Paperback by The Northern Lighthouse Heritage Trust/Whittles, £20
If you count the islands, the coastline of Scotland stretches for more than 11,500 and touches some pretty treacherous waters. Today, modern-day mariners have a host of equipment at their fingertips, such as lighthouses, satellite systems and buoys, which can help them make their way around this wild and rugged coastline.
But in the early 17th century, mariners had no such aids and were faced with an extremely perilous prospect when sailing during the hours of darkness. The first attempt at building a permanently-manned lighthouse in Scotland came in 1636, when a privately-owned stone tower was built on the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth.
The story behind it is one of several featured in a fascinating glossy 192-page book by Ian Cowe, a man who admits he’s been obsessed with lighthouses since he was a boy. This book is the result of his seven-year journey around Scotland’s coastline where he captured a unique collection of amazing images taken while following in the footsteps of the equally amazing Stevenson engineering family.
If you think pictures of lighthouses sound dull, think again. There are awe-inspiring aerial shots, remarkable close-ups showing features you might walk past without seeing and superb sunrise and sunset photography which really show these remarkable buildings at their dramatic best.
This is a limited-edition book which can be bought direct from the publisher (www.whittlespublishing.com). Profits from the sale of the books, which are a coffee table must for any engineering, lighthouse or photography buff, will go to the Northern Lighthouse Heritage trust.
