The countryside, country life: general interest Books

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Book SynopsisCalming to the soul and good for us all, spending time outdoors offers us precious breathing space away from the stresses and strains of modern life. This inspirational guide celebrates the life enhancing effect of nature and encourages you to try the pursuits that would have been second nature to previous generations - from walking in the dark with only the light of the moon and stars to guide you, to wild swimming, forest bathing and sleeping under canvas. It will inspire you to re-discover the joy of sky and clouds, night and tides, stars and silence.Photography by Finn Beales

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Book SynopsisThe second volume of a major new series of books on British natural history.Meadows provide one of the most wide-ranging and eloquent treatments of this most quintessential British habitat. Yet the flower-rich hay meadows that have inspired writers and artists for hundreds of years have almost disappeared from our countryside. In this exceptional work, George Peterken, one of our most respected ecologists, brings together years of research and discovery from his travels across Britain and Europe, as well as an understanding borne out of caring for his own meadows, to produce a book that will put this often misunderstood habitat back in the public's eye. Filled with beautiful images of meadows and their denizens, this is a book everyone with an interest in this iconic habitat will want to own.Trade Review...an exceptional book, Meadows ... is a proper, scientific treatise by one of Britain’s leading ecologists, but it is so well written and so spectacularly-illustrated ... that it is accessible to the general reader. -- Michael McCarthy * The Independent *Part of the excellent British Wildlife Collection ... George Peterken unpicks all elements of meadows. -- Katy Merrington, cultural gardener * Gardens Illustrated *Table of ContentsForeword 1 Introducing meadows 2 The meadow flora 3 Classification and the variety of meadows 4 Origins 5 Making hay the traditional way 6 The geography of traditional meadows 7 Improving meadows 8 Diversity 9 Change in the meadows 10 European meadows 11 Translocating meadows to the colonies 12 Birds, bees, butterflies and other fauna 13 Meadows in the mind 14 Loss and survival 15 Looking forward

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Book Synopsis'An exceptional book.' Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words, Landmarks and Mountains of the Mind‘We made Kinder Scout, not just metaphorically, or metaphysically, not just with our stories and our battles, but literally changed its shape, from the peat washing off its summit, to the drystone walls that turn the hillside into a harmonious grid, the trees that are and more often aren’t there, to the creatures that we’ve allowed to remain and those we’ve done away with. It’s our mountain.’In 1951 the Peak District was designated the UK’s first national park: a commitment to protect and preserve our countryside and wild places. Sandwiched between Manchester and Sheffield, and sitting at the base of the Pennines, it is home to Kinder Scout, Britain’s most popular ‘mountain’, a beautiful yet featureless and disorientating plateau which barely scrapes the 600-metre contour, whose lower slopes bore witness in 1932 to a movement of feet, a pedestrian rebellion, which helped shape modern access legislation: the Kinder Mass Trespass.But Kinder Scout’s story is about much more than the working class taking on the elite. Marked by the passage of millions of feet and centuries of farming, a graveyard for lost souls and doomed aircraft, this much-loved mountain is a sacred canvas on which mankind has scratched and scraped its likeness for millennia. It is a record of our social and political history, of conflict and community.Writer Ed Douglas and photographer John Beatty are close friends and have a shared history with Kinder going back decades. In this unique collaboration they reveal the social, political, cultural and ecological developments that have shaped the physical and human landscape of this enigmatic and treasured hill.Kinder Scout: The People’s Mountain is a celebration of a northern English mountain and our role in its creation.Trade Review'An exceptional book. The writing is rich with original research, the photographs glitter with strangeness and beauty, and the whole book rings with the passion, knowledge and vision of two people who have explored their subject for most of their lives, and fallen into profound acquaintance with it.' – Robert Macfarlane, author of The Lost Words and Mountains of the Mind'Kinder – even the word has an echo-like quality. And this is a book of beautiful echoes in which words and pictures call to each other back and forth across the pages. Simple waymarkers such as moss, grouse, flight open up a spacious meditation that takes in history, adventure, memory and the necessity of beauty. The echoes build as we pass through the phases of the book, creating a vivid and moving iconography of the character and temper of this ‘half-poisoned, denuded and yet still-sacred ground.' – Katharine Towers, award-winning poet and author of The Remedies and The Floating Man'Everyone who loves the Peak District should have this book and help to work for its ultimate redemption. We will win!' – Mark Avery'Quietly astonishing and important piece of work.' – David Lintern, The Great Outdoors'Douglas tells the story in his fine poetic style, "pacing out time’s shore" while walking its northern rim, or when squatting on the summit "dismantled by wind and rain, grains of sand washed away, and me with them, pretty soon".' – Jules Stewart, Geographical'This is one of the most stand out books you will ever see. You will come to appreciate one of our most most iconic landscapes, its people, its seasons and beauty. This is achieved though it's delightful, thoughtful and well researched commentary combined with enchanting imagery. In a phrase it's a "Classic".' - Mansel Kersey, The Snow Leopard AwardTable of ContentsSand; Sheep; Flight; Grouse; Moss; Hare.

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Book SynopsisDay Walks in Somerset features 20 routes between 7 and 15 miles (11km and 24km) in length, spread across the county of Somerset, including the Exmoor National Park. Researched and written by experienced and local authors Jen and Sim Benson, the walks range from gentle rambles to more challenging day walks, all through interesting and varied landscapes. Split into five sections – Exmoor; Quantock Hills & Blackdown Hills; Somerset Levels; Mendip Hills; and Bath & North East Somerset – this guidebook explores the best that Somerset has to offer. Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, details of distance and navigation information, and refreshment stops and local information.Table of ContentsSomerset Area Map & Route Finder Introduction Acknowledgements About the walks Navigation GPS & mobile phones Comfort Safety The Countryside Code How to use this book Maps, descriptions, distances Km/mile conversion chart Section 1 – Exmoor 1 Selworthy & Bossington, 16.5km 2 Dunkery Beacon & Horner Wood, 18km 3 Dunster Castle & Woods, 17km 4 Around Wimbleball Lake, 13.4km Section 2 – Quantock Hills & Blackdown Hills 5 Kilve Coast & Beacon Hill, 20.1km 6 Northern Quantock Hills, 11.2km 7 Wills Neck & Cothelstone Hill, 15.6km 8 East Deane Way Link-Up, 19.4km Section 3 – Somerset Levels 9 Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, 21.9km 10 Burrow Mump & West Sedgemoor, 24.2km 11 Collard Hill & Lollover Hill, 12.5km 12 Cadbury Castle & the Corton Ridge, 16.3km Section 4 – Mendip Hills 13 Brean Down, 20.6km 14 Crook Peak, 14km 15 Cheddar Gorge, 15.5km 16 Ebbor Gorge, 12km Section 5 – Bath & North East Somerset 17 Ashton Court & Leigh Woods, 13.3km 18 Ammerdown, 12.6km 19 Cotswold Way, 17.9km 20 Kennet & Avon Canal Loop, 14.6km Appendix

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Book SynopsisSheffield Round Walk is a 15-mile circular walk covering the beautiful south-west corner of the city. It reveals the stunning and varied landscapes of this part of the city, you’ll see ancient woodlands, river valleys, pretty Victorian suburbs and parkland, and you’ll glimpse the moorland above the city. Written by Sheffield local Jon Barton, the text is peppered with interesting detail about Sheffield’s industrial past, geology and the varied and surprising wildlife that can be seen on this walk. The walk starts and finishes at Hunter’s Bar Roundabout, where you can visit the lovely independent shops and cafes along Ecclesall Road and Sharrow Vale Road. From here the route goes through Endcliffe Park following the Porter Brook to Ringinglow. Next, pick up the Limb Brook, following it down to Ecclesall Woods and then on to Beauchief. Onwards through Graves Park, Meersbrook Park and passing the River Sheaf before climbing up through Nether Edge and Chelsea Park and back to the start. The walk is split into four linear sections, which vary in character from peaceful and rural to lively and urban. Each section includes plenty of ideas for places to visit on the route as well as details of local cafes and pubs.Together with stunning photography, this book features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, refreshment stops and places to visit on and near the route.Table of ContentsIntroductionAcknowledgementsRun or walk?Walk timesThe Countryside CodeMaps, descriptions, distancesKm/mile conversion chartSheffield Area Map1 Porter Valley2 Limb Valley3 Sheaf Valley4 Gleadless ValleyFurther Information

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Book SynopsisIn this inspirational and practical guide to country life, passionate and hugely knowledgeable countryman Alan Titchmarsh explores the heritage of rural Britain, its landscapes and wildlife, its traditions, customs and crafts. The Lost Skills and Crafts Handbook will help you rediscover your love of the countryside, including:- a checklist of British butterflies and where to find them- how to keep chickens, ducks, goats and sheep- how to make soap, candles and your own herbal remedies- how to track animals and forage for food- essential knot tying- how to build a campfire without matches- how to create a kitchen garden- the origins of country superstitionsAnd much more. With beautiful line art illustrations throughout, this compendium of the British countryside and its delights will be an essential read for any nature lover in your life.

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Book SynopsisExplore the National Parks with this handy pocket map.Handy little full colour map and guide of New Forest 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 New Forest National Park, and is the perfect companion for exploring this beautiful area of Southern England.Clear, detailed mappingKey park, tourist and travel informationIdeal for planning visits to the National ParkIndex to help locate and plan your trip

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Book SynopsisThe perfect companions for exploring the National Parks.Walking guide to the Peak District 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 Peak District National Park Pocket Map (ISBN: 9780008439217) are the perfect companions for exploring this superb walking area of England.Trade Review“Walking guides from Collins will have you expertly traversing the landscape like a park ranger.” – Great British Life

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Book SynopsisWalking guide to the Snowdonia 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 Snowdonia National Park Pocket Map (ISBN: 9780008439224) are the perfect companions for exploring this superb walking area of North Wales.Trade Review“Walking guides from Collins will have you expertly traversing the landscape like a park ranger.” – Great British Life

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Book SynopsisTake a trip to the Yorkshire village of Burley Bridge, where a very special little cookbook shop is about to open its doorsIn the beginningKitty Cartwright has always solved her problems in the kitchen. Her cookbooks are her life, and there isn't an issue that Cooking with Aspic' can't fix. Her only wish is that she had a book entitled Rustling Up Dinner When Your Husband Has Left You'.Forty years laterOn Rosemary Lane, Della Cartwright plans to open a very special little bookshop. Not knowing what to do with the hundreds of cookbooks her mother left her, she now wants to share their recipes with the world and no amount of aspic will stand in her way.But with her family convinced it's a hare-brained scheme, Della starts to wonder if she's made a terrible decision. One thing's for sure: she's about to find outLose yourself in Della's world of food, family and friends. The perfect read for fans of Trisha Ashley and Carole Matthews.Trade Review‘Warm, funny and poignant.’ The Daily Mail ‘A novel as comforting as a slice of homemade apple pie.’ Red ’Brilliant…manages to capture family life perfectly.’ Chick Lit Reviews

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Book SynopsisExplore the National Parks with this handy pocket mapHandy little full colour map and guide of Broads National Park. Detailed mapping and visitor information to the National Park along with a selection of photographs. Map at a scale of 1:91,000 (1.45 miles to 1 inch or 0.91 km to 1cm).This small map with additional text and photographs gives a great overview of the Broads National Park, and is the perfect companion for exploring this beautiful area of Eastern England.Clear, detailed mappingKey park, tourist and travel informationIdeal for planning visits to the National ParkIndex to help locate and plan your tripThis and the Broads Park Rangers Favourite Walks (ISBN: 9780008462727) are the perfect companions for exploring this superb walking area of East Anglia.

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Book SynopsisHandy little full colour map and guide of North York Moors National Park.Detailed mapping and visitor information to the National Park along with a selection of photographs. Map at a scale of 1:114 000 (1cm to 1.14km, 1.8 miles to 1 inch).This small map with additional text and photographs gives a great overview of the North York Moors National Park, and is the perfect companion for exploring this beautiful area of North Yorkshire.Clear, detailed mappingKey park, tourist and travel informationIdeal for planning visits to the National ParkIndex to help locate and plan your tripInformation on the Cleveland Way, the Moor to Sea Cycle Network, walks and places of interestDiscover more about the walking routes at this National Park with the North York Moors Park Rangers Favourite Walks (ISBN: 9780008462710).

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Book Synopsis''I was warned by all those who knew me that to take on a project like this was madness.''At the peak of her fast-paced career, presenter and interviewer Selina Scott bought a house in the Tramuntana hills of Mallorca. It was a dilapidated old farmhouse without even mains electricity or water, but she had fallen in love with the beauty and peace of the surroundings, and the promise of an escape from her high-pressured job and unwelcome tabloid attention.Selina begins to settle into Mediterranean life and spends time renovating the house. However, she soon realises that making the old house her home is going to be more difficult than she thought. From the unwelcome wildlife that insists on sharing her house, to dubious building work, locals both friendly and hostile, and a forest fire that threatens the whole valley, Selina''s new life is full of unexpected challenges. In this funny, elegantly written account of her Spanish years Selina tells us about tTrade ReviewShe records with a loving and observant eye * Telegraph *Charming * Sunday Express *A terrific read, beautifully written * Richard Madeley *

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Book SynopsisThe Natural History of Selborne (1789) is written as a series of letters, which describe with wit and precision the flora and fauna White observes in his Hampshire parish. A classic of nature writing, this edition includes contemporary illustrations, a contextualizing introduction, and an appendix of readers' responses over 200 years.Trade Review'I can wholeheartedly recommend this edition ... Beautifully produced ... Secord's introduction - surely one of the chief reasons to purchase this new edition of a book never out of print - provides a nuanced and stimulating account of the origins, character, and legacies of Selborne.' * Diarmid A. Finnegan, Journal of Historical Geography *'This Oxford edition offers new insights into a work that has been hugely popular. ' * Land and Business *

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Book SynopsisEscape to Languedoc in this poignant and transportative true account of life in a beautifully restored house in the south of France''This love affair between an English family and a very old French house is by turns turbulent, lyrical and tragic . . . Enriched by an insatiable, ever-eager curiosity, he takes us down many a side alley, adding another dimension to the timeless story of what it is that makes France irresistible'' MICHAEL PALIN''What a wonderful book. Exquisitely written, it is by turns laugh-out-loud funny then suddenly, unexpectedly and profoundly moving... an utter joy and a treat to read from the first to last pages'' JAMES HOLLAND''He writes with genuine emotion . . . He writes beautifully about life in a French village'' DAILY MAIL________One day a Londoner and his wife went a little crazy and bought a crumbling house in deepest Languedoc. It was love at first sight.Over the years these LoTrade ReviewA timeless story of what it is that makes France irresistible -- Michael PalinHe writes with genuine emotion . . . He writes beautifully about life in a French village. The most enjoyable parts of this book are his descriptions of the French countryside * Daily Mail *Elegant, captivating, and sprinkled with self-deprecating humour. Dolby is a writer of abundant talent. -- Peter Kerr, author of Snowball OrangesWonderful. Exquisitely written, it is by turns laugh-out-loud funny then suddenly, unexpectedly and profoundly moving, wistful and touching: a homage to a place, to magical moments in time. An utter joy and a treat to read from the first to last pages * James Holland, author of Brothers in Arms *An unashamed love letter to France from someone who deeply admires the country * UK Time News *This love affair between an English family and a very old French house is by turns turbulent, lyrical and tragic. With often embattled enthusiasm Dolby describes the process of making 1 Place de l'Eglise part of the family. Enriched by an insatiable, ever-eager curiosity, he takes us down many a side alley, adding another dimension to the timeless story of what it is that makes France irresistible. -- Michael Palin

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Book SynopsisTravel is good for us. It makes us happy!Escape more, celebrate more, "weekend" more with DK travel guides and create memories that last a lifetime.Each of our books is jam-packed with gorgeous pictures, helpful maps and expert insights, making them totally comprehensive, really easy to use, and full of ideas and inspiration. And we know what we're doing we've been publishing guides for over 30 years. So forget the ordinary. Travel extraordinary.

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Book SynopsisDiscover the best of Britain's rambles, all year round.Britain is brimming with stunning walks, and this go-to guide sets out our 40 favourite routes around the UK. Arranged by season, each walk includes detailed route instructions, a map, and notes about landmarks and wildlife to keep an eye out for.Amble through bluebell-carpeted West Country woodlands in spring, and explore North Yorkshire's limestone slopes ablaze with wildflowers in early summer. Experience the fiery autumnal hues of the Wye Valley forest, or take a winter walk to see the fallow deer in Richmond Park.We've included a beautiful selection of varied walks all over the UK, from short country strolls to challenging hill hikes, gentle woodland wanders to breathtaking cliff-path adventures, there are routes to cater for all levels of fitness and experience.So, pack your bag, grab your boots and join us for a ramble around our beautiful landscape.

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Book SynopsisDuring 1933–1936, Dorothy Hartley was commissioned by the Daily Sketch newspaper to write articles describing the English countryside, old English crafts and customs, country foods and country ways (with the odd excursion to Wales, Scotland and Ireland). She did her research in the British Museum (she had by then written several books of social history) and on the ground, travelling around the country on her sturdy bicycle, staying with her subjects, or under a hedgebank if no other choice. These articles were to form her knowledge-bank which she used in several books that came out during the 1930s and beyond (particularly Here’s England, 1935), but they have never been seen as they were first written. We offer a selection, with a foreword by Lucy Worsley (who is presenting the BBC TV documentary on Hartley to be transmitted in November) and introduced by the writer Adrian Bailey (who befriended Dorothy Hartley in her later life). The 65 articles are illustrated with some of Hartley’s own snapshots which she kept as notes for future reference. The subjects range widely over matters as various as thatching, clog-making, eels, the country chemist, marram grass, sand shoes, crabs, sheep shearing, spring-cleaning, country kitchens, ploughing, weather lore, and elevenses.

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Book SynopsisWalking South Yorkshire is a collection of 30 circular walks, between 2 and 8 miles (3 and 13 km) in length, that explore the ancient woodland and rural visitor attractions around Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley.Attractions visited include: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wentworth Castle Gardens, Stainborough Park, Cannon Hall Museum, Old Moor RSPB Reserve, Monk Bretton Priory, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Worsbrough Mill, Rockley Blast Furnace, Wentworth Woodhouse, the Waterloo Pottery Kiln, Catcliffe Glass Cone, Graves Park Animal Farm, Roche Abbey and the Chesterfield Canal.Written by local walker, Rob Haslam, each walk features detailed route directions, combined with a thorough insight into the county's rich, yet little-known, heritage of ancient woodland. All walks can be reached by public transport from Sheffield, Meadowhall, Rotherham and Barnsley, feature Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps and information on public transport, car parking, history, refreshments and terrain.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction What is Ancient Woodland? Types of Ancient Woodland History of Woodland Management Restoration Archaeological and Historical Features Improved Paths Transport Grid References Area Map and Key Sheffield1 Wincobank Hill2 Prior Royd & Birkin Royd3 Woolley Wood & Concord Park4 Ecclesall Wood5 Shirtcliffe Wood from Flockton Park6 The Chapeltown Woods7 Eckington Woods8 Glen Howe Park & More Hall Reservoir9 New Hall Wood & Whitwell Moor10 Wheata Wood & Birley Edge11 The Gleadless Valley Woods12 The Upper Moss Valley13 Bowden Housteads & Tinsley Park WoodsRotherham14 Canklow Wood Heritage Trail15 Ravenfield Park16 Herringthorpe Valley & Brecks Plantation17 Wath Wood & Roman Ridge18 Grange Park Woodlands19 Anston Stones & the Chesterfield Canal20 Scholes Coppice & Wentworth Woodhouse21 Treeton Woods22 Roche AbbeyBarnsley23 Old Moor RSPB Reserve24 Cannon Hall25 Dearne Valley Park & Monk Bretton Priory26 Elsecar Heritage Centre27 Wombwell Ings & Gypsy Marsh28 Yorkshire Sculpture Park29 Worsbrough Mill & Wentworth Castle30 The Upper Don ValleyAppendix

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Book SynopsisJames Herriot grew up in Glasgow and qualified as a veterinary surgeon at Glasgow Veterinary College. Shortly afterwards he took up a position as an assistant in a North Yorkshire practice where he remained, with the exception of his wartime service in the RAF, until his death in 1995. He wrote many books about Yorkshire country life, including some for children, but he is best known for his memoirs, beginning with If Only They Could Talk. The books were televised in the enormously popular series All Creatures Great and Small.Trade ReviewBulls with sunstroke, pigs on the run and a cake-eating Peke with a betting habit . . . I grew up reading James Herriot's book and I'm delighted that thirty years on they are still every bit as charming, heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny as they were then. -- Kate HumbleHerriot's enchanting tales of life in the Dales are deservedly classics. Full of extraordinary characters, animal and human, the books never fail to delight. -- Amanda Owen, bestselling author of The Yorkshire Shepherdess

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Book Synopsis#1 — The Best Country and Rural Living Books*#1 — 15 Best Homesteading Books for Beginners**For more than 50 years, this homesteading classic is the essential book of basic skills and country wisdom for living off the grid, being prepared, and doing it yourself. Keep your family healthy, safe, and independent--no matter what's going on in the world. From homesteaders to urban farmers, and everyone in between, there is a desire for a simpler way of life: a healthier and self-sufficient natural lifestyle that allows you to survive and thrive—even in uncertain times. Carla Emery's classic book is the original manual of basic country skills and wisdom for living off the land.Learn how to live independently in this comprehensive 1000-page Encyclopedia of Country Living, including how to:* Can, dry, and preserve food * Plan your garden with a beginner's guide to gardening* Grow your own food* Make 20-minute cheese* Make your own natural skincare products* Bake bread * Cook on a wood stove * Learn beekeeping * Raise chickens, goats, and pigs * Create natural skincare products * Make organic bug spray * Treat your family with homemade natural remedies * Make fruit leather* Forage for wild food* Spin wool into yarn* Mill your own flour * Tap a maple tree And more! The Encyclopedia of Country Living has been guiding readers for more than 50 years, teaching you all the skills necessary for living independently off the land. Whether you live in the city, the country, or anywhere in between, this is the essential guide to living well and living simply.* Bookscrolling** OutdoorHappensTrade Review#1 The Best Country and Rural Living Books list: "This comprehensive resource is the most authoritative guide available to a sustainable lifestyle and living off of the land."—Bookscrolling.com#1 15 Best Homesteading Books for Beginners in 2021: "This book is one of our favorites…many aspects of basic farm life fill the (tremendously) detailed 928 pages. You’ll find gardening tips, how to prepare food, and how to buy land. …If you want to know more about keeping bees, raising rabbits, and taking care of cows, then this is the book to get!—Outdoor Happens“For the suburbanite with just enough space for a little garden to the die-hard homesteaders and everyone in between, The Encyclopedia of Country Living makes for both fascinating reading and a truly essential reference source. You won’t find a more complete source of step-by-step information about growing, processing, cooking and preserving every kind of food—from the garden, the orchard, the field or the barnyard!”Rodale Book Club"If you're dreaming about moving "back to the land" someday, or if you're already there and want to live more self-sufficiently, you'll want a copy of ... The Encyclopedia of Country Living."Organic Gardening“This book is a monument to the coevolution of a person and an idea. . . this book should be shelved in your collection between the Foxfire books and Alicia Bay Lau­rel’s Living on Earth.”Whole Earth catalog"Packed with old wisdom as well as up-to-date websites and mail-order sources to make country living easier."Country Almanac“As one aston­ished browser acclaimed, ‘Is there anything this book doesn’t tell you how to do?’”Library Journal"If you’re thinking about ditching the city and reconnecting with a simpler, more direct way of life . . . The Encyclopedia covers a wealth of information to keep you on target."Lehman's Country Living"If I could only have one comprehensive how-to book on self-reliant living, this would be it."Backwoods Home Magazine"The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery is one of my favorite finds. It is a guide to all things country..."The Jefferson County Post"While it is impossible for one book to have everything you need, 'The Encyclopedia of Country Living' does an exceptional job of giving you the most bang for your buck when it comes to needing a single resource where you are likely to find the answer to your country living questions."Outdoor Self Reliance "Practical advice, invaluable information, and collected wis­dom for folks and farmers in the country, city, and anywhere in between."Territorial Seed catalog

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Book SynopsisDay Walks in Cornwall features 20 circular routes between 7.2 and 13.7 miles (11.6km and 22km) in length, suitable for hillwalkers of all abilities. Researched and written by experienced authors Jen and Sim Benson, and covering the extremities of this stunning peninsula, the walks reach areas from Bude to the Isles of Scilly, and from Rame Head near Plymouth to Lizard Point on the southernmost tip. Taking advantage of the South West Coast Path, discover a unique view of the charming coastline at every turn in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.Explore Chapel Porth caves, and countless coves, archways and waterfalls, or simply immerse yourself in a leisurely stroll along white sands and blue waters. Head for the Merry Maidens stone circle in Lamorna, examine the serpentinite rock formations at Lizard Point, watch over medieval Tintagel Castle and parade past Cromwell’s Castle. Find serenity overlooking St Enodoc’s Church or soak up the vibe of trendy fishing village St Mawes, nestled in its sheltered bay; you’ll find Cornwall has it all.Together with stunning photography, each route features Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps, easy-to-follow directions, distance and navigation information, refreshment stops and local information.Table of ContentsIntroductionAcknowledgementsAbout the walksWalk timesNavigationGPSMobile phonesFootpaths and rights of wayComfortSafetyMilitary firingThe Countryside CodeHow to use this bookMaps, descriptions, distancesKm/mile conversion chartCornwall area mapSection 1 West Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly1 Around Tresco & Bryher2 Sennen & Cape Cornwall3 Lamorna & The Merry Maidens4 Zennor, Bosigran & Ding Dong Mine5 Godrevy Point6 Penrose & The LoeSection 2: Central Cornwall & The Lizard7 Around Lizard Point8 Chapel Porth & St Agnes BeaconSection 3: The North Coast9 Trevose Head10 Pentire Point11 Boscastle & Tintagel12 Bude to Widemouth BaySection 4: The North Coast13 Around Roseland14 Dodman Point & Portmellon15 Lansallos & Polruan16 Rame HeadSection 5: The South Coast17 Lanhydrock18 Rough Tor & Brown Willy19 Golitha Falls & Siblybeck Lake20 The Hurlers & The CheesewringAppendix

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Book SynopsisBeat the boredom and take time out from screens with this pocket-sized book packed with facts, photos and fantastic spots for hours of fun!Kids will have fun collecting points in the countryside with more than 140 things to find. From trees and flowers to animals and insects, they'll learn all about life in the country. And once they've scored 1000 points, super-spotters can claim their official i-SPY certificate and badge.With more than 30 i-SPY books to collect, there's something for everyone!For even more fun in the countryside check out the i-SPY In the Countryside Activity Book (ISBN 9780008392864).Trade Review“A fun, interactive way to encourage curious children to learn about the world around them.” – Parents In touch

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Book SynopsisHandy little full-colour map and guide of Dartmoor National Park. Detailed mapping and visitor information to the National Park along with a selection of photographs. Map at a scale of 1:105,000 (1.68 miles to 1 inch or 1.05 km to 1cm).This small map with additional text and photographs gives a great overview of the Dartmoor National Park, and is the perfect companion for exploring this beautiful area of Southern England.Clear, detailed mappingKey park, tourist and travel informationIdeal for planning visits to the National ParkIndex to help locate and plan your trip

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Book SynopsisHandy little full-colour map and guide of Peak District National Park. Detailed mapping and visitor information to the National Park along with a selection of photographs. Map at a scale of 1:120 000 (1cm to 1.20km, 1.9 miles to 1 inch).This small map with additional text and photographs gives a great overview of the Peak District National Park, and is the perfect companion for exploring this beautiful area of England.Clear, detailed mappingKey park, tourist and travel informationIdeal for planning visits to the National ParkIndex to help locate and plan your tripInformation on the Pennine Way, Stanage-North Lees, caving activities and other places of interestDiscover more about the walking routes at this National Park with the Peak District Park Rangers Favourite Walks (ISBN: 9780008439125).

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Book SynopsisThe Natural History of Selborne (1789)is written as a series of letters, which describe with wit and precision the flora and fauna White observes in his Hampshire parish. A classic of nature writing, this edition includes contemporary illustrations, a contextualizing introduction, and an appendix of readers' responses over 200 years.Trade ReviewI can wholeheartedly recommend this edition ... Beautifully produced ... Secords introduction - surely one of the chief reasons to purchase this new edition of a book never out of print - provides a nuanced and stimulating account of the origins, character, and legacies of Selborne. * Diarmid A. Finnegan, Journal of Historical Geography *Any book that delighted both Virginia Woolf and Charles Darwin is a must-read, in my opinion. But this little gem of a book is also beautifully produced and has some added useful context. * GrrlScientist, Guardian *A natural history must-read in a new edition. * New Scientist *This Oxford edition offers new insights into a work that has been hugely popular. * Land and Business *This comfortable pocket edition of the classic work ... is a delight to handle and read. This will certainly be one of my future travelling companions. * Biological Journal of the Linnean Society *

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Book SynopsisAnother beautiful, revelatory country diary from one of the best nature writers in Britain.'If you’ve never read Mark Cocker, then you must. His style is sharp, selfless, and wonderfully evocative, his knowledge deep and wide-ranging but lightly borne, his curiosity joyful and infectious.' Mail On Sunday, Books of the YearFor seventeen years, as part of his daily writerly routine, the author and naturalist Mark Cocker has taken a two-mile walk down to the river from his cottage on the edge of the Norfolk Broads National Park. Over the course of those 10,000 daily paces he has learnt the art of patience to observe a butterfly, a bird, flower, bee, deer, otter or fly and to take pleasure in all the other inhabitants of his parish, no matter how seemingly insignificant. In turn these encounters have then been converted into literary epiphanies that are now a widely celebrated part of his work. In A Claxton Diary he has gathered some of the finest short essays that he has ever written on wildlife. They range over almost everything he can see, touch or smell, from the minute to the cosmic, from a strange micromoth called yellow-barred longhorn to that fiercest of winter storms the so-called ‘Beast from the East’.From the marvellous to the macabre, Cocker tries to capture nature without flinching and in its entirety. In so doing he provides us with a vision of an English country parish that for intimacy and precise detail is comparable with Gilbert White’s diary on Selbourne. Above all he reminds us that we are all just members of one miraculous family, fashioned from sunlight and the dust from old stars.Trade ReviewA spellbinding nature diary that’s up there with the greatest… [Cocker] regularly follows up a beady description with a wild, glorious overview, followed by an astonishing fact or two… Hurrah for Mark Cocker! ***** * Mail on Sunday *Being a naturalist, Cocker’s great strength is in the breadth of his senses: his essays seem to cover almost everything he has seen, heard or smelled in the land around his home. He writes clearly, and with a style that has a ring of poetry about it without being pretentious or precious… Spending time with his acutely observant essays will convince many readers that the Great Barrier Reef and vast jungles of Africa can be understood best only by first understanding the startling drama, diversity and complicated natural dynamics of a humble corner of Britain. * Spectator *If you’ve never read Mark Cocker, then you must. His style is sharp, selfless, and wonderfully evocative, his knowledge deep and wide-ranging but lightly borne, his curiosity joyful and infectious. -- Craig Brown * Mail on Sunday, *Books of the Year* *If you can’t get out to enjoy the spring weather, immerse yourself in the natural world with Mark Cocker… his writing transports you there. * Mail on Sunday *If you already know Mark Cocker’s work, you’ll need no persuading to buy this – if you don’t, treat yourself to a very fine collection of nature essays. * Bird Watching, *Book of the Month* *

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Book SynopsisA DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE WEEK: 'particularly enjoyable''Somehow laugh-out-loud funny - passionate, warm and full of fascinating insights into the eccentric world of the field naturalist.' - Isabella Tree, author of WildingWater voles are small, brownish, bewhiskered and charming. Made famous by 'Ratty' in The Wind in the Willows, once they were a ubiquitous part of our waterways. They were a totem of our rivers. Now, however, they are nearly gone. This is their story, and the story of a conservationist with a wild hope: that he could bring them back.Tom Moorhouse spent eleven years beside rivers, fens, canals, lakes and streams, researching British wildlife. Quite a lot of it tried to bite him. He studied four main species - two native and endangered, two invasive and endangering - beginning with water voles. He wanted to solve their conservation problems. He wanted to put things right.This book is about whether it worked, and what he learnt - and about what those lessons mean, not just for water voles but for all the world's wildlife. It is a book for anyone who has watched ripples spread on lazy waters, and wondered what moves beneath. Or who has waited in quiet hope for a rustle in the reeds, the munch of a stem, or the patter of unseen paws.Praise for Tom Moorhouse:'The pages of this book are shot through with quicksilver light reflected from wet fur - not a lament for our rivers but a chorus of hope for their future.' - Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path'Beautiful and important. Tom's book is extraordinary in its gentle curiosity and sympathy for his subjects. I love this book.' - Sir Tim Smit KBE, Executive Vice-Chairman and Co-founder of the Eden Project'Terrific. Lightly but beautifully written. Very moving. Water voles are adorable little beasts. They are also tough, randy and stroppy, as Tom Moorhouse makes clear in this wry, amusing account of the often bloody, painful and frustrating business of conservation fieldwork. 'I hold stubbornly to optimism,' he declares, and his Elegy for a River demands that we do the same.' - Christopher Somerville, walking correspondent for The Times and author of The January Man

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Book SynopsisAnother volume in the popular New Naturalist series, this book gives a comprehensive account of the natural history of Britain and Ireland’s inland waters, many of which are popular holiday destinations.Trade ReviewPraise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent

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Book SynopsisAuthor and long-distance runner Jen Benson decided to live in a tent for a year with her husband Sim and their children to escape the stress, pressures and mounting debt of their old lives, and this is her account of that year spent in the wilderness of Britain

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Book SynopsisFull to the brim with the latest Ambridge recipes, and freshly prepared gossip, this must-have for all Archers fans lifts the lid on village and farm life

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Book Synopsis'An ever-dependable showcase for the best images of Britain.' - The Telegraph'No serious fan of landscape photography books should do without this.' - Digital Camera World 'A plethora of stunning black & white images that capture the UK's diverse topography in all its monochromatic glory.' - Black & White Photography'Together [the images] attest to photography as a wonderfully effective medium to place the viewer at the same spots as the photographers stood and feel something of the wonder they felt.' - ArtmagCharlie Waite is one of today's most respected landscape photographers and the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition is his brainchild. Beautifully presented, this book is a stunning collection of images of the natural world from incredible image-makers, both amateur and professional. Each image is captioned with the photographer's account of the inspiration behind the picture, coupled with the technical information on equipment and technique that shaped the photograph.A hugely prestigious competition, coupled with a high-profile author and an exhibition in central London, Landscape Photographer of the Year has enjoyed huge success in its thirteen years of publication.

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Book SynopsisThe world is yours to exploreThe great outdoors is the beating heart of our world, but modern life is pulling us ever further away from it. Spending our time shut away indoors and hunched over screens, we've lost touch with nature, and it's harming our health and our happiness. But it's never too late to find our way back.This book will help you find a way of reconnecting with the great outdoors. Whether you like to walk, run or swim, admire the wildlife or forage for wild foods, within these pages there will be something to inspire you to get out into the fresh air and reignite your sense of wonder at the world around you. Nature is a balm for the body and soul, so escape the pace of the everyday and set yourself free: get out there, find adventure, and go wild!

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Book SynopsisEntertaining, informative, and packed with unusual facts. Illustrated in color throughout.

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Book SynopsisA lyrical, evocative and wonderfully original wartime memoir about life on a farm in the Cotswolds, seen through the eyes of a child.Bertie, May and Mrs Fish' is Xandra Bingley's account of her childhood on a Cotswold farm, set against the backdrop of World War II and its aftermath. Bingley's mother is left to farm the land, isolated in the landscape, whilst her husband is away at war. With its eccentric cast of characters, this book captures both the essence of a country childhood and the remarkable courage and resilience displayed by ordinary people during the war. The beauty and sensitivity of Bingley's observation is artfully balanced by the harshness and grit of her reality.In the cowshed my mother ties her hair in a topknot scarf that lies on the feedbin lid. At five-thirty each morning and four o'clock in the afternoons she chases rats off the mangers. She measures cowcake and rolled oats and opens the bottom cowshed door. Thirty-one brown and white Ayrshires and one brindle JerTrade Review‘There is nothing usual about Bingley's story or her way of telling it. It is full of bright colours like a child's paintbox. This is her first book…but it instantly takes its place beside country classics.’ John Carey, Sunday Times ‘This is a book so alive that when you finish it you feel that you have been there and met the people…[The] book has immense charm, and also a resonance that is beyond charm.’ Diana Athill, Guardian ‘You would need to have lost touch with all feeling not to be moved to tears by the book's final chapter.’ Peter Parker, Telegraph ‘“Bertie, May and Mrs Fish” is an instant English classic…a runaway pleasure to read.’ Ali Smith ‘Utterly enchanting, and quite unputdownable.’ Jilly Cooper

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating ramble through the history of walking delves into our relationship with the British countryside.Ramble On' tells the story of how country walks were transformed from a small and often illegal pastime to the most popular recreational activity in the country.From the brave band of hikers who scaled the off-limits peak Kinder Scout in 1932, via the intricate Lake District guides of Alfred Wainwright, to the resistant landowners (including the notorious Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, Madonna and Jeremy Clarkson) who have done their level best (and worst) to keep walkers off their land this is the definitive history of rambling.Perfectly capturing the sense of exhilaration on reaching the summit of a blustery hill-top path, Ramble On' is for anyone who has ever pulled on a pair of walking boots or is partial to the taste of Kendal mintcake.Trade ReviewPraise for ‘Ramble On’: ‘McKay makes an agreeable tramping companion. For McKay walking is a serious pleasure, which is as it should be’ Tom Fort, Sunday Telegraph ‘Ramble On is a fascinating and lovingly written book that gets to the heart of a pursuit enjoyed by thousands throughout the British Isles every weekend’ Carl Wilkinson, Financial Times ‘Excellent history of the pastime … McKay’s gripping story of the struggle is enlivened by atmospheric descriptions of his own rambles and is rich in anecdote’ John Harding, Daily Mail ‘Sinclair McKay aims to convey the essence of this story through visits to some of the often inspiring places in which it has been acted out.’ Guardian Chronicles the changing relationship between landowners and roamers, and branches out into B&B, Wordsworth, Wainright, shifting patterns of class and the history of walking togs’ Country Life ‘Charming book – part of a history of British walking, part of a memoir of McKay’s wanderings.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Highly companionable … McKay gives a fascinating account of how walkers have since the Thirties battled landowners for the right to roam across Britain. In McKay’s version, walking is a political act and the Rambler’s Association is an advanced guard of egalitarians.’ Sunday Telegraph Books of the Year ‘This book should inspire you to don your walking boots and head for the hills’ Choice Magazine, Paperback Book of the Month

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Book SynopsisA fascinating journey into the extraordinary world of the king of fish: the salmon. This beautiful book explores the natural history of this most mysterious of fishes.Trade Review‘Mr Wigan is a skilled researcher and evocative writer’ Wall Street Journal ‘The Salmon is less a scholarly tome and more of a call to arms on behalf of the salmon.’ Chicago Tribune ‘If you think you have read it all before, let me assure you that you haven't. The Salmon is quite the best book I've read on the subject, skilfully told with wit and a wry turn of phrase […] This is a fishing book, scientific analysis, tragedy, love story, history and story of hope rolled into one.’ Classic Angling ‘Although there are occasional passages about the passionate experience of angling, this is no mere sport fisherman’s celebration – it is a forensic, and often caustic, analysis of the historical interaction between humans and 'the silver wanderer’ Country Life ‘It's an absolute must read for anyone even remotely interested in the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon’ Atlantic Salmon Journal ‘Extremely well-informed’ Literary Review ‘Michael Wigan gives us passionate advocacy on behalf of the wild Atlantic salmon. Above all he recognises the salmon as environmental indicator – “the hydrographer’s fish” – as well as cultural icon and economic driver.’ Tony Andrews, director of the Atlantic Salmon Trust ‘The life cycle of the salmon comes alive in Wigan’s passionate book … a highly readable account of the king of fish.’ Shooting Times

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Book SynopsisTristan Gooley is a writer, navigator and explorer. He is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs, The Natural Navigator and The Natural Explorer and he has written for publications including the Sunday Times, the New York Times, the FT and Geographical Magazine. Tristan has led expeditions in five continents, climbed mountains in Europe, Africa and Asia, sailed small boats across oceans and piloted small aircraft to Africa and the Arctic. He is the only living person to have both flown solo and sailed singlehanded across the Atlantic and is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Royal Geographical Society. Tristan has appeared on TV and radio programmes in the UK and internationally. www.naturalnavigator.comTrade ReviewThis new series of The School of Life's self-help books build on the strengths of the first, tackling some of the hardest issues of our lives in a way that is genuinely informative, helpful and consoling. Here are books that prove that the term "self-help" doesn't have to be either shallow or naive -- Alain de Botton, Founder of The School of LifeThe School of Life offers radical ways to help us raid the treasure trove of human knowledge * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about a river; its wildlife, history and folklore, and the remarkable people who have lived in the communities that have grown up on its banks. The river is the Warwickshire Avon, known as Shakespeare's Avon, that runs 88 miles from its source in Naseby to Tewkesbury where it joins the Severn. The river flows like an artery through the heart of England, and in days gone by its waters have often run red with blood as vicious battles for the crown have played out on its banks, key moments in British history often dramatised by the Bard of Stratford. The author follows a waymarked path along the Avon valley - The Shakespeare Avon Way - describing a short section each month, with the landscape and nature changing with the months. Along the way there are ruined abbeys, castles, medieval bridges, nature reserves, fossil remains and a host of human stories from the towns and villages that have flourished at ancient crossing points. The writer sets himself an ambitious target for the number of different birds he can identify during the year, and reflects on the various threats to our natural environment, not least the growing impacts of climate change. The physical and mental benefits of walking in a natural setting, particularly by a river, are now well established, and were particularly valuable during the worst period of the pandemic. Research shows that a walk in the countryside cheers you up; this book will certainly cheer the reader as it takes you on a delightful English journey, with keen observation, a wealth of information, and a host of fascinating stories.Trade ReviewFull of fascinating stories and descriptions of the wildlife to be found along the river that runs like an artery through the heart of England - David Kelham, High Sheriff of Warwickshire. It's like taking a walk with a knowledgeable friend. The narrative weaves its way with the river, revealing insights into history, landscape and nature. And the illustrations are lovely - Penny Dale, Author and Illustrator. A beautiful book about English nature and history, written in a witty and accessible style - Nic Hallam, British Birds.

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Book SynopsisFeatures a collection of sixty "Word From Wormingford" columns from the back page of the "Church Times", published in the autumn of 2006. This work presents mini essays that reflect the natural landscape, the changing seasons, village life, art, poetry, the stories that ancient churches tell.

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