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Britain possesses one of the most remarkable and varied coastlines
in the world, with its richness in geology and human history on
display. Since the dawn of time the sea has been sculpting the
rocks, sands and marshes, constantly changing the shape of the
coastline and the inhabitants of Britain have adapted, defended,
sometimes surrendered it or recaptured it in response to the forces
of nature. "The Living Coast" brilliantly celebrates this dynamic
interplay between sea, land and people in over 350 sumptuous images
from the air - a seagull's-eye view round the 9,000 miles of
British coast, from Land's End to the wave-pounded isles and the
ancient rocks of the far north; the receding shores and
sensationally beautiful estuaries of the east; and, the familiar
chalk cliffs, crumbling Jurassic coast and drowned river valleys of
the south.This book is composed of 14 chapters, each beginning with
a narrative and ending with a photographic exhibition. The coast is
taken region by region, moving clockwise round the perimeter of the
UK.
During the enforced idleness of the Covid-19 pandemic, Christopher
Somerville revisited the 450 notebooks whose pages contain the
accumulated thoughts and experiences of a career spent exploring
Britain on foot over four decades. The View from the Hill pulls
together the cream of this unique crop, following the cycle of the
seasons from a freezing January to a Christmas sunrise. In between
are hundreds of walks that take in magnificent flora and fauna,
ancient traditions and folklore, and geological peculiarities and
wonders – all narrated with moving and humorous sensitivity.
There’s no need to move from your chair to go walking in
Christopher’s company. Just stir up the fire, fill your glass,
and let these spirited tales take you out of here and far away.
'An illuminating take on the British landscape ... a remarkable
achievement. Encounters, warm humour, history and plenty of geology
carry you down the winding tracks.' - Tom Chesshyre, author of Lost
in the Lakes Travelling a thousand miles and across three billion
years, Christopher Somerville (walking correspondent of The Times
and author of Coast, The January Man and Ships of Heaven) sets out
to interrogate the land beneath our feet, and how it has affected
every aspect of human history from farming to house construction,
the Industrial Revolution to the current climate crisis. In his
thousand-mile journey, Somerville follows the story of Britain's
unique geology, travelling from the three billion year old rocks of
the Isle of Lewis, formed when the world was still molten, down the
map south eastwards across bogs, over peaks and past quarry pits to
the furthest corner of Essex where new land is being formed by
nature and man. Demystifying the sometimes daunting technicalities
of geology with humour and a characteristic lightness of touch,
Somerville's book tells a story of humanity's reckless exploitation
and a lemming-like surge towards self-annihilation but also shows
seeds of hope as we learn how we might work with geology to avert a
climate catastrophe. It cannot fail to change the way you see the
world beyond your door.
In Christopher Somerville's workroom is a case of shelves that
holds 450 notebooks. Their pages are creased and stained with mud,
blood, flattened insect corpses, beer glass rings, smears of plant
juice and gallons of sweat. Everything Somerville has written about
walking the British countryside has had its origin among these
little black-and-red books. During the lockdowns and enforced
idleness of the Covid-19 pandemic, Somerville began to revisit this
rough treasury of notes, spanning forty years of exploring these
islands on foot. The View from the Hill pulls together the cream of
this unique crop, following the cycle of the seasons from a
freezing January on the Severn Estuary to the sight of sunrise on
Christmas morning from inside a prehistoric burial mound. In
between are hundreds of walks to discover randy natterjack toads in
a Cumbrian spring, trout in a Hampshire chalk stream in lazy
midsummer, a lordly red stag at the autumn rut on the Isle of Mull,
and three thousand geese at full gabble in the wintry Norfolk sky.
Best of all, you don't have to stir out of your chair to enjoy
these walks. Just stir up the fire, fill your glass, and let
Christopher Somerville take you out of here and far away.
A lighthearted guide to the geography of Britain from "Daily
Telegraph" journalist and bestselling author of "Coast,"
Christopher Somerville Bognor Regis, Aberystwyth, Glasgow--can you
place them on a map? Most people can't these days. What kind of
countryside would you pass through on your way to the Cairngorms,
or the Fens, or Northumberland? What's north of the Pennines? And
what's it like when you get there? Most folk wouldn't have a clue.
Increasing numbers of us don't have a basic geographical notion of
these British islands. Blame it on a decline in formal geography
teaching, or GPS and other "A-to-Z and nothing in between" devices
that make us lazy--we are becoming the best traveled and least well
orientated generations ever seen. Now Christopher Somerville,
bestselling author of "Coast" and many other books of UK
exploration, presents the basics of what belongs where, which
counties border one another, and what lies beyond the Watford Gap.
He reminds us of the watery bits, the lumpy bits, and the flat
bits, gets to grips with the smaller islands surrounding
Britain--and much more. "Never Eat Shredded Wheat" is a reminder of
all the fascinating British geography once learned at
school--geography that brings these islands vividly to
life--geography which we have forgotten, or never even knew.
For Somerville this was a kind of pilgrimage, a journey unlike any
he had undertaken in 20 years of travel-writing. It was an
expedition where he traded the usual comforts and certainties for a
real physical and mental challenge, with no mobile phone or other
technological aids. The only plan for his journey was to begin in
the East at Easter and finish at Whitsun in the extreme West, at
the Monastery of the Golden Step, whose gold step, legend says, can
only be seen by those who have purged themselves into purity.
During his 300-mile walk, he tackled four mountain ranges, high
slopes and the numerous gorges of the West. Speaking only basic
Greek and trying to follow a poorly way-marked path, he had to rely
on his own instincts when climbing mountain passes and crossing
high plateaux, farming and shepherding country, where villages are
scarce and each night's accommodation was uncertain. He saw a Crete
few ever encounter.
'Evocatively written and charming' - Countryfile 'The January Man
is a book that makes you want to pull on your boots, grab a map and
get out there' - Country Life The January Man is the story of a
year of walks that was inspired by a song, Dave Goulder's 'The
January Man'. Month by month, season by season and region by
region, Christopher Somerville walks the British Isles, following
routes that continually bring his father to mind. As he travels the
country - from the winter floodlands of the River Severn to the
lambing pastures of Nidderdale, the towering seabird cliffs on the
Shetland Isle of Foula in June and the ancient oaks of Sherwood
Forest in autumn - he describes the history, wildlife, landscapes
and people he encounters, down back lanes and old paths, in rain
and fair weather. This exquisitely written account of the British
countryside not only inspires us to don our boots and explore the
140,000 miles of footpaths across the British Isles, but also
illustrates how, on long-distance walks, we can come to an
understanding of ourselves and our fellow walkers. Over the hills
and along the byways, Christopher Somerville examines what moulded
the men of his father's generation - so reticent about their
wartime experiences, so self-effacing, upright and dutiful - as he
searches for 'the man inside the man' that his own father really
was.
'Somerville is one of our finest gazetteers of the British
countryside. He brings his formidable knowledge to bear on his
personal quest to explore the cathedrals in this entrancing book'
The Spectator Christopher Somerville, author of the acclaimed The
January Man, pictured cathedrals as great unmoving bastions of
tradition. But as he journeys among Britian's favourites, old and
new, he discovers buildings and communities that have been in
constant upheaval for a thousand years. Here are stories of the
monarchs and bishops who ordered the construction of these
buildings, the masons whose genius brought them into being, and the
peasants who worked and died on the scaffolding. We learn of rogue
saints exploited by holy sinners, the pomp and prosperity that
followed these ships of stone, the towns that grew up in their
shadows. Meeting believers and non-believers, architects and
archaeologists, the cleaner who dusts the monuments and the mason
who judges stone by its taste, we delve deep into the private lives
and the uncertain future of these ever-voyaging Ships of Heaven.
'Somerville paints word pictures of exquisite quality' Church Times
The must-have book to discover the best of Britain's walks
Christopher Somerville has covered the length and breadth of the UK
on foot, and has written and broadcast about its history,
landscape, wildlife and people for over 25 years. Now, in this
extensive new volume, he selects his top 200 routes from his hugely
popular Times column, A Good Walk. More than just a basic
guidebook, this is a meditation on our relationship with the
landscape and a celebration of all that Britain has to offer. From
Cornwall to Shetland via Pembrokeshire and Barrowdale, this is the
most comprehensive collection of walks in the United Kingdom
available in one book, and features trails to suit all skill levels
and references, whether you want a gentle ramble to the pub or
something much more challenging. Each of the featured walks
contains: * Detailed description as featured in The Times column *
Postcode and OS grid reference start point * Instructions on how to
get there * Distance and grade so readers can suit walks to their
ability, fitness and mood * Simple step-by-step walk instructions *
Beautiful colour photograph for each walk * Full colour, clear and
up-to-date map * Food and accommodation details for the hungry
traveller Featuring stunning photography and using Christopher's
trademark with and lyricism, this is the perfect gift for ramblers
anywhere.
In 25 carefully planned walks, "Walks in the Country Near London"
reveals the myriad treasures that lie just beyond London's urban
sprawl. From easy rambles through apple orchards and lush pastures
in Kent to more exhilarating rambles along Sharpenhoe Clappers'
chalk escarpments in Bedfordshire, there is a walk here for
everyone. Full-colour photographs capture each area's refreshing
rural charms, while clear mapping pinpoints everything from
designated trails and stately homes to traditional pubs and cosy
tea rooms. With characteristic humour, Christopher Somerville
guides readers along hedged, grassy lanes, across open, airy
farmland and through some of the finest historic homes, castles and
churches that England has to offer. Along the way, he shares
fascinating tales about the characters who trod these same paths
throughout the centuries - from persecuted Catholic priests making
their way to safe houses under the cover of night, to such
celebrated figures as Anne Boleyn, John Bunyan, William Blake and
Benjamin Disraeli. With a wealth of interesting anecdotes and
intriguing information, this is the perfect guide for history buffs
and casual walkers alike.
Never heard before real stories of soldiers who fought in WW2
'Extraordinary ...If they had not made our war their war also,
victory might not have come in 1945' DAILY TELEGRAPH In this
powerful and moving narrative, Christopher Somerville skilfully
links personal testimonies to present an epic which embraces comedy
and tragedy, pride and degradation, close comradeship and stark
racial prejudice, devotion to the benign Mother Country and a
burning desire to see the back of her. Many of the veterans had
never previously talked of their experiences, even to close loved
ones. They cover such topics as attitudes to Britain before and
after the war, why Commonwealth citizens offered to fight, and how
some volunteers were inspired by their wartime service while others
were thoroughly disillusioned. The result is a rare and faithful
memoir to the five million Commonwealth citizens who fought for the
Allies and the 170,000 who died or went missing.
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