Welcome to Between Mountain and Sea
A new home for writing from and about Scotland
“I think about you
in as many ways as rain comes”
: Norman MacCaig, ‘No Choice’
Scotland is an endlessly fascinating place. From large vibrant cities to tiny remote hamlets, via huge empty swathes of land where only wildlife roams — it’s the backdrop to hundreds of films, tv programmes, tourist pictures, infinitely variable weather, and the day-to-day lives of around 5.5 million people.
Between Mountain and Sea is the title of a collection of Norman MacCaig poetry — one of Scotland’s best writers, and my own favourite. He spent much of his younger years in the far-north highlands of Scotland, and many of his professional and later years in the capital, Edinburgh.
The contrasts of Scotland are one of the most interesting aspects of the country. We are one of the friendliest and most welcoming nations on the planet, and generally pretty progressive, but we are also politically polarised. We have some of the oldest retained historical artefacts, buildings, and remnants — and are also one of the fastest growing tech…
