Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland by Christy Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scotland: Stunning, Strange, and Secret: A Guide to Hidden Scotland is Book Two in The Hidden Gems Series. It is your definitive guide to all that Scotland has to offer written by a well traveled author. The author has expertly used her love of travel to discuss in-depth the hidden gems that Scotland offers for exploration that go beyond the usual tourist destinations. She describes both popular and little-known places as well as their history. I know at the top of my list of places to not miss out on would be the numerous haunted castles. The author discusses the history of Scotland, its myths, gods, beliefs, and superstitions which offer invaluable insight into its rich and varied culture. One of the myths that intrigued me was Bean-Nighe, AKA the “washer woman” in Scottish Gaelic who is seen as the omen of death. It is said that she can be seen near streams and pools washing the clothes of those that are doomed to death, turning the river red with their blood. Another one that I found interesting was about Brahan Seer, whose name was Coinneach Odhar, who was thought to be a prophet or seer with second sight. It was said that his visions were thought to come true. The author briefly discusses the origins of music beyond the well-known bagpipes that also started in Scotland. Artists and bands that originated from Scotland such as Annie Lennox, The Bay City Rollers, Sheena Easton, Simple Minds, and many members of the band AC/DC were born in Scotland. The author discusses how to plan your trip, the best time to go, travel expenses, extra costs that may be associated with the trip, travel insurance, passports and visas, travelers’ checks, places to visit, accommodations, transportation, and food. The book contains stunning photographs throughout that were taken by the author during her various trips to Scotland and she gives advice on how to get the best photos during your visit. She gives advice on camera and equipment, as well as things to consider such as scale, weather, perspective, lines, the rule of thirds, and lighting. I could go on and on about all the information this book contains because it truly covers ever aspect one could possibly think of from start to finish and is the only guide one would need when planning a trip to Scotland. I will be going back and reading the author’s book on England next because many of my ancestors originate from there.

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