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Heather Is Never Only Heather

By Agathe Habold

A homage to the vibrant heather flowers of the Highlands.
Image provided by Agathe Habold

I woke up on the bus to Inverness surrounded by heather. It was nine years ago, my journey to Scotland started. I was moving North, and as we crossed the breathtaking landscape, I knew my place was in the Highlands. 'Heather is never only Heather' (*The Lost Words, by Robert MacFarlane).

Many thanks to Agathe Habold for sharing with us the story behind her journey stone, created as part of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

WHAT IS A JOURNEY STONE?

Prior to the beginning of the stitching of each tapestry panel, each stitcher of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands was tasked with telling their interpretation of the 'Spirit of the Highlands and Islands' within a blank outline of a stone. The possibilities were truly endless - is it represented in the land? The people? A historical site? A favourite memory?

In any case, each journey stone represents the connection between each individual stitcher, their story, and their own sense, or 'spirit', of place. Discover more of the stories behind the journey stones of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands here.