Angus is the historical heartland of Scotland, a county where the past has left an indelible mark on the present. Prehistoric forts, ancient castles and Pictish standing stones dot a rich and varied landscape where bracing coastal hikes, tranquil riverside rambles, sheltered woodland wanders and more challenging hill ascents await the walker. This book features 40 walks, combining exploration of the county's stunning coastline where rocky cliffs and coves reveal swathes of golden sand, with gentle inland trails and more adventurous forays into the celebrated Angus Glens where the terrain is altogether wilder and more dramatic.

Angus has a proud maritime heritage and a wonderful coastline to explore. While a formal coastal path remains in development there are plenty of well-trod seaside paths and cliff top trails linking fine beaches, dramatic geological features and secluded coves, all with a story to tell. This book links up these paths and tracks to create a 68km route, one that stretches from Broughty Ferry, in the south, to the mouth of the River North Esk, the county's northern boundary. From the Firth of Tay, the mouth of Scotland's longest river, sandy beaches, backed by a gently rolling grassy hinterland, give way to more rugged and dramatic scenery. Beyond the harbour town of Arbroath, spectacular cliffs, interspersed with craggy coves, secret caves and unique geological features, rise from the insistent ebb and flow of the tide. The coastline reaches its highest point at Red Head, a towering sandstone promontory. From there, the terrain softens again, the forgotten hamlets of Ethie Haven and Corbie Knowe lying at the southern end of Lunan Bay, a sweep of golden sand. However, a more exposed and inhospitable stretch leads round the coast to Scurdie Ness lighthouse, standing guard over the entrance to the county's busiest port, Montrose. Fully illustrated, this guidebook includes clear mapping and a wealth of background history, geography and wildlife information, plus practical advice on accommodation, public transport and places to eat and drink.

Ten men each took eight steps across the gallery of Barlinnie Prison's D-Hall, a final short walk from the grim confines of the condemned cell to the scaffold. Their time had finally come. Convicted of capital murder, each man faced the ultimate punishment ? death by judicial hanging. Their crimes ranged from gangland slayings to multiple killings. The legal process exhausted and all bids for clemency rejected, the hangman's noose was primed and ready to despatch swift justice. This book explores the lives and crimes of the 10 men hanged at Barlinnie between 1946 and 1960. They were John Lyon, Patrick Carraher, John Caldwell, Paul Christopher Harris, James Ronald Robertson, James Smith, Patrick Deveney, George Francis Shaw, Peter Manuel and Anthony Miller. It follows the path each man took to murder, examines the evidence against them and the defences deployed and charts their last days incarcerated within the condemned cell.

James McRory Smith lived for over 30 years at Strathchailleach, one of the most remote cottages in the Britain Isles. Standing in the shadow of the squat stone structure, it is hard to imagine a more isolated spot. The building sits alone in a vast tract of empty, featureless terrain to the south of Cape Wrath, in Sutherland. There is no access road, no running water, no electricity and no telephone. Yet James McRory Smith survived here, battered by the elements and devoid of human company. His story is a fascinating account of a man pitting his wits against the wilderness, enduring endless isolation and existing, for a large part, off the land. James' lifestyle belonged to a bygone age, yet he lived it in the 20th century, turning his back on the luxuries and conveniences of the modern world. This biography provides readers with an inspiring account of a modern day hermit. It offers a rare insight into an alternative way of life, one that is far removed from the norm. At a time when people are becoming increasingly concerned about consumption and consumerism, and their impact on the environment, James McRory Smith's story demonstrates the practicalities and challenges of the frugal, self-sufficient lifestyle many people dream of. However, this is not intended simply as a social history, is also a true-life story of adventure and survival.