Description
Book SynopsisHot on the success of Wilderness Weekends, one of the top selling guides in 2015, award-winning travel writer Phoebe Smith returns with more great outdoor experiences tailored not just for the hard-core wilderness enthusiast but for novices and newbie hillwalkers alike. Take a friend, or take the kids - or both! - and climb one of Phoebe's favourite hills. There are 60 of them detailed in this easy-to-follow guide which champions a new easy-access approach to hillwalking. With 20 hills each in England, Wales and Scotland, from just 120 metres to a manageable 609 metres, and from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands, there's bound to be a hill for you. 'When it comes to mountains society seems to be obsessed with height' says Phoebe Smith. 'But those who shun peaks based on measurement are truly missing out. Following on from the success of Wilderness Weekends, people are always asking me where they can take a friend, partner or young child that will help convince them that the outdoors - and hills - are worth the effort. Answering that need is this book, it's all about minimum effort for maximum results.' Each walk also includes tips on safety, kit, weather, walking responsibly, maps, tackling hills sensibly, and taking children, friends and reluctant walkers. For some walks there's also 'Added Adventure' - caves, ruins or a background story for example. Britain is home to hundreds of hills, neglected because they don't quite measure up, so here we showcase 60 of the very best. 'Who wouldn't want to experience some of the best views in Britain for minimal effort?' asks Phoebe Smith. 'Don't believe us? Walk this way!' With Britain's Best Small Hills, discover not only where to walk, but also curious facts and places, such as one of the best small hills with a café at the top, the hill where Captain Cook became inspired to travel, the only Wainwright the man himself couldn't summit, and the Welsh peaks where the rocks that form Stonehenge come from. Phoebe Smith knows good mountains. For over 10 years she's been exploring Britain's extensively and has written about them in a range of magazines and newspapers in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia as well as being the author of 7 books - all on the British wilderness and the joys of camping. In addition to writing Phoebe has frequently appeared on radio and TV talking wild camping, travel and women in the outdoors. In 2014 she became the first woman to camp at all the extreme points of mainland Britain on consecutive nights - these included the highest, lowest, northernmost, southernmost, easternmost and westernmost points of the country, also becoming the first person to include the centre of Britain in her quest. In 2015 and 2016 she was shortlisted for the National Adventure Awards in the Inspiring Others category. In 2016 she was named an Ordnance Survey #GetOutside Champion for her work encouraging everyone to have adventures in the UK.
Trade Review"A magnificent, magical and motivating guide that proves that with hills, the best things often come in small packages." - Clare Balding, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Ramblings "Phoebe Smith is a splendid writer and an inspiring traveller" - Bill Bryson "Britain's Best Small Hills is full of big views and experiences that are as rewarding as they are easy to access." - Wanderlust "The ideal gift to energise family and friends in 2018." - AGA Living magazine "Designed wonderfully, offers useful step-by-step instructions and offers tips on where to camp and how add a bit of adrenaline to your day. A great asset for all who enjoy the outdoors." - Adventure Travel Magazine
Table of ContentsForeword by Ed Byrne Introduction Small hills: the essentials Using this guide A word about hill selection PART 1: ENGLAND 01. Away with the pixies Sheeps Tor, Devon 02. Peak with a pun Brown Willy, Cornwall 03. Speak of the Devil Bow Hill, West Sussex 04. Avalanche hill Cliffe Hill, East Sussex 05. Head for the neck Wills Neck, Somerset 06. Horsing around Whitehorse Hill, Oxfordshire 07. Edge your bets Cleeve Hill, Gloucestershire 08. Malvern magic Worcestershire Beacon, Worcestershire 09. Sit in the Devil's chair The Stiperstones, Shropshire 10. Mini-mountain Beacon Hill, Leicestershire 11. Accessible reef Chrome Hill, Derbyshire 12. A visit to mother Mam Tor, Derbyshire 13. Lancashire light Beacon Fell, Lancashire 14. Pit-stop peak Farleton Fell, Cumbria 15. The Yorkshire Matterhorn Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire 16. A walk with a ring to it The Bell, Cumbria 17. Taking the helm Helm Crag, Cumbria 18. Barefoot ramblings Hallin Fell, Cumbria 19. King of the castle Castle Crag, Cumbria 20. Pennine perfection Dufton Pike, Cumbria PART 2: WALES 21. Just desserts Blorenge, Monmouthshire 22. The outlier Ysgyryd Fawr, Monmouthshire 23. A spoon full of sugar Sugar Loaf, Monmouthshire 24. What lies beneath Carreg Cadno, Powys 25. Angelic ascent Carningli, Pembrokeshire 26. A small slice of wilderness Yr Arddu, Gwynedd 27. From pillar to Powys Breidden Hill, Powys 28. Princely peak Dinas Bran, Denbighshire 29. Scramble then eggs Cefn y Capel, Conwy 30. Special gest Moel-y-Gest, Gwynedd 31. Tiny Tryfan Moel Tryfan, Gwynedd 32. Snowdonia's secret scramble Carnedd y Cribau, Gwynedd 33. Limestone lovely Bryn Alyn, Denbighshire 34. Arthur good as the rest Moel Arthur, Denbighshire/Flintshire 35. Townside top Mynydd y Dref, Conwy 36. Trunk-road top Bryn Euryn, Conwy 37. Victoria's secret The Great Orme, Conwy 38. Clandestine Carneddau Foel-ganol, Gwynedd 39. A walk to rival all Yr Eifl, Gwynedd 40. Peak at the end of the world Holyhead Mountain, Anglesey PART 3: SCOTLAND 41. Smoke me a Kippford The Muckle, Dumfries and Galloway 42. Sea to summit Byne Hill, South Ayrshire 43. Striding arches Colt Hill, Dumfries and Galloway 44. Fairlie straightforward Kaim Hill, North Ayrshire 45. Whangie-ful The Whangie, East Dunbartonshire 46. The great divide Conic Hill, Stirling 47. Hill shot Dumgoyne, Stirling 48. City centre summit Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh 49. Dumpling on the side Duncryne, West Dunbartonshire 50. Accessible wilderness Duncolm, West Dunbartonshire 51. Arrochar Alps adjacent Ben A'an, Stirling 52. Trouble and Fife Falkland Hill, Fife 53. Summits and spectres Ben Hiant, Highlands 54. Walking warm-up Druimarbin, Highlands 55. Monster mountain Meall Fuar-mhonaidh, Highlands 56. Remote wanderings Meall Innis an Loichel, Highlands 57. Cairngorms sampler Craigellachie, Highlands 58. Braemar beauty Creag Choinnich, Aberdeenshire 59. Brilliant Bennachie Oxen Craig, Aberdeenshire 60. Bhraggie rights Ben Bhraggie, Highlands Hillwalkers' glossary Useful websites Index
