A free walking guide with past and present literature in Aberdeen featuring Bram Stroker, Stuart McBride, John Lennon, and Sheena Blackhall was launched today in the city’s main library.
The ‘Aberdeen Literature Trail’ has the city either as a setting for literature or it has inspired writers in a different way, showing the number of poets, writers and people the city has produced and contains a few of the more interesting stories, while championing everything from traditional work to media such as film and song.
Doric writer and poet Ms Blackhall, who helped launch the guide, said: “Dae ye think ye ken aathin aboot Aiberdeen? Think again! Read Aiberdeen’s new Literature Trail, far researchers hae fand links tae Bob Dylan, Cage the Elephant an even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! A true page turner!”
It was unveiled at Central Library on Rosemount Viaduct alongside two community trail guides for Dyce and Bucksburn and a mini guide for a canal which once existed from Aberdeen to Inverurie. The new family-friendly trails produced by Aberdeen City Council complement existing walking guides in the series including the City Centre and Aberdeen Music Trail launched earlier this year.
Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “All of the free trail guides are designed to encourage people discover places full of history and heritage and these three new publications certainly do that.
“Aberdeen and the wider area has a long and rich presence in literature. It has provided inspiration as well as the setting to many works, and is the home of many wordsmiths.”
Council Co-Leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “We live in a beautiful city with a rich history so it’s great the three new trail guides show people what there is while highlighting many little interesting quirks and oddities along the way.
“The new literature trail guide shows the city in words – writers, lyrics and poems – showing the many ways people have put prose to describe Aberdeen at its heart.”
The Dyce trail covers the area’s historical development as a village, plus the natural spaces and parks which give character to the area. It features an optional extension to Pitmedden Church, and the area around St Fergus Chapel.
The Bucksburn Trail covers buildings past and present and natural features in the area which was originally chain of villages that helped form it – Auchmill, Bankhead, and Woodend/Stoneywood were all at one time in Newhills Parish.
In Case You Missed it:
The canal mini trail tells the story of the canal, which ran from Port of Aberdeen on the River Dee to Inverurie at Port Elphinstone on the Don and officially opened in June 1805 and ran until 1854.
The contents of the literature trail, which was researched and written by a Robert Gordon University student as part of their degree, includes landmarks, highlights, and quirky details in the area in a handy walkable format. The contents of the Dyce and Bucksburn trail guides was written with help from local libraries in both areas.
The new walking guides mean there is now a total of 33 full trails and three mini trails in the Council trail guide series covering many historical and natural gems around the city. There free downloadable walking trail guides are available online at the City Council’s website at Free walks and trails in Aberdeen | Aberdeen City Council. Limited copies of the literature trail are also available at Central Library.
