Reading the book Clanlands helped me escape to Scotland during lockdown

Clanlands by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish

With Johnston for a surname, the likelihood of Scottish blood running through my veins is pretty high! A genetic connection to the land of tartan exists on my father’s side. The bloodline is not coursing, it runs a few generations ago, but the trickle could explain my unexplainable pull to the country. I last visited Scotland in 2018. Taking advantage of the ‘right to roam’ – basically the freedom to wander the countryside – I explored remote hiking trails on the Isle of Skye with Wilderness Scotland.

I’m a self-confessed Outlander fan. This large group (mostly female) have spent countless hours (years more likely) reading the historical romantic novels penned by American author Diana Gabaldon. A popular offshoot of Gabaldon’s nine books which heavily features Scotland, is a TV Series, Outlander.

An unlikely friendship forged between two Outlander actors, one who plays the main character, Jamie, the other his Uncle Dougal. (Spoiler alert: The character Jamie murders his uncle in the finale of season two!)

Fictional murder aside, in September 2019 these two actors, Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish explored the country of their birth on a road trip through the Scottish Highlands, to film a mini-series, Men in Kilts. Likely capitalising on the frenzy Outlander fans have for anything Scotland-related, the shrewd Scottish pair penned a book.

Clanlands’ November 2020 release was timely, perhaps to placate the legions of Outlander fans growing impatient through the extended ‘Droughtlander’ (yes, it’s an actual term!) Filming the sixth series was delayed by the pandemic.

Why I liked reading Clanlands

Heughan and McTavish’s passion for history and their sardonic wit appear throughout Clanlands. Their self-deprecating banter and personal anecdotes provide a welcome respite to the heavy history of a “wonderful, bruised land.”

Remember when international travel was not allowed during lockdown? Like many others, my yearning to travel beyond Australian domestic borders, was strong during those long (and now looking back almost hard to imagine) lockdowns. Reading Clanlands was pure escapism, frequently transporting me back to the land of tartan and often making me laugh through their argy-bargy banter.

Now that lockdowns are over

We can travel overseas again! And I was lucky enough to dust off my passport earlier this year, taking my first overseas trip, since Covid put the kibosh on those since February 2020. AND it was my first ever cruise, boarding the Azamara Quest.

And who did I meet on board the Quest? Iain Jessiman, a Piper, who just happened to pack his bagpipes for the cruise. He piped at every port departure and at the onboard ANZAC service. He was a fellow passenger, cruising with his wife, Claire. They were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.

For me, there is nothing more stirring than hearing a lone Piper. What a treat for guests onboard.

When Iain piped Scotland the Brave – it brought a tear to my eye. Apart from reading Clanlands, this was my first taste of the real Scotland – since my 2018 trip.

Whether you have Scottish blood or not, its hard to deny a yearning for Scotland. I hope to be back there in the not too distant future.