Undiscovered Scotland

 

Rucksack Readers has long represented the gold standard for long distance walking guides. Their guides are always bright, attractive, light, water resistant and comprehensive, containing between their covers pretty much everything you need to tackle the route in question: from clear mapping to route descriptions to background features to sources of additional information. They are also large enough for the mapping and other information to be readily usable "in the field"

Rucksack Readers' publication of its guide to the River Tay Way coincides with the publisher's 25th birthday and is a fine example of why its books have become so popular. The River Tay Way is a flexible trail starting in Kenmore at the north-east end of Loch Tay and offers walkers a 50 mile route to Perth or cyclists a 65 mile route to Dundee. Or a bit of both. Or you can paddle instead. This guide covers all three options, offering largely distinct routes for those on foot and two wheels.

Having started in Kenmore, the routes diverge immediately, with cyclists largely following the river valley while walkers take a more upland route. The two routes meet again in Dunkeld and south of there the position is reversed, with the walking route following the river valley while cyclists take a more direct route. And, of course, while the walking route concludes in Perth, the cycling route carries on parallel with the north side of the Firth of Tay as far as Dundee.

The guidebook begins with an introduction to the different routes and the area they traverse; the River Tay and its salmon; the Iron Age in Perthshire; Victorian Perthshire; and the area's trees and wildlife. It then sets out step-by-step directions with detailed custom mapping on 25 of its pages. It is, as you would expect from a book published by Rucksack Readers, lavishly illustrated, with excellent colour photography throughout. This is a great book for anyone wanting to try something a little different in the way of a long distance walk, cycle ride, or paddle.