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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Active outdoor pursuits
The South West Coast Path National Trail (SWCP) measures a staggering 630 miles (1015km) from Minehead on the Somerset coast right round Devon and Cornwall to Poole in Dorset. The guidebook divides the route into 45 stages of between 12.5 to 37.5km, beginning and ending where amenities are available. Written by prolific outdoor writer Paddy Dillon, this guidebook is packed with lots of information for planning your walk, including clear step-by-step route descriptions and OS map extracts, public transport links, accommodation and facilities along the way. Also described is the 17-mile South Dorset Ridgeway, from West Bexington to Osmington Mills, which can be used as a scenic way to shave 42 miles off the total distance. This epic route takes in Exmoor National Park, five AONBs and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, besides various nature reserves and SSSIs. No other stretch of coastline compares for scenic splendour, historical sites and availability of refreshments, accommodation and public transport, making it easy to split the South West Coast Path into week or weekend-long sections.
Guidebook describing 24 coastal and inland walks on the island of Jersey, ranging from 4.5km (3 miles) to 12.5km (8 miles) in length. Almost all of the walks link directly with one or two other walks, allowing all kinds of extensions to the route. The walks can also be joined together to create the 80km (50 mile) Jersey Coastal Walk, part of the Channel Island Way. The walks use good paths and tracks as well as quiet country roads. Occasional more rugged paths explore the island's excellent cliff coastline. Jersey has an excellent bus network and the walks can be accessed by public transport. There are also plenty of opportunities for refreshment, details of which are provided in the text. Clear step-by-step route description is illustrated with States of Jersey 1:25,000 mapping (very similar in style to British OS mapping), and route statistics and a summary table make it easy to choose the ideal walk. Famous for sunshine, year-round walking, history and a wonderful coastline, Jersey is an intriguing destination for travellers. Outwardly British but with French overtones, the island has plenty of fascinating historical sites and attractions to visit, including castles, churches and museums. The guide includes a brief overview of Jersey's turbulent history and unusual constitutional status, as well as notes on local points of interest.
Guide to walking the 135 mile Glyndwr's Way National Trail through
mid-Wales, from Knighton to Welshpool, following in the footsteps of
medieval Prince of Wales Owain Glyndwr, taking in quiet hills, forests
and rolling countryside.
The Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path National Trail is an easy-to-follow 130-mile trail that combines the best of inland and coastal walking in Norfolk, and one that, being well waymarked, largely flat and within easy reach of public transport for most of its length, is ideal for people new to long-distance walks. Described in 11 stages, the route can be walked in just over a week but also easily split into day walks or over a series of weekends, with full information about access to start and finish points for each stage by public transport. This handy guidebook is illustrated throughout with extracts of OS 1:50K mapping and stunning photographs depicting the Trail in all seasons and describes points of interest along the way, including the Norfolk Songlines sculptures, and also facilities available in the towns and villages. The trail is a walk of two halves. The Peddars Way begins at Knettishall Heath in Suffolk and follows the route of an old Roman road for over 40 miles to Holme-next-the-Sea, where it meets the Norfolk Coast Path (which begins nearby, at Hunstanton). This then follows the spectacular Norfolk coast to the seaside town of Hopton-on-Sea.
This guidebook describes 44 walks on the popular and accessible Isle of Arran. The routes are between 3 and 19 miles (5-31km) in length, ranging in difficulty from easy, waymarked forest trails to more arduous mountain walks, exposed ridge routes and scrambles. The book includes both linear and circular walks, and there are opportunities to link routes together and create longer walks across the length and breadth of the island. Also included is a summary of the 110km Arran Coastal Way. Highlights include Goatfell, Beinn Nuis, Beinn Tarsuinn, the Sannox Horseshoe, Glen Rosa, the Cock of Arran and nearby Holy Isle. All the routes are clearly described and illustrated with OS 1:50,000 mapping, with extra notes revealing the archaeology, history and natural wonders of the island. The guide includes background information on travel to Arran, public transport, and a Gaelic/English glossary. There's something here to suit walkers of all fitness levels and abilities. Often described as 'Scotland in miniature', Arran boasts a rich variety of landscapes, with mountains, coast, moorland and forest, and the walks have been chosen to showcase this diversity. For an island, travel to and from Arran is remarkably easy: it is not far from Glasgow, from where onward connections are swift and frequent.
The guidebook describes 45 day walks across eight areas of Gran Canaria, including Las Palmas in the north to Playa del Ingles in the south. Also included is a five-day coast-to-coast route on the GR131, an island-hopping long-distance trail stretching across all seven of the Canary Islands. There are walks suitable for those of all abilities, ranging in landscape from coastal clifftops to the dramatic volcanic mountains inland. Walks venture through villages and towns, and up to the summits of the highest peaks on Gran Canaria. Each walk gives information on access (predominantly using the island's good bus services), details of places offering food and drink, and notes on the interesting features passed along the way. The book also provides lots of background information on geology, wildlife, plants and flowers as well as practical information on accommodation, currency and language. Gran Canaria is a hugely popular holiday destination but despite this it offers many peaceful locations for walkers to explore and some truly beautiful and striking scenery. This collection of walks showcases the island's remarkably varied landscapes - from arid semi-desert to moist laurisilva 'cloud forests' and rugged mountains and coast.
The remarkable account of a 73-year-old man's epic walk around England and the thoughts that surface during those lonely hours of long-distance walking. Memories from another age are rekindled: The war years: a father killed: a mother's grief: evacuation : an unusual and impovished childhood. A parallel journey is interwoven within the diary pages of a book that portrays an England largely untrodden by modern lives. From the remoteness of the Northern Pennines to the unique geological features of the Jurassic Coast - from the grandeur of the Lake District to the panoramic views of the South West Coast Path - or from the dramatic coastline of Northumberland to the tranquillity of a canal tow path; it becomes fascinating terrain as David leads you along delightful coastal paths and charming villages, depicting daily events in his captivating, easy-going style.
An indispensable guidebook to the final 400km of the Via Francigena from Lucca to Rome. This is the most popular stretch of the pilgrim route connecting Canterbury to the Vatican City. Crossing Italy's heartland, this last section of the Via Francigena goes through two of Tuscany's loveliest cities, Lucca and Siena, and visits medieval San Gimignano, Monteriggioni and Radicofani. Divided into 18 day stages, the route is suitable for any averagely fit walker. Full stage directions are accompanied by maps showing the route line and the facilities available at different locations. Accommodation listings give invaluable information on low-cost pilgrim hostels and where to stay. There are useful city maps for Lucca, Siena, Rome and Viterbo, and a stage planning table lists intermediate distances between accommodation, so you can customise your own walking schedule. Containing a wealth of advice on planning, preparation and tips for making the most of the walk, this is a must-have guide for any pilgrim. One of three volumes covering the complete Via Francigena.
This guidebook offers all the information walkers need to enjoy the 338km (210 miles) of the Severn Way. Beginning at the River Severn's source in Powys, mid-Wales, the route follows the entire Severn Valley, meandering through many superb landscapes and interesting towns and villages before finishing near Bristol, in south-west England. The step-by-step route description is divided into four county sections, accompanied by OS map extracts and packed with historical and geographical information about the places along the way. Also includes a route to the source of the river via Plynlimon and a link route from Severn Beach back to Bristol at the end. The River Severn pulls together threads of history, trade, commerce, civil war and the lives of ordinary folk to produce a tapestry that is finely woven and rich in colour. That walkers should want to trace its course, its many twists and turns, is hardly surprising, not least because of its capacity to offer countless challenges and plentiful delights. Walking the Severn Way is a chance to get away from it all and relax without having to resort to distant mountain regions.
The DVD will educate and inspire all who wish to venture out in to the UK Mountains in Winter. For anyone that has only ever ventured out in summer it will give a clear picture of the very different challenges presented by the winter mountains. For those who already have some limited experience the DVD is packed with information and advice on the skills and techniques required to operate more safely in Winter. A 43 minute film followed by 11 technical chapters covering specific skills and techniques totaling 80 minutes.
Bikepacking Scotland by Markus Stitz features 20 great multi-day off-the-beaten-track cycling adventures across the Scottish mainland and islands. The book features routes of different lengths which take in the best of the country, from the Ayrshire Alps, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders in southern Scotland, through Perthshire’s unique drovers’ roads and the grand architecture of the Central Belt, across to Argyll’s islands on ferry-hopping adventures around Islay, a paradise for whisky connoisseurs, and Jura and Mull to spot magnificent golden eagles. And, of course, the Scottish Highlands with an epic tour of the Cairngorms National Park, home to 25 per cent of Britain's rare and endangered species, as well as the author’s own take on the North Coast 500 and more. Researched and written by the founder of Bikepacking Scotland, and mostly accessible by public transport, each route includes all the information you need to help you plan your ride, with points of interest along the route, food recommendations and accommodation options, in addition to stunning photography and overview mapping. Downloadable GPX files of the routes are also available. Alongside further information on access, seasons and what to pack, and valuable insight from Scottish cycling personalities including Mark Beaumont and Jenny Graham, this book is full of practical tips and advice for both experienced bikepackers and those who want to try it out for the first time.
Dick Isherwood learnt his craft in the 1960s in the competitive melee of the Cambridge University Mountaineering Club. His enthusiasm meant he took every opportunity to gain more experience on steep rock - dry, grotty or wet - but by 1964 he was already looking to wider horizons and joined Henry Day's "Cambridge Chitral Expedition". By 1969 he had become one of the top rock climbers in the UK, repeating many of the hardest routes and putting up a few new ones in North Wales, the Lakes and Scotland. A job move to the Far East then enabled him to concentrate on his passion for small alpine-type expeditions, much in the style of Shipton and Tilman. One example was his audacious two-man attempt on Annapurna II (7937m). But not all trips were to the Himalaya - he climbed the Carstensz Pyramide (4884m) in New Guinea - one of the "Seven Summits" - by a new route and rounded off the trip with an epic solo ascent of Sunday Peak. He finally "settled down" in 1999 in Port Townsend, Washington and whilst still mountaineering, became an accomplished sailor, frequently taking himself off on long solo trips in his sea kayak or sailing boat around the north Pacific coast. A blogger recently wrote "Everyone had a Dick Isherwood story". This anthology tells many as described in his writings and those of his friends. They illustrate some of his extraordinary adventures over more than 50 years.
A guidebook to 40 walking routes on the Isle of Man. The varied selection of day walks, which range from 1 to 14 miles long (2 and 22km) take in the best scenic routes right across this delightful island. Many routes can be combined to create longer more ambitious walks. The Isle of Man offers the walker a wonderfully diverse range of landscapes within a relatively compact island setting, and the routes reflect this diversity - scale the highest point Snaefell (620m), cross wide-open moorlands, drift over beaches and climb coastal clifftops. The assortment provides walkers with fantastic trails, along with detail on the wildlife, wild flowers, unique history and points of interest encountered. Alongside detailed route descriptions and OS 1:50,000 maps (blown up to 1:40,000 for greater clarity), there is plenty of practical information on getting to and around the Manx Isle and advice on making the most out of any exploration of the Isle of Man.
This guide covers 34 day walks and one long-distance route in the wild and remote hills of Galloway. Although there are some shorter and easier routes, many of these hill walks are long and on rugged terrain, so are more suitable for experienced walkers. The walks cover the evocative areas of The Merrick, The Awful Hand, The Rhinns of Kells, the Minnigaff hills and Cairnsmore of Fleet, among others. The guide uses OS 1:50,000 maps with detailed route descriptions and inspirational photos accompanying each route. Key information such as distance, time, and ascent are given. A 'harshness' grade gives an indication of how rough the ground is expected to be, and suggestions of variants, shortcuts and ways to extend each walk are also given. Plenty of background information is given on the region's fascinating and important history. If you like your wild landscape really wild? If you like your lakes to have whooper swans in the middle and no ice-cream vans around the edge? If you like to have one foot on bare rock and the other one deep in a peat bog? If you like your granite with goats on? Then Galloway is the place to go.
These attractive and cleverly structured guidebooks give walkers the ten finest circular lakeside and riverside walks in the Peak District National Park in a popular pocketable format. With clear information, an overview and introduction for each walk, expertly written numbered directions, enhanced Ordnance Survey maps, eye-grabbing panoramic photographs, and interpretation of points of interest along the way, these guides set a new standard in reliability, clarity and ease-of-use.Featured walks include: Dove Stone Reservoir, Digley Reservoir, The Ramsden Valley, Langsett Reservoir, Derwent Reservoir, the River Derwent, Fernilee Reservoir, Three Shire Heads, the River Hamps and Dove Dale & the Manifold Valley.
This guide describes 41 scrambles in the Dark Peak and Roaches areas of the Peak District, most of which can be done all year round. The selection of routes are graded 1 to 3, offering a range of scrambles to suit all abilities. Easy routes are suitable for adventurous walkers with good fitness and navigation skills, while harder routes require some climbing experience. Both classic and lesser known routes are featured, taking in areas such as Kinder Scout, the Wilderness Gullies, Bleaklow, Chew Valley and Crowden. Route description, together with information on approach, link routes, variants and extensions, is accompanied by extracts of 1:25,000 OS mapping. Also included is practical information regarding safety, equipment, access and conservation. The UK's first designated national park, the Peak District has long been famed for its walking and climbing opportunities. Perhaps lesser known are the routes that lies somewhere in between - the 'hand's on' ascents that offer the thrill of an adventurous line without venturing on to the climber's crags. This guide showcases some of the best routes in the Dark Peak, perfect for those looking for a change from the well-trodden paths that lead to the moorland tops.
The fourth title in the extremely popular series of good practice, these DVDs are written by the experts. Filmed in the Lake District and the Scottish Highlands, this DVD outlines the essential skills and techniques for summer hill walking in the UK. In 2007, the Mountain Rescue teams of England and Wales dealt with 778 incidents, a 23% increase since 2003. As with previous DVDs in the series, this DVD has been produced to educate mountain users, making them aware of the often hostile environment of our uplands. It will also inspire, with the dramatic beauty of two of the UK's most popular walking areas shown to full effect. The film follows two walkers, Frederlina and Ben, as they plan their days and follow their walks. We see the challenges they face and the decisions they make. In addition to the film, the technical chapters include: Navigation, Scrambling, Weather, River Crossings, Mountain Rescue, Ticks and Hazards.
This is the second book about a long distance walk, althought the first was a family record and not for general distribution. The experience encouraged me to undertake another long distance walk so it has been a delight to recently complete the Coast to Coast Walk with my wife Ruth. This book records the ups and downs of our journey.
The first of two books, which are the only guides to cover walking in and around Scotland's countryside parks. Volume 1 "West" describes 60 varied walks of 2 to 7 miles in countryside parks mostly accessible by public transport and close to urban centres such as Glasgow, Cumbernauld, East Kilbride, Hamilton, Motherwell, Airdrie, Paisley, Greenock, Ayr, Kilmarnock, Dumfries and Stirling. Among the parks included in this guide are Pollok, Dams to Darnley, Calderglen, Chatelherault, Strathclyde, Drumpellier, Cathkin Braes, Gleniffer Braes, Finlaystone, Clyde Muirshiel, Kelburn Castle, Castle Semple, Dean Castle, Eglinton Castle, Culzean Castle, Brodick Castle, Balloch Castle, Mugdock, Balloch Castle, Palacerigg, Plean, Gartmorn Dam, Drumlanrig Castle and Threave Estate. Many of the country parks, country estates and regional parks covered in the book have other visitor attractions including castles, stately homes, gardens, art work collections, museums, galleries, shops and cafes. Some have adventure playgrounds as well as sporting opportunities such as golf, mountain biking, orienteering, sailing and canoeing. The book contains detailed notes on the parks and their facilities, including weblinks and public transport options for visitors. This is an invaluable guide that will appeal to a wide range of walkers, from those looking for family outings to casual visitors and tourists, as well as others interested in exploring their local environment and people seeking evening or weekend walks close to home. Mica guidebooks have a growing reputation for thoughtfully designed, highly illustrated guidebooks with detailed maps and concise descriptions. As both a writer and photographer, Tom Prentice has worked extensively in books, newspapers and magazines, specialising in outdoor activities. Known for his regular walks column in The Herald national newspaper, Tom also manages the publication of the Scottish Mountaineering Club's popular walking and climbing guidebooks. This is the author's third book for Mica Publishing, the others being his successful two volume series covering 120 walks in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park.
The 72 mile (116km) Ribble Way is described in seven stages, ranging from 8.25 to 17 miles (13.3 to 27.4km). The route follows the Ribble valley, from the estuary mouth near Preston to the river's source on Cam Fell in the Yorkshire Dales. The route might not be the most challenging of Long Distance routes, but the contrast through a succession of different landscapes can be immensely satisfying for novice and experienced walkers alike. The guide provides detailed route descriptions, OS mapping and a route summary table, with variants included for day walkers. Information is included on points of interest along the route, plus there's also background information on the landscape, wildlife, and history, and planning details on when to go, where to stay and what to take. The River Ribble springs from the limestone of the Yorkshire Dales, high on Cam Fell in the heart of Three Peak country. Initially forcing a passage between high, rugged moorland hills, it then breaks free to wind through gentler countryside south of Settle, meandering lazily through alternating pasture and ancient woodland, where old manor houses and early 18th-century village cottages still hold sway against the pervasive tide of modernity. Beyond Preston, the river dramatically changes yet again, trained to run straight to the Irish Sea, but further to the west, a vast expanse of the salt marsh still remains and attracts huge populations of birds, particularly in winter.
This guidebook describes 25 coastal and inland day walks covering the whole of the county of Essex, stretching from the Lea Valley in the west and the Thames in the south over to the North Sea and up to the River Stour in the north. Walks range from 4 to 18 miles and are mostly circular. Also included is a description of the Essex Way which crosses the county in 11 stages from Manor Park, on the fringes of London, to the port of Harwich - a distance of 96 miles. The walks are suitable for all abilities and there are shorter alternatives for many of the longer routes. With a huge variety of scenery and walking landscapes, Essex surprises and delights in equal measure. It boasts a 350-mile coastline (which, away from the busy seaside resorts, is barely known), numerous estuaries and river valleys, great and ancient forests, and more green lanes than any other English county except Dorset. Each walk is described step-by-step, illustrated with OS map extracts and packed with historical, and geological information about the landscape the route passes through. |
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