Yesterday was the best of days and one of the toughest. I dragged myself from bed with a burning throat and a dose of self-pity. Maybe, I thought, I should forget it. Edinburgh would still be there when I came back from Spain. True, but I have these half-formed ideas that need tested. My plan for the city was to put a display on the summit of Arthur’s Seat – a lovely hill within easy walking distance of the centre and castle. I wanted to find out if a number of small presentations distributed in an area was effective without any one of them dominating the landscape and calling undue attention to itself. I also liked the idea of concentrating on one locale and Edinburgh ticked so many boxes that I needed to get out there and do it.

Carrying over a hundred books on your back and climbing a hill is not recommended therapy for a cold. Thankfully, as I trod the path along Salisbury crags, I spotted an opportunity. A beautiful patch of grass looked like it was made as a plinth for my books. Ten minutes later I continued the walk 50 books lighter and an hour beyond that, heart thumping, throat screaming for mercy, the second display was installed at the top of the hill.

Over the last couple of weeks, I found that, by talking to people and explaining what this was all about, more of them felt confident to take a copy in comparison to those who were left alone. On the one hand this is fabulous, because it reflects a respect for other people’s property. On the other, if I am to have multiple smaller exhibits, I cannot man them all at the same time. For this reason, I deliberately distanced myself from the books, remaining close to the summit for an hour or two only to get a feel for what happened next.

Over the next few hours, I climbed and re-climbed the hill until 2pm when my cold won out backed up by a little pragmatism. I had a three hour drive back to the west coast and had done what I’d set out to do. Sixty books were now on route to their new homes and I am satisfied that I have a working plan for my return from Spain.

Despite my determination to distance myself from the display for this part of the experiment, I was cornered by a group of girls from the Netherlands on the summit of Arthur’s Seat. It was such a pleasure talking with them that it made me realise that, where possible, I should find ways to engage even as I accept that it will not always be possible. I wondered that some people might see the presence of someone close to the books as a barrier to approaching the display. In our culture, the idea that I will not ask for money on the spot does not make sense. I felt that that was likely to be the case for many and I had to know the truth of it. Thankfully the truth is that a friendly chat makes more sense than keeping my distance – but only if it is obvious that I am not hovering in the role of a guard or salesman. It is a fine balance and one that I need to finesse.

I’m really looking forward to doing this again. Edinburgh is so beautiful and, since two thirds of Book Two is set there, it is sensible to make that city the focal point of my efforts.

Now, where is that Lemsip?