The Skye Trail: A Journey Through the Isle of Skye [Hardcover]

Slowly but surely Cameron McNeish is building quite a portfolio over at his publishing venture Mountain Media. The Skye Trail is the latest in the line-up that I have managed to get hold of and it doesn't disappoint.

About 18 months ago I reviewed Cameron's Sutherland Trail which not only caught my imagination but -- judging from the comments and conversations I've had -- yours as well.

The Skye Trail follows a similar format to the Sutherland Trail book. The book has been designed to compliment a TV programme that features Cameron walking the trail. Mountain Media blurb talks about this programme being often repeated but, unlike the Sutherland Trail programme, I've not been able to see it yet. But the book is not a simple tie-in. It works very well on its own.

Like the Sutherland Trail volume this is not a simple guidebook, although any experienced walker will be able to follow the trail on an OS map. Neither is the book a travelogue although there is a flavour of that here as well. What Cameron has produced here is a book the brings the trail to life in a number of ways. Yes there is the route and the description of a journey along it. Yes there is a focus on the geology of Skye and the Flora and fauna. Yes, there is an insight into the history and the distant origins of the community here. It sounds a lot but one of the joys of this book is that it is not too much. The book has been written, or edited, with restraint. There's just enough other information here to wet your appetite and want to load the rucksack. But there's not too much detail to put off bookphobes.

Cameron addresses the challenge in his introduction.

"In over 40 years of wandering through the wild places of Scotland I've often tried to define the curiously quintessential element that gives these mountains, coastlines and forests their essential character and vibrancy."

"... We an even experience the resonances of the land's turbulent past. It's undoubtedly a place that can bring tears to nostalgic eyes and, at the same time, music to the lips. But what creates such a land? Is it the people, or the landscape features, or the weather and its atmosphere? Or is it a combination of all these things, the intertwining of cultures and history, life and death, with the ever changing landscapes of mountain and sea? Indeed, what happens to this land when you remove the people from it?

It is the growing appreciation of this mix of elements and experiences that makes Cameron's recent work so rewarding. While I love pure landscape and being alone in the elements I have often agreed with one of my travelling heroes Bruce Chatwin for whom landscape was nothing with people.

What Cameron seems to understand is that my experience of hiking through a landscape is enhanced by understanding a little more about it and having an insight into the communities -- traditional and new -- that seek to eek out a living there.

Skye's stories and history emerges through the walk of Cameron and his wife Gina, sometimes accompanied by a camera crew. There are lots of characters here, ex-policemen who (rather traditionally) have returned to the land of their roots, J. Norman Collie, a Manchester man who became one of the pioneers of climbing on the isl Macpherson and, David Craig a modern day guru for those who love the wilderness and Alisdair, a modern-day hero with the John Muir Trust.

These are just a handful of the characters -- dead and alive -- who illuminate these pages. Any long distance walker -- and especially one who loves to venture into the Highlands of Scotland -- will appreciate their thoughts. Their combined wisdom helps the reader put their own experiences and sense of wonder into context.

But this is a book for walkers and the story of a walk is never far away. Walk the trail and you'll probably not meet these characters, but it seems to me that knowing they are there (or were there) somehow will make the experience more complete.

The stories and the text of the book are complimented beautifully by the photography of Richard Else which really does help you get a flavour of this special place.

The Skye Trail is only 176 pages long so reading it is no ordeal for anyone, indeed I read it in one sitting (as I did the Sutherland Trail). Despite the brevity of the volume you will also find all that you need to know about travel and accommodation and external resources in terms of books and websites are well documented.

I want to hot foot it to Skye. But dammit I want to hot foot it to Sutherland first. I'd better get a move on before Cameron gives yet another journey to ponder.

This growing range reminds us of what is wonderful close to home. In these days of dwindling carbon resources we don't need to travel to the other side of the world to experience the wonder of the wilderness. Yet these trails are not just for those who like extremes, they are trails that are within the reach of most leisure walkers.

This is a practical, informative and lovely book. It is not the only book on the Skye Trail but it is the only one that attempts to capture the flavour of the place rather than document a route.

If the Skye Trail interests you then go get a copy. But even if you probably won't be walking the trail the book will still inspire you to get out there.

Thoroughly recommended.

To be brutally honest I expected the usual fayre of route description, places to stay etc, i.e. a fairly practical contribution to the plethora of books written about the treasures of the island's natural assets. What I got in addition to those necessary details was a brilliant description of the island's history and politics. McNeish really brought the route to life and portrayed the atmosphere fantastically. Clearly aiming to add this route to the well known ones such as The West Highland Way, I hope he succeeds and when I am there later this year I hope to have time to explore some of it myself.

Excellent piece of work