Peak Beyond Peak

By (author) Isobel Wylie Hutchison and edited by Hazel Buchan Cameron

Born 30 May 1889, Isobel Wylie Hutchison was many things: A botanist, explorer, poet and artist, she travelled solo throughout the arctic collecting plant samples, wrote and published extensive volumes of essays and poetry, and was – in short – one of the most impressive Scottish figures of her time.

However, despite her many achievements, since her death in 1982 she fell out of public awareness and her legacy was largely forgotten. Now, thanks to the dutiful work of poet and editor Hazel Buchan Cameron, Isobel can speak for herself again.

Published with an erudite introduction by Kenneth Maclean detailing Hutchison’s life and achievements, Peak Beyond Peak represents a landmark moment in Scottish culture, not only for bringing focus back to one of Scotland’s most astonishing women and her relationship to the country, but for reaffirming the importance of her work and its message of cultural exchange, curiosity and communication at a time of increasing social division and disconnection from the world. Written with her characteristic wit and a keen interest in science, myth and folklore, these essays are as playful and informative today as they were 75 years ago.