Texas has hill country? Who knew? Well, the Lonely Planet guide to Texas," which calls the Hill Country "rightfully one of the state's biggest tourist draws . . . an area of gently rolling hills and valleys freckled with cacti and cattle ranches, lined with rivers and dotted with peaceful, picturesque little towns." And any self-respecting Texan might know as much. Forty miles west of Austin and fifty north of San Antonio, the Hill Country is within an easy drive of two of the state's biggest cities, putting back-country quiet and beauty within reach of countless urban dwellers seeking respite. This book brings the remarkable Hill Country of Texas home to the back roads traveler. Whether it's wildflowers you're drawn to, or dude ranches, natural areas, historic sites, or quaint Texas towns redolent of history, this is your passport to an experience like no other. Backroads of the Texas Hill Country" introduces travelers and armchair tourists alike to the emerging wine country of the Lone Star State, the meticulously preserved culture of East European immigrants, the "cowboy capital of the world" (Bandera), and the childhood home of LBJ at Johnson City. Follow this irresistible guide into the Hill Country, and find yourself deep in the heart of Texas.

Contains circular walks in the Cotswold countryside. Each one in this guide offers a chance to view the daily life of the riverbank animals, birds and fish. Another title from the Cotswold publisher, Reardon.

The walks in this illustrated Reardon guide are collected from the Lifestyle supplement of the Gloucestershire Echo. These family walks are from three to five miles long, cover some of the most attractive hidden byways of the Cotswolds and include places of refreshment along the way.

Guidebook to 30 of the best walks in Cumbria's Eden Valley. The graded routes, which range from 3 to 15 miles, explore the region's diverse landscapes and offer dramatic views, either of the Pennines, the Lake District or the Scottish hills. The walks, which work well from bases such as Kirkby Steven, Dufton and Appleby, are predominantly circular. Some of the linear routes link with the Settle-Carlisle railway. Map extracts from the 1:50K OS Landranger series accompany route description, and the handy route summary table makes it easy for walkers to compare routes. Invaluable information on transport and accommodation is included, as are notes on the region's geology, wildlife and history. Situated next to the iconic Lake District, the Eden Valley is often overlooked as a walking destination. This works in its favour - it is as quiet as it is scenic - making it the perfect destination for those looking to escape the crowds. The featured routes are designed to give the walker a taste of everything the area has to offer. From peaceful woodland strolls to serious moorland hikes, and from explorations of the limestone uplands to walks on the Solway marshes, they visit just about every nook and cranny in the valley.

Twenty miles south of the Arizona-Mexico border, the rugged, beautiful Sierra Madre mountains begin their dramatic ascent. Almost 900 miles long, the range climbs to nearly 11,000 feet and boasts several canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon. The rules of law and society have never taken hold in the Sierra Madre, which is home to bandits, drug smugglers, Mormons, cave-dwelling Tarahumara Indians, opium farmers, cowboys, and other assorted outcasts. Outsiders are not welcome; drugs are the primary source of income; murder is all but a regional pastime. The Mexican army occasionally goes in to burn marijuana and opium crops -- the modern treasure of the Sierra Madre -- but otherwise the government stays away. In its stead are the drug lords, who have made it one of the biggest drug-producing areas in the world.
Fifteen years ago, journalist Richard Grant developed what he calls "an unfortunate fascination" with this lawless place. Locals warned that he would meet his death there, but he didn't believe them -- until his last trip. During his travels Grant visited a folk healer for his insomnia and was prescribed rattlesnake pills, attended bizarre religious rituals, consorted with cocaine-snorting policemen, taught English to Guarijio Indians, and dug for buried treasure. On his last visit, his reckless adventure spiraled into his own personal heart of darkness when cocaine-fueled Mexican hillbillies hunted him through the woods all night, bent on killing him for sport.
With gorgeous detail, fascinating insight, and an undercurrent of dark humor, "God's Middle Finger" brings to vivid life a truly unique and uncharted world.