I grew up in Caithness, where the far north coast of Scotland meets the sea, and cries of gulls and kittiwakes rise above vertiginous cliffs.

Exploring heather moors and beaches shaped my love of the natural world and gave me rich early experiences to draw upon in my storytelling, which often explores our connection with wild spaces.

One of my favourite Caithness stories, The Piper of Windy Ha’, takes place on the faerie hill of Sysa where my granny played as a child. Nearby stands the old stone cottage where she was born. I love the way legends arise from the land and inspire deeper connection.

Now, I live in Edinburgh and have discovered many layers of stories in the landscape, including the legend of an ancient healing well, which I care for in my spare time, St Catherine’s or the Balm Well which for hundreds of years was a place of pilgrimage where folk hoped for a cure by bathing in its waters, even Kings. 

Jane on Sysa

Blue Butterfly, Dunnet Sands

Duncansby

wild flowers of the Braid Hills