In the 1990’s it was suggested that it would be a great idea to regenerate one of Scotland’s towns that had suffered an economic downturn. After some debate Wigtown in Dumfries and Galloway was chosen.

I had heard so much about this town from some of my Scottish writing friends in particular, and was especially thrilled to find that our first few days of holiday in an airbnb near Newton Stewart, was just a few miles from this auspicious town. A visit, of course, was an absolute must, to an author or avid reader of books.

The only downfall was that as we were only passing through Scotland on the way to Ireland, we found ourselves in this delightful town on a Sunday. Still at least we managed to find three bookshops open – there are more than a dozen in total – with a supply of both modern and second hand titles. Some might say, that with my husband’s and my appetite for books it was a blessing that not all the shops were open, as there is bookshop after bookshop even in such a small town as this, a complete dedication to the art of books and reading.

At times you could almost believe you’d gone back in time…

although the cars and the people’s clothing give our photo away.

Of course we did buy a few books, apart from a book of local Cotswold poet, Pam Ayres, a map of Ireland, and a copy of the ‘Just so stories’; I purchased an intriguing book of Charlotte Bronte’s own tragic love story and my husband bought me a copy of book about the Wordsworths and their home in Grasmere. The latter was an encouragement for me to contemplate a visit to the Lake District.

The actual Book Festival is 27 September – 6 October.

Here is a video to tell you a little more about the town.