The magnificent Highlands of Scotland represent, in so many ways, ancient Britain. But much of this apparently wild environment is, in fact, far more recent in origin β it has been shaped by the Victorians. Castles in the Mist reveals how, for better or for worse, the vast sporting estates of the Victorian era created the salmon rivers, deer forests and grouse moors, transforming the Highlands into the landscape that we recognise today, with its attendant environmental problems. In a seductive blend of memoir, history and natural history, Robin Noble explores the colossal impact of the Victorian legacy in his beloved Highlands and issues a clarion call for changeβ¦ to start tipping the balance back in natureβs favour.
Prizes and awards
Saltire Society History Book of the Year 2016, SHORTLISTED
REVIEWS OF Castles in the Mist
βA valuable insight into the historical context of the evolution of the current Highland landscape.β Mike Daniels, John Muir Trust Journal, Spring 2017
βEssential reading β¦ If you think you know Scotland, then this book will probably make you think again, for there is much here that is thought-provoking and more than a little that is surprising β¦ The Highlands and Islands have changed far more profoundly than most of us realise. Which more than anything else is what makes this such an important book.β Undiscovered Scotland
"Compelling. Noble is a wonderful guide⦠He blends together history, ornithology and a keen sense of economics with a highly personal approach to landscape." Brian Morton, The National
βA fascinating blend of history and natural history, an account of a landscape and how it came to be the way it isβ¦thoughtful, informedβ¦refreshing.β Northwords Now
Saltire Society History Book of the Year 2016, SHORTLISTED