, amusing and weird memories. They met many hundreds of people along the way but, naturally, those they recall were the more eccentric. Although the trio never managed another bigger trip together they realize how lucky, and wise, they had been to grab the chance when it came. There is remarkably pleasant rural walking at the start to reach the Highlands at Loch Lomond, fine woodland on its banks and later, the contrast of lonely, empty miles across Rannoch Moor, the Devil's Staircase and the great pass of the Lairig Mor to finish. Encounters with other people are an important part of Long Distance Routes. Anyone who has walked the Way Way (or is planning to do so) will enjoy this story, bringing back plenty of similar memories of people and places, adventures and misadventures.The illustrations too give a wonderful idea of the rich variety of country traversed and well capture the atmosphere of this walk through Scotland's fine landscapes. An entertaining narrative that encapsulates the complete experience of walking the West Highland Way. It brings to life one of the classic Long Distance walks. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Seasonality is an uplifting look at British wildlife through the seasons of the year, but it is also about our relationship with that wildlife. The author, a keen and passionate naturalist, takes us on a journey through spring, summer, autumn and winter, and on this journey we look at how our wildlife lives throughout the year, how it adapts and changes as necessary. The author shares how wildlife makes him feel, how he derives joy and a sense of well-being from the wildlife he sees and describes. But he also shares his frustration at how some of our actions and land management impact on our increasingly pressurised wildlife. It shares the delight of watching birds in the garden, fox cubs in the countryside and peregrines in the city. It shares the sadness of seeing stuffed examples of extinct birds, the anger at the mismanagement of potentially wildlife rich hedgerows, and the confusion and contradiction of the management of our so-called natural spaces. It is a book of delights and frustrations, but above all hope and celebration. Whether it is the flash of bright yellow butterfly wings signalling that spring has arrived, the slicing of the air by sickleshaped swifts telling us that summer has come, the wonderful show of colour that the leaves of trees display in the autumn, or the deep-throated chuckle of fieldfares gleaning berries in the winter, the seasons are full of life and this book describes them in vivid detail. The role of the seasons in our own lives may have diminished, but for wildlife the seasons are everything, they are the framework within which everything happens. Seasonality is your guide, through a naturalist's eyes and thoughts, to the incredible journey of the four seasons. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life. This book uses seasonality as a guide, observed through a naturalist's eye. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. This is for anyone who believes there is something special about taking on a challenging task in a remote place where few, if any people have been before. It may be a mountain range where your team is the only human presence, or a mountain on which you are making a first ascent. Its a unique opportunity to relate to a particular landscape, and in doing so to understand that environment and yourself better than before; something valuable thats shared within your team. Most mountaineers are familiar with challenges but the added dimension of remoteness intensifies the experience, tests ones self-reliance and teamwork so much more thoroughly.Having been told on numerous occasions that Id love to go on an expedition but I dont know where to start, the Handbook offers much more than just a start. Based upon years of Alpinism and expeditionary mountaineering, including leading more than 20 expeditions, it became apparent to the author that a systematic approach can avoid logistical and personnel problems by thorough preparation.After running seminars on expedition planning at the National Outdoor Centre, the author believed there was much more ground to cover even after a two-hour interactive session. As well as providing this information, the book shares some of the accumulated wisdom from the traditions of expeditioning in the writings of such towering figures as Bill Tilman, Eric Shipton and Frank Smythe.An Expedition Handbook includes many practical tips, from assessing the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning to tent design and pitching methods. Readers can learn about expeditions whilst enjoying the very elements that make it all worthwhile; the adventure, the camaraderie, the exotic locations, the triumphs. Aspirant expeditioners should therefore be able to organise more successful and satisfying expeditions so that fewer but better expeditions take place, cutting the climate cost of travel, and bringing back an appreciation of wild places and a willingness to stand up for rewilding in environments closer to home. An Expedition Handbook is a practical and comprehensive guide to planning and leading successful expeditions in remote environments around the world. Covering logistics, safety, navigation, equipment and team management, the book is essential reading for explorers, outdoor leaders, adventure travellers and students preparing for field expeditions, trekking and wilderness travel. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. A professional biologist with wide experience of working both in the UK and overseas, Rory Putman takes us with him on working trips to Iceland, East Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia, introducing us to the countries and their people, their natural history, and explaining some of the wildlife issues which have prompted himself and his colleagues to travel there in the first place. The stories cover episodes from more than four decades of working as a jobbing biologist overseas. The understanding required to solve problems and seek solutions to particular issues related to management and conservation of wildlife means that in some way the observer becomes much more intimately engaged, and perhaps gains a different perspective of the country and its culture than might be apparent to a more casual outside onlooker. To some extent, that deeper involvement enables Rory Putman to give the reader more of an inside view and introduction to the countries and their wildlife from a wholly personal perspective. Like many other enthusiastic naturalists, the author enjoyed experiencing new habitats and seeing wonderful and exotic species on his travels and this engaging book will carry the reader along on the journey. Describes the authors adventures in Iceland, East Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia from the late 1960s to the late 1990sA blend of observations on the natural history, the peoples encountered and their cultureA travelogue as seen through the eyes of a professional biologist Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Foreword by Admiral Lord West of SpitheadFew people, even in the Navy, are even aware of this dreadful incident [the loss of submarine HMS Truculent in the Thames] and certainly not the details of human error that led to this huge loss of life. The account is gripping, and explains the strange title of the book. . John Johnson-Allen has put Fred Henleys personal accounts in the context of world-changing events, and in particular provides a wonderful snapshot of the Royal Navy of that era.------------------------------------------This compelling story is the result of many hours spent recording the memories of Fred Henley. His life at sea is at the centre of his being and his own words are at the heart of the book. At the age of 14 Fred worked on a Thames sailing barge, then after his training at HMS Ganges, he joined his first ship which took him from the icy Arctic Ocean to the heat of West Africa where the Bismarck and her support ships were hunted. His experiences included visiting Archangel, sailing on Arctic convoys, capturing German supply ships, the failed attack on Oran, landings in Piraeus, Salonika and the French Riviera and operating with special forces in the Greek Islands. There is inevitably some humour when Fred recounts his encounters with girls. The book then explores the tragic loss of his last submarine, HMS Truculent. In the cold January waters of the Thames Estuary, within sight of Southend, over 60 men were lost in a major disaster, just five years after the end of the war. The voices of the survivors are heard telling how they stood in complete blackness in a sunken submarine, waiting for the water to come in so that they could escape to the surface, only for all but a few to drift away and die in the darkness. The story concludes with happier times with Fred visiting ports in the Mediterranean during peacetime as a married man. An incident-filled naval life during WWII seen through the eyes of a young manFeatures the tragic loss of HMS Truculent and includes eye-witness accounts from survivors Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. 'Like many a Highland glen, the Fathan Ghlinne should be wooded but isn't. But I have sat long and often and listened to the ancient river speech, to the windsong of three birches and a rowan, the rowan above a meeting of waterfalls which should be a portentous place. And the word on the wind and in the speech of the river is that the trees and wolves and the people will be back.' Thus Jim Crumley concludes this remarkable book of nature writing. The setting is largely Highland Perthshire (there are startling asides to Mull and Alaska), the author's home for several years, and where, having 'chased a rainbow' that faded early he stayed on and put down a root that nourished his nature writer's instincts. Something Out There is Jim Crumley's account of his quest to rediscover something of the ancient bond between man and nature. It is told in prose that is three-quarters of the way to poetry, and in the process gives the art of nature writing a bold new standard bearer for the 21st century. This volume of nature writing is set largely in Highland Perthshire, the author's home for several years. It is an account of his quest to rediscover something of the ancient bond between man and nature. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. Snowdrops are known as the harbingers of spring at a time when there is little else in flower in the garden to brighten the dull winter months. No-one should be without these dainty white gems which can symbolize innocence, purity and hope. The author describes all known snowdrop species, the cultivation of garden-worthy varieties and their naming as well as their history in early European and English literature. He includes the earliest reference to the English word Snowe Dropps in 1615, preceding the previous earliest reference to Snow drops in 1633.For novice gardeners and those who have never grown snowdrops before he describes how to grow just a few reliable varieties, with advice on buying, planting, dividing, looking after snowdrops, labelling, diseases and companion plants. He also dispels the myth that snowdrops are difficult and dont survive well in gardens, giving advice on all aspects of snowdrop culture. For galanthophiles varieties are recommended to extend their collection. This advice is based on personal experience from growing over 100 different cultivars in his town garden in Oxford.The sequence of flowering of different snowdrop varieties from October to March is described, including the autumn-flowering Queen Olgas snowdrop. This diary format of their emergence will help gardeners learn how there can be snowdrops flowering for six months of the year. The book is illustrated with a stunning selection of close-up images of different varieties of snowdrops to help aid identification of these dainty flowers.Included in the chapter on snowdrop art are many historical images from the earliest-known snowdrop woodcut in Dodoens European Herbal, 1568 to more recent 19th century images. No other author on snowdrops has attempted such an extensive description of snowdrop art over the centuries, including advice from Jacquie Hibbert on how to paint snowdrops, or has described the evolution of this art form for snowdrops.The book concludes with a useful index of all 22 recognized species and over 100 varieties with reference to international collections. The author's passion for snowdrops shines through in this lavishly illustrated book for novice snowdrop gardeners and galanthophiles alike Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…

Paperback. Condición: new. Paperback. This is an extraordinary and little-known story of emigration from Scotland. Caithness and Patagonia are literally a world apart, yet in the late 19th and early 20th centuries a number of Caithness men and women took on the challenge of this wild, open and windswept land. The book provides the origins and backgrounds of these Caithness Patagonian pioneers and sets their experiences alongside the growth and development of Patagonia as one of the world's great sheep farming areas. The story begins with John Hamilton, the son of a tailor from Wick, who arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1880. Over the following 60 years he and other Caithness men and women became a significant force in the development of sheep farming in Patagonia. As one of Patagonia's most enterprising sheep farmers, he was the catalyst for a number of other Caithness men making what must have been a huge decision to uproot from their native home. It was not just Caithness men who embarked on the journey - sisters and wives followed as new lives were ground out of the unforgiving landscape.There are stories of endurance and determination against the odds; accounts of death and disaster, but most of all there are tales of how these Caithnessians conquered Patagonia and built successful businesses to the extent that today their descendants are integral to many aspects of Patagonian and Argentine society.The roll call of names - Bain, Barnetson, Begg, Bremner, Budge, Cormack, Harper, Mowat, Nicolson, Plowman, etc. - is like a Caithness directory. Their stories and legacies continue to be proudly held dear by descendants and relatives both in Caithness, the UK and in Argentina. The Caithness Patagonian story was originally brought to light by Margie Sinclair for the BBC Odyssey series. Caithness to Patagonia charts the backgrounds, the successes and failures of these intrepid pioneers who created a new life, far away from their homes and families. A picture of a largely uncharted aspect of the Scottish diaspora .Tales of adventure, hardship, determination and some significant success stories of these Caithness pioneers. The role played by Caithness men and women in the development of sheep farming in Patagonia. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…