Border Country

by David Steel, Judy Steel, Charlie Waite (Photographer)

Together David and his wife Judy guide us through this beautiful region of rivers, woodland and gently rolling hills, which has for centuries proven its strategic importance, to rievers and kings alike, with bloody feuds and fierce battles. Yet this troubled land has also provided the nation with a superb cultural legacy, and the authors' journey includes such architectural jewels as Floors Castle and Traquair House. They also describe for us the local landmarks and magical landscapes which have inspired writers such as Wordsworth, Sir Walter Scott and James Hogg.

The authors' intimate knowledge of their subject gives us a unique insight into the intriguing legends and ancient customs, the agricultural traditions and the industrial heritage, of their beloved Border Country.

Specially commissioned pictures by leading landscape photographer Charlie Waite accompany the text, capturing the beauty and diversity of this fascinating district.

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 1985

About the author

David Martin Scott Steel, Baron Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC is a Scottish politician. He began his career in the Liberal Party, serving as the party's final leader from 1976 to 1988. His tenure spanned the duration of the alliance with the Social Democratic Party, which began in 1981 and concluded with the formation of the Liberal Democrats in 1988. Steel served as a Member of the UK Parliament for 32 years from 1965 to 1997 and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999 to 2003, during which time he was the parliament's Presiding Officer. He was a member of the House of Lords as a life peer from 1997 to 2020, when he resigned due to a child abuse report.

Reviews

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this many years ago and never got round to reading it. Now I am, I'm finding it a well-researched and beautifully presented coffee table book with some interesting insights into the politics of the time. The photographs by Charlie Waite are well worth it even if you don't read the text.