Kayaking the Sea Roads is a personal journey by sea kayak into the heart of the sea roads that make up our Scottish Highlands and islands. Blending the intensity of the journey with a careful observation of the natural world and first-hand knowledge of the challenges of living and working in this place, the author reminds us that mother nature, vast and resilient, is still out there beyond our mobile phones and urban lives. For those with the eyes to see, its natural rhythms can awaken a deep sense of wonder and give us cause to become part of the environmental recovery so sorely needed.

With Ed, we travel low in the water with the restless sea ever present and we camp with him on remote rough shores.  We share his feelings of wonder at the natural world, his fear at the exposure to rough seas and we encounter with him not just the myriad animals and birds that share his every day but also the people, their communities and the often gnarly rural issues impacting on human and animal alike.

Alongside a deeply felt appreciation of the natural environment is a first-hand insight into the environmental and land-management issues pertinent to the Highland coast. By exploring, for instance, the impact of native versus non-native species, of community land ownership, of tourism, hunting and the varied other uses and indeed non-uses of coastal lands and seas, the readers’ eyes are opened to a Scottish Highlands that is so much more than just a pretty view.

At the surface, this is an adventure story, but at its heart, it is a tale about belonging and a deep sense of place; and it is a journey home, home in the end to where the author’s Highland love affair began. 

This will be of huge appeal to all kayakers, everyone with an interest in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, the natural environment and the outdoors in general.

'I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ed Ley-Wilson’s adventures and can heartily recommend reading the book...'. Alan Stewart, Wildlife Detective

'Beautifully written... It will appeal to kayakers and anyone with an interest in this magical part of Scotland or the natural environment'. Our Man On The Ground Travel and Lifestyle Magazine

'What really makes this book shine is the author's superb written style. ...All the adventure anyone could want packed into an intense fifty-six days. ...As well as the author's account of his journey and wide-ranging musings, there are also clear and helpful maps, plenty of photographs and some very nice drawings. This is a book we would wholeheartedly recommend.' Undiscovered Scotland

' ...it is a lovely volume with art work, photography and literary references, a great sense of adventure, an absence of mobile phones and a journalistic appetite for reporting humans and nature'. Oxford Alumni OFF THE SHELF, University of Oxford 

'This is probably the most important book of its kind for over 70 years'. Canoeist

'In his charming new book Ed Ley-Wilson explores the sea roads that make up the Scottish Highlands and Islands, conveying both the wonder and the terrible beauty of nature as experienced up close and personal and the environmental challenges facing this great wilderness...'. Choice magazine

'This is probably the most important book of its kind for over 70 years'. The Canoeist

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