In Upland Ian Crofton takes a broad sweep through the
British hills from the North Downs to the Cairngorms. Along the way he
skilfully weaves together personal and family stories, prehistory and history,
literature, art, geology, nature and more in a glorious mix of everything the
hills have to offer. As his journey progresses we meet a cast of characters –
painters, poets, mountaineers, novelists, philosophers, conservationists,
campaigners, geologists – and a cast of landscapes that show the richness and diversity of
our mountain culture, all entwined with the author’s own upland journeys.
The time of the subtitle has several strands – the eons of
geology, prehistoric time when stones were erected and white horses carved
whose purposes we can only guess, historical time with many characters and
attitudes to the hills, and the author’s own lifetime. The author flows between
these expertly and entertainingly.
This rich mix of subjects is wonderful, a complete look at
everything the hills have to offer rather than an account of a walk or a climb. The
author muses on his own life too and how he has changed, just as the hills have
changed.
In the Introduction the author asks if we should live up to
our responsibilities as guardians of the land rather than exploiters and
conquerors. The author’s answer is clear, his writing capturing his passion and
love for the hills. His concern is explicit in the Afterword where he discusses
rewilding and quotes the great American environmentalist Aldo Leopold’s land
ethic. He looks at access too and laments how limited it is in England and
Wales.
This book is excellent with much to enjoy and to learn. I’ll
be reading it again. Highly recommended.
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