BOOK REVIEWS Roly Smith
And as might be expected from this
lover and long-time promotor of the
Atlas Mountains of Morocco, there’s
a whole section devoted to these
delectable summits, and each section
is headed by one of Brown’s perceptive
poems.
Kev Reynolds accurately describes
Brown as “a legend and an inspiration”
and coming from a source as reputable
as that, few would argue with him.
arches and doorways; the 18th century
Palladian-style Duddingston House, built
by the 8th Earl of Abercorn, and what’s
claimed to be the oldest pub in Scotland,
The Sheep Heid in The Causeway, which
is said to date from 1360.
What I found most fascinating though
were the accounts of the mysterious
and still unexplained four-inch-long
miniature coffins complete with tiny
carved wooden human corpses found by
schoolboys on the north eastern slopes
of Arthur’s Seat in 1836.
Those and the hoard of over 40
Bronze Age spears, swords and daggers
found in the mud of the bittern-haunted
Duddingston Loch in 1778, which
apparently were a votive weapon
sacrifice from 3,000 years ago, show
that Duddingston still has many stories
to tell.
Duddingston: its story in
50 objects
Duddingston Conservation Society
Rucksack Readers, £12.99 (pb)
D
uddingston is an often-overlooked
little gem of a village lying in the
south eastern shadow of Arthur’s
Seat, just two miles from the centre of
Edinburgh.
But this attractive new little guide,
produced by the Guild member Jetta
Megarry’s Rucksack Readers, seems
bound to put Duddingston firmly on
the map. It has been published and
largely written by members of the vibrant
Duddingston Conservation Society to
mark the society’s 60th anniversary this
year (2019).
The booklet is crammed full of
fascinating facts and little-known details
about this long-forgotten village. They
include descriptions of the 12th century
Duddingston Kirk, with its Norman
lake was described by the sainted
Wainwright as no less than “the finest in
Lakeland.”
This 20-mile route is conveniently
split into four easily manageable
sections and there are also two attractive
loops from the main route.
One from Pooley Bridge is named
The Marmalade March, and takes in
stately Dalemain (home of the World
Marmalade Festival), and the 14th
century Dacre Castle and its church,
with its four enigmatic Scandinavian
‘hogsback’ bear-shaped tombstones.
The other loop from Askham takes in the
dramatic ruins of crenelated 19th century
Lowther Castle, the charming village of
Helton and Askham Fell.
Illustrated by the author’s own
meticulous line drawings and
wonderfully detailed sketch maps,
this guide is all you would need for a
thorough exploration of lovely Ullswater.
The Ullswater Way
Mark Richards
Jake Island Ltd, £5 (pb)
T
he Ullswater Way was originally
established in 2015 in the wake
of Storm Desmond, which
devastated places like Glenridding, to
provide a new opportunity for people
to enjoy what many regard as the Lake
District’s finest and most varied body of
water.
If any further recommendation was
needed, the walk along the shores of the
seven-and-a-half mile long, three-legged
www.cicerone.co.uk
www. sandstonepress.com
www.rucsacs.com
www.ullswaterway.co.uk
winter 2019 | Outdoor focus 5