Introduction

With more than its fair share of dramatic mountains, moorlands, lochs and rivers, Scotland is famously one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is also known for the unique quality of its field sports, widely available to both visitor and local alike; wonderful salmon rivers, myriad brown trout lochs, grouse moors and outstanding red deer stalking.

The People and the Land

And throughout this wild countryside are the stalkers, gillies and keepers - men who have spent their whole lives on river, moor and hill caring for the iconic wildlife Scotland has to offer. In Glorious Gentlemen Bruce Sandison takes us on a magical journey around Scotland, as seen through the eyes of some of the country’s best-known and most respected gillies, stalkers and keepers.

The Stories

The stories they have to tell are full of humour, kindliness and patience as - sometimes under difficult circumstances - they help their guests, old and young alike, novice or experienced, in pursuit of the best possible chance of sport. Celebrating a way of life that has existed in Scotland for many hundreds of years, Glorious Gentlemen is a book for all seasons, of stories and tales told by the men who made them, all of which are, of course, true - and some even truer.