The Mallaig Book Festival
A Write Highland Hoolie!
6 - 8 November 2026
Fri 06 Nov
|Mallaig
A Write Highland Hoolie 2026
Welcome to A Write Highland Hoolie 2026
Time & Location
06 Nov 2026, 17:30 – 08 Nov 2026, 16:30
Mallaig, Davies Brae, Mallaig PH41 4QZ, UK
About the Event
A Write Highland Hoolie is Mallaig's unique and much-loved Book Festival. It will take place from Friday, November 6th to Sunday, November 8th 2026 at the West Highland Hotel, Mallaig. Join us for an unforgettable weekend of conversation, fun and friendship, with events featuring world-class authors and some of Scotland's finest traditional musicians.
Tickets
Fri 5.30-7.00 EXTRAVAGANZA
Friday 5.30-7.00pm: A WRITE HIGHLAND EXTRAVAGANZA. The irrepressible energy and wit of Edinburgh Makar Michael Pedersen meets the lyrical poetry of Scotland's Makar Peter Mackay (Pàdraig MacAoidh), and the musical brilliance of songwriter Rachel Sermanni in a truly magical performance that celebrates the richness of Scotland's creative culture. Ticket price includes a complimentary dram of Torabhaig whisky and admission to after-dinner music in the bar with Donald Livingstone and Iain Cameron.
£18.00
Sat 9.30-10.30 ELAINE THOMSON
9.30-10.30 am: Saltwater - Elaine Thomson. In the second novel in her quartet of ghost stories set in Scotland during the four key turning points of the year, Elaine transports readers to the Isle of Stroma in 1896, where the construction of a new lighthouse. is plagued by difficulties, not all of them easily explained. It’s a haunting, atmospheric read that will keep you gripped to the end.
£8.00
Sat 11.00-12 SHONA MACLEAN
11.00am-12 noon: The Cromarty Library Circle - Shona MacLean. The new novel from the author of The Bookseller of Inverness is set on the Black Isle in the 1830s and its fictional characters are members of a real-life literary society that was active in the town at the time.
£8.00
Sat 1.15-2.15 GREGORY KENICER
1.15-2.15pm: Plant Magic - Gregory Kenicer. Gregory is a botanist at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden. His latest book, Plant Magic: The Supernatural Side of Botany, is a fascinating exploration of the way plants have been used in magical traditions across Europe for centuries.
£8.00
Sat 2.45-3.45 POLLY PULLAR
2.45-3.45pm: In The Company Of Sheep - Polly Pullar. Naturalist and former sheep farmer Polly is in conversation with BBC Radio Scotland presenter Mark Stephen about her new book, which uncovers the enduring influence of sheep on our landscapes, culture and history.
£8.00
Sat 4.15-5.15 SALLY MAGNUSSON
4.15-5.15pm: The Shapeshifter's Daughter - Sally Magnusson. The latest novel from journalist, writer and broadcaster Sally is a powerful reimagining of the Norse myth of Hel, queen of the underworld, which celebrates the joy of reclaiming our stories.
£8.00
Sat 5.45-7.00 10TH ANNIVERSARY
5.45-7.00pm: Margaret Bennett, Gary Innes and Ewen & Allan Henderson. This special 10th anniversary event is a fitting celebration of the Hoolie’s first decade, evoking the true spirit of the ceilidh with Highland tunes, Gaelic song, stories, humour and friendship. Ticket price includes after-dinner music in the bar with Gary, Ewen, Allan and talented local musicians.
£18.00
Sun 9.50-10.55 CHRIS BROOKMYRE
9.50-10.55 am: Quite Ugly One Evening - Chris Brookmyre. Bestselling author Chris has written more than thirty novels, selling more than two million copies in the UK alone. His latest novel is Quite Ugly One Evening, an ingenious locked-room mystery that sees the return of rogue journalist Jack Parlabane, 30 years after his appearance in Quite Ugly One Morning.
£8.00
Sun 12-1.30 MACLEAN BROTHERS
12-1.30pm: The Maclean Brothers in conversation with Mark Stephen with special guest Tom McClean. In this special extended event, Jamie and Ewan Maclean discuss the challenges, triumphs and occasional madness behind their remarkable record-breaking journeys before being joined by legendary adventurer Tom McClean.
£12.00
Total
£0.00