Wellies on the School Run

Poo, Potholes and Park-Ups – Why Highlanders Are Tired of Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route

By: Gail Anthea Brown August 12, 2021August 12, 2021

Caithness, North Coast 500, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, Travel, UncategorizedHome, NC500, NC500 Problems, Rural Life, Scottish Travel, Vanlife, Wild Camping, Wild Camping Scotland106 Comments

Last year, I wrote an article on the ‘summer of discontent’ on Scotland’s ‘North Coast 500’ road trip. As a resident on the route here in Caithness, I spent a lot of time writing about responsible travel and repeating the phrase ‘let’s hope things improve.’ A summer of littering, outdoor toileting and inconsiderate ‘wild camping’…

Spring and Early Summer Reading – I Am An Island, Where The Crawdads Sing, Wintering & True North

By: Gail Anthea Brown July 13, 2021July 13, 2021

Books, Reading, Reading Lately, UncategorizedBook Reviews, Books Change Lives, Books set in Scotland, Books to Read, Caithness, Classic Books, Scottish Book Blogs, Social Media8 Comments

It’s been some time since I shared a reading post on the blog, the result of a slowing-down of my motivation for putting finger to keyboard and sending words out into the blogosphere. In the background, I’ve been absorbing the words of other authors, and it’s rare for a day to pass without me picking…

On Mental Health Awareness Week, Caithness and Caring

By: Gail Anthea Brown May 13, 2021May 13, 2021

Caithness, Health & Lifestyle, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, UncategorizedAnxiety, Covid-19, Depression, Home, Mental Health, Nature4 Comments

Here in the UK, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week, an initiative hosted by the Mental Health Foundation to focus attention on mental health issues across the nation. This year the theme for the event is nature, with a focus on the supportive role the natural world can play in boosting mental health. The theme appears…

Picture of sign on beach saying ‘leave nothing but footprints.’

Tread Lightly, Travel Politely

By: Gail Anthea Brown April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

Caithness, North Coast 500, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, Travel, UncategorizedCampervan Travel, Home, NC500, Responsible Tourism, Scottish Travel, Slow Travel, Sustainable Tourism, Wild Camping, Wild Camping Scotland4 Comments

As travel restrictions ease across Scotland, many people in the North Highlands are feeling nervous about the resumption of tourism. 2020 was a challenging year here in the far north, and memories of irresponsible camping, inconsiderate motorhome parking, and the litter and human waste left by a minority of visitors will be difficult to erase.…

Castles of Steel and Thunder Book on table with tea

Castles of Steel and Thunder Author Q&A

By: Gail Anthea Brown March 25, 2021

Books, Caithness, Reading, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing and BloggingCastles of Steel and Thunder, Scottish Author, Scottish Folklore, Scottish Writers, Self-Publishing, Writing, Writing TipsLeave a Comment

I was recently asked to answer some questions on my experience of novel-writing by a creative writing student from the University of the Highlands and Islands. Of course, I was happy to oblige – and thought I would share the interview here for anyone who would like to find out more. Read on for tips…

No Wilderness: Reshaping The Way We Talk About Far North Places

By: Gail Anthea Brown March 21, 2021March 21, 2021

Caithness, North Coast 500, Scotland, Scottish Highlands, Social Media, Travel, UncategorizedCampervan Travel, Home, NC500, Responsible Tourism, Scottish Travel, Scottish Writer, Slow Travel, Sustainable Tourism14 Comments

Exactly a year ago, on the Sunday before the UK entered lockdown, I was out walking with my son here in Caithness when a man pulled over in his car and rolled down the driver’s side window. He asked us where he could find a place to eat and have a cup of coffee. The…

Castles of Steel and Thunder book by sea

Promoting Your Self-Published Book in a Pandemic

By: Gail Anthea Brown March 17, 2021March 19, 2021

Books, Caithness, Reading, Scottish Highlands, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing and BloggingBooks set in Scotland, Castles of Steel and Thunder, Motivation for Writers, Scottish Author, Scottish Writers, Self-Publishing, Writer, Writing, Writing Tips2 Comments

If, like me, you self-published your first novel during the pandemic, you might be wondering how on earth to go about promoting it. With bookshops – and indeed most places – still shut due to lockdown, it may not feel like the ideal time to be attracting new readers to your book. Thankfully, there are…

Lockdown and January Reading (*contains gifted item)

By: Gail Anthea Brown February 7, 2021February 7, 2021

Books, Caithness, Reading, Reading Lately, UncategorizedBook Reviews, Books Change Lives, Books set in Caithness, Books set in Scotland, Books to Read, Dyslexia Friendly Books, Lockdown, Winter Reading4 Comments

One positive of these last few months in lockdown (and I think we really do have to seek out the good now and then, don’t we?) has been the chance to devote more time to reading. Reading can be such an escape from the realities of our current situation (even if, like me, you occasionally…

Gail in snow and trees, Caithness winter 2021

Of Snow and Stories

By: Gail Anthea Brown January 28, 2021January 29, 2021

Caithness, Family, Home, Reflections, Scottish Highlands, Uncategorized, WritingBooks, Castles of Steel and Thunder, Scotland, Scottish Author, Scottish Blogs, Scottish Folklore, Scottish Writers, WinterLeave a Comment

Last weekend brought snow to Caithness, two days of respite from the unchanging nature of lockdown. As it fell that first evening, my 11-year-old ran into the street without a jacket while I watched him from the door. There was a simple kind of magic to seeing him spin under heavy, lamp-lit flakes, like parts…

The Names Behind Castles of Steel and Thunder

By: Gail Anthea Brown January 21, 2021January 28, 2021

Books, Caithness, Reading, Scottish Highlands, Uncategorized, WritingAuthor, Books set in Scotland, Books to Read, Castles of Steel and Thunder, Gail Anthea Brown, Scottish Author, Scottish Folklore, Scottish Writers8 Comments

Since the publication of my first novel, Castles of Steel and Thunder, a few people have asked me whether there was any specific inspiration behind the names of characters and places in the novel. The answer is yes, and I thought I’d write about some of that inspiration here. I’ve already written about the debt…

Wellies on the School Run

Lighting Candles and Other Notes on Happiness

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The North Coast 500, Also Known As Home

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What Autoimmune Illness Really Feels Like

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A Sunday Well Spent

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Ten Things to do on a Family Holiday to the Outer Hebrides

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Saying No to Perfect

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12 Reasons to Plan a Scottish Road Trip

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Poo, Potholes and Park-Ups – Why Highlanders Are Tired of Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route

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On Mental Health Awareness Week, Caithness and Caring

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Tread Lightly, Travel Politely

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Castles of Steel and Thunder Author Q&A

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Promoting Your Self-Published Book in a Pandemic

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Lockdown and January Reading (*contains gifted item)

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Of Snow and Stories

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The Names Behind Castles of Steel and Thunder

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