The Bone Cave: A Journey through Myth and Memory

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The Bone Cave is a vivid account of a month-long journey in the Scottish Highlands. Walking and occasionally hitching, Dougie Strang follows a series of folktales to the locations in which theyre set, encountering along the way a depth of meaning to them that allows him to engage with the landscape from a different perspective one where the distinction between history and legend is supple, and where his own narrative becomes entangled with figures both real and mythic.

Central to the book is the tale of The Cailleach and the Brown-eyed Hunter, which illustrates most fully the ways that myths continue to dwell in the landscape, offering a different perspective on contemporary issues such as land ownership and ecological stewardship. Dougie sets out on his walk at the beginning of October, which also marks the start of the red deer rut. The bellowing of stags becomes the soundtrack to his journey and a vigorous reminder that, as well as mapping invisible landscapes of story, he is also exploring a real, living landscape.

Author Bio

Dougie Strang is a writer, storyteller and performer whose work is inspired by the Scottish landscape. Born and brought up in Glasgow, he studied folkore at Edinburgh University, and has lived and worked in numerous places, including the Scottish island of Iona, Portugal and New Zealand. He has created and directed work for numerous festivals and events and is a core member of the Dark Mountain Project, the international network of writers, artists, scientists and others whose work addresses current social and environmental crises.