This weekend I’ve been excited to travel with two friends to join a crowd of readers and writers at the West Highland Hotel Mallaig.
We were treated to poetry, song, interviews with authors and music. We couldn’t attend all the events, but here are the ones we attended:
Friday evening: A Write Highland Extravaganza, which included amusing and poignant poetry by Edinburgh’s Maker, Michael Peterson. I bought his novel Mukkle Flugga, which is apparently the name for a tiny island and lighthouse in Scotland. I look forward to reviewing it, once I’ve read it. Who wouldn’t be tempted by a title like that?
Scotland’s Maker Peter Mackay recited his own Gaelic poetry, which fortunately he translated too, able to tease us because most of the audience had no idea what expression to hold on our faces as he spoke, poker faced!
Then Rachel Sermanni wowed us with her Joni Michell type songs on her guitar, including life in general and the joys and trials of motherhood.
Saturday morning: we drove a couple of miles to Camusdarach Beach for a stroll along one of Scotland’s delightful, almost deserted, white sandy bays.
After a light lunch we returned to the hotel for our chosen afternoon’s entertainment:
Gregory J Kenicer delighted us with his Plant Magic. The Supernatural Side of Botany, using many examples of plants he found in the countryside surrounding Mallaig. From folklore to apothecary, from legendary cures to the science of medicinal practices today. Snake bites to piles, Gregory had a remedy, although he was at pains to explain that he wasn’t promoting any of them. This was a fascinating session and his book Plant Magic also sits on my bedside table, to be read and shared with you in a review.
Sally Magnusson, a familiar figure in broadcasting and entertainment, was interviewed next. She was asked about her latest novel Shapeshifter’s Daughter, which weaves stories of Norse myths especially Hel, the queen of the underworld, with the present day life of a lady called Helen, who returns to the Orkneys when she is ill. It sounds an intriguing threading of the lives of two ladies; different centuries, fictional and real, as Sally uses the legends to make sense of the life Helen’s finds herself living. This novel also sits waiting for my attention.
Another walk along the harbour’s edge in Mallaig and beyond gave us fresh air, before we rejoined a packed audience back at the hotel for:
Margaret Bennett, Gary Innes and Ewen and Allan Henderson
Magaret, an octogenarian full of life and joy sang to us; her songs interspersed with the fantastic music from the men ~ fiddle, accordion and keyboard, blending sounds at an astonishing pace. Songs in Gaelic and stories in English were a fitting and enjoyable end to our weekend of entertainment.
Wishing to get home to Fife in daylight we missed the Sunday sessions but, instead, drove via Glen Coe and Crief, making our ride home memorable too.
Leave a Reply