The first in a new series of comprehensive guidebooks exploring the rich history of one of Scotland’s most beloved and longest-running serial dramas is to be published later this year.
The Road to Glendarroch will offer a "definitive guide" to the first four series of Take The High Road.
The soap opera was set in the fictional village of Glendarroch and filmed in Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond. It ran for 23 years from 1980 on Scottish Television.
Dozens of former cast members and creatives have shared their memories for the book, including actors Jimmy Chisholm (Jimmy Blair), Martin Cochrane (Alan McIntyre), Vivien Heilbron (Kay Grant), Ron Paterson (Sorry Watson), executive producer Robert Love and author and former script editor Peter May.
Utilising "unprecedented" access to rare original production paperwork, TV historian Patrick Stratford has raided the archives to compile the guidebook.
Also published for the first time are details of the unbroadcast pilot High Road Low Road (1980), Scotland's first - and sadly completely missing - serial drama High Living (1968-1971) and the groundbreaking Garnock Way (1976-1979), which paved the road to Glendarroch.
Featuring transmission guides and episode synopses for all 173 episodes of Garnock Way and the first 126 editions of Take The High Road, plus previously unpublished recording dates, contemporary press coverage, reviews, ratings and a tribute to producer Clarke Tait, The Road to Glendarroch: A Guide to the Legendary Scottish TV Drama - Volume One is described as "a love letter to the making – and the makers – of the iconic soap opera".
Glasgow-based Patrick Stratford, who has spent three years researching the book, said: "For me, in terms of soap operas, or, as I prefer to think of them, British television drama serials, Take the High Road is an example of ‘the little engine that could’. It was a series that was not produced by what was then called ‘The Big Five’ companies of the ITV network, but by Scottish Television, which, at the time of writing, remains very much a local station.
"Although it wasn’t always networked to a permanent timeslot, it was shown across many of the ITV stations for several years. For the rest of the UK, who only knew it as a daytime programme, it still has a cult following south of the border. As Executive Producer Robert Love once pointed out, the fan club for the series was based in Cornwall."
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He added: "As a first-time author, I have been incredibly lucky to meet and interview the great talents who were involved with the series. I am extremely grateful for the kindness and support they have shown me throughout this long and evolving process. I hope that fans of the series will enjoy the first leg of our journey on this special road from Garnock to Glendarroch.
"The aim of this project is to not only create something for fans of the series to enjoy, but to celebrate the many cast and crew who worked on the series, as well as the cultural heritage of Scotland that Take The High Road is very much a part of. As you will discover, many of those who worked on the series not only crossed paths on numerous other television, radio and stage productions over the years, but have continued to make many contributions to Scottish culture."
The Road to Glendarroch which will be published later this year via Devonfire Books.
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