This is a personal, reflective account of Galloway’s wildlife based on life in a uniquely varied and diverse glen, tucked away between high, heather-clad hills and the shore of the Solway. It includes the author’s reflections on the importance of wild places, based on a lifetime of experience as a naturalist and conservationist.

Ian Carter expresses a desire for more wildness, and living in a place with few people allows wildlife to take on greater significance. In his home in the wilds of Galloway, red squirrels peer in through the windows, pine martens patrol the local woods and on a good day a golden eagle will cruise overhead, helping to complete the place. It was the beginning of a love affair with the wildlife of this small glen between the hills and the shining, silver Solway.