The Finest Road in the World: The Story of Travel and Transport in the Scottish Highlands

by James Miller

Trains and stagecoaches stuck in the snow, wild storms driving sailing ships off course, traffic pile-ups on so-called 'killer' highways - stories abound about the horrors of travel in the Highlands and Islands, and have done for as far as the records go back.

James Miller tells the dramatic and sometimes surprisingly humorous story of travel and transport in the Highlands. Some of the figures in the story are familiar - General George Wade, Thomas Telford and Joseph Mitchell among them - but there are a host of others too, including the intrepid Lady Sarah Murray, who offered sound advice for travellers ('Provide yourself with a strong roomy carriage, and have the springs well corded').

This thought-provoking book will appeal to all who like stories of travel and transport, and are interested in how changing modes of transport have affected the ways of life in the Highlands and remain crucial to the modern life and the future of the region.

Genres: Travel

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

This is James^^^^^^^^^^Miller

James Miller (b. 1948) is a Scottish writer. He studied zoology in Aberdeen and marine biology in Montreal. After working for the British Council in Afghanistan and the Far East he became a full-time freelance writer. He has written a number of acclaimed books, including Scapa, The Dambuilders, The Foresters, Inverness and The Gathering Stream.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly enjoyable and informative read. Mr Miller, as a native Caithnessian, gives a refreshing insight into the transport history of the Scottish Highlands - an area which has received scant attention in the past.
Drawing on a broad range of sources the text is authoritative without ever seeming dry. Yes, there are plenty hard facts and figures but every chapter is peppered with real understanding and illustrations of how transport has affected everyday lives as well as the development of the nation. I especially enjoyed learning about the appearance of a steam car (in 1859) and that Inverness, as late as 1960, had livestock causing congestion in the town centre.
Anyone familiar with the Highlands will be surprised at how many of their favourite "hidden" clachans are mentioned. (But you have to read the whole book to find them as the index only mentions a select few).

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the development of the Highlands. Roads, rail and maritime history are all covered, with local stories and anecdotes given alongside the facts. "Be ye also ready"

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the finest roads in the world is how the Right Rev Robert Forbes, somewhat tongue in cheek perhaps, described the Ord of Caithness, the section of high road that crosses still wild coastal moorland north of Helmsdale. Lives have been lost there in the past in severe weather, although snow gates are now in place to prevent travel in adverse conditions. HV Morton, writing of his journey in 1932, thought that in wintertime, the Ord of Caithness must be one of the most terrifying roads in Scotland.. The title refers both to the first quote and to a later one from the 1930s when Sir Murdoch McDonald MP described the A82 from Glasgow to Inverness thus. Take your pick! Both are dramatic, often stunningly beautiful, journeys (although I might be a bit biased!).

This book is about so much more than roads, however. The subtitle is The story of travel and transport in the Scottish Highlands, a more accurate description. Never would I have thought I’d find a book on this subject so fascinating but Miller’s narrative, despite the complexity of some of the details, reflects his own enduring interest in the subject and kept me interested throughout.

We’re taken on a journey from centuries of rough travel by foot and horse, along routes used by drovers and other travellers, to the logistics faced by General Wade and his successors when they were building the military roads. The Highlands were opened up further through travel by stagecoach on roads often privately funded, by the introduction of myriad passenger services on the already thriving coastal trading routes, and later by the introduction of railways in the early 19th century, followed by the motor car later that century and air travel in the 1920s. Thomas Telford and James Watt were employed to survey routes for roads and canals, and to build bridges, a few of which still stand. I had never given any thought to the logistics, effort and expense involved in opening up travel routes across the Highlands and so I was surprised and delighted to find it to be such a rich and interesting subject.

The book finishes with a look at current and future developments as they stood in 2016 when the book was written. How sad it is to read that the dualling of the A9 as far as Inverness would be completed by 2025. We know now that the government knew that was unachievable even then. The target is now 2035.

Highly recommended for those with an interest in the Highlands of Scotland and/or in the development of transport and travel routes there.

[James Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly a catchy title but in agreement with "Undiscovered Scotland" this was "A superb book." At points, I questioned whether this was a book or rather a literature review as the author draws from a huge bibliography and in particular, makes heavy use of Joseph Mitchells book. However, he also draws heavily from the Inverness Courier where he is able to quote from members of the public and in doing so, provides a more balanced view of opinions and thoughts regarding development in transport across the north of Scotland. The book covers all modes of transport although rodas and rail probably get more coverage. The book is exceptionally well researched and well compiled and I found myself making a list of essential future reading based on quoted literature as well as reminding myself of some of the previous literature I had read and was quoted here. By following development of the different modes of transport from ca. 1700 onwards, the book is almost a social history of the highlands as it is clear that most if not all developments were linked or influenced by the ability of an individual to connect to the world beyond the great glen. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Scottish history or evolution of transport. For anyone unfamiliar with the area, having a map at hand in helpful.

[Dave McBain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this along with a novel, expecting it - as a history book - to be a bit of a chore. It turned out to be the very opposite and whilst richly researched and well referenced it was a surprisingly easy read with each chapter tracing the story of different forms of transport in the Highlands - covering drove roads, herring fishing, passenger ships, ferries, coach, bus, cars and air.

My only criticism was that it left me wanting more - from each and every chapter. That is not a negative though, for me given the wide coverage it means it has been pitched just right to leave me seeking out several of the sources used for further reference.

Highly recommended for anyone researching transport in the Highlands.

[Brian Gowthorpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and useful survey. Those who don’t know Scotland really well will need Google Maps to hand.

[Robin Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read about the development of travel and transportation in the Highlands. Very well researched and fascinating for anyone who knows Scotland. (One of my favourite books by the same author is The Dam Builders - full of maps, diagrams, photographs and detail about the building of the dams for the Hydro Electric Board.)