 Extremis Publishing is pleased to announce the release of a new travel publication by Thomas A. Christie and Julie Christie. “Secrets and Mysteries of the Heart 200 Route,” is a colour guide to Scotland’s famous Heart 200 route with a difference: it covers many of the most interesting and unusual stories from the area, accompanied by full-page illustrations, to highlight the surprises which lie in wait for visitors to the area as well as seasoned guests to Scotland.
Launched in 2019, the Heart 200 road trip around Stirlingshire and Perthshire boasts some of the best-known sights in all of the country, with the towns and villages around the route containing centuries of culture and history. These include famous settlements such as Pitlochry, Kinross, Blairgowrie, Dunkeld, Dunblane, and many others. But that is only to scratch the surface of a much larger story; the lesser-known enigmas and hidden treasures of the Heart 200 – the places that the tour guides rarely take people – are less regularly encountered. In “Secrets and Mysteries of the Heart 200 Route,” visitors are invited to discover some unanticipated revelations about locations all around this epic road trip, both ancient and modern. The authors have ensured that there are historical surprises and supernatural mysteries within, offering quirky sights and more than a few unexpected facts along the way.
Julie Christie, the book’s co-author, is eager to emphasise that this is a product launch with a difference. “This is an area of Scotland with so much to offer, we wanted to invite our readers to encounter some of the most unusual facts about the region in the hope that we might even be able to surprise residents. We cover phenomena such as the first haggis in space, Mary Queen of Scots’ secret private chapel and many hidden architectural gems of the region. As we live and work in Stirlingshire, nothing would make us happier than the prospect of inviting new guests to come to the area and enjoy its attractions.”
Her enthusiasm is shared by her co-author, Dr Thomas Christie, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts who has spent years studying popular culture and has written widely on the subject. “With this new book, we aimed to uncover the astonishing cultural and literary connections which exist around the Central Scotland area, as well as its historical significance. In the process we visited some of the most remarkable hidden corners in all of Scotland, and naturally we were keen to share our findings with readers. Even seasoned guests who may have thought they knew everything about Heart 200 might find that they will reconsider their opinion, as we have uncovered a number of little-known urban legends in addition to modern additions to the area. There are so many sites of interest which lie just off the beaten track, and we hope to encourage visitors to see these remarkable curiosities for themselves.”
The book is the second collaboration between this brother and sister publishing team, whose previous book together – 2020’s “The Heart 200 Book” – was the first published guide to the iconic Scottish touring route. Working in collaboration with the Heart 200 team, and many companies and organisations throughout the area, their new book promises something of interest for everyone who is coming to see the region and encourages them to seek out its many attractions while travelling through the area. Extremis Publishing is an independent publishing house based in Stirling which specialises in arts, media and culture non-fiction. Earlier this year it was named Independent Publishing Company of the Year at the Corporate LiveWire Scotland Prestige Awards 2021/22.
“Secrets and Mysteries of the Heart 200 Route” is set to release on Tuesday, 30 November 2021. More information about the book can be found on the Extremis Publishing website at: https://www.extremispublishing.com/secrets-and-mysteries-of-the-heart-200-route.html
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