About the Magazine
We’re delighted to share with you the seventh edition of Hidden Scotland magazine. Welcome to our Autumn-Winter 2023-24 issue.
Did you know that nostalgic feelings can be protective against the cold? Scientists think that’s one of the reasons we experience wistfulness in winter. Whether that’s true or not, what better theme to focus on in this issue than tradition? From tartan, which is getting the V&A Dundee treatment, to the resurgence of artisan weaving, and a return to traditional signage on shops, we explore how traditional Scotland intersects with modern Scotland. A great place to start is our guide to the traditions embedded in towns across Scotland – the likes of Stonehaven’s Fireballs at Hogmanay.
Continuing the theme of tradition, we head to Up Helly Aa in Shetland, the festival of fire that may sound Viking but is rooted in more recent times. And we delve into the history of the Highland Games, which developed centuries ago as a tool to find the best warriors. There are features on tradition in landscape, too. One writer considers what it means to walk in Scotland; another uncovers the important locations keeping the history of Scottish blackhouses alive.
As ever, the magazine is full of characters. We meet Scotland’s national poet Kathleen Jamie, who explains how poetry has shaped the country, and photographer Jamie Ellington, who tells us what it was like growing up in the sea-access-only village of Crovie. Then there are the communities who have pulled together to achieve amazing things – in places like the island of Eigg and the mainland’s most remote pub.
It’s the darker season, so we’re giving you lots of opportunity to coorie doon. There’s a roundup of Scottish self-catering cottages, from tree houses to minimalist off-grid cabins. Or why not gather around the fire with Wild Kabn Kitchen on Loch Fyne, where outdoor chef William Hamer is reviving ancient cooking techniques? For those eager to get out and explore, we bring you a guide to Scotland’s most impressive whisky distilleries, a roundup of the nooks and crannies of Perthshire, and a local’s tips for exploring the spectacular winterscape of the Cairngorms. If you need any more inspiration to venture outside, read about the wintering geese of Islay: tens of thousands of them fly from Greenland to the Inner Hebrides every winter.
MEET THE PUBLISHER
Hidden Scotland
Founded by writer and photographer Jack Cairney in 2016, Hidden Scotland create and collaborate to produce content that gives you the knowledge and tips to maximise your experience when travelling in Scotland. Cairney, originally from Aberdeen
The company was founded in Vienna in 1923 by Dr Béla Horovitz and Ludwig Goldscheider. Horovitz named the company Phaidon in reference to Phaedo, a Greek philosopher and pupil of Socrates, to acknowledge his love of classical culture. Horovitz created quality books at an affordable price while Goldscheider contributed elegant layouts and handsome production.
The 1970s saw a great expansion in the number of staff employed by Phaidon and the number of titles it published. Like many other publishers at the time, Phaidon diversified into a range of subject areas and began to buy-in titles from publishers abroad. In October 2012, Phaidon came under new ownership and its new senior management team began the task of growing the company for the long term as the world’s leading publisher of books in the visual arts, food, and children’s markets.
Publishing successes in subsequent years expanded the growing art program to include books made in collaboration with the global superstar Rihanna, NIKE, photographer Annie Leibovitz, fashion designer Sir Paul Smith, the streetwear brand Supreme, and Cecily Brown, one of many cutting-edge artists in the company’s iconic Contemporary Artists Series. More recently, Phaidon has successfully added interior design to its core publishing categories.
”I’ve come to realise that if you approach travelling at home in that humble sense, with the knowledge that there’s always more to discover, you can easily pack an entire year with brand new adventures.”-Jack Cairney
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