During the long winter nights and before the advent of television, people in Caithness used to hold informal gatherings in each other's houses, and spend the night in general conversation around the firesides. These gatherings were known as ceilidhs. The news of the day was always discussed along with other topics of interest. The conversation very often turned to events of long ago and it was then that the storytellers came into their own.

With his customary enthusiasm, Robert Gunn has selected a number of these tales and historical events with links to or origins in Caithness, to provide a fascinating read and a few surprises! The author recalls that in the Dunbeath district there were several storytellers who held their audiences spellbound with their tales of long ago. One such story was The Prisoner's Leap - this raised considerable debate as to whether it was possible to jump the gorge at Crageneath although the conversation often ended with people agreeing that the distance between the two rocks at the gorge was much less than it was currently!

Most people believed that an Earl of Orkney was killed at the battle of Leodibest and that one of the stones near the road marked his grave. Alexander Gunn's recollections of his schooldays at Badbea will be an eye-opener for many when they read of the terrible hardships that the children who lived there had to endure.

ROYALTIES FROM THE SALES OF THIS BOOK WILL BE DONATED TO THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

Who discovered America? The Beauty of Braemore. The dairymaid and the hunter. Graysteel - the robber of Loch Rangag. The giant of Morven. The prisoner's leap. The writing on the wall - a legend of Girnigoe Castle. John Finlayson - Actuary of the National Debt Court and Government Calculator. A legend of Loch More. The battle of Altimarlach. The strong man of Dalnaglaton. David Marshall, the Backlass Robber. The snowstorm. A fight at the market. The secret of Garrywhin. Recollections of school days at Badbea. The last Need Fire. Bloodshed at Berriedale. Excise men and smugglers. The Leodibest battle.

The new and expanded edition of this wonderful collection of stories and folklore from Caithness will be of huge appeal to all Caithnessians, both at home and abroad. It will also be of great interest to anyone interested in tales of mystery and Scottish folklore.