The John Muir Odyssey

East Lothian 2009

The John Muir Odyssey will be one of the keynote events of Homecoming Scotland 2009. We invite you to follow in the footsteps of John Muir and celebrate the life and legacy of this great Scot, "the Father of modern day conservation".

Our exciting itinerary links John Muir’s Birthplace by land and sea to the dramatic scenery, spectacular coastline and the amazing wildlife that inspired his lifelong passion for nature. Based in the heart of John Muir country at Dunbar and North Berwick visitors will walk on the beaches and in the countryside he loved, visit his home and find out what  shaped the passions and soul of an American icon. The sights and sounds of his Scottish home endured in his heart and mind throughout his life and, as he once wrote

“I caught the scent of the salt sea breeze which, although I had so many years lived far from sea breezes, suddenly conjured up Dunbar, its rocky coast, winds and waves; and my whole childhood, that seemed to have utterly vanished in the New World, was now restored amid the Florida woods by that one breath from the sea. Forgotten were the palms and magnolias and the thousand flowers that enclosed me. I could see only dulse and tangle, long winged gulls, the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, and the old castle, schools, churches, and long country rambles in search of birds' nests.”

The programme includes 

·        "Wherever a Scotsman goes" ... John Muir and Robert Burns Exhibition (22nd January - 17th June 2009),

·        "Muir’s World by Land and Sea", excursions by land and sea

·        "Our Wee Planet", a festival featuring art, music, film, walks, talks and boat trips,  and much more.

Look out for the John Muir Homecoming booklet JOHN MUIR: a Scotchman Comes Home on sale at John Muir’s Birthplace, the Scottish Seabird Centre and other local retailers.