This authoritative impartial scientific account by a recognised expert, will be of interest to planning officers, ski companies, skiers, hill-walkers and mountaineers as well as the many in the public who appreciate wildlife and the Scottish countryside. The first part of this book presents the evidence of the author as the main scientific witness at the 1981 Lurcher's Gully Public Inquiry into proposals for ski developments on Cairn Gorm. The Inquiry examined human impacts for a week and remains the most thorough Inquiry on this topic so far in Scotland. Following the decision of the Reporter in charge of the Inquiry, the Secretary of State for Scotland rejected the proposals. In the second part of the book the author presents his unpublished research on certain aspects of the Inquiry that he continued to study afterwards, in more detail.

A study of Celtic, Scots and English place names across large sections of north-east Scotland, based on interviews with indigenous residents working the land and the sea, along with historical sources and maps.

Timing of blaeberry growth, tree regeneration, land use, plant orientation The author noted when blaeberry buds on Scottish alpine land began growth in spring and compared this with climatic data. He mapped natural tree regeneration on Deeside and Donside. The author criticises invalid claims about land use in Scotland and Norway, and about the alleged effects of sporting estates in reducing land fertility. Signs of orientation by plants and animals are described.

The author documents hatch-dates of ptarmigan and red grouse in relation to blaeberry growth and climate. He collates field observations on golden plover, involving proportions of dark-plumaged summering birds, breeding success, population density within and amongst areas, and declines since the late 1970s. Another chapter reviews evidence on dotterel abundance. The last chapter presents counts of the spring numbers of birds on many moorland and alpine study areas.

This book begins with a thought-provoking article now reprinted, criticising the increasing influence of politically-correct organisations and politicians who desire to control freewill and mountaineering. Then comes a chapter with a critique of several writers on the Cairngorms in comparison with the original Seton Gordon. After the author published a review in 1977 on ‘The wildlife potential of the Cairngorms region’, he came under unwarranted attack by two influential private landowners who misrepresented what he wrote and even included a threat. A wider public should be aware of this. There follows an essay on biologist Professor Vero C. Wynne-Edwards, and another on the history of the research station near Banchory, established for studying at first red grouse and then ecological problems of mountain, moorland, woodland and fresh-water. The last chapter – the most important one and occupying a third of the book – gives the author’s lifetime view of the value of lone trips in climbing, ski-mountaineering and mountain-craft.

The author noticed severe damage to ground from big timber machines during the 1990s. Later he found that this destroyed the original pinewood soil and vegetation, and led to water-logging and wind-throw of standing trees beside machine ruts. In 2011–15 he surveyed this in many woods on Deeside and Donside, owned by the Forestry Commission and private owners. In every case, mistreatment of woodland by timber machines breached the conditions of The UK Forestry Standard 2011, as authorised by the FC. Machine use severely damages scenery and the public's ability to walk or ski safely. It has damaged and polluted watercourses. The public pay for this vandalism, because the UK timber industry depends on taxpayer's subsidies. The monster machines should be banned, the hypocritical and wasteful FC chopped.

In this book, the author looks back at 56 years of personal experiences with his own pointers and setters, and those of members of the research team that he came later to lead. They studied the population biology, territorial behaviour, habitats and environment of red grouse and ptarmigan in Scotland. The joint achievements of men and dogs elicited a fresh understanding of populations and behaviour of animals in general, drawing international attention and recognition to the human workers. It is time to sing for recognition of the dogs, because the human achievements would have been immeasurably less had the faithful dogs not joined them to form a crucial inspirational partnership. The author tells of that partnership, its development and fruition. The book is mainly the author’s personal account, describing how the human workers gradually gained insight and experience that made the partnership ever more effective. Because the author’s dogs lived with him and his family, and the others in the team who had dogs usually kept them at home, part of the book tells of these relationships. Personal anecdotes and humorous events enliven the text. The author knew some other workers who used dogs to aid their research on wild animals, and visited them in Canada, USA, and Norway. Also he was in close touch with other colleagues who used dogs for wildlife research in France and northern Italy. A valuable international aspect to the book has been contributed by a few of these colleagues. Numerous photographs illustrate the text, showing dogs and men in fieldwork together and apart, as well as portraits of both. Hunters, shooters, researchers and dog enthusiasts in general will enjoy and appreciate this book