Following the success of the first edition, this new edition has been expanded and improved with additional images and enhanced drawings. The subject matter has been expanded with the chapter on grammar and pronunciation extended. There are examples of how Gaelic personal names and the human body are used in place-names and many etymological sources have been added to place-name tables. In addition to the generic index, there is now an index of specific place-names. Finally, there’s more to say about hares, bears and boars!

Reading the Gaelic Landscape is essential for anyone who is interested in the Scottish Highlands and its native language. It enables people to read and understand place-names in Gaelic, providing insights into landscape character and history. The book enriches the experience of walkers, climbers, sailors, bird watchers and fishers by sketching the named context, where they practise their pursuits. Outdoor enthusiasts need no longer struggle with unfamiliar spellings and words, as they can develop a new perspective of place through an understanding of Gaelic toponymy.

The ways Gaelic poets like Sorley MacLean and Duncan Bàn MacIntyre used the named landscape in their work is explored. Names are used to speculate about species extinctions and the history of the Caledonian Forest.  Readers learn how place has been defined in Gaelic and how this has been recorded, through a deeper understanding of how native speakers applied their language to the landscape. This new edition will build on the praise for the first:

• ...essential for those interested in the Highlands and its ancient, living language. It helps readers and outdoor enthusiasts understand seemingly obscure words on maps, with insights into landscape history and ecology. The Scots Magazine
• ...John Murray's book is unique …  The result is a triumph. ... Just occasionally you come across a book whose lasting value is so obvious that you know people will be referring to it in 50 years' time or more. Reading the Gaelic Landscape is one of those books. Undiscovered Scotland
• …the scope of the book is admirably broad, with primers on the history of the Gaelic language in Scotland, how the first maps of the country came to be made, and how the Gaelic speakers of old would have conceptualised things like colours and sounds, seasons and time. Roger Cox, The Scotsman
• ...this book is a useful resource for those interested in Scotland's landscapes, environment and history. Wild Land News

A wide audience including outdoor enthusiasts such as walkers and climbers but also anyone with an interest in place, language and culture.

‘…proves a compelling and meticulously researched publication. …this book could be used as a field guide/reference aid to the meanings of the Gaelic words in the landscape…most use and interest to us mountaineers and hill-goers… This is a gem of a read for those wishing to learn more of the Land, the indigenous folk and their Gaelic language. Again, Whittles Publishing has done well by this second edition… It is a pleasure to handle, browse and be absorbed in this fascinating publication. The Gaelic landscape already comes with approving nods from many sources including, inter alia, The Scotsman, Undiscovered Scotland and the Scots Magazine. It comes highly recommended by me – so, go on, treat yourself and enjoy a remarkable book’. The Munro Society Newsletter

'...the rich language of the Gaelic landscape in a fully revised second edition of a book that will reveal much to walkers and naturalists. ...will certainly appeal to scholars of the Gaelic language and landscape, providing rich detail in an evolving field of study. ...for those seeking a richer understanding of maps, place, language and culture, Murray makes a very fine tour guide of Gaelic Scotland'. John Muir Trust Journal

'...this book is a useful aid to guide you through their meanings, helping you to understand how Gaelic settlers applied their language to the landscapes around them. Useful reading for hikers, bird watchers and anglers, or anyone who wants to have a deeper connection with their surroundings'. Scotland

‘…breaks new ground in illustrating and explaining the living link between landscape and language….It’s not just a fascinating armchair read, but a practical guide to have in your rucksack when exploring, allowing you to see natural features and land use with new eyes… this rich work… a fascinating read, and we can be inspired to look at other landscapes with the same sort of awareness and wonder. This rewarding book is well on its way to becoming a classic’.  An Naidheachd Againne

‘…the author takes his reader on a voyage deep into the very soul of the people who lived amongst, and named, our hills, lochs, rivers and glens… if the destination appeals as much to you as to me, then this book is by far the best place to embark’. Mountain Bothes Association newsletter

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