Book Review: On Sacred Ground by Andrew Terrill

On Sacred Ground is the second part of Andrew Terrill’s story of his epic 7000 mile walk from the toe of Italy to the northern tip of Norway. The first book, The Earth Beneath My Feet, told the story of the walk up Italy and through the Alps. On Sacred Ground takes up the story in deep winter in the Austrian Alps and follows the author through Germany to Denmark and then up the length of Norway to the Arctic, the sacred ground of the title.

The story of this astonishing walk is enthralling and gripping as the author describes the difficulties and dangers, the high points and low points. Physically and mentally this was a challenging walk. Terrill is walking to experience wild nature and his route stays away from towns and roads as far as possible and he camps at night. Indeed, the camps are important and he names each one.

Much of the walk takes place in winter and the extreme cold, deep snow, and often stormy weather are a huge challenge, requiring skill and fortitude. Terrill has the ability to draw the reader into the story, so much so that at times I almost forgot he did survive some of the incidents. I shivered at points reading the book!

Norway is the climax to the walk and the book. As he heads north through the spring – almost as difficult as the winter with the remaining deep snow and a big thaw – so his mood expands until the Arctic is reached and the intensity of the author’s feelings carry the reader on through the glorious Norwegian north to an ecstatic finish at the North Cape.

On Sacred Ground, along with The Earth Beneath My Feet, is one of the best books on a long-distance walk I’ve read, up there with  the works of Colin Fletcher and Hamish Brown. I can give it no higher praise. 

This review first appeared in The Great Outdoors magazine.

 I reviewed The Earth Beneath My Feet here.

On Sacred Ground and The Earth Beneath My Feet are published by Enchanted Rock Press and available on Amazon at £14.95 paperback, £25.85 hardback, and £6.99 Kindle each. 

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.

 

Book Review: Scottish Wild Country Backpacking by Peter Edwards, David Lintern and Stefan Durkacz

This guide to backpacking routes in the Highlands and Islands is an excellent introduction to the possibilities for overnight and multi-day walks in this glorious landscape. I’ve done most of the routes, either as described or as part of other walks, and this is a good selection. At the same time it is only a selection. There are dozens more routes that could be added. Those familiar with the area can enjoy thinking of favourites that have been omitted. If you’ve not backpacked in the Highlands before poring over the book deciding which walk to start with would be very enjoyable while those with a little experience will find many mouth-watering ideas for further adventures.

The book is big and heavy so not one for the pack. Unless you’re spending months walking many of the routes consecutively you’ll only ever need one section with you anyway. Photographing the relevant pages is the way to go if you want the route description with you. Or you could rip the pages out, but that would be to desecrate a lovely book. Don’t do it!

The book has 1:100,000 maps that show the routes clearly. But as the authors point out you’ll need more detailed OS and Harvey maps to go with them. The relevant ones are listed at the start of each walk description.

I think, anyway, this is far more than a guidebook. It’s a book for inspiration and encouragement, showing the beauty and variety of the places described. This is enhanced by the wonderful photographs which show the landscape, the wildlife, backpackers, camps, places and more. Hours can be spent dreaming over them.

There’s a long thoughtful and informative introduction – almost a quarter of the book – about the Scottish Highlands and backpacking here. The first part briefly discusses Highland history, the concept of wilderness, and land ownership – quite weighty matters for a guidebook – before looking at the important matter of access and the authors approach to what ‘wild country’ is and means. Wildlife, plants, and geology are all covered too.

The second part of the introduction is more practical, dealing with travel to and around the area, equipment needed (some excellent advice here), bothies, weather, winter, environmental impact, safety, route finding and more.

Anyone who loves the Scottish Highlands and backpacking should enjoy this book. I recommend it.

Book review: The Hot Tent Diaries by John D. Burns

John D. Burns is very keen on bothies and stays in them regularly, as readers of his previous books will know. However the pandemic put a stop to this, with bothies closed for the best part of two years. Reluctant to give up his nights in remote wild places but also reluctant to give up the comforts of a warm fire and plenty of room Burns cast around for an alternative, quickly rejecting lightweight camping* before discovering the concept of the hot tent, a large canvas shelter with a wood-burning stove inside. He bought one, learnt how to use it, and proceeded to take it camping in the Scottish Highlands. This book tells the story of how he did this. There’s much information on pitching a hot tent, setting up a stove, and living in one. This could be just dry instruction – useful but hardly entertaining – but in Burns hands it isn’t. Anything but in fact. The necessary information is there but presented in an amusing sometimes hilarious manner with many anecdotes and tangents. The author’s delight and enthusiasm in hot tent camping shines through.

The book isn’t just about hot tents though. The book is peopled with idiosyncratic characters, some of them friends, some chance encounters, all of them interesting. And not every adventure is a hot tent one. There are wonderful stories of bothy trips, at least one of them definitely fictional (I hope!), and even a long poem.

The author has a fine sense of humour and doesn’t take himself too seriously – many of the stories are told against himself. There is a serious side to the book as well and the author touches on the major issues of conservation, landownership, and wildlife, again always in a highly readable manner.

John D. Burns is a great storyteller and able to weave together different threads. I can imagine his tales entertaining a group of walkers in a bothy (or a hot tent) late into the night.

This is the first in a series about Burns’ hot tent life. I’m really looking forward to reading the next one. If you like outdoor stories The Hot Tent Diaries is highly recommended.

*I can’t resist a personal note on hot tents and lightweight camping. Much as I enjoy John Burns’ stories and can see the attractions of a hot tent I won’t be trying one**. I like to get much further away from roads (Burns does this a little by using a cart to carry his weighty and bulk gear along tracks but he’s still never far from a road) and unlike the author I’m quite happy using a small lightweight tent (the first chapter makes it clear why he isn’t). I will concede one point. Midges can make lightweight camping a nightmare. I’ve learnt how to deal with them over the years, though I wouldn’t claim it isn’t sometimes difficult or unpleasant.

** I have in fact used a hot tent, though a rather different one to John Burns’ tipi. This was on a ski tour in the remote Groulx Mountains in Northern Quebec. The outfitter who was guiding us had large hot tents set up using poles cut from the local forest as poles. These slept six or more and the stoves certainly kept them very warm. They were cosy and comfortable. I liked them. And in that place they made sense. I’d still rather camp in my own little tent though.

Book Review: 1001 Walking Tips by Paul Besley

 

1001 Tips is a guide to walking with a difference. Rather than a conventional manual format it consists of succinct tips grouped under various subjects. The tips are very short, few running longer than three or four lines. Every type of walking is covered – urban walking, hillwalking, long-distance walking, winter walking and more. Every walking related topic is here too, everything from fitness and training to winter safety.

Some tips are practical dos and don’ts, some instructional, some informative, some light-hearted (such as have a snowball fight or build a snowman during a winter walk). There’s a huge mix here. Novices can learn much, those with more experience will learn something too – and probably disagree with some of the advice! It’s a good book for arguing over. I’m pleased too to see that there are tips on conservation and taking care of the countryside. This isn’t just a how-to book. 

 

You could read this book straight through, cover to cover, but it’s not really designed for that. I think it’s a book to dip into, to browse, to use for reference, to refresh your knowledge. Going winter walking for the first time (or the first time in a while)? Read the 80 tips in that section. Thinking of long-distance walking. There are 113 tips for that.

The author is well qualified to write the book. He’s a writer on landscape and walking and a walking guide with a particular interest in the Peak District and South Pennines. He’s written four walks guides to the area and is a volunteer ranger for the Peak District National Park and a member of Woodhead Mountain Rescue.  He’s also a good photographer and the book is illustrated with his photographs.

Entertaining, informative, and well-presented this is a book that deserves a place on every walker’s bookshelf. It's published by Vertebrate and costs £25.