On the Trail of Scotland’s History

About the Book: 

From coast to coast on a motorbike...on the trail of the people, places and events that created Scottish history. Covering moor, mountain and battleground as well as film locations and place names, this book provides an intelligent, passionate perspective on key landmarks and their significance to Scotland today. From the Vikings to the Picts, from Ossian to Bannockburn, Ross guides us on a quest to discover the essentials of Scottish history - and to find things we never knew existed.

Reviews: 

The biker historian's unique combination of unabashed romanticism and easy irreverence make him the ideal guide to historical subjects all too easily either swallowed up in maudlin sentiment or demythologised by the academic studies. THE SCOTSMAN

... an entertainingly outspoken companion for any inquisitive traveller round this nation... THE HERALD

About the Author:

The Glasgow-born historian DAVID R ROSS always had a passion for Scotland, its landscapes, its traditions and its history. Every free moment was spent on his motorcycle stravaiging around historic sites, battlefields and castles exploring the spots where the great and not so great Scots of history stood. His works ‘On the Trail of… Wallace, Bruce and Bonnie Prince Charlie’ have the exact proportion of unconventional and unashamed patriotism, highlighting the freedom and independence Wallace, Bruce and others fought so hard to win. There is nothing wrong with academic history books, it’s just that David Ross was not one to sit on the fence. He would rather jump down hard on one side of it, and probably, being a Scot, he would land with squelch. In A Passion for Scotland, David uncovered rare items of Scots provenance in Europe and rediscovered much of Scotland’s lost history. He deplored the loss of Scots culture now rapidly fading into dull universal conformity, but at the same time the book has a new refreshing look at Scotland’s past and its impact on the present is enlightening, making Scottish history accessible and understandable for the casual reader.