Travels in Scotland, 1788-1881: A Selection from Contemporary Tourist Journals

Tourist travelling changed remarkably between 1780 and 1880, and the six accounts collected here help us to see how and why. Whether by a well-off and intrepid lady, a self-important youth, a young man and his parents, or an overweight middle-aged lawyer, what they have in common is a relish for the pleasures of discovery, of holidaymaking, of finding a Scotland for themselves. The writers travel, they see, they listen (some more than others), enjoy good weather (and endure the frequently bad), take in the scenery and sights, and talk with other visitors and locals. Theirs are intimate voices - they were writing for themselves, or friends or family, not for the public - but as we eavesdrop on them a larger picture unfolds. Travelling conditions vary: the first account shows to a world of elite travel, the private coach, and the privileges enjoyed by the well-heeled, while the last is the homely and charming description of a one-week holiday taken with relatives in the country. In between comes the new world of travel: the steamer, the railway and the guidebook. A general preface by the editor sets these pieces in their historical and social context, and a selection of photographs and sketches drawn from two of the accounts complements these hitherto unpublished visitors’ narratives. Alastair J. Durie is Teaching Fellow at the University of Scotland and Associate Lecturer at the Open University.