Nature & Conservation Book Reviews: Reflections by Mark Avery, The Lost Rainforests of Britain by Guy Shrubsole, Regeneration by Andrew Painting

Three books I've read recently each throw a different light on the complex subject of rewilding, conservation and the nature crisis (or biodiversity crisis if you prefer - I don't as the word biodiversity needs explaining so often). I think the contrasting approaches are complementary and the three books together give an interesting and important overview of where we are now. Mark Avery's Reflections is about wildlife throughout the UK, Guy Shrubsole's The Lost Forests of Britain is about a specific habitat, and Andrew Painting's Regeneration is about the recovery of a specific area. All of them are about the restoration of nature and how to achieve it. 

The three authors all write well and their books are highly readable. They're also informative, inspiring, and optimistic, something we need right now. I recommend them to everyone concerned about the state of nature and what can be done about it.

Reflections by Mark Avery

Covering all wildlife on land and water in every environment Reflections is the most general and wide-ranging of the three books. The author, an experienced conservationist and campaigner who worked for the RSPB for 25 years, starts with an overview of the dire state of wildlife. This section is depressing. The dismal effect is somewhat leavened by a chapter on wildlife conservation successes but that finishes with the question of why such success is hard to achieve on a large scale. Then there's a damning chapter on the failure of wildlife NGOs and the government to protect and enhance wildlife. This could lead to despair that anything can change but Mark Avery is not one for that and the book finishes with his look at what can be done. He puts forward some radical proposals, but his most important suggestion comes right at the end when he calls for readers to "play your part to the full .... engage your brain and then engage your muscles and get things done". 

The Lost Rainforests of Britain by Guy Shrubsole

Recently awarded the 2023 Wainright Prize for Writing on Conservation The Lost Rainforests of Britain describes Guy Shrubsole's exploration of the last remnants of rain forests left in England, Wales and Scotland after he first discovered such lush places existed when he moved to Devon. His wanderings in the forests, his meetings with others concerned about them, and his infectious delight in the wonders found in them make for an entertaining read. As well as visiting the last rainforests the author also looks at the richness of life they contain, analyses why so little of them is left, and finally considers how they can be restored. 

Regeneration by Andrew Painting

The final book of three isn't about the problems and what can be done but about what is being done on one big estate, Mar Lodge in the Cairngorms, which was bought by the National Trust for Scotland in 1995. The NTS set out to repair the damage done by centuries of abuse and mismanagement and Regeneration tells the story of how this is happening. The author, who works as an ecologist on the estate, goes out with botanists, naturalists, stalkers and more and visits the forests, moors, and mountains that make up this magnificent land - one I know quite well as I live not far away. The detailed and intense work undertaken to study and monitor and in places restore the wildlife and plantlife is fascinating and impressive. This is rewilding at work. This is what needs to happen in so many other places.

 

Outdoor & Nature Books 2021

 

Every year sees a wealth of outdoor and nature books published and 2021 was no exception.  Here are brief descriptions of the ones I enjoyed most, in no particular order, along with one from a previous yeart I hadn't got round to finishing last year. Where I've reviewed the book online I've given a link.

As every year I also dipped into old favourites from authors like Edward Abbey, Colin Fletcher, John Muir, Nan Shepherd, and Hamish Brown. New books don't replace old ones! I've mentioned a couple of others here then finished with a short list of books I'm reading now or will be reading soon.

The Earth Beneath My Feet by Andrew Terrill (Enchanted Rock Press, 2021)

I liked this so much I reviewed it twice! Here and here. It's a superb hiking story about the author's walk up the length of Italy and through the Alps. Expansive, personal, and positive this is a life-affirming book. And it's only part one, with the second volume, On Sacred Ground, covering the continuing journey to the northern tip of Norway due out this year. I'm really looking forward to it.

The Farthest Shore: Seeking solitude and nature on the Cape Wrath Trail in winter by Alex Roddie (Vertebrate, 2021)

Another excellent tale of a long walk, this time a tough winter one in the Scottish Highlands. The author set out to escape the online digital world and immerse himself in the natural one. What he discovers is illuminating and thought-provoking. My review for The Great Outdoors magazine should appear soon.

Wild Winter: In search of nature in Scotland's mountain landscape by John D. Burns (Vertebrate 2021)

In my review of this book I wrote "the mix of adventure, wildlife, comic incidents, intriguing characters, and thoughts about the future of the land make this an entertaining and thought-provoking book". 

The 1033 High Hills of Britain by Alan Dawon (Pedantic Press, 2021)

An idiosyncratic book about hill bagging with an unusual list of summits this successor to The Relative Hills of Britain is entertaining and informative. Contains some wonderful mountains stories and interesting arguments. I must get round to writing a review.

Peaks And Bandits by Alf Bonnevie Bryn (Vertebrate, 2021)

First published in Norway in 1943 this is the story of two students and their 'discovery' of Corsica in 1909. They have plenty of amusing and hair-raising adventures, not all mountaineering ones. A light humorous read. I reviewed it here. 

The Trail by Ethan Gallogly (Sierra Nevada Press, 2021)

This is a novel based on a hike along the John Muir Trail in California, telling the story of two hikers whose relationship develops as their walk progresses.  The author knows the trail and the area really well and imparts a great deal of information in an entertaining and easy-to-read way. I'll post a full review soon.

The Vanishing Ice: Diaries of a Scottish snow hunter by Iain Cameron (Vertebrate, 2021)

A fascinating and intriguing book about the author's passion for the remnants of snow that last through the Scottish summer. Adventure stories, scientific research, history. There's a lot to snow patches! I reviewed it for the December 2021 issue of The Great Outdoors. I'll post the review online soon.

The Munros by Rab Anderson & Tom Prentice (Scottish Mountaineering Press, 2021)

The fourth edition of the Scottish Mountaineering Club's guide to the Munros this is by far the best yet with much more information, more photographs, and larger maps. The subsidiary Tops are included for the first time too. I reviewed it here.

The Peatlands Of Britain And Ireland: A Traveller's Guide by Clifton Bain (Sandstone Press, 2021)

The third in a trilogy by Clifton Bain, the others being The Ancient Pinewoods of Scotland and The Rainforests of Britain and Ireland, this is a lovely book for browsing and inspiration. It's packed with information on peatlands and their importance along with information for visiting key ones plus some wonderful photographs.

Wanderlust Alps: Hiking Aacross the Alps by Alex Roddie (Gestalten, 2021)

A companion to 2020's Wanderlust Europe this is another book for browsing and inspiration. It's packed with details of hiking routes in the Alps and mounth-watering photographs. I reviewed it here. 

Of Stone And Sky by Merryn Glover (Polygon, 2021)

A family saga set in the Cairngorms this novel is powerful and absorbing as the complex tale evolves with a profound mystery at its heart. I haven't finished reading it yet so it may well appear in next year's round-up too.

Regeneration: The Rescue of a Wild Land by Andrew Painting (Birlinn, 2021)

The story of the vast Mar Lodge Estate in the Cairngorms since it's takeover by the National Trust for Scotland in 1995 this book reveals the hard work, compromises, and scientific study needed to restore nature and the landscape. 

Rebirding: Rewilding Britain and its Birds by Benedict Macdonals (Pelagic Publishing, 2019)

I included this in last year's review though I hadn't finished reading it. Now I have I think this informative and provocative book is worth a second mention. The uplifting optimism at the end is very much needed.

Walks And Climbs In The Pyrenees by Kev Reynolds (Cicerone Press, 1978) 

Author and guide Kev Reynolds sadly died towards the end of last year. I have many of his books. I've chosen this one as it was the first I bought and the one I used in the hills most, taking it on several trips to the Pyrenees. We've lost a great outdoor writer.

The Cairngorms by Adam Watson (Scottish Mountaineering Trust, 1975)

Another sad loss was Adam Watson in 2019. The expert on the Cairngorms in all aspects his Scottish Mountaineering Club District Guide Book is packed with information on geology, weather, natural history, as well as walks and climbs. 

 

Finally here's a list of books I've either started reading or will be doing so soon. (I read too many books at once!).

Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews (Reaktion Books, 2020)

Restoring The Wild: Sixty Years Of Rewilding Our Skies, Woods and Waterways by Roy Dennis (Collins, 2021)

The Black Ridge: Amongst the Cuillin of Skye by Simon Ingram (Collins, 2021)

Chasing The Deer: The Red Deer Through The Seasons by Neil McIntyre (Sandstone Press, 2021)

The Fox of Glencoe by Hamish Macinnes (Scottish Mountaineering Press, 2021)

Exciting New Outdoor & Nature Books

 

Some excellent outdoor and nature books have been published recently and I have this collection to read. The difficulty is knowing where to start. I've dipped into all of them and then decided that trying to read all five at once would be too confusing so I've settled on The Earth Beneath My Feet as that's one I've been waiting to read since the author told me about it when I met him in Colorado back in 2019. I haven't got very far yet but the start is exciting and gripping.

I'll post reviews of each one in time.

Outdoor & Nature Books 2020 Review

  

Every year sees a wealth of outdoor and nature books published and 2020 was no exception.  Here are brief descriptions of the ones I enjoyed most, in no particular order, along with a few that were published in previous years but I hadn't got round to reading until last year and a couple of classics. 

As every year I also dipped into old favourites from authors like Edward Abbey, Colin Fletcher, John Muir, Nan Shepherd, and Hamish Brown. New books don't replace old ones!

Corrour Bothy: A refuge in the wilderness by Ralph Storer

The last book I read in 2020 as it arrived just before Christmas. A love letter to a Cairngorms bothy. History, anecdotes, geography, bridge building, walking routes and many, many excerpts from 100 years of bothy books. I found it intriguing and fascinating. A longer review will follow soon.

Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane

This was the first book I read last year. A magnificent and dizzying tour de force it looks at every aspect of humanity's involvement with the underworld in myths, history, literature and today. The author carries you along on exciting and sometimes terrifying underground adventures, all described with profound understanding of the meaning of the places explored.

The Big Rounds: Running and walking the Bob Graham, Paddy Buckley and Charlie Ramsey Rounds by David Lintern

Three challenging multi-summit hill circuits in England, Wales and Scotland described for walkers as well as runners with interviews and stories from the exceptional characters who first undertook them. Beautifully illustrated with the author's excellent photographs. Longer review here.

Marram: Memories of sea and spider-silk by Leonie Charlton

A lovely lyrical account of a journey on horseback through the Outer Hebrides tinged with sadness as the author grapples with memories of her fraught relationship with her late mother.

Red Sixty Seven curated by Kit Jewitt

A lovely collection of essays and paintings inspired by the Red List of the most vulnerable UK birds. Review here. 

Walking Through Shadows by Mike Cawthorne

Gripping story of a tough walk through the Scottish Highlands in winter in memory of a friend who died in the wilds. Captures winter in the hills superbly. Review here. 

Rebirding: Rewilding Britain and its Birds by Benedict Macdonald

A deep look at the decline of birds in Britain and what can be done about it. Challenging, provocative, and, ultimately, optimistic.

Walking the Great North Line: From Stonehenge to Lindisfarne by Robert Twigger

Entertaining story of a walk through England along a line connecting historic sites. Humorous, philosophical, and fun. Review here.

The Unremembered Places: Exploring Scotland's Wild Histories by Patrick Baker

Journeys to islands, mountain passes, caves and more in search of history in wild places. Fascinating and informative. Review here. 

Wanderlust Europe: The Great European Hike by Alex Roddie

A collection of lavishly illustrated walks in Europe from Iceland to Georgia. A book for dreaming and inspiration. Review here. 

Mountains of the Moon: Lunar Nights On Scotland's High Peaks by Alan Rowan

Exciting and entertaining account of a night ascent at every full moon of the year. 

Keeping Dry & Staying Warm by Mike Parsons & Mary Rose

A detailed look at staying comfortable in the outdoors. Packed with information. I was a consultant for the book. More here.

Life On The Mountains by Terry Abraham

Outdoor film maker Terry Abraham tells his story. Beautifully illustrated with his wonderful photographs. Review here.

Skye's Cuillin Ridge Traverse by Adrian Trendall

The best guidebook I've seen to the formidable Cuillin. Excellent route descriptions, advice and photographs. Review here. 

Sky Dance: Fighting for the wild in the Scottish Highlands by John D. Burns

Conservation, mountaineering and bothies all mixed together in this comic novel with a serious message. Review here.

Our Place: Can We Save Britain's Wildlife Before It Is Too Late? by Mark Cocker

Thought-provoking look at the history of conservation organisations and legislation with analysis of what went wrong and the radical steps needed to change this. Review here. 

The Munros In Winter by Martin Moran

New edition of a classic first published in 1986 with a new foreward by Joy Moran. An epic Scottish winter adventure climbing all the Munros in one winter for the first time. I have an original edition I haven't read in decades. It's proved well worth reading again.

Call-Out by Hamish MacInnes

Following the sad death of mountaineering and mountain rescue pioneer Hamish MacInnes last autumn I pulled my copy, dated 1978, off the bookshelves and reread it. The stories are terrifying and sobering and the author's ingenuity in finding ways to rescue people very impressive.

 

 

 

Book Review: Our Place: Can We Save Britain's Wildlife Before It Is Too Late? by Mark Cocker

My much-thumbed copy, complete with coffee stains

Wildlife and conservation organisations have huge memberships. We are often described as a nation of animal lovers. Yet the natural world is in serious decline. Mark Cocker asks why this is and what can be done about in this important book.

Much of the book tells the story of organisations like the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts, campaigns successful and unsuccessful (especially Cow Green Reservoir and the Flow Country), plus the government bureaucracies set up to look after 'nature'. Small local successes exist but overall the story is of big failures. Too many committes, too much rivalry, too many acronyms, too many designations. And a big split, the 'Great Divide', between landscape conservation and nature protection, as if these were unconnected. But these organisations, however big, were unable to combat the devastation of the environment "largely through the instrument of farming and forestry policies".

The book isn't just a requiem for what is lost however. Mark Cocker looks at the core of the problems and the radical change in attitudes needed for change. "Ecological thinking entails that we see ourselves within nature, and that we understand everything we do has ecological consequences. We can, in truth, never escape nature." (Italics are the author's).

The tangle of designations, says Cocker, "have constructed a barrier to the general public's understanding of nature and of environmental activity". He calls for just one name. The same, he argues, applie to organisations. "The most important single measure to improve all environmental effort would be to forge genuine systemic unity among all parts" - an "NEU - National Environmentalists' Union".

This is a thought-provoking book packed with facts and ideas and well worth reading by anyone concerned with the future of nature in Britain, our future in fact.

Outdoor & Nature Books Review 2018

There were many excellent outdoor and nature books published last year, many of which I haven't got round to reading yet (and may never do so - there's only so much time). Here are brief reviews of the ones I have read (or started to read) and enjoyed most, in no particular order. Some were printed books, some e-books.

There's Always The Hills by Cameron McNeish

My long-time friend Cameron McNeish's 'autobiography of sorts' is entertaining and packed with stories of the hills and outdoors people. 

In The Land of White Death by Valerian Albanov

I have to admit I'd never heard of this book before. It was given to me as a birthday present by my partner after she was enthralled by a play based on it she saw at the Edinburgh Fringe. It's the gripping story of a disastrous and tragic Russian arctic expedition in the early twentieth century told by one of the only two survivors.

The Lynx And Us by David Hetherington

This is an important and beautiful book. The author makes an excellent case for reintroducing lynx into the Scottish Highlands. The book is full of lovely and dramatic photographs of lynx by Laurent Geslin.

Bothy Tales by John D.Burns

Entertaining stories of bothies and adventures by the author of The Last Hillwalker.  Full of wry humour and over-the-top escapades with a touch of gentle sadness. I read it in camps on the GR5 and felt it an ideal book to have with me.

High and Low by Keith Foskett

Long distance hiker Keith Foskett's latest book tells how he dealt with depression whilte walking the length of Scotland. It's an honest account of a challenging time for the author. It's not a depressing read though. There is much humour and the overall feel is life-affirming and positive. I wrote the foreword and was very pleased to do so. 

The Nature of Autumn & The Nature of Winter by Jim Crumley

Two books by a great nature writer with his usual mix of personal recollection and detailed descriptions. Makes the seasons come alive.

On the Trail with Boots McFarland by Geolyn Carvin

Witty and amusing cartoons about long-distance hiking by a long-distance hiker. Every walker should recognise themselves somewhere!.

Trekking the GR5 Trail Through the French Alps by Paddy Dillon

My guide on the GR5. I probably read most of it several times. Informative and very useful.

Scaling the Heights: Measuring Scotland's Mountains by The Munro Society

Full of fascinating details about the Munros and measuring mountains. 

Northwest by Alex Nail

A sumptuous book packed with magnificent photographs this can be looked through again and again. The words are good too, with some interesting adventures in the NW Highlands described. I wrote the Introduction and I feel honoured to have done so.

Mrs Moreau's Warbler: How Birds Got Their Names by Stephen Moss

The fascinating and intriguing story of why birds have the names they do. Some are really surprising! A mix of natural history, history, etymology and literature all tied together entertainingly and informatively.

Snow The Biography by Giles Whittel

Everything you could want to know about snow: the science, the avalanches, the stories. Informative and enjoyable.

Our Place: Can We Save Britain's Wildlife Before It Is Too Late?  by Mark Cocker

A passionate and important book that covers the story of our conservation bodies and laws, what has gone wrong (and for nature to be in the state it is much has), and what can and should be done. Sobering, anguished and serious it should make anyone think about the future of wildlife in Britain.

The Secret Life of the Mountain Hare by Andy Howard

The author, a wildlife photographer, says that mountain hares became an 'engulfing passion' and it shows in his wonderful pictures. Every aspect of hares lives is shown and described. Lovely!

Scotland A Rewilding Journey by Susan Wright and Peter Cairns

Another important book packed with tremendouts photographs Scotland A Rewilding Journey covers every aspect of rewilding and argues well why it is essential that this takes place. 

A History of Scotland's Landscapes by Fiona Watson

This was a Christmas present and I've only dipped into it so far, but enough to know that I'm going to enjoy reading it and also learn a great deal. I'm looking forward to it.
 








 

In today's post a beautiful new book on a controversial subject

The idea of reintroducing lynx is very controversial. I shared a mention of this new book from Scotland The Big Picture on social media and it sparked an immediate discussion. Those completely opposed to lynx being reintroduced leapt in ferociously. Others in favour responded. None I suspect had read the book as it's only just been published. In principle I'm in favour of reintrducing lynx but I haven't read much about it. This book should give me much more information.

It's the second book from Scotland The Big Picture. The first, The Red Squirrel, wasn't controversial. Everyone loves red squirrels! This book, The Lynx And Us, looks like attracting much more attention. So far I've just looked at the pictures, which are wonderful. I'll post a review once I've read it.

Outdoor & Nature Books Review 2017

There were many excellent outdoor and nature books published last year, quite a few of which I haven't got round to reading yet. Here are brief reviews of the ones I have read and enjoyed most.

The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris

This is a wonderful, magical book, ideal for losing yourself in. It's described as 'a spell book for conjuring back these lost words' - the words being those of the natural world that are disappearing. The book does this through lovely pictures and words of enchantment that lend themselves to being chanting out loud. Spells indeed.

Castles in the Mist: The Victorian Transformation of the Highlands by Robin Noble

A fascinating book showing how the Victorians turned the Highlands into the vast sporting estates that still dominant the landscape today. The author describes the impacts this change has had and is having on nature both through history and through his travels to many of the estates. Invaluable for understanding the Highlands.

Among the Summer Snows by Christopher Nicholson

A superb account of the author's fascination with summer snow in the Highlands and his excursions to find it, intertwined with meditations on memory, loss, death, ageing and more. I reviewed it more fully here. 

Lured by Mountains by M.A.Harper

A diary-style, stream of consciousness account of the author's astonishing outdoor life. M.A Harper has been a mountaineer, kayaker, outdoor instructor, skier and trek leader and has travelled all over the world. In this book she describes a wealth of adventures from a first ascent in the Himalayas to climbing the Munros and walking the TGO Challenge.


Walking the Song by Hamish Brown

This collection of essays by Hamish Brown doesn't disappont - he is after all one of the leading outdoor writers of the last forty years. The book covers his life from the years of the Second World War through to recent ventures. As well as his own walking, climbing, skiing and kayaking adventures there are history, biography and nature pieces. Some very amusing tales too!

The Red Squirrel: A Future In The Forest by Neil McIntyre & Polly Pullar 

A book full of beautiful photos of red squirrels accompanied by a text packed with information about the life of these delightful animals. Also a call for the conservation and restoration of the forests on which red squirrels and other wildlife depends. Longer review here.

Into the Mountain: A Life of Nan Shepherd by Charlotte Peacock

Nan Shepherd's The Living Mountain, about the Cairngorms, has become one of the iconic books about the hills. Before this biography it was hard to find anything about Nan Shepherd herself. Charlotte Peacock has done a wonderful job of piecing together Shepherd's story, setting it in the social and economic milieu of the time and showing how the author came to write her major work.

The Last Hillwalker: A sideways look at  forty years in Britain's mountains by John D Burns

Entertaining and thought-provoking this book tells the story of the author's progression from bumbling hillwalker to serious mountaineer to his current life as a bothy-bagger. There is wry humour throughout but also a deeper tone below the surface. There's a fuller review here. 

Great Hiking Trails of the World by Karen Berger

A lovely coffee-table book packed with mouth-watering photos and descriptions of tempting walks. A book to dream over. It's aim is to inspire. It does. More thoughts here. 

Henry David Thoreau: A Life by Laura Dassow Walls

This a book I'm currently reading and I haven't progressed very far yet. However I've read enough to find it fascinating and comprehensive, setting Thoreau in the social and intellectual world of the time and showing just what his achievements were and how he is still relevant.

An Orogenous Life: Memoir and Reader by Ben Gadd

Ben Gadd is the author of  the excellent and comprehensive The Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, a copy of which I bought from him back in 1987 and which inspired me to walk the length of that mountain range a year later (carrying his book the whole way). Here he tells the story of his life as a mountaineer and naturalist. I've only dipped into it so far - it arrived just before Christmas -but it looks a fascinating read. I get a mention too and a photograph taken on my walk that I've never seen before, which was a surprise.

All the above are actual paper books and were mostly read at home or on train and plane journeys. With no long walks in 2017 I read far fewer ebooks than usual. Here are two that did keep me entertained during long stormy nights in a tent.

Backpacking with Peewiglet: A solo backpacker's adventure in the UK and abroad 
by Shirley Worrall

Full of backpacking stories that really capture the day to day reality of long-distance walking and wild camping in a down-to-earth fashion this is a book that inspires and informs.

Nature and Wellbeing in the Digital Age by Sue Thomas

Outside revelling in nature or inside interacting with a computer? Is there a conflict between the natural and digital worlds? Do you need to give up the latter for the former? No, says Sue Thomas in this entertaining and thought-provoking book.