Bought this in a charity shop in York today.

I am a bit Scotland mad, and will read most things Scotland related. If I can't be going on holiday up there, I might as well be reading about the wilderness and the scenary. I also enjoy travel books, especially the slower modes of transport such as cycling and walking. So really, this book ought to have been right up my street. It's the tale of Richard Guise, recently retired, going on a two week cycling holiday in Scotland travelling up the west coast.

I am now three chapters in and it is making me angry and bored so I'm quitting here. There is no sense of place or experiencing Scotland beyond the sparse photographs in the middle of the book. Scottish people he has met so far are twee characteurs, all speaking in his version of Scots. And his writing style is really, seriously not my cup of tea. It sounds like a middle aged, middle class man of suburban Southern England (if he does stereotypes, why can't I?) who is attempting to be down with the kids by writing in a "cool" way. But in the proud tradition of embarassing dads, it just leaves you feeling uncomfortable. Or at least that's the vibe I get. I really don't want to read any more. Here's one of his jokes: what do Robert the Bruce and Winnie the Pooh have in common? The same middle name!!!

Nope, really not my thing, and it reminds me that travel writing is a talent. Never underappreciate Dervla Murphy.

Taking to the York bookcrossers' meet up.

I... I really didn't like this. I should have done - it's a bike ride around Scotland - what's not to like? But Guise's voice really annoyed me. He seemed petty and picky - trying to be as wry and astute as Bill Bryson, but without Bryson's warmth and wide spirit.

I think I didn't even get as far as Apechild....

To be released at the York monthly Bookcrossing meetup.

Coolio. I was meant to visit Mull, so will be interesting to read someone else's experience of that west coast.

Trying to get as many travels guides as possible to get an idea of how to write my own. I was meant to visit Mull, but the weather had other ideas. When I saw this, it was a perfect solution to live vicariously through anothers experience of the area. Slightly clunky narrative but I did enjoy the historical asides. Back on the shelf.

still to finish

Informative about Scotland, but just doesn't quite click as well as Bill Bryson's stuff.

Picked this up at our "once in a blue moon" visit to York meetup. We met up with family and it just happened to be on the right day for once! I'll try to forget the current reviews before I read it. 😂

I actually enjoyed this very much. A nice change from the quite serious biography I'm reading at the moment.

Not sure why the blurb on the back needs to inform us that "Richard Guise is based in Quorn, Leicestershire, and spends part of the year in Girona, Spain."!

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This is one of the books I brought home from Leeds when a few local BookCrossers got together over lunch. Great fun, good to see you all!
I chose this because I aim to read at least one nonfiction each month and can't always go for the serious stuff, so something light-hearted fits the bill from time to time!

Oh dear, now I've had a chance to read through the previous readers' comments I'm feeling decidedly mixed about the whole thing . . . . what a range of responses!!!

Well, I managed a couple of chapters but found the writing style so annoying that I couldn't continue. I really didn't want to spend any more time in this author's company. A shame, as cycling the coastal route from the Mull of Kintyre to Cape Wrath sounds like it ought to be something I'd enjoy reading about . . . .

ETA: I see that Apechild managed one more chapter than I did! Whereas Chuggypig . . .
Anyway, given that it's not doing too well with its BookCrossing readers, I'm thinking of wild releasing it to find a reader out in the Big Wide World :-)

Left with the other bookswap books in a bookcase within the garden centre cafe. Please be prepared to make a small donation towards Thirsk’s Christmas lights! Thank you!

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