Perfect for any parkrunner, or wannabe parkrunner, this concise and joyful book reveals how a Saturday 5km run in the park has become a worldwide phenomenon.

The Ultimate Guide to parkrun (always with a lower case p!) covers how parkrun started, how it is staged every week, how to get involved as a runner, walker, or volunteer – and even how to start your own run.

Written by a running writer and qualified athletics coach, this celebratory book goes behind the scenes to tell the heartwarming human stories behind parkrun. But it also brims with practical information, with training plans for different types of runners so that you can (if you wish to) improve your own finishing time.

Published to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the founding of the mass participation event in Autumn 2024, the book delves into parkrun’s origins as the brainchild of Paul Sinton-Hewitt, an unemployed man in London. Just 13 runners competed in the first Bushy Park Time Trial on 2 October 2004.

Now parkrun has more than 9 million runners at more than 2,200 parks in 23 countries, with the most popular countries being the UK, Australia, and South Africa.

The book features all aspects of parkrun, including how public-spirited volunteers put on the event, sustainably and for free, every week, and fun boxes such as the most interesting courses around the world, from Poland to the Falkland Islands.

This guidebook describes 30 walking routes along the Devon-Dorset coast. The majority of the routes hug the shoreline between Torbay and Swanage, while others venture inland on the Dorset Downs. The walks range in length from 3 to 20 miles (5 to 33km) and are suitable for most walkers, with shorter routes alongside plenty of more challenging, full-day hikes. As well as detailed descriptions for every walk, accompanied by OS maps, there are details on available parking, points of interest along the way and advice on the terrain covered. The guide has been divided into areas: Devon's Red Beds, the Lias, Chesil Beach, Chalk walks (Lulworth and inland) and the Isle of Purbeck. The geological descriptions are accompanied by strata diagrams, geological timelines, explanations of the creation of the various sedimentary rocks along the coast, and discussion of how and why the various formations formed millennia ago. The incredible - yet readable - detail brings these walks and the landscape alive. The Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset, stretching between Exeter and Bournemouth, is a geological wonderland. Natural wonders like Chesil Beach, Durdle Door and fossils so numerous you'll be tripping over them, combine with southern England's rolling Downs, tiny villages, beaches and sunny summers to provide a stunning and awe-inspiring landscape to explore.

This conveniently sized guide is an invaluable point of reference for all walkers. Written by an author with a wealth of experience teaching navigation skills, it provides a clear and comprehensive guide to the key techniques - giving you the confidence to navigate successfully with map and compass and to plan and execute your own routes. All topics are clearly referenced and easy to find. Chapters cover scales and grids, map symbols and contours, compasses, bearings, navigation on the hill, route planning and night and bad weather navigation. This new edition also incorporates new content on walking with a GPS device, with notes on how technology can complement map and compass. The text is illustrated with explanatory photos and diagrams as well as extracts from real maps and map keys, and - since the best way to learn is through experience - throughout the guide, practical exercises are suggested to help you practise and develop your skills. Perfect both for novices seeking an introduction to navigation and also those wishing to brush up on old skills, this book is an indispensable companion to mastering the essential techniques. These valuable skills will enhance not only your safety but also your enjoyment of the outdoors.

The building of human towers (castells) is a centuries-old competitive practice where hundreds of men, women, and children gather in Catalan squares to create breathtaking edifices through a feat of collective athleticism. The result is a great spectacle of suffering and overcoming, tension and release. Catalonia's Human Towers is an ethnographic look at the thriving castells practice—a symbol of Catalan cultural heritage and identity amid debates around autonomy versus subsummation by the Spanish state. While the main function of building castells is to grow community through a low-cost, intergenerational, and inclusive leisure activity, Mariann Vaczi reveals that this unique sport also provides a social base, image, and vocabulary for the pro-independence movement. Highlighting the intersection of folklore, performance, and self-determination, Catalonia's Human Towers captures the subtle and unconscious processes by which the body becomes politicized and ideology becomes embodied, with all the risks and precarities of collective constructions.

This guidebook provides 45 day walks in the Scottish Borders. Separated into six sections, these walks are divided between the north and south Cheviots, Tweed, Ettrick, Moffat and Manor hills and feature main centres including Wooler, Kelso, Melrose, Peebles and Moffat. The guide's seventh section outlines long distance routes, including a walk along the Border from Gretna to Berwick-on-Tweed. The Scottish Borders are rich in both history and geology. These walks explore many historical sites, from Iron Age forts on hillsides to bastles and towers dating from the Border Reivers era. The stunning and varied scenery is a result of complex geological processes; a visit to Dobb's Linn showcases preserved fossils, while the coastline at St Abbs Head features iconic folded rock formations which are home to a myriad of birds including guillemots. Each walk features 1:50,000 OS mapping, comprehensive route description and plenty of information about points of interest along the route. The walks are graded and can be easily customised with alternative start points, route variants and shortcuts. The guide's introduction offers plenty of practical information about how to get there and where to stay, while the appendices list useful contacts and tourist information centres.

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.

They are the best of nights, they are the worst of nights? Bivvying offers a chance to experience a whole new level of immersion in the outdoors, with just a lightweight bag between you and the elements. The Book of the Bivvy provides an informed, humorous, instructive, wry insight into the world of the bivouac, drawing upon Ronald Turnbull's own extensive experience. The book is a half-and-half mix of how to do it and why to do it (or how not to do it and why not to do it). Accounts of bivvybag nights and expeditions, both nice and nasty, are interspersed with practical tips about types of membrane, sites, techniques and minimalist kit. There are stories and anecdotes from all over the UK, plus a few from abroad. The rich and colourful history of the bivvy is also explored in Ronald's own inimitable style, with descriptions of how Diogenes (the Cynic) bivvied under timber and how the Eigerwand was climbed only through improved bivvying technique. The Book of the Bivvy is a celebration of back-to-basic camping, the perfect antidote to our fast-paced, comfort-based modern life. Honest and entertaining, there is every chance it will inspire you to find a remote hilltop, roll out your bag and watch the sunset.

A direct rail link from east to west across London was a vision for over 35 years, and with the arrival of the Elizabeth Line it finally became a reality. The opening of this line, with its improved connectivity and shorter journeys, is great news for walkers - never before has it been so easy to get out and explore new places and see new sights. This book covers the entirety of the line's sweep, from Shenfield in the east to Reading in the west. There are 23 walks, all starting at an Elizabeth Line station. Along the way you'll explore the very best that London and the south-east has to offer, from fascinating urban landscapes and must-see historic sites to serene countryside and meandering waterways. Highlights include: * Hidden alleyways & dreamy squares in central London * Panoramic views of the London skyline at Abbey Wood * History & architectural splendour at the likes of Greenwich & Whitechapel * Wide-open spaces & waterways of the Loddon Valley, Richmond & Reading * London's iconic green spaces including Green Park, Hyde Park & more * Peaceful countryside around Brentwood, Ealing & Romford * Classic routes along the River Thames at Maidenhead & Taplow * The impressive modern architecture & waterways of Olympic 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.

The Rob Roy Way is one of Scotland's Great Trails and is very popular with both walkers and cyclists. It runs through many places linked with Scotland's most famous outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734). The route starts at Drymen (near Glasgow) and ends at Pitlochry in the eastern Highlands, so it takes you away from the crowds following the West Highland Way to some of Scotland's finest lochs and glens. Its main spine runs for 79 miles (127 km) and is waymarked. There is an optional extra 17 miles if you take the wilderness extension through Glen Almond and Glen Quaich. Most walkers complete it in 6-8 days and most cyclists in 3-4 days. The main route goes through Loch Ard forest to Aberfoyle, goes beside Lochs Venachar, Lubnaig and Tay and passes through superb scenery, with interesting aqueducts, viaducts and a 3600 year-old stone circle. The terrain is a mixture of forest tracks, cycleway, disused railway trackbed and moorland footpaths. The Way passes through a succession of friendly villages with welcoming pubs and B&Bs. Our fourth edition has more content, with full coverage for cyclists and detailed description of the Glen Quaich alternative. It is now longer, 80 pages in place of 64, with 111 colour photos, many of them fresh. However thanks to its robust perfect binding it is 10 grams lighter than the previous edition and more pocketable. This guidebook contains all that walkers and cyclists need to plan and enjoy the Rob Roy Way: details of distance, terrain and food/drink for walkers and cyclists eight-page section for the extension via Glen Quaich visitor attractions, side-trips and mountains to climb including Ben Ledi planning information for travel by car, train, bus or plane concise biography of Rob Roy MacGregor background on pre-history, heritage and wildlife detailed mapping on 18 pages at 1:50,000 in full colour, with 111 colour photos

Guidebook to 32 walks in the hills of Shropshire. The walks, which are graded easy, moderate or hard, range from 3 miles (5km) to 12 miles (19km) and can be walked in all seasons. The selected routes take in highlights such as The Wrekin, Wenlock Edge, Long Mynd and Stiperstones, Castle Ring and Bury Ditches. Many routes start near delightful towns and villages including Church Stretton, Ludlow and Bishops Castle. Featuring 1:50K OS mapping (shown at 1:40K for greater clarity), step-by-step route descriptions, as well as information on accommodation, getting around, bases for the Shropshire hills and history of the region, the guide details everything you need to walk in Shropshire - and more. From Neolithic standing stones, Bronze Age stone circles, and hilltop forts dating back to the Iron Age, Shropshire offers more than just picturesque landscapes and rewarding walking. Discover history on the hills as well as natural beauty, all within easy driving distance from Birmingham and Manchester.

This is the official guide to the Shropshire Way, which consists of a northern and southern loop that both start in Shrewsbury. Each loop can be completed in a week or combined to form a two week 182 mile (290km) circuit that visits Stiperstones, Ludlow, Wenlock Edge, Ironbridge and the Wrekin. Split into 15 stages, this walk requires moderate fitness to cover the daily distance of 10 to 15 miles. The guide also includes the Stretton Skyline Walk, a 20 mile (32km) walk over Shropshire's peaks and ridges, which can be split over two days with an overnight stay in Church Stretton. For both the main route and the higher-level Stretton Skyline Walk, this guide provides in-depth route description and 1:50,000 OS mapping to aid navigation, along with information about accommodation, public transport and local services. The guide also offers plenty of insight into Shropshire's vibrant history and fascinating geology. The Shropshire Way visits some of England's most serene and beautiful scenery, as well as key historical sites including Ironbridge, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Through tranquil countryside and medieval market towns, this route explores all the best that the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding National Beauty (AONB) has to offer.

A guidebook to 40 circular walks in in two of Lancashire's largest Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the Forest of Bowland, an area of 310 square miles, and the 'bewitching' countryside of Pendle to the south. The walks range between 3 and 12.5 miles in length and are all illustrated with extracts of OS mapping. The diverse range of routes include four Marilyns - Ward's Stone, Pendle Hill, Longridge Fell and Fair Snape Fell. The walks are spread across the region, with bases including Caton, Dunsop Bridge, Slaidburn, Clitheroe and Pendle. All the walks are punctuated with snippets of information on the natural and cultural history of the region, from witches to wildlflowers. The Forest of Bowland and Pendle provide vastly differing terrain - from the lush farmlands of the Ribble valley to the more rugged rough pastures of the Forest of Bowland uplands and the huge boggy uplifts of the main Bowland massif itself.

The Lake District National Park is England's most popular mountain region and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Suitable for most reasonably fit hillwalkers, the 145km (90 mile) Tour of the Lake District takes in the best of this beautiful region in a circular tour. The route is presented in nine stages, plus an optional 'prologue' stage from Windermere station to the start-point in Ambleside, and can be compressed into one week or extended over two weeks, giving time to visit many attractions on the way. In addition to the main (non-waymarked) route, which links the main towns and valleys of the national park, five interchangeable high-level stages are also offered, enabling you to visit some of the region's most celebrated high peaks - including Coniston Old Man, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Helvellyn - should you so wish. Each stage includes summary statistics and clear route description illustrated with OS mapping and an elevation profile. There are notes on local points of interest and a wealth of information to help you plan your tour, covering public transport, accommodation and kit, plus accommodation listings and a facilities table. The Tour showcases the magnificent landscapes of the region, from mountain vistas to idyllic lakeshore scenery. There are lakes, rivers and waterfalls, characterful towns and villages, remote valleys, high fells and fascinating historical features including a Neolithic stone circle, packhorse bridges and properties that once belonged to Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth. There are a wide range of accommodation options to suit all budgets and opportunities to sample delicious local produce. The Tour of the Lake District is an ideal way to discover all the region has to offer and is sure to generate lots of memorable experiences.