Hazel Buchan Cameron

Blog Posts

I have been working on two blog projects, one Bonsai & Bombs are the conversations between composer, Dmytro Morykit in Scotland and a friend in Kyiv, Ukraine. The conversations, initially private, give an insight into the history and relationship Ukraine has had with its invading neighbour over generations and is full of wit and dark humour, not for the faint hearted. https://ukrainiantestimonies.blogspot.com/2025/05/this-is-testimony-of-slightly-different.html

Duncan James Cameron (A Memoir) - this is a memoir of my Uncle who flew with Bomber Command during WWII and then went on to fly the early Meteorological flights to the Arctic. Uncle Duncan also flew the main plane in the Dam Busters film. His memoir of a young lad growing up in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire (my own home town) to his later life in Bomber Command is witty and dramatic. https://ukrainiantestimonies.blogspot.com/2025/05/this-is-testimony-of-slightly-different.html

Peak Beyond Peak

The unpublished Scottish Journeys of Isobel Wylie Hutchison

The Scottish-based essays by the explorer, writer, poet, artist, botanist and film maker, Isobel Wylie Hutchison have been published by Taproot Press. There is an excellent introduction by Kenneth Maclean, a piece about a visit to Edinburgh by Isobel's Estonian friend, Gus Masik and a final chapter about my own connection with Isobel and journeys.

Peak Beyond Peak is available from all the usual book stores or you can contact me directly for a signed copy.

Isobel was born in 1889 and in her 30s took to travelling solo throughout Iceland, Greenland and the Arctic. She worked as a botanist, collecting samples for Kew and the Royal Botanic Gardens of Edinburgh. She also wrote and published books about her travels as well as poetry and gave over 500 lectures. Isobel was one of the most remarkable Scottish figures of her time and I came across her when working as Writer in Residence at the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 2014.

Transcribing someone else's work probably sounds like a doddle - however, some pieces were hand written and photocopied (not that well) so I had to work with a magnifying glass in hand and re-read sections to decipher certain words.

Other pieces had several versions and I read them all to combine the best from each, aiming to remain faithful to Isobel's writing style. It was definitely a work of love but it's easy to be passionate about IWH! She will continue to inspire many people for years to come.

Meanwhile, Dmytro has released a new album 'Hebridean Suite' inspired by our trip to the Outer Hebrides in September 2019 as part of my work with the Art UK sculpture project. This has been serendipitous as many of Isobel's stories are about walks in the Hebrides. The album cover is based on a sculpture photographed on Lewis.

ETN Wallet Address - if you wish to pay or donate in electronic currency.

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Writing Life

An early memoir 'Just go in' (from council estate to country estate) published by Grace Note Publications (2015) . A few copies remain and can be purchased for £10 directly from me. Email: hazel@buchan-cameron.co.uk

There are also a few copies of two of the five poetry pamphlets published since 2000, Finding IKEA, was published by Red Squirrel Press (2010), The Currying Shop was joint winner of the Callum Macdonald Memorial Award, 2008.

My full collection, Cutting Letters, published by Red Squirrel Press in 2016 is also available.