Adrift in Caledonia: Boat-Hitching for the Unenlightened

by Nick Thorpe

One clear morning in May, Nick Thorpe left his Edinburgh flat, ducked off the commuter route and hitched a ride aboard a little white canal boat, heading west towards the sea. It was the first mutinous step in a delightful boat-hopping odyssey that would take him 2500 miles through Scotland's canals, lochs and coastal waters, from the industrial Clyde to the scattered islands of Viking Shetland.
Writing with characteristic humour and candour, the award-winning author of EIGHT MEN AND A DUCK plots a curiously existential voyage, inspired by those who have left the warm hearth for the promise of a stretched horizon. Whether rowing a coracle with a chapter of monks, scanning for the elusive Nessie, hitting the rocks with Captain Calamity or clinging to the rigging of a tall ship, Thorpe weaves a narrative that is by turns funny and poignant - a nautical pilgrimage for any who have ever been tempted to try a new path just to see where it might take them.
Part travelogue, part memoir, ADRIFT IN CALEDONIA is a unique and affectionate portrait of a sea-fringed nation - and of the drifter's quest to belong.

Genres: Travel, Scotland, Nonfiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Nick Thorpe is an award-winning writer and journalist. A contributor to the Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, Scotsman and BBC Radio 4 among others, he has covered stories ranging from Russian presidential elections to the coca wars of Bolivia, for which he was shortlisted for the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.

His latest book, Urban Worrier: Adventures in the Lost Art of Letting Go (Little Brown, Jun 2011) is the story of his quest to find balance and fulfilment by sampling everything from naturism to monasticism, Buddhism to ballooning. "Pitch-perfect," wrote the Scotsman's reviewer. "Thorpe's epiphany is profound and affecting, and it is the counterpoint of poignancy and comedy that makes this very personal search for peace so utterly life-affirming."

Adrift in Caledonia: Boat-hitching for the Unenlightened (Abacus 2006), charts his 2500-mile journey around Scotland on other people's boats. It was serialised on BBC Radio 4′s Book of the Week programme in March 2006. Eight Men and a Duck, his critically-acclaimed first book, recounts his voyage to Easter Island by reed boat and was published by Abacus in 2003.

Nick grew up near London but moved to Scotland nearly 20 years ago. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife and young son. www.nickthorpe.co.uk

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed his silly idea of catching boat rides around Scotland. A true wanderer.

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book the author takes you with him as he hitchhikes his way in a variety of boats more or less around Scotland. During this patchwork voyage, you will get to know him personally. I can say that I feel he's a man worth meeting.

And his trip is worth taking. There are interesting places to learn a bit about, interesting bits of experience to hear of, and interesting people whose lives are quite diverse and colorful.

Threaded throughout this voyage are thoughtful musings about the deeper meanings of life's voyage, and though the conclusions are few the author's ruminations might well strike a chord of recognition within you.

My copy of this book will now make its own way to a friend who I feel sure will appreciate what it has to offer; bon voyage!

[Pheasant Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given that I am really interested in Scotland and really interested in boats, I was very excited about reading this book. Unfortunately it disappointed me and I almost gave up on it. The information content kept me going but I found it hard to relate to the author. The epilogue shows how grateful he was to everyone’s kindness to him but he didn’t do a very good job of conveying this throughout the book. It felt like he rarely connected with the people he met or viewed them as odd. And he came across as rather self-indulgent, often dwelling on his internal problems. For example, I was cross with him for going off and leaving his wife to cope with moving house and the death of her father. It was like his itchy feet issues trumped her grief. (I am sure it was more complex than that but it’s the impression he left the reader with.) The narrative just didn’t have the warmth that many other travel writers manage to imbue. Nevertheless, I learned a lot and on balance I am glad I finished the book.

[Lexi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy humorous travel books, I'm tempted to say think of a water based Bill Bryson - or this really strongly reminds me of "Around Ireland with a Fridge" (by Tony Hawks), you'll love this. This is a funny travel book, following Nick's engagingly haphazard hitch-hiking trip by boat around Scotland.

Wonderful insightful descriptions of the settings and the characters encountered along the way. Unbelievable hospitality and trust from a wide range of vessels.

No nautical knowledge at all required to enjoy this!

[ro · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book so much, but in the end, it just seems very self-serving and self-centered.

The author leaves his wife, who has recently lost her father, and embarks on a haphazard trip around Scotland in which, as they say, "wherever where you go, there you are". Would have loved more about the people he meets & places he sees... and less pontification.

Do yourself a favor and track down a copy of H.V Morton's "In Search of Scotland" - so much funnier, honest, and filled with more of Scotland.

[Eilidh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read of the Authors boat-hitching travels around Scotland. I feel a bit sad that he seems so lost when it comes to faith, he obviously has a bit of a pebble in his shoe... But he seems so indecisive about what he believes that he doesn't really make sense!
I also didn't really warm to him much as he seemed to make a lot of selfish decisions leaving his wife at home while moving house and grieving her Father so that he could do the trip he wanted to!

[Felipe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have preferred if the author laid off trying to turn every minor experience into a philosophical metaphor (something he acknowledges at the end I think). I picked it up thinking it would be mostly about the people he meets and maybe they'd talk about their craziest boating experience or their own philosophies. You get some of that but you get a whole lot more of Nick's introspection. It's more memoir than journalism, and I didn't exactly click with the author so I was pretty disappointed. Still had some cool stories but I wish he spent more time on interviews and less on pondering.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a joyous travel account. Thorpe "hitch hikes" on boats around the entirety of Scotland. The variety of his experiences is surprising and makes for an interesting account. Thorpe is a wonderful writer and weaves Scottish history and culture throughout his account. Thorpe also shares his own religious questions throughout his travels, resolving things nicely by the conclusion.

[Carol Aldred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was disappointed by a couple of factual mistakes. The author's perspective was interesting but not enlightening

[Cormac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought it was interesting reading this book not for the adventure but analysing Nick lol - the similarities between Saint Cormac and Jonah to him were hilarious. Lessons to be learnt.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A curious idea: hitching boat rides around Scotland. He meets interesting characters along the way, and it's through their kindness that he manages to achieve his objective.

[Ian Howells · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, rambling trip around Scotland. Nicely written and interesting

[Kate Gould · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nick Thorpe just wants to belong. Despite having moved to Edinburgh a decade ago, he is dogged by a sense of being “not so much immersed in my adoptive country as floating on the surface of it”. To remedy this, and despite a certainty that it is “about as sensible as hacking off a limb to see what it felt like”, he embarks on a circumnavigation of Scotland as a boat-hitcher.

En route he ingratiates himself with everyone from recovering junkies, a lighthouse keeper, and the crew of HMS Vengeance, to American canal tourists, and a man with dungarees coveted by Mick Jagger. It’s a pleasantly paced read of distant horizons and the proverbial characters, but it’s almost entirely devoid of humour. Instead, we get inner meanderings and a ceaseless search for symbolism in all things. He can’t seem to take on board that sometimes a canal is just a canal.

[Oanh · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read about travelling in Scotland by boat, hitching rides with whatever boats will have him. Lots of snippets f history and interesting characters, and some spiritual ponderings as well.

[Niall519 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. A leisurely exploration of the waterways of Scotland, and the boats, and the people. A bit like a literary (and more northern) version of Griff Rhys-Jones's TV series 'Rivers'.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boat-hitching around the North of Scotland.

[Darren Lott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read. This sat on the shelf for years. I do like stories about sailing and water and this non-fiction travel adventures covers it all.

[Book Dragon Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

not to bad, nice little read :)