17 bonnie books about Scotland to inspire your trip

During this time of uncertainty, with travel off the cards, you may well have had to cancel your trip to Scotland. I look forward to a time when we can fly again but until then how about some books about Scotland to keep you inspired and excited about your future trip? I know it's one of the only things keeping me sane at the moment. Books are a wonderful escape and will help you wile away the hours being stuck at home. These books may also give you some ideas for when you are planning for your future trip. 

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If you hike in Scotland there is a good chance you will stumble across a bothy, abandoned buildings which are often old farmsteads or crofts, which are free to stay in should you need. They are as basic as they come, and all entirely individual. This brilliant book is a complete guide to these little gems and includes maps, directions and all the information you need about facilities and nearby attractions. One of my favourite books about Scotland. 

This book is filled with stirring stories from inspirational Scottish women from the past. Fierce women with attitude who broke rules, changed rules and made rules. Women who made a difference and done it in style. If you want to be inspired this book is perfect. 

What was once a cloth woven in colours to represent your clan in the Scottish Highlands, whilst this is still the case, is now also parading down catwalks in New York and Milan, it's an iconic fabric and this book tells the tale of it's history, from the battlefield, royalty and it being banned altogether to independent makers fashioning purses, iPad covers and dog collars. This colourful book is filled with beautiful pictures and goes deep into a fascinating history of this important Scottish fabric. 

Explore the fascinating events, people and locations in Scotland which mirror the story of the Game of Thrones at every dramatic turn. An intriguing look into Scotland's past and it's uncanny resemblance to the hugely popular TV series. 

The writer of this book is the editor of Scots Magazine and I followed his journey online as he climbed all 282 of Scotland's Munros. This book tells his story, of the most iconic of these majestic mountains, from the dominating Cuilin mountain range on the Isle of Skye to the highest mountain in the country, Ben Nevis. One of the most fascinating books about Scotland I've read. 

A brilliant all round guide to the best of everything Scotland has to offer. The best ice cream, the best Ceilidhs, the best beaches, the best places for kids, the list goes on. If you are planning your Scotland trip for after lockdown this will give you some excellent pointers of things you can include. 

If this doesn't inspire you to book that trip I don't know what will. Tongue in cheek fun to lighten your mood. 

Wild Guide Scotland takes you on an adventure to Scotland's most remote places. It contains over 800 wild beaches, ancient forests, wild camping spots and artisan whisky distilleries. These places are off the beaten track and truly special. 

Outlander is based in Scotland and has become rather a huge deal. While you are stuck indoors why not recreate some of the recipes from the show? Recipes include Cock-a-Leekie soup, pumpkin seed and herb oatcakes and Banoffee trifle at River Run. These recipes were popular in the 17th and 18th century but include ingredients you can find today. 

Based on a BBC documentary this book is filled with stunning photos taken from the sky by pilots, from the First World War all the way up to the present day. See just how stunning Scotland is, from a different angle. The photography in this book is incredible. 

Many people cram so much into their trips to Scotland that they leave feeling like they haven't experienced much at all, the trip turns out to be too rushed and they quickly learn that next time they will take it slowly and this is what this book is all about. Slowing down, letting Scotland, the way of its people and the beauty of the landscape seep in. This book is for those of you who want to travel around Scotland in a campervan or motorhome and has the best driving routes, depending on what you want to see, with activities you might like to try and places to eat and take photos. 

A guide to Scotland's North Coast 500, a driving route which leaves from Inverness and loops around the northern coast of the country. It's a popular route best taken out of season when the roads are quieter. It shows off some of the best scenery Scotland has to offer and the photography in this book will make you want to pack your cases now. 

Scotland has thousands of miles of coastline and over 800 islands and this book takes you from the wild waters around Cape Wrath to the gentle Silver Sands of Morar. 

Another book of recipes from Scotland, this time from the vibrant street food sector which has taken off in Scotland on a massive scale. Read stories from the people who make it happen, try the recipes and choose some to visit while you are here. 

This wonderful books has a 366 poems from some of the most exciting poets in Scotland, from past and present, with poems celebrating some of Scotland's key dates including Hogmanay and Burns Night. Poets include Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, George Mackay Brown, Sir Walter Scott, Don Paterson, Nan Shepherd and Stewart Conn.

So island bagging has become a thing in Scotland! Although we have over 800 islands around our coast only 99 of them have regular ways of reaching them so this book explores these, tells you the bet way to explore each, what there is to see and how to get there. Some of the islands included are Bute, Skye, Lewis and St Kilda. 

This book may be for children but if you want to learn about the history of Scotland then this book is perfect. It traces the fascinating history from the very first settlers to the Scotland of modern times. This is one of the first books about Scotland I bought, it's simple, easy to read and gives you a good starting point which you can then expand upon.