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The Unremembered Places: Exploring Scotland's Wild Histories
There are strange relics hidden across Scotland's landscape: forgotten places that are touchstones to incredible stories and past lives which still resonate today. Yet why are so many of these 'wild histories' unnoticed and overlooked? And what can they tell us about our own modern identity?
From the high mountain passes of an ancient droving route to a desolate moorland graveyard, from uninhabited post-industrial islands and Clearance villages to caves explored by early climbers and the mysterious strongholds of Christian missionaries, Patrick Baker makes a series of journeys on foot and by paddle. Along the way, he encounters Neolithic settlements, bizarre World War Two structures, evidence of illicit whisky production, sacred wells and Viking burial grounds.
Combining a rich fusion of travelogue and historical narrative, he threads themes of geology, natural and social history, literature, and industry from the places he visits, discovering connections between people and place more powerful than can be imagined.
From the high mountain passes of an ancient droving route to a desolate moorland graveyard, from uninhabited post-industrial islands and Clearance villages to caves explored by early climbers and the mysterious strongholds of Christian missionaries, Patrick Baker makes a series of journeys on foot and by paddle. Along the way, he encounters Neolithic settlements, bizarre World War Two structures, evidence of illicit whisky production, sacred wells and Viking burial grounds.
Combining a rich fusion of travelogue and historical narrative, he threads themes of geology, natural and social history, literature, and industry from the places he visits, discovering connections between people and place more powerful than can be imagined.
203 pages, ebook
First published May 21, 2020
28 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Baker
3 books7 followersPatrick Baker has worked in the publishing industry for many years and is currently writer for an investment management company. He is a keen outdoor enthusiast and has walked and climbed throughout Scotland and Europe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
December 24, 2020
This is certainly the best non-fiction book I have read this year, and one of the most captivating overall.
Baker achieves that balance between describing his own adventures and his research into their history and geography, with the result being a monument to slow travel, to instinctual and emotional responses to the passing of time, and to landscape as a record of colossal social change.
The nine chapters of the book take us on a series of journeys into areas of history and geography of the Scottish mountains which I, like expect most readers, knew nothing about.
The book will have a lasting impact on me in two ways. Firstly, to see such wildernesses in a different way from now on, what was their 'wild history'? I want to research into that myself. Like most people, I know something of the history of wild places close to my own doorstep; The Black Dub monument up on Crosby moor, where Charles II rested with his army in 1651 when marching from Scotland following his coronation, and was turned back after bad weather, and the two standing stones and burial mound from the Iron Age just a mile or so away.
The most memorable feature of the book is Baker describing the effect on him of visiting certain places, most notably Blackwater Reservoir in Lochaber, constructed in horrific conditions by Irish navvies*, and the now deserted Clearance village of Bourbiaige on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. It is quite inspiring writing; the second lasting impact is to visit these, and other such places, myself, most likely to camp overnight and take in the atmosphere. At the cemetery at Blackwater, Baker was too affected to spend the night there himself, and departed for a refuge some miles away.
*The plight of the Irish navvies at Blackwater is described more fully in Patrick MacGill's autobiographical novel Children of the Dead End, which I have just ordered, and will read soon.
Baker achieves that balance between describing his own adventures and his research into their history and geography, with the result being a monument to slow travel, to instinctual and emotional responses to the passing of time, and to landscape as a record of colossal social change.
The nine chapters of the book take us on a series of journeys into areas of history and geography of the Scottish mountains which I, like expect most readers, knew nothing about.
The book will have a lasting impact on me in two ways. Firstly, to see such wildernesses in a different way from now on, what was their 'wild history'? I want to research into that myself. Like most people, I know something of the history of wild places close to my own doorstep; The Black Dub monument up on Crosby moor, where Charles II rested with his army in 1651 when marching from Scotland following his coronation, and was turned back after bad weather, and the two standing stones and burial mound from the Iron Age just a mile or so away.
The most memorable feature of the book is Baker describing the effect on him of visiting certain places, most notably Blackwater Reservoir in Lochaber, constructed in horrific conditions by Irish navvies*, and the now deserted Clearance village of Bourbiaige on the Ardnamurchan peninsula. It is quite inspiring writing; the second lasting impact is to visit these, and other such places, myself, most likely to camp overnight and take in the atmosphere. At the cemetery at Blackwater, Baker was too affected to spend the night there himself, and departed for a refuge some miles away.
*The plight of the Irish navvies at Blackwater is described more fully in Patrick MacGill's autobiographical novel Children of the Dead End, which I have just ordered, and will read soon.
February 14, 2022
This was a great book about lesser known places round Scotland including islands, caves, passes and woods. Baker does an excellent job of getting the balance between personal commentary, history, descriptions and tales and stories just right. Often with these types of books it can become very much about the author whereas this is not the case within this at all. It is less the author trying to put his own stamp on the places but much rather letting the places put a stamp upon him (and therefore the reader). Learning about each place throughout history was fascinating, especially in relation to the people who may have lived or past through each location. Despite being familiar with many of these ‘unfamiliar’ places I still learned a lot.
June 29, 2022
I liked it, it tells you many stories and data about different places of Scotland and also about history, of places, humans and activities
September 8, 2020
The Unremembered Places: a haunted world, where traces of human presence evoke lives of hardship and resilience.
Patrick Baker’s ‘The Unremembered Places: Exploring Scotland’s Wild Histories’ takes us straight, from word one, into the dark, dank recesses of the planet, places used and touched by humankind that yet retain their own wild untameable quality. His vivid, evocative descriptions summon a haunted world, where success and failure alike evoke the same poignant reaction.
Whether traversing the chill sucking morass of high country moor, crossing a cold sea by kayak, or exploring the drowned devastation of Slate Islands quarries, ‘The Unremembered Places’ is a thoroughly tactile book, summoning up the uncomfortable reality of surviving in places where the natural world sets the limits, and its human denizens can do little more than simply endure.
This book pulls no punches. Wherever people were required to enter into the wilderness, harsh realities had to be faced. From the sad graves in Scotland’s most isolated cemetery (and the grinding misery of itinerant labour) to the phenomenal physical and emotional resilience required to travel Scotland’s drove roads, the reader is immediately confronted with images of hardship that sear themselves into the memory.
I’m trying to avoid the word ‘gritty’, but I can’t. The grit in these tales gets into the subconscious and later, out for a long walk (or ‘tramp’ as I grew up calling it) with the book safely tucked away at home, chill wind or the smell of damp causes an abrasive image or snatch of words to arise in the mind, and provokes a visceral response.
If you enjoyed Robert MacFarlane’s ‘Underland’, or if you’ve ever been fascinated by some trace of human presence found tumbled and lost in a place otherwise utterly wild, you’ll love The Unremembered Places. But make sure you prepare a warm jersey and a flask of hot tea before you start.
Patrick Baker’s ‘The Unremembered Places: Exploring Scotland’s Wild Histories’ takes us straight, from word one, into the dark, dank recesses of the planet, places used and touched by humankind that yet retain their own wild untameable quality. His vivid, evocative descriptions summon a haunted world, where success and failure alike evoke the same poignant reaction.
Whether traversing the chill sucking morass of high country moor, crossing a cold sea by kayak, or exploring the drowned devastation of Slate Islands quarries, ‘The Unremembered Places’ is a thoroughly tactile book, summoning up the uncomfortable reality of surviving in places where the natural world sets the limits, and its human denizens can do little more than simply endure.
This book pulls no punches. Wherever people were required to enter into the wilderness, harsh realities had to be faced. From the sad graves in Scotland’s most isolated cemetery (and the grinding misery of itinerant labour) to the phenomenal physical and emotional resilience required to travel Scotland’s drove roads, the reader is immediately confronted with images of hardship that sear themselves into the memory.
I’m trying to avoid the word ‘gritty’, but I can’t. The grit in these tales gets into the subconscious and later, out for a long walk (or ‘tramp’ as I grew up calling it) with the book safely tucked away at home, chill wind or the smell of damp causes an abrasive image or snatch of words to arise in the mind, and provokes a visceral response.
If you enjoyed Robert MacFarlane’s ‘Underland’, or if you’ve ever been fascinated by some trace of human presence found tumbled and lost in a place otherwise utterly wild, you’ll love The Unremembered Places. But make sure you prepare a warm jersey and a flask of hot tea before you start.
November 17, 2020
I was in love with the cover before I'd even begun it. Lots of interesting places off the beaten track - very much written in the Robert MacFarlane style with an impressive bibliography at the back which has sent me off down all sorts of rabbit holes looking for out of print gems. Armchair travel at its most interesting!
June 20, 2023
A little dry, but at other times had a lyrical poetry to its descriptions. I really appreciated that the locations Baker catalogues here are truly "unremembered" - they are not found on any tourist list of places to see or hike in Scotland. I'm definitely adding a lot of them to my to-do list.
August 18, 2022
A mix of history, landscape, accessing wild places, personal adventure, myths and stories - all combined to provide a fascinating and informative guide to some of Scotland's wild histories.
September 20, 2025
3.5 stars
December 19, 2022
Interesting and well written book about forgotten or nearly so places in n Scotland. All are influenced by humans and most of them not that easy to get to. I enjoyed the book.
November 15, 2020
A fascinating slice of folk history if not a little broad and meandering - which, I felt was a perfect way to deliver such information as none of the books essays outstayed their welcome and yet were, at least to me, be very interesting.
August 17, 2020
If this book doesn't make you want to grab your boots, map and wooly hat and set off for wanderlust on foot then nothing will. Baker writes beautifully, taking you with him on a muddy, magical and sometimes madcap travelogue of some of Scotland's hidden gems and less known histories/stories. Maybe it was reading this during lockdown, but I savoured every chapter, taking me away to far flung highland moors, mountain passes, uninhabited islands, isolated Bothies (I had not idea what a Bothy was before reading this). The whole thing hangs together via Baker's addictive enthusiasm, self depreciating humour and the genuine sense of not knowing what is around the next hill. One minor gripe was wanting to see more and better pictures of the places but google filled in most of the blanks. Go Read!
October 8, 2020
Not as engaging as other books/writers in this genre
April 5, 2022
'Forgitten or forsaken places hold a potent enigmatic resonance in our collective consciousness.'
This book was a Christmas gift, so not one I chose myself. In the first couple of chapters I was really struggling to connect with it. I think as my natural instincts lay in historical non-fiction, the sections of travel writing were quite new to me and I found some of them less interesting than others. The idea of places that have been forgotten, or unpopulated is a hugely interesting concept and is explored deftly throughout the numerous places explored. Baker's writing style is compelling and descriptive throughout.
This is admittedly a great book. Baker manages to blend the first hand experience of exploring the landscapes and the fascinating historical annecdotes together seamlessly in a way that prevents the reader from becoming too tired of one style. It also makes me want to go out and explore, which is probably the goal of all travel writing I should think. While I enjoyed this to read, I'm glad it was as short as it was. I never found myself itching to pick it up and read more. This is by no means a reflection on the book itself, I think it perhaps just want quite for me.
This book was a Christmas gift, so not one I chose myself. In the first couple of chapters I was really struggling to connect with it. I think as my natural instincts lay in historical non-fiction, the sections of travel writing were quite new to me and I found some of them less interesting than others. The idea of places that have been forgotten, or unpopulated is a hugely interesting concept and is explored deftly throughout the numerous places explored. Baker's writing style is compelling and descriptive throughout.
This is admittedly a great book. Baker manages to blend the first hand experience of exploring the landscapes and the fascinating historical annecdotes together seamlessly in a way that prevents the reader from becoming too tired of one style. It also makes me want to go out and explore, which is probably the goal of all travel writing I should think. While I enjoyed this to read, I'm glad it was as short as it was. I never found myself itching to pick it up and read more. This is by no means a reflection on the book itself, I think it perhaps just want quite for me.
December 14, 2023
I picked this book up in a local book store of the town we were staying near during our holidays in Scotland this summer, The Highland Book Store in Fort William. I had never been to Scotland, let alone the Highlands, and the nature had left a deep and lasting impression on me. That, and long and often fraught history of the places we had visited. So, being the bookworm that I am, I really wanted to bring a book back home about Scotland.
Of the many many books I chose this one, the first few pages fascinated me immediately and I knew I wanted to read more.
Maybe because I have seen what the author has seen and walked where he has that this book had the impact on me that it had, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The way the author blends the history of the places with his own experience of exploring these Unremembered Places really showcases the layered histories of these locales.
While reading this book I was transported back to Scotland, standing on the edges of Lochs and hiking along mountains while the wind races down the mountainsides.
I loved it but maybe that was simply because I really want to go back to Scotland now.
Of the many many books I chose this one, the first few pages fascinated me immediately and I knew I wanted to read more.
Maybe because I have seen what the author has seen and walked where he has that this book had the impact on me that it had, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The way the author blends the history of the places with his own experience of exploring these Unremembered Places really showcases the layered histories of these locales.
While reading this book I was transported back to Scotland, standing on the edges of Lochs and hiking along mountains while the wind races down the mountainsides.
I loved it but maybe that was simply because I really want to go back to Scotland now.
July 19, 2023
A fascinating book about 'lost places' in the Highlands and Islands, which made me very unhappy inside because I wanted to put on my hiking boots and go exploring right away. As somebody who absolutely adores the Cairngorms and knows them very well, the first few chapters were most interesting but the rest also inspired me to read up on places, historical events and also to buy some more books (help! I was on a book buying ban???). I hope Patrick Baker will explore some more and take me with him (on page at least).
March 14, 2021
Wanted to give this 3.5, but not sure if that's possible. There were some gorgeous passages of writing but I really felt that it was patchy. Best of all though was the avenues he points you on to... places to visit; other writers to read. An example is Jim Crumley, a writer I've been aware of, but never felt drawn to. Baker quotes this one phrase of Crumley's which really speaks to me "...to walk the landscape and see what rubs off"
May 7, 2023
This wasn't really for me through no fault of its own. It's a book about human history on the landscape and sort of a travel book. I was looking for a nature writing book and since it was a Boardman-Tasker finalist, I was also thinking there would be mountaineering/climbing/hiking, at least... and it just isn't any of those really. The diction is somewhat stilted and dry. I just didn't find that I was the reader for this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 25, 2024I love exploring Scotland so decided to buy this book as my birthday gift. Unforunately, I could not get into it, I tried different chapters including the one about slate islands (place that I adore since moving to Oban) but I really struggled. It has to be a writing style, that didnt make it for me. Two stars as the author visited interesting places and made an effort. I will give the book to charity and forget it.
June 16, 2020
A good informative read, balancing atmospheric description of the different places with regular anecdotes, usually about fascinating historical facts. History has never been my chosen subject but in the context of the varying chapters, I found the history quite compelling.
January 2, 2021
Great book, exploring a number of interesting themes connected to the social and cultural history of unheard of places across Scotland. I nice blend of natural and social history. Engaging and interesting read!
January 20, 2021
Excellent read. Baker beautifully combines his own stories of exploring Scotland's landscape with the stories of the landscape itself and the stories of the people who shaped it and were shaped by it.
May 20, 2022
A fantastic insight into Scotland's landscape and it's history. Poignant, informative and funny in places, this book reveals some of the folk history of Scotland which is so often overlooked or romanticised.
May 31, 2023
I was hoping to get some inspiration and learn a bit before making my own trip round the Highlands, but instead I was just kind of bored. There was a LOT of filler and poetic ramblings, so I guess if that's your thing you'll enjoy it
August 23, 2020
4 - 4.5 *
May 8, 2021
Brilliant - enjoyed it all - fascinating
May 19, 2021
Fascinating book about the places in Scotland that have either been abandoned forgotten about or lost and the link between people and those places.
December 14, 2021
Beautiful book, lovely, poetic writing and a subject most interesting
January 8, 2022
Needs maps!
July 9, 2022
Really draws you in to the landscape and history of Scotland- perfect for those who have explored bits of it to realise there is so much more!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews