A Croft in the HillsA Croft in the Hills, first published in 1960, is now acknowledged as a classic among Highland books. It captures, in simple, moving descriptions, what it was really like trying to make a living out of a hill croft near Loch Ness fifty years ago. A couple and their young daughter, fresh from city life, immerse themselves in the practicalities of looking after sheep, cattle and hens, mending fences, baking bread and surviving the worst that Scottish winters can throw at them. Their neighbours are few, but among them they find the generosity and community spirit that has survived in the Highlands for generations. Working as a tight family unit, they learn to cope, and in time grow to love their little croft. As Neil Gunn writes in his Foreword, their lives gain extra dimensions that 'give the book its unusual quality, its brightness and its wisdom'. |
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Abriachan afternoon autumn beasts Beauly began Ben Wyvis Bertha blue burn byre cattle ceilidhs Charlie Christmas coltsfoot corn croft house crofter crop curlew delight door eggs eyes face feed felt fence fetch field fire garden grass grazing green hand harvest Helen Helen loved hens Highland hill Hogmanay holiday Inverness Jim and Billy keep kettle kitchen knew lambs larks later light living living-room load Loch Loch Broom Loch Ness looked loved Maclean miles milk moor morning neighbour never night oasis once ourselves pail peats piglets pigs ploughing potatoes pullets road round rushes scones Scotland sheep shelter Shetland ponies snow soon spring steading stood stooks straw summer things took town tractor turnips walk warmth watch weather week wind window winter wonder young