Search results for ""Author Norm Longley""

This new Bradt guidebook is the first solely dedicated to a specific part of Wales, encompassing the country's southern third. Covering Monmouthshire, Glamorgan, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Brecon Beacons National Park, this guide provides in-depth coverage of a broad range of attractions. Catering for walkers, heritage aficionados, wildlife lovers, families, mountain bikers, foodies and city-lovers, it furnishes all the practical information you need to plan and enjoy time in South Wales. The region boasts 400 miles of coastline, along which some of Britain's finest beaches nestle between comely resorts and traditional fishing villages, including in the dramatic Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Inland, The Valleys encompass a former powerhouse of the British coal-mining industry where abandoned collieries have become thriving tourist attractions in a World Heritage landscape. Alternatively, enjoy peace and quiet in the Brecon Beacons, one of few British International Dark Sky Reserves, characterised by high peaks, wild moorland and thrashing waterfalls. From here, mountains extend east to the renowned book town of Hay-on-Wye. In South Wales, you can embrace history, landscape and culture in quick succession. Hikers come from all over to walk the Wales Coast Path, the first footpath worldwide to extend the entire length of a country's coastline. Bike Park Wales in Merthyr is Britain's leading mountain-bike centre, while St David's Peninsula offers thrilling coasteering and the Gower Peninsula exciting surfing. The region's special wildlife ranges from puffins and deer on offshore islands to porpoises and dolphins powering across sheltered bays. Urbanites will love the Welsh capital of Cardiff, fast becoming one of Britain's most dynamic cities, following exciting regeneration crowned by the Millennium Centre. Wales is nicknamed the Land of the Castles, with more fortifications per square mile than any European country: South Wales boasts twenty where your imagination can run riot. Unexpected treats gather here too: visit Europe's second-tallest sand dune (The Big Dipper in Merthyr Mawr), the UK's smallest city (St David's), or even vineyards and whisky distilleries. Whether you are an adrenaline-seeker or culture-lover, a wildlife watcher or beach-goer, foodie or hiker, discover South Wales with Bradt's comprehensive guide.

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This new guide to the idyllic and popular county of Somerset from expert author and Somerset resident Norm Longley is ideal for both visitors and locals alike with its mix of visitor information, history, culture and anecdote, not to mention coverage of wildlife, birdwatching, walking, cycling and other outdoor activities. Accommodation and restaurants - and cider - are covered, too: as Longley himself says, he often spends weekends 'roaming the Somerset countryside in search of exciting and/or novel things to do - or at the very least, hunting down good food and drink.' Divided into seven easy-to-explore geographical regions, from Bath and north Somerset through Wells and the Mendips to Exmoor National Park and International Dark Sky Reserve, this is an indispensable companion for everyone from culture devotees to outdoor adventurers, birders to beach lovers, transport enthusiasts to event-goers, families to foodies. The Somerset Levels are covered, and so too are Quantock and Blackdown Hills, the coast, and east and south Somerset. Somerset is consistently seductive: windswept marshes and wild moorland, enchanting upland areas, iron-flat lowland terrain, limestone gorges, and a forty-mile long stretch of coast with rocky coves, fossil-filled cliffs and a tiny offshore island. And, of course, there's the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bath, with its beautifully preserved Roman baths, graceful Georgian architecture and enticing gastronomic possibilities. Bradt's Somerset covers all this and more, from the Glastonbury Festival to the American Museum and Gardens, carnivals to quirky local customs, the longest heritage railway in Britain to England's first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and a good dash of legend and myth too, from King Arthur at Avalon and Camelot, to the country's third largest complex of standing stones at Stanton Drew.

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This new, sixth edition of Bradt's Montenegro is the most comprehensive guide available to one of Europe's hidden corners and features many areas not covered by other guides. Thoroughly updated to incorporate all the most recent developments, from practical information on where to go, stay and eat to vivid descriptions, historical insights and in-depth background on both well-known and off-the-beaten track sights, it is an ideal companion for both independent and group travellers. Beach lovers, culture aficionados, hikers, adrenaline-seekers, birding and wildlife enthusiasts and foodies are all catered for, with details of everything from coastal retreats, the Buljarica wetlands and Ulcinj saltpans to Durmitor and Biogradska national parks, Prokletije Mountains and cultural big-hitters such as Cetinje and Kotor, as well as the many reminders of the country's Ottoman and Venetian heritage. With new flight routes opening up and the tourist board working hard to promote the country, Montenegro's popularity is on the rise. The Via Dinarica and Balkan Peaks long-distance trails both pass through Montenegro and are drawing ever greater numbers, while adventure sports - climbing, skiing, mountain biking, sea kayaking, coasteering, and white-water rafting, to name a few - form an increasingly significant part of the country's appeal. Montenegrin wine, too, is attracting a growing band of devotees. With medieval gems and a stark rugged beauty, the country offers something for everyone and with Bradt's Montenegro you are perfectly equipped for a successful trip.

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