Date Published: 27th April 2026
Alexander McCall Smith travels by road and rail for the first UK events of Spring.
Alexander has not been sitting with his feet up. Far from it. It is the last week in April and already this year he has been to the Emirates festival in Dubai and to Botswana. But this was the first week of UK events this year and it was great to be out.
On Thursday, we drove across Edinburgh to Dalkeith and Newbattle Abbey College for an intimate evening event in grand surroundings. This stunning building is home to a college which provides much required routes into – and back into – further and higher education. Established in 1937, the immaculate estate in which the college stands was left in Trust by the 11th Marquis of Lothian.
Alexander was joined in conversation with his long-time friend, the journalist and literary critic David Robinson. We were delighted that booksales were offered by The Edinburgh Bookshop’s owner and manager, Marie Mosser.
And on Saturday, it was an early rise and a train to Newcastle. Looking out from the train on this usually glorious coastal route, it was misty and we could hardly see the sea. An East Coast haar was covering the water and rolling over the land. Once in Newcastle we took the short journey over to Hexham for the much anticipated joys of Hexham Book Festival. The main theatre auditorium was packed and we enjoyed an hour of laughter and conversation – and some thoughtful reflection on the state of the world. Alexander was in conversation this time with energetic founder and chief executive of New Writing North, Claire Malcolm. The signing queue for Cogito Books was long and Alexander had the opportunity to meet friends old and new. Those gathered INCLUDED one lovely reader who had travelled all the way from Cologne in Germany for the event.
The only sad note of the trip was the news that this is Gil Pugh’s final year at the helm of a very successful festival in glorious surroundings. We wish you well Gil and hope to find you in a new role – still connected to literature. There is only so much gardening you will be able to cope with before your mind searches for something new.
