Map Monday – Visit Scotland
Map Monday – Visit Scotland
Ah books and maps. What else could you want on Map Monday? Well Visit Scotland recently asked me to think about a city that I could map out using a novel or two. Well, where did I start? There was one city that I immediately thought of that wasn’t Edinburgh or Glasgow. Somewhere that should be more firmly on the map….
Stirling – with all its history and heritage was the obvious choice. And one author immediately came to mind – Neil Broadfoot sets all of his Connor Fraser novels there and got the idea to write the series in the first place when at the Bloody Scotland festival held in the very city.
So…
The Broadfoot BookTrail of Stirling
It was such an honour to think about a city and to showcase it using the novels of one author. So many places and sites in and around the area are included throughout the series so the trail wrote itself in many ways.
You really do see the city of Stirling in a new way when you look at it through Neil Broadfoot’s eyes. OK, some of the things he sees are rather dubious and deadly but you can’t say Stirling gets a very bright light shone on it in when Connor Fraser is on the scene!
(c) Neil Broadfoot
The Broadfoot BookTrail of Stirling
Take one site – Cowane’s Hospital. Neil has blended this into the story capturing its importance in the city, but also alluding to its past:
“He was on a small lane that ran between the Holy Rude Church and the old bowling green that lay behind the imposing frontage of Cowane’s Hospital, which dated from the seventeenth century and backed onto the town walls.”
So you can read about crime AND learn something! Plus if you follow the places in the books, you get to see a fair few places that each share something new about Stirling. I learned a lot about the city and googled even more afterwards. I have visited it many times in real life but got to go back via the books and every time saw it through different eyes.
Pleased I didn’t ever meet Connor in real life however. I think I’d be a bit nervous.
For the full article_
Neil Broadfoot and Connor Fraser take you on a BookTrail around Stirling
Susan x
With huge thanks to friends at Visit Scotland!
