The countryside, country life: general interest Books

Book SynopsisThe delightful tale of a young couple who in the late 1970s, on impulse, became the new landlords of the most remote, bleak and lonely pub - The Tan Hill Inn - located in the desolate landscape of the Yorkshire Dales. Having seen an article in the newspaper about the pub's search for a new manager, they arrived just three weeks later as the new landlords of the The Tan Hill Inn. It is a wild, wind-swept place, set alone in a sea of peat bog and heather moorland that stretches unbroken as far as the eye can see. With only sheep and grouse for company, their closest neighbour was four miles away and the nearest town twelve. They had no experience of licensed trade or running a pub, no knowledge of farming and a complete inability to understand the dialect of the sheep farmers who were their local customers. Eager, well-meaning, but in over their heads, our two heroes embarked on a disaster-strewn career that somehow also turned into a lifelong love affair with the Dales.The Inn at the Top is an entertaining ramble around the Inn, the breath-taking Dales countryside and a remarkable array of local characters, giving an insight into life in a very different different time and place.Trade ReviewA tribute to a way of life which is long gone and a celebration of the Dales * Yorkshire Post *Neil Hanson's anecdote-laden memoir is reminiscent of James Herriot * The Dalesman *One of the funniest, most entertaining and life-affirming books of the year... A warm and often hilarious account of tenacity and survival, The Inn at the Top is packed with true Yorkshire-style anecdotes, brushes with the law, late night lock-ins, adventures with colourful locals and weather stories to make your hair curl. Sit back and enjoy... * Lancashire Evening Post *Richly entertaining... a wonderful history lesson * Ilkley Gazette *Engaging and entertaining... warm memories to last a lifetime -- Jeff Evans * Inside Beer *A warm, amusing and at times sad book... it's also beautifully written -- Roger Protz * Protz on Beer *Happy holiday reading.. highly diverting -- Mike Amos * The Northern Echo *One of the most funniest, most entertaining and life-affirming books of the year * Lancaster Guardian *A delightful Christmas present, especially for lovers of community pubs * The London Drinker Mag *Wonderfully readable and often very funny * Waterstones Bradford Blog *A heartwarming and hilarious tale * Darlington & Stockton Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisShortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year Award A fascinating, lyrical account of an east-west walk across Britain's westernmost and most mysterious region. A distant and exotic Celtic land, domain of tin-miners, pirates, smugglers and evocatively named saints, somehow separate from the rest of our island... Few regions of Britain are as holidayed in, as well-loved or as mythologized as Cornwall. From the woodlands of the Tamar Valley to the remote peninsula of Penwith – via the wilderness of Bodmin Moor and coastal villages where tourism and fishing find an uneasy coexistence – Tim Hannigan undertakes a zigzagging journey on foot across Britain's westernmost region to discover how the real Cornwall, its landscapes, histories, communities and sense of identity, intersect with the many projections and tropes that writers, artists and others have placed upon it. Combining landscape and nature writing with deep cultural inquiry, The Granite Kingdom is a probing but highly accessible tour of one of Britain's most popular regions, juxtaposing history, myth, folklore and literary representation with the geographical and social reality of contemporary Cornwall.Trade ReviewA magnificent work of travel and historical deconstruction – deeply personal, meticulously researched and hugely enjoyable. * Philip Marsden *Tim Hannigan writes with an authentic Cornish voice and a true internationalist’s breadth of understanding. * Patrick Gale *Anyone – tourist or resident – who has been seduced by the beauty and strangeness of Cornwall will find Tim Hannigan a congenial guide and companion. * Tom Fort, author of A303: Highway to the Sun *Beautifully researched and written with care. * Wyl Menmuir, author of The Draw of the Sea *Hannigan roams the country on foot, stitching together not only its geography but its histories and communities, while disentangling fact from myth, folk from folklore' * BBC Countryfile *Absorbing and insightful... skilfully interweaves geography, geology, travel memoir and history with an overview of the ways in which Cornwall has been portrayed in art and literature. There’s a lot to explore. * The TLS *The best kind of traveller, Hannigan is brimful of boundless curiosity... a beguiling book that throbs with passion, Hannigan has captured a portrait of a hidden and often mysterious Cornwall, conveying it with style, ternderness and passion * The Irish Times *PRAISE FOR TIM HANNIGAN: 'An excellent and thought-provoking book... What could have been a scholarly theoretical discourse is thoroughly enlivened by Tim Hannigan's decision to turn it into a travel odyssey' TLS. 'Travel writing used to be dominated by Old Etonians with colonialist tendencies; but [Tim Hannigan's] well-researched critique shows that the "travellees" are writing back' Guardian. 'A highly readable and entertaining narrative' Lonely Planet. 'A deft piece of genre-hopping' Telegraph. 'A timely look at the genre – why we travel, and why and how we write about it' * Irish Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated natural history memoir that reminds the reader that re-storying our relationship with the plants of home can be our first step in restoring the world.In a world made precarious by human mobility, all of us can learn from those who root in place. Plants surround us, yet all too often we ignore their quiet and complex lives. When a new job brings botanist and artist Lyn Baldwin back to her childhood home in southern British Columbia, she is challenged to confront both the cost of her mobility and the assumptions of her profession. If nearly three decades spent in motion gave Lyn scientific credentials and a career, it also made her a stranger to home and country. Lonely and homesick, Lyn runs outside. She doesn't go farrarely more than a day's drive from Kamloops, BCbut within the pages of her field journal, the slow confluence of art and science allows Lyn to learn not just about but from the green wisdom of her neighbours.Tutored by the plants of forest and garden, wilderness and wetland, Lyn realizes that her botany never has been, and never will be, a placeless science. Instead, Drawing Botany Home gives Lyn the metaphors to reconcile the dark horror of settler/Indigenous relations and the hard edges of her own childhood: poverty, a traumatic fire, unwanted stepfathers, a hippie mother.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Outer Hebrides is an island archipelago on the remotest north-western periphery of a bigger island archipelago, itself part of Europe’s Atlantic coastline. And what is Atlantic Europe if not the north-western tip of the vast land mass of Eurasia? Here is an unrivalled sense of place, on the edge, the periphery, the brink. Bruce Kendrick has been visiting these islands, regularly, since 1970. Art & Nature in the Outer Hebrides combines his highly commendable nature writing with fascinating stories of folk he has met over the years who create wonderful art and crafts in these remote islands. How do these artists, be they painters, potters, photographers, or poets, interpret their world of nature, their culture, their heritage, here in the wilds of the north-east Atlantic Ocean? Like many worthwhile things in life, making art is not without its challenges. There will be setbacks on any lifelong journey but there will be triumphs too. If there is one trait these Hebridean-based artists do have in common it is their single-minded determination and persistence to create art, in all its many guises, from out of the deep well of their own imagination and their inescapable world of nature’s beauty and inspiration. Bruce is also an accomplished nature photographer and his supporting images of both art and nature in these islands only add to the book’s appeal. So come along and enjoy Bruce’s fine narrative style as he travels from Lewis in the north to Vatersay in the south where nature prevails and art flourishes.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis guide contains 20 circular walks in Shropshire, covering the very best of the county's wide-ranging landscape, from high up on the Shropshire Hills down to glorious woodland and wildlife-rich mosses; through historical towns and villages and along meandering waterways. There are recommendations for spring, summer, autumn and winter walks - including the best places to see bluebells in spring or wildflowers in summer, where best to appreciate autumn colours, and the perfect views for those crisp and clear winter days. The routes range from 21/2 to 8 miles. SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: SPRING A sea of bluebells in Sallow Coppice & Clun A riot of rhododendrons in Burwarton, on the eastern slopes of Brown Clee Hill Ellesmere: a springtime walk with the chance of seeing herons nesting on Moscow Island SUMMER Take in magnificent views from Ragleth Hill Titterstone Clee Hill: an Iron Age hillfort, a frozen-in-time village & one of the best views in England A must-do walk at Stiperstones when the heather is in full bloom AUTUMN Collecting sweet chestnuts on an atmospheric walk in Comer Woods Foraging for fungi & wildlife-spotting at Whixall Moss Blazing autumn colours on a walk among the 300-year-old beech trees of Lydham WINTER Cound: woodland, fields & a valley carpeted with snowdrops A waterside walk on the Severn Way, taking in wildfowl at Chelmarsh Reservoir Weston Rhyn: check out formidable Chirk Castle & cross the border into Wales WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE - 20 circular Shropshire walking routes varying in length & difficulty, covering the hidden gems, must-see landmarks & noted beauty spots that make this such a special county for walking A WALK FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR - Walks chosen specifically for each season, with specific places that shine at certain times in the calendar ALL THE INFO YOU'LL NEED - All of these Shropshire walks include parking info & how to get there, recommended local pubs & cafes, points of interest along the way & other places to visit nearby EASY TO FOLLOW - Full colour maps & pictures throughout, with clear written instructions making it easy to find your wayTable of ContentsContents SPRING 1. Earl's Hill (5 miles) 2. Craven Arms (41/2 miles) 3. Ellesmere (8 miles) 4. Burwarton (21/2 or 51/2 miles) 5. Clun (6 miles) SUMMER 6 Whitchurch (5 miles) 7 Ragleth Hill (41/2 miles) 8 Merrington (51/2 miles) 9 Titterstone Clee (51/2 miles) 10 Stiperstones (51/2 miles) AUTUMN 11 Comer Wood (41/2 miles) 12 Whixall Moss (51/2 miles) 13 Lydham (7 miles) 14 Moreton Corbet (3, 31/2 or 8 miles) 15 Lilleshall Abbey (51/2 miles) WINTER 16 Hampton (51/2 miles) 17 Weston Rhyn (21/2, 31/2 or 6 miles) 18 Shrewsbury (41/2 miles) 19 Cound (31/2 miles) 20 Nesscliffe (5 miles)

Read more less

Book SynopsisWalking guide to the South Downs National Park, with 20 best routes chosen by the park rangers. Each walk varies in length from 2 to 10 km and can be completed in less than 4 hours.20 best routes chosen and written by National Park rangersWalks from 2 to 10kmDetailed description for each walk with highlights clearly marked on the map along with an accompanying map and photographsGeneral information about the National Park plus basic advice on walkingThis and the South Downs National Park Pocket Map (ISBN: 9780008439200) are the perfect companions for exploring this superb walking area of South East England.Trade Review“Walking guides from Collins will have you expertly traversing the landscape like a park ranger.” – Great British Life

Read more less

Book SynopsisExtremely charming' Marian Keyes on Mr Doubler Begins AgainWhen life gets tough, do you give up? Or do you grow up?Danny is riddled with anxiety. But he wants to be strong for his wife Sam. She's been through so much already.If only he had someone to talk to.Sam is facing a very different future to the one she expected. She's ready to move on, yet other people won't let her. If only she had someone to talk to.Their new neighbour Diana is hiding from her past. She wanted a new life. Now she's got it she feels angry and alone.If only she had someone to talk to.Each of them is hiding their pain. Each of them needs to heal. But only when they learn to let each other in will they finally be able to grow.What readers are saying about Growing SeasonA beautifully written novel, with highs, lows and twists along the way.' Karen and Her BooksThis was one of those cosy, emotive and just all round beautiful reads that come up once in a while and just really grab my heart. I loved every moment' my.Trade Review Praise for Mr Doubler Begins Again ‘Extremely charming’ Marian Keyes ‘A sheer delight – it will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Charming beyond belief’ Sunday Times best-selling author Veronica Henry ‘I'm both thrilled I've read it and sad it's finished. Brilliant and beautiful’ Lisa B ‘Mr Doubler Begins again is a delight. I guarantee it will make you smile. It might even make you laugh out loud.’ Van is Reading ‘This book is a sheer delight to read. It is uplifting and reminds us about the importance of friendship, and kindness. Definitely one to look out for next year … I’m sure everyone will be talking about it for a long time.’ Karen W Praise for Seni Glaister ‘Charming, captivating and absorbing. I love this book!’ Catherine Alliott ‘Transports the reader to an enchanting world of wisdom, humour and warmth. I am already longing for Seni Glaister’s next novel’ Cathy Kelly ‘A dream of a book’ Polly Vernon, GRAZIA Funny, wise and charming’ DAILY MAIL ‘Fans of Marina Lewycka will enjoy this debut … As sweet as ice-cream’ METRO ‘A witty, feel-good read’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

Read more less

Book SynopsisExplore the National Parks with this handy pocket map.Handy little full colour map and guide of Loch Lomond National Park. Detailed mapping and visitor information to the National Park along with a selection of photographs.This small map with additional text and photographs gives a great overview of the Loch Lomond National Park, and is the perfect companion for exploring this beautiful area of Scotland.Clear, detailed mappingKey park, tourist and travel informationIdeal for planning visits to the National ParkIndex to help locate and plan your trip

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe perfect companions for exploring the National Parks.Walking guide to the Northumberland National Park, with 20 best routes chosen by the park rangers. Each walk varies in length from 2 to 10 km and can be completed in less than 4 hours.20 best routes chosen and written by National Park rangersWalks from 2 to 10kmDetailed description for each walk with highlights clearly marked on the map along with an accompanying map and photographsGeneral information about the National Park plus basic advice on walkingThis and the Northumberland National Park Pocket Map (ISBN: 9780008462703) are the perfect companions for exploring this superb walking area of the North East.Trade Review“Walking guides from Collins will have you expertly traversing the landscape like a park ranger.” – Great British Life

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne day in late summer, Michael Wright gave up his comfortable South London existence and, with only his long-suffering cat for company, set out to begin a new life. His destination was 'La Folie', a dilapidated 15th century farmhouse in need of love and renovation in the heart of rural France.Trade ReviewWhat elevates this book... is Wright's gentle humour and his ability to create a vivid impression of his literal and emotional journey... with such wit and perception * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *Hilarious and evocative... Michael Wright's book provides the most startlingly honest answer to the question of "can you live your dreams or do they inevitably turn into nightmares?" -- Dr RAJ PERSAUDWright captures the fun of the countryside perfectly * THE SUNDAY TIMES *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA delightful journey through the glamorous story of the English country house party by the bestselling historian.Croquet. Parlour games. Cocktails. Welcome to a glorious journey through the golden age of the country house party and you are invited. Our host, celebrated historian Adrian Tinniswood, traces the evolution of this quintessentially British pastime from debauched royal tours to the flamboyant excess of the Bright Young Things. With cameos by the Jazz Age industrialist, the bibulous earl and the off-duty politician whether in moated manor houses or ornate Palladian villas Tinniswood gives a vivid insight into weekending etiquette and reveals the hidden lives of celebrity guests, from Nancy Astor to Winston Churchill, in all their drinking, feasting, gambling and fornicating. The result is a deliciously entertaining, star-studded, yet surprising

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA book about the wildlife and landscapes of southwest England, covering the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset, richly illustrated with high quality photography. Written and photographed by Nigel Hicks.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe northern parish of Assynt boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in Britain. The mountains of Quinag and Suilven dominate a very varied landscape with wild, white hills inland and a complex, intricate moorland to the west. Here, rocky crags, boggy flows, innumerable lochs and burns, stretch to a coast of equal variety with long fjords, high cliffs and sandy beaches. Close to many of the crofting townships are dense areas of native woodland. In this book, Robin Noble, who has been intimately involved with this corner of the north-west Highlands of Scotland his whole life, celebrates its rugged beauty and shares many intimate encounters with the resident wildlife – including, golden eagles, otters, badgers and pine martens – which surrounded his cottage in its wooded glen under the ‘long mountain’ of Quinag. Assynt is also well known for its important role in the history of community land ownership, and Robin describes too his deep involvement with those who live there. He learned much from the old generation of shepherds and crofters whom he got to know in the 1960s, as well as from their children and incomers in later decades, and shared with them the challenges of living in a remote, fragile community.Trade Review'It is unlikely anyone will read the book and not long to make their own journey to witness what Noble writes about so eloquently from his own experience' * Strathspey and Badenoch Herald *'Irresistible scene-setting...fascinating history, intriguing future and unique wildness' -- Margaret Chrystall * Inverness Courier *'Robin's nature-writing is terrific. This is a very special book... highly recommended' * Ullapool News *'an extended love-letter to one of the most beautiful and fascinating parts of this amazing country of ours' -- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSusan Farrell's evocative account of what it was like to grow up in rural Armagh and Tyrone, a world rooted in tradition and in the seasons. Beginning with her grandparents, Susan uses food to trace the legacy of her upbringing: Nanny Wylie, 'quick as a magician', making bread; her aunts cycling twenty miles to the Irish border to buy butter, dried fruit and sugar for her parents' wedding cake; food remedies and broths; and the endless supply of home-made apple pies, jam and soda farls. But by the late sixties this way of life is changing - Camp Coffee, salad cream and books like Madhur Jaffrey's 'Eastern Vegetarian Cooking' herald a new way of life and a new kind of cooking. And on the horizon is the shadow of the Troubles … Warm, authentic and often funny, 'My Homeplace Inheritance' is a vivid evocation of place and a celebration of the rich legacy that comes from the cooking and sharing of food.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTraffication develops a bold new idea: that the trillions of miles of driving we do each year are just as destructive to our natural environment as any of the better known threats, such as habitat loss or intensive farming. The problem is not simply one of roadkill; the impacts of roads are far more pervasive, and they impact our wildlife in many subtle and unpredictable ways. Using the latest research, the book reveals how road traffic shatters essential biological processes, affecting how animals communicate, move around, feed, reproduce and die. Most importantly, it shows that the influence of traffic extends well beyond the verge, and that a busy road can strip the wildlife from our countryside for miles around. In the UK, almost nowhere is exempt from this environmental toll. Yet the final message here is one of hope: by identifying the car as a major cause of the catastrophic loss of wildlife, the solutions to our biodiversity crisis suddenly become much clearer. The first step to solving any problem is to recognise that it exists in the first place. But with road traffic, we are not even at that crucial initial stage in our recovery. Quite simply, Traffication does for road traffic what Silent Spring did for agrochemicals: awakening us from our collective road-blindness and opening up a whole new chapter in conservation. This urgent book is an essential contribution to the debate on how we restore the health of our countryside – and of our own minds and bodies. Trade ReviewThis is a very good book... perhaps THE book of the year. -- Mark Avery, author and environmental campaigner...a fascinating and enlightening book. To call it "revelatory" would be an understatement. -- Chris and Melissa Bruntlett, authors of Curbing Traffic...fascinating, eye-opening and easy-to-read -- Rebecca Armstrong, BirdwatchThis book is remarkable for several reasons, not least the fact that its author has gathered almost everything published in peer-reviewed journals about the devastating consequences of roads and cars for the natural world. He has then synthesised this vast body of data while deploying the most lucid prose and balanced, non-polemical tone about his subject. -- Mark Cocker, BirdLifeAn important book. -- Richard Smith, British Medical JournalTraffication should be required reading for any education, training or course for students and transport professionals including engineers, traffic planners, town planners, urban designers, politicians and all those undertaking courses with the word “transport” in the title. -- John Whitelegg * Journal of World Transport Policy & Practice *A moving read. -- John Miles * Birdwatching.co.uk *Table of ContentsPreface: Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre A note on units, definitions and data sources Acknowledgements 1 The King of the Road 2 Traffication 3 ‘An Inconspicuous Splotch of Red’ 4 Living with Roadkill 5 Traffic Islands and Invasion Highways 6 Thunder Road 7 Emission Creep 8 In the Zone 9 The Sixth Horseman 10 Winners and Losers 11 Five Reasons for Hope 12 The Road to De-Traffication Notes List of scientific names References Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Essential reading for anybody who cares about the future’ Henry Marsh, *New Statesman Books of the Year*A radical examination of Britain's relationship with the land by one of our greatest nature writers.**SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT GOLDEN BEER BOOK PRIZE 2019**The British love their countryside more than almost any other nation, yet they live in one of the most denatured landscapes on Earth. From the flatlands of Norfolk to the tundra-like expanse of the Flow Country in northern Scotland, Mark Cocker sets out on a personal quest through the British countryside attempting to solve this puzzle. Radical, provocative and original, Our Place tackles some of the central issues of our time whilst mapping out a future in which this overcrowded island of ours could be a place fit not just for human occupants but also for its billions of wild citizens.‘A tour de force… By turns hopeful, melancholy, humorous and heartfelt’ BBC Wildlife Book of the MonthTrade ReviewEssential reading for anybody who cares about the future. -- Henry Marsh * New Statesman **Books of the year** *A seriously great book, important and urgent… As soon as I finished Our Place, I packaged up my copy and sent it off to Michael Gove… this is the kind of book that demands action. -- Alex Preston * Guardian *Best known as one of our foremost nature writers, Mark Cocker spent several years researching this tour de force… stuffed with eye-opening statistics… by turns hopeful, melancholy and humorous… [Our Place] is heartfelt. -- Ben Hoare * BBC Wildlife **Book of the Month** *Thunderingly necessary… Cocker on this kind of form – eloquent, practical, dogged and wise – is the sort of dynamic chivvying force [conservation] will always need… the book he’s written – however measured, equable and intelligent – is a call for revolution. -- Richard Smyth * New Statesman *Impassioned, expert and always beautifully written… Our Place is a sobering and magnificent work. -- Christopher Hart * Sunday Times *It is easy to be angry about environmental destruction; easy to demand change without hope but in this potent, elegant and influencing telling of the story of what we have done to England's wildlife, Mark Cocker archives something more: a reasoned tone in a radical cause. If you care about our country, read it. -- Julian Glover * Evening Standard **Books of the Year** *What a relief it is to have this subject explored without the usual diatribes and righteous hysteria. Cocker’s quiet tone carries great authority and… [Our Place] deserves to command respect and wide attention. -- Tom Fort * Literary Review *A fierce polemic by an eminent ornithologist about Britain’s denuded natural habitat. * Sunday Times **Must Reads** *Fascinating… Our Place is a brave book... It will undoubtedly ruffle what few figurative feathers we have left. -- Katharine Norbury * Caught by the River *A new book by Mark Cocker is a major event, and [Our Place] is no exception… Cocker has always been brilliant at considering our relationship with nature… You can come away from it feeling that something can be done, that we can save Britain’s wildlife, if only there is the will to turn well-meaning generalities into action. The clock is ticking. -- Matt Merritt and John Miles * Bird Watching *

Read more less

Book Synopsis**ONE OF THE GUARDIAN’S BEST BOOKS OF 2018**Join renowned naturalist Peter Marren on an exciting quest to see every species of wild plant native to Britain.The mysterious Ghost Orchid blooms in near darkness among rotting leaves on the forest floor. It blends into the background to the point of invisibility, yet glows, pale and ghostly. The ultimate grail of flower hunters, it has been spotted only once in the past twenty-five years. Its few flowers have a deathly pallor and are said to smell of over-ripe bananas. Peter Marren has been a devoted flower finder all his life. While the Ghost Orchid offers the toughest challenge of any wild plant, there were fifty more British species Peter had yet to see, having ticked off the first 1,400 rummaging in hedges, slipping down gullies and peering in peat bogs. But he set himself the goal of finding the remaining fifty in a single summer. As it turned out, the wettest summer in years. This expert and emotional journey takes Peter the length and the breadth of the British Isles, from the dripping ancient woods of the New Forest to the storm-lashed cliffs of Sutherland. He paddles in lakes, clambers up cliffs in mist and rain, and walks several hundred miles, but does he manage to find them all? Partly about plants, partly autobiography, Chasing the Ghost is also a reminder that to engage with wild flowers, all we need to do is look around us and enjoy what we see. Praise for Chasing the Ghost:‘Peter Marren is the unsung hero of Britain’s nature writers’ Stephen Moss, author of Dynasties‘Jolly, quixotic and ends with real poignancy’ Guardian ‘A poignant reminder to us all to engage with the wild flowers that grow around us’ i NewspaperTrade ReviewPeter Marren is the unsung hero of Britain's nature writers. His luminous prose sheds light on the forgotten corners of Britain's natural heritage – our diverse and sometimes bizarre flora – and his quest to see every single species in the country. He is the perfect guide, leading us along the highways and byways, through wayside and woodland, as he tracks down some of our rarest and most fascinating plants. Delightful. * Stephen Moss, naturalist and author *Planting hunting here or abroad has always pulled in great enthusiasts. In Marren’s case it is a quiet enthusiasm, not academic, but companionable and intimate. He delivers easily all kinds of fascinating thoughts and information about the natural world… There is philosophy too. He understands that no ecosystem has a perfect moment to which it ought always to be restored. Environments change for better and worse, populations of plants and animals wax and wane. Ecology is flux. And does he find the ghost orchid? Well, he’s philosophical about that. * The Times *Peter Marren writes with such knowledge and affection for plants, and in such a modest and winning manner that few could help wanting to be a plant spotter in this image... If you already have the botany bug then you’ll want to read this book, and to own it so that you can dip into it in future years, but even for the confirmed non-botanist like myself, this is a very good read and one which makes me slightly uneasy about how much I have been missing by looking up rather than down and how blinkered is my view of the natural world. * Dr Mark Avery *A poignant reminder to us all to engage with the wild flower that grow around us * i Newspaper *Wonderful... This book would appeal to anyone with an enthusiasm for wildflowers or an interest in the history of natural history -- Hannah Gardner * Gardens Illustrated *

Read more less

Book Synopsis100 wildlife walks through our beautiful British countryside. The beautiful countryside and intimate wildlife stories explored in Springwatch have inspired viewers to get outside and reconnect with the natural world for almost 20 years. Now this new practical compendium will help you go further, bringing together the most scenic walks and diverse wildlife from around Britain. Covering every region in the UK, it includes a range of easy strolls and more challenging hikes for every level of walker, each featuring wildlife unique to the area: from white-tailed eagles on the Isle of Mull and red squirrels in Northumberland, to grey seals in Devon, bottlenose dolphins along the Welsh coast and sparrowhawks in Northern Ireland. Detailed descriptions of routes, specially-commissioned maps and easy-to-follow practical information ensure you have everything you need to set out on these walks yourself, with tips on spotting flora and fauna, with a key species selected for each walk across the country.With a foreword by Chris Packham, and beautiful line art throughout, whether you feel like wandering through a bluebell wood or enjoying the sea breeze on a dramatic coastal path, Springwatch: Great British Walks has something for every season - and it's all just outside your door.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn our busy, pressured world, the natural world can be a powerful counter-balance, offers wisdom for the challenges, pain and dislocations of life as well as for beauty, wonder and healing. In Soulful Nature, Brian Draper and Howard Green encourage you to get outside and make deeper connections with creation and its creator. They chart walking journeys through rural landscapes and town streets over the course of a year, showing how the natural cycle of the changing seasons can awaken us to the rhythms of our own lives. Each chapter explores a different landscape, zooming in on the small details of the natural world as well as panning out to the wide-screen beauty of time and place. Simple and practical spiritual exercises are provided throughout.Trade Review'A walk with Brian and Howard helps you see and hear more clearly, feel with a warmer heart and be a part of nature rather than just an observer.' -- Clare Balding'As this timely book explains, we need to let nature into our lives and to feel its healing properties.' -- Alan Titchmarsh'A remarkable book, transporting the reader on a journey through a year in nature. I am lucky enough to know all the places visited in this book, most of them very well. Brian and Howard's musings bring these places, and our seasons, not so much to life, as to meaning.' -- Matthew Oates'A thoughtful, evocative journey through some very special places, exploring the connection they offer us to the healing balm and spiritual possibilities of nature. It's a pleasure to be in the company of these two friends as they share history, naturalism and practical suggestions about how to slow down, connect with nature, and reflect in whatever way works for you.' -- Louise Govier'Brian Draper and Howard Green write with warmth, wisdom and a winsome way of earthing spirituality in the unique gift of each place. Best of all, they make you want to step outside and find the kingdom of heaven, hidden like treasure in the soil.' -- Andrew Rumsey

Read more less

Book SynopsisSally Urwin and her husband Steve own High House Farm in Northumberland, which they share with two kids, Mavis the Sheepdog, one very Fat Pony, and many, many sheep. Set in a beautiful, wild landscape, and in use for generations, it's perfect for Sally's honest and charming account of farming life. From stock sales to lambing sheds, out in the fields in driving snow and on hot summer days, Diary of a Pint-Sized Farmer reveals the highs, lows and hard, hard work involved in making a living from the land. Filled with grit and humour, newborn lambs and local characters, this is the perfect book for anyone who has ever wondered what it's like on the other side of the fence. 'I am going to do the whole bloody lambing. I'm going to lamb all the lambs. I imagine myself lean and strong, with thin thighs, in attractive waterproof overalls, striding through the lambing shed like I own it. I spend the rest of the evening searching through eBay for waterproof trousers, short leg, size 14, that don't look like a pair of plastic bags stitched together at the crotch.'Trade ReviewUrwin's account of a year on High House Farm, with its mix of arable land and 200 sheep in windswept Northumbria, is no rural idyll. But it's full of passion for the realities of life lived knee-deep in the countryside ... Despite the hardships, Urwin still finds the fun in rural life * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisMr Edgar Finchley, unmarried clerk, aged 45, is told to take a holiday for the first time in his life. He decides to go to the seaside. But Fate has other plans in store… From his abduction by a cheerful crook, to his smuggling escapade off the south coast, the timid but plucky Mr Finchley is plunged into a series of the most astonishing and extraordinary adventures. His rural adventure takes him gradually westward through the English countryside and back, via a smuggling yacht, to London. This gentle comedy trilogy was a runaway bestseller on first publication in the 1930s and retains a timeless appeal today. It has been dramatized twice for BBC Radio, with the 1990 series regularly repeated.Trade ReviewPraise for the Classic Canning Series ‘Quite delightful, with an atmosphere of quiet contentment and humour that cannot fail to charm … The longer we travel with Mr Finchley, the better we come to love him. He makes us share his bread and cheese, and beer and pipe. His delight at the beauties of the countryside and his mild astonishment at the strange ways of men are infectious’ Daily Telegraph‘His gift of story-telling is obviously innate. Rarely does one come on so satisfying an amalgam of plot, characterisation and good writing’ Punch‘A paean to the beauties of the English countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character… [Mr Finchley] runs into one astonishing situation after another, sticking gamely to his resolve that he must take things as they come and accept them’ New York Times‘What counts for most in the story, as it did for Mr Finchley, is his mounting pleasure in vagabondage and the English scene’ The Times‘There is such a gentle humour in the book … Mr Finchley is the ideal Englishman’ Daily Sketch

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt Home with Country celebrates the romance of Cabbages & Roses and shows how Christina Strutt's evocative vintage style is equally at home in city apartments, rural retreats and seaside cottages. From urban high-rises to coastal hideaways, the great manor homes of England to the smallest beach house on the other side of the Atlantic, the beauty of the Cabbages & Roses brand is the gentle but highly visible vintage design. This lavish book embodies all locations – country, city and coast. Chapters encompass Classic Country, Modern City, Island Country and Outdoor Country. Homes that bring together the old and the new, evoking the atmosphere of each season, sit beside city spaces where urban living combines with vintage style – think faded florals and ticking fabrics softening an industrial space, splashes of colour to enliven it and contrasting textures to add interest. Coastal dwellings are fresh, breezy and dreamy – beautifully suited for beach living. The book shows that the country can come to the city, that the city can benefit from coastal settings and that the Cabbages & Roses style is a gentle, unassuming and, above all, beautiful asset to any home as it easily complements all environments.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDiscover wilderness as nature intended – the pristine places on our beautiful planet that still remain untouched by human hands. Explore the rugged mountains, clear waters and dense forests of the great outdoors, from the Himalayas to the Rockies, from icy fjord and to desert plateau and everything between.Including information on the best trails and trips to take around the globe, and inspirational quotes from explorers, conservationists and writers, this bitesize book will help wanderers of all walking speeds reconnect with the wonderful world outside their windows.SAMPLE FACT: Blaze: When wanderlusting in the wilderness, and lost, look to the trees to help you find a path. A blaze is a coloured marker, usually painted or nailed to a tree. It helps guide hikers when a trail becomes difficult to follow or makes an abrupt turn.Table of ContentsWalk on the Wild Side: It's time to pack your bag, pop on your walking boots and open the front door. A whole world of wilderness awaits. Only one question remains: where on earth are we going? Heaven on Earth: Wilderness is more than just a place you can go for a nice walk; it's a state of mind. It's a place where you can leave your troubles behind and see the world as Mother Nature intended. If there is a heaven, we'll find it here on Earth. The Great Outdoors: Out among the wilderness is where the wild things roam. From creatures great and small to trees wide and tall, and everything in between. It's all here: oceans, deserts, space, forests and wide-open lands that run free as far as the eye can see. Wide Open Space: What is wilderness? Can you define something so divine? Like all the best things, wilderness is the stuff of make believe, full of inspiring facts and stats, quotes and notes, that'll make your world spin. Blazing Trails: From humans to animals, organisms to insects, every single living creature on Earth owes everything it is to the wilderness from which it sprang. Here's how to get your boots on, pack the snacks and take a giant leap into wilderness today. Into the Wild: Welcome to the end of the trail. Thanks for coming. But the journey into wilderness is never over. Wilderness is wherever you want it to be so find it where you are.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis guide contains 20 circular walks in the Cotswolds, covering the very best of the area's wide-ranging landscape - from the heights of Uley Bury to the tranquil beauty of the water meadows near Sherborne; through stunning villages and along meandering waterways. Walks range in length from 21/2 to 6 miles, with recommendations for autumn, winter, spring and summer. Highlights include: Spring: A carpet of bluebells in the woods near Uley and Whittington Summer: Panoramic views around Snowshill and Foxcote Autumn: Dramatic colours at Chedworth Woods and Cooper's Hill Nature Reserve Winter: The quiet lanes and picturesque villages of Cutsdean and EbringtonTable of ContentsSPRING 1. Sherborne & Watermeadows (41/4 miles) 2. The Camp (21/2 miles) 3. Uley Bury (4 miles) 4. Easton Grey (6 miles) 5. Whittington (31/4 or 5 miles) SUMMER 6 Snowshill & Lidcombe Wood (41/2 miles) 7 Sapperton & Daneway (41/2 miles) 8 Foxcote (51/2 miles) 9 Yanworth (51/2 miles) 10 Aldsworth (6 miles) AUTUMN 11 Edgeworth & Ruscombe Plantation (4 miles) 12 Lower Oddington & Bledington (43/4 miles) 13 Cranham & Cooper's Hill (4 miles) 14 Chedworth (31/2 miles) 15 Somerford Keynes (51/2 miles) WINTER 16 Guiting Wood (41/2 miles) 17 Driffield (5 miles) 18 Cornwell & Churchill (51/2 miles) 19 Hidcote Manor & Ebrington (5 miles) 20 Cutsdean (41/2 miles)

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis walking guide contains 20 circular routes, covering the very best of Lancashire's wide-ranging landscape - from high in the Lancashire hills down to glorious forest and wildlife-rich moorland; through historical towns and villages and along meandering waterways. Walks range in length from 21/2 to 8 miles, with recommendations for autumn, winter, spring and summer. Highlights include: Spring: Far-reaching views from Harrock Hill and a carpet of bluebells in the woodlands of the Read Hall estate. Summer: Moorland tracks near the lost settlement of Gambleside and boat watching along the Lancaster Canal. Autumn: Exploring Pendle witch country near Barrowford and woodland colours around Hurst Green. Winter - Christmas decorations adorning the shoreline of Entwistle Reservoir and the winter wildlife around Marton Mere.Table of ContentsSPRING 1. Brookhouse (51/2 miles) 2. Chipping (4 miles) 3. Bilsborrow (8 miles) 4. Read (71/2 miles) 5. Mawdesley (4 miles) SUMMER 6. Slyne (5 miles) 7. Conder Green (21/2 miles) 8. Garstang (41/2 miles) 9. Waddington (7 miles) 10. Clow Bridge (51/2 miles) AUTUMN 11. Cowan Bridge (41/2 or 6 miles) 12. Silverdale (41/4 miles) 13. Hurst Green (61/2 miles) 14. Barrowford (51/2 miles) 15. Brinscall (33/4 or 5 miles) WINTER 16. Staining (5 miles) 17. Walton-le-Dale (5 miles) 18. Sabden (21/2 miles) 19. Foulridge (61/2 miles) 20. Chapeltown (63/4 miles)

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the 45th Anniversary Edition of The Decline of an English Village. When The Decline of an English Village was first published in 1974, its appearance was greeted with immediate critical acclaim. As a young writer, born into declining village life, Robin Page’s message simultaneously struck a chord and sounded a warning. Now, after forty-five years, it reappears with a new and updated introduction, in which political activist Robin Page exposes greed, political ineptitude, and social and environmental indifference as the driving forces behind the deterioration of village life and the communities around it. Robin Page transports readers back to a time when villages were founded on the value of community, and when people still worked the land in the traditional sense. He reflects and ruminates on his own experiences of rural life, raising sensitive topics, such as the intensification of farming, over-population, and environmental degradation in some of England’s most beloved places. Robin shares his concern for the alarming loss of wildlife in England, and offers his own perspective on what he perceives to be the most pressing issues. His passion for English tradition, reflected through his involvement with the Countryside Restoration Trust, radiates from within the pages of this book, along with his enthusiasm for preserving the countryside and its wildlife. Throughout his life, Robin has observed dramatic changes in the way people live their lives. It’s in this book that he reiterates the tragedy behind a countryside increasingly misused and abused in the name of urbanisation and industrialisation. Trade ReviewRobin Page is a national treasure. This whiskery and rebarbative countryman, now in his mid seventies, has campaigned tirelessly for the cause of traditional rural life... he has shown, admirably, what even a single individual can do off his own bat by founding the Countryside Restoration Trust. The Decline of an English Village was one of Mr.Page's early books. Written 45 years ago, and now reissued with a new last chapter, it is a classic. * Country Life *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Home and Farm 2. The Village 3. God 4. Sex and Violence 5. The School 6. The Brook 7. The Shoot 8. Feathers and Feet 9. Second Thoughts 10. All Change 11. Thirty Years On 12. Forty-Five Years On Countryside Restoration Trust

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere is something for everyone in The Countryman. Whether you are a country dweller, an urban nature lover, an amateur historian, or a budding naturalist, the variety of subjects covered is a real treasure trove. From the toad to the bumblebee, the cuckoo to the pheasant, the life cycle of the dragonfly, the attractions of the nightjar and the dove, the development of sheep breeds and the value of the cottager’s pig – these are just some of the characters of the natural world as described by Johnny Scott. What are the origins of Oak Apple Day and when and where is it still celebrated? What do you know about Morecambe Bay shrimps or gulls’ eggs – how do they make the journey from harvest to plate? What is a hag stone and what is its connection to a horse brass? Do you know what marl is and where would you find it? Answers to these questions and so many others are to be found within these pages. The author’s acute powers of observation and fluent style enable him to convey his lifelong experiences and knowledge of the natural world in an informative but accessible way. His understanding of the origins of country customs and celebratory festivals is extensive, and his affection for them and all that the countryside has to offer shines through. Be prepared to be enlightened, amazed or amused – or probably all three!Trade ReviewSeparated into the four seasons, the reader will move through the year with Johnny's own knowledge and various stories and experiences to guide them. Not only does it focus on country sports, it looks at man's relationship with nature and how things have changed for the better. His affection for the countryside and all it has to offer shines through and will delight any reader. -- Mary Jarwood * The Countryman's Weekly *This book is simply brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. Sir Johnny’s encyclopaedia like knowledge of most things relating to the British countryside and his articulate and eloquent writing style, firmly deposits this book into my “couldn’t put it down” category. Highly recommended for country folk of all nationalities, British social historians, nature lovers and urbanites with an enquiring mind. -- Gary Creighton * British Country Sports *From cover to cover this highly readable book was rapidly digested in just over a day. As I know from frequent evenings in his company, Johnny Scott is an exceptionally fine teller and re-teller of tales and anecdotes...If you are a countryman by birth, inclination or persuasion, buy this book, you will love it. If not, buy the book anyway, you might learn something. -- Peter Brook * Baily's Hunting Directory *This is not a soapbox piece about our changing landscape and culture, but a balanced and quiet observation of a landscape and nation in flux.... This book attests to Scott's deep understanding of the British countryside. -- Hunter WorkmanMeeting people like...Sir Johnny Scott makes you realise that these individuals have a wealth of knowledge that is impossible to match in the anti-hunting/anti shooting world... provides some very useful arguments to counter the barrage of nonsense produced by those who know precisely what they want changed in the countryside but have little idea about what might follow. -- Jim Barrington * Countryman's Weekly/Countryfile Live *Forget the Met Office. It's the "...behaviour of the hefted hill ewes out on the moor..." you need to watch for incoming snow. A definite read before the Boxing Day walk - it'll answer all the children's questions... [Johnny's] passion and knowledge for rural life absolutely shine in this book. [His] writing is very accessible and engaging, and really quite poetic in places. Writing about Christmas week, he says: "I love the bleak beauty... the eerie sound of a great multitude of geese riding from their roost in a lapis lazuli dawn." -- Annette Shaw * Devon Life *One of the most readable books I’ve had the pleasure to read...a wonderful legacy. Sir Johnny is our countryside personified. It is to be read to laugh and learn. I highly recommend it, Dear Reader.Table of ContentsIntroduction________________________________ 7 Spring_ ___________________________________ 13 Toads__________________________________ 14 Easter_ ________________________________ 17 The Cuckoo_____________________________ 23 Avian Squatters___________________________ 27 Gulls’ Eggs______________________________ 31 Bumblebees_ ____________________________ 37 Bugs in May_ ____________________________ 41 The Golden Hoof_________________________ 44 Are Sportsmen Getting Soft?_________________ 50 May Day________________________________ 55 Cleanliness of Animals______________________ 59 Oak Apple Day___________________________ 63 Summer__________________________________ 67 Blind Stinger____________________________ 68 Mallard_ _______________________________ 72 Green Parakeets__________________________ 75 Luck_ _________________________________ 79 The Heron______________________________ 85 The Shepherd’s Dog_ ______________________ 88 Wild Goats______________________________ 94 Hedging________________________________ 98 Dor Hawks_____________________________ 105 A Change in the Season____________________ 109 Flankers_______________________________ 112 Medieval Pets’ Names_____________________ 115 Goose Fever____________________________ 120 Autumn__________________________________ 123 The Wheel Turns_________________________ 124 Morecambe Bay Shrimps___________________ 127 St Anthony’s Fire_________________________ 133 Weather Lore___________________________ 138 Athena________________________________ 141 Doocots_______________________________ 145 An Autumn Fish_ ________________________ 149 The Month of the Rut_____________________ 154 Hell Hounds____________________________ 157 Beautiful But Deadly______________________ 161 Hag Stones_____________________________ 165 The Cottager’s Pig_______________________ 169 Sporrans______________________________ 172 Winter_ __________________________________ 179 Tracks in the Snow_ ______________________ 180 Red Letter Day__________________________ 184 Christmas Week_ ________________________ 186 Christ’s Animals at Christmas________________ 189 Mistletoe______________________________ 195 The Holly and the Ivy_ ____________________ 199 Carving the Festive Bird___________________ 205 Dogs at Christmas________________________ 211 Keep the Home Fires Burning_ ______________ 215 The Countryman’s Zimmer_________________ 218 Hedge Pig_____________________________ 221 The Glorious Bird of Colchis________________ 225 Marl_________________________________ 228

Read more less

Book SynopsisLand of Milk and Honey is the long-awaited sequel to Red Rag to a Bull. Author Jamie Blackett finds himself in danger of losing the family estate as his beef business encounters difficulties and the spectre of Brexit bears down on the farming community. Meanwhile he feels under threat from extreme environmentalists attacking the very concept of livestock farming and by resurgent Scottish nationalism threatening the break-up of the United Kingdom. The book is the honest and forthright account of how he copes with the crisis by following the example of New Zealand farmers in similar circumstances and successfully embracing the new creed of regenerative agriculture and switching the farm into pasture-based dairying. Through Jamie’s struggles the reader comes to understand the crossroads facing the British countryside as it attempts to adapt to free trade after eighty years of agricultural subsidies. We are also guided through the complexities and contradictions in the quest to reach Net Zero carbon and reverse biodiversity loss as he explores the current craze for re-wilding the land and puts some of its ideas into practice for the benefit of wildlife on the estate. Along the way Jamie becomes an outspoken newspaper columnist and establishes an unlikely political alliance with the maverick socialist George Galloway in an attempt to break the stalemate in Scottish politics and defeat Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP in the Holyrood election. The book contains humour, vivid passages of nature writing and numerous polemical digressions on a wide range of countryside issues.Trade Review‘Jamie Blackett crucially and eloquently stands up for real farming, real conservation and the real countryside, managing to be both lyrical and fearless at the same time.’ -- Kate Green, Country Life'a fascinating read for those interested in the countryside and the country...Well worth buying''Blackett’s engaging style and lightness of touch belie the complexity of the issues with which he must contend, and make this a compelling read.''Land of Milk and Honey is a book with great variety and change of pace. the description of rural life, its seasonal rhythms, the grandeur of nature and all its creatures are a joy to read.''another highly readable and thought provoking work from Jamie Blackett.''superbly acerbic'The author writes with admirable candour and detachment about his battle to save his farm in the face of adverse balance-sheets. As well as being an eloquent manifesto for saving the countryside from the unhappy fate that has overtaken large parts of urban Britain, this is a stirring evocation of rural life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Countryman Sets Forth Again is a wonderful compilation of articles covering a range of eclectic rural and countryside subjects. There is something for everyone to discover from the ancient language of field sports to the treasures to be found in old barns; the history of the landscape to dryland husky racing and much more. Divided into seasonal sections and featuring more than forty-five chapters, many of the articles have appeared in The Field magazine. Here are all aspects of country life described in vivid detail, from the flora and fauna to the folklore. Descriptions of ancient customs feature alongside accounts of pigeon racing and hound trailing; and stories of exotic plant hunters from past centuries. Readers will encounter mad March hares, owls, ravens, bats, pike, eels, and the rare capercaillie. Other subjects include coppicing, ancient trees, hanging game, stoats, terriers and, that perennial British favourite, the weather. The author also takes us back to his childhood with memories of charcoal burners and of harvesting wild food. Combining his engaging writing, expert insight and immense knowledge, Johnny Scott is a master at celebrating and chronicling the countryside. In this book he continues to convey his wisdom and affection for the magic of nature and rural life.Trade Review‘This book would be as entertaining and informative to those who already know the countryside well, as it would to someone who wants to learn more.’ -- Simon Lester, Country Life Magazine

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAward-winning photographer Stephen Dalton, famed for his pioneering fast-shutter shots, photographs his 8-acre woodland through the seasons, showcasing the stunning diversity of plants, trees, insects, birds and animals that live there.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautifully-crafted and moving personal account of the rolling seasons, as seen from a man who loves his Fenland village, its ever-changing scenery, its adaptable wildlife, its stoical local people, and its evolving farming practices over the centuries.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPeople love mushrooms. They want to pick them and eat them. but when they get home and try to check them, the fears crowd in. The reference books are vague. Too many dangerous look-alikes. Is the colour in that photograph exaggerated? A field mushroom suddenly seems worryingly like a Destroying Angel....the mushrooms are all discarded. Here is a mushrooming guide with a totally new, positive approach. Forget all the other 500 species. You only need to know these twelve. And you need to know them fully, without a shadow of a doubt. Alex Schwab's mushrooming rules are few but they are fixed rules. His key identification points leave no room for uncertainty. And he promises you these mushrooms will all taste delicious. Mushrooming without fear for the first time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDairy farmer Roger Evans's diary covers the latest news from his farm and his village, his fat little dog Gomer, hare coursers, the local wildlife and equally wild villagers, tales from the neighbours and much more.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMarch 2020: Stephen Moss's Somerset garden is awash with birdsong: chiffchaffs, wrens, robins and a new arrival, the blackcap, all competing to sing as the season gathers pace. Overhead, buzzards soar and ravens tumble, apparently as delighted as he is to herald the new season...But this Spring Equinox is unlike any other. As the nation stumbles toward a collective lockdown, Stephen begins to observe and record the wildlife in his immediate vicinity, with his fox-red Labrador, Rosie, as his companion on his daily exercise. As old routines fall away, and blue skies are no longer crisscrossed by contrails, they discover the bumblebees, butterflies and birdsong on their patch. This evocative account underlines how an unprecedented crisis has changed the way we relate to the natural world, giving us hope for the future at perhaps the darkest time in our lives. And it puts down a marker for the 'new normal': the many species around us, all enjoying, for once, a land less lived in than usual by humankind.Trade Review"A beautiful memoir of life and wildlife from one of the UK's finest nature writers." Chris Packham; "The uncoiling of a marvellous spring ... a well-written and enjoyable book." Mark Avery; "Excellent ... Exalting skylark song and orange-tip butterflies at a time of so much human suffering is a delicate balancing act ... It is a delight to share the company of such an upbeat wildlife guide." Ben Hoare, BBC Countryfile; “A great read.” John Miles, Birdwatching magazine; Praise for previous work: "An absorbing account . . . very heartening". Anna Pavord, Sunday Times; "In simple, lucid prose Moss maps out how ornithology has evolved from a specialist interest for a tiny minority." Mark Cocker; "Energetic and uplifting." Jonathan Drummond, Times Literary Supplement; "Moss seeks out Britain's hidden corners where wildlife survives against the odds." National Geographic Traveller;"Moss ... is a good storyteller, seamlessly linking biological fact with the anecdotal." Patrick Galbraith, The Times; "An enchanting book... elegiac." Express, Peter Burton; "An affectionate, enterprising book." Sunday Times; "Stephen Moss unlocks a trove of folk history . . . Not a page goes by without at least one diverting fact." The Times; "Entertaining and exciting . . . Moss takes us on a series of wonderful diversions into bird etymology, tracing the tracks of avian meaning." Philip Hoare, New Statesman; "The book really comes alive when Moss heads out into the field to see the birds . . . Beautifully described." Spectator; "An absorbing account . . . very heartening". Anna Pavord, Sunday Times; "The glass is one hundredth full rather than 99 hundredths empty ... [a] hopeful stance supported by delightful observations." Caspar Henderson, Spectator; "In simple, lucid prose Moss maps out how ornithology has evolved from a specialist interest for a tiny minority." Mark Cocker; "Energetic and uplifting." Jonathan Drummond, Times Literary Supplement; "An intriguing natural history story." BBC Wildlife; "Moss seeks out Britain's hidden corners where wildlife survives against the odds." National Geographic Traveller; "Moss explores some very unlikely oases for hard-pressed wildlife in the UK." New Scientist; A wildlife rich tour of the in-between habitats of the British Isles. Simple Things; "Moss ... is a good storyteller, seamlessly linking biological fact with the anecdotal." Patrick Galbraith, The Times; "An enchanting book... elegiac." Express, Peter Burton; "An affectionate, enterprising book." Sunday Times; "Stephen Moss unlocks a trove of folk history . . . Not a page goes by without at least one diverting fact." The Times; "Entertaining and exciting . . . Moss takes us on a series of wonderful diversions into bird etymology, tracing the tracks of avian meaning." Philip Hoare, New Statesman; "The book really comes alive when Moss heads out into the field to see the birds . . . Beautifully described." Spectator; "From stone-age remains to modern day skyscrapers, Stephen Moss takes us on an exhilarating journey through place and time, providing a fascinating insight into nature's relationship with environments created by man." Mya-Rose Craig, Birdgirl; "Moss's bible of hidden places to spy wildlife is a welcome addition to our shelves. From London's city jungle to UK rail corridors, he shows us that rare finds can just be a happy accident in our own back garden." Wanderlust

Read more less

Book SynopsisRiverwise, a volume of slow river prose centred around Afon Teifi, is a book of wanderings and wonderings, witnessings and enchantments, rememberings and endings. Weaving memoir, poetry and keen observation into its meandering course, it shifts across time and space to reflect the beauty of hidden, fluvial places, and to meditate on the strangeness of being human. Above all, though, this book stands as a hymn to those fragments of riparian wilderness which on our maps appear as ever- shrinking horns of green amid a white, gridded landscape of human dominance. Riverwise is a clarion call to learn to love and protect the natural world and its waterways.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"I have long since ceased to be surprised at how often incidents in my village end up with someone in the river..." My Village in the Valley is a quiet unassuming place where, on the whole, very little happens. Until, that is, we all get together to tackle aggressive drivers, disputed footpaths, yapping hearthrugs and the ubiquitous village fete. In my Village in the Valley, nothing is ever simple ... Original comedy from TV and radio scriptwriter Michael Bartlett (The Archers, BBC Radio Drama)Trade Review"Absolutely one of the best laugh out loud books you can treat yourself to ... IN SUMMARY- I would love this book to become a new sitcom. The writing is very visual, the characters are credible and the situations so utterly bonkers they are probably true!" ~ Goodreads reviewer

Read more less

Book Synopsis"That good old farming saying 'make hay while the sun shines' is true in so many ways ... " Life on a family farm is always full of its ups and downs, but the past year for sheep farmer Sue Andrews has been busier than most. There's the arrival of husband Aubrey's lively new sheepdog puppy. Then livestock sales become online auctions just as Sue's beloved pedigree Blue Texel sheep are set to find new homes. And now, to top it all - as lambing starts, a new generation of young farming grandchildren decides it's time to learn the ropes ... This is the latest 'enchanting' portrait of a year in the life of a Cotswold sheep farmer from Amazon bestselling author Sue Andrews (If Clouds Were Sheep, Jumping Over Clouds) - perfect for anyone who enjoys a lively tale of the countryside

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less