Leakey's Bookshop, Gallery, and Cafe....Inverness, Scotland

 

If you love browsing old bookstores, my dear readers, this is one you don't want to miss while traveling in Scotland. It is thought to be the largest second-hand book store in all of Scotland, with well over 100,000 books. It also has an extensive selection of old prints.

 

Not only is it a historical building ...but, it's walls have some very sad events to recall.

 

The Old Gaelic Church has beautiful stain-glass windows...

 

and, interesting architectural features, left intack from many years ago.

 

Some of that history is re-told on the bookshop cafe menu.

This is of particular meaning to me, since the trip was planned around a connection with my ancestors. I could almost hear Scotland's sad story whispered, of Jacobite prisoners, shot outside these walls.

 

My daughter and I laughed about eating our way through-out Scotland, many times tempted to eat "dessert first". I also enjoyed a wonderful bowl of carrot and coriander soup served with crusty homemade bread.

We decided to enjoy lunch, and browse later with the idea of walking off some calories.

 

The bistro-type cafe is on the upper level, with a view of the entire store. Books fill the shelves, with overflowing stacks displayed on tables.

 

To make it complete, there is a rather large black wood-burning stove, situated in the middle of the lower level. You can see the hefty supply of stored wood, to keep the fire burning.

 

Now that I am home again, thinking about the bookshop, I realize one could spend their entire holiday in Inverness, at the Leakey Bookshop.

 

Unfortunately, we only had a few hours of browsing...there was so much more to see.

Meggie Mac