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by Dennis Kelsall This superbly-written and good looking book will take you on ten short circular walks to the very best stretches of coast, pubs, tea shops, and viewpoints that the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast, in West Wales, has to offer. Defining the south-westernmost tip of Wales, Pembrokeshire’s coastline is arguably the most beautiful and varied in the British Isles. Virtually all of it lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Relative isolation has left it largely untouched by modern development and most of its length is a wild frontier where the endless confrontation between sea and land is played out. Long stretches of coast face the fury of Atlantic storms and weakness and faults in the high cliffs are eroded into caves, coves and inlets. However, the harder rock, some of which is 700 million years old, resists the onslaught and stands out in rugged promontories and headlands. Elsewhere, sheltered landings and harbours, fine beaches and secluded bays reveal other aspects of this glorious landscape. In spring and summer the cliff tops break out in the pink, blue, white and yellow of countless flowers and sea crags are alive with nesting birds, while some of Britain’s largest seal populations arrive in autumn to give birth. It was this wild beauty that prompted the establishment of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1952. Despite being one of the UK’s smaller National Parks, it embraces a third of the county including all the offshore islands, the Daugleddau estuary, and the Preseli Hills. The Park is also home to the popular Pembrokeshire Coast Path — now part of the larger Wales Coast Path. Discover dramatic coastlines at St Davids Head and Strumble Head, Manorbier and Tenby. Climb to lofty coastal panoramas at Carn Ingli and Carn Llidi. Enjoy characterful waterside pubs at Porthgain and Cresswell Quay. Or relax over a quiet cup of coffee or tea and cake at two of Pembrokeshire’s cosiest and most welcoming tea shops and cafés. Unmissable. -
by Dennis Kelsall This attractive and good looking book will take you on ten short circular walks to some of the finest and most iconic views and viewpoints along the rugged Pembrokeshire coast, in West Wales. For some hillwalkers, the ‘view’ is only achieved on attaining the summit. But here, the endless convolutions of the coastline create an ever changing scene, both in front and behind; with every step shifting the perspective, bringing something different into sight. While the distant view can stretch for miles, inlets, coves and bays may remain hidden, only revealing themselves at the last moment. More immediately, the cliffs are broken by crevices, ledges, caves and natural arches, while just offshore are stacks and wave-washed shoals. Behind, the hinterland is a patchwork of hill, common and agriculture, while the vista out to the sea is endlessly changed by the weather, tide and hour. And, where accessible, the prospect from the beach is different again. Memorable walks to unmissable views. -
Land's End to Plymouth
The ten walking routes featured here highlight the best short circular walks along the South Cornwall Coast section of the popular, 630-mile long South West Coast Path (SWCP). Running from Land's End at the very western tip of England to Penlee Point, guarding the entrance to Plymouth Sound, Cornwall's deeply convoluted south coast is infinitely varied, ranging from rugged cliffs braced against the full force of Atlantic waves to the sheltered Cornish Riviera where the weather, scenery and flora can be almost Mediterranean. Large towns are few, but attractive villages, hamlets and harbours abound, usually with a welcoming pub or café not far away. The five-book series of 'Top Ten Walks' covers the whole of the UK's famous South West Coast Path. Each book explores the highlights along the way; showcasing its natural beauty, wildlife and heritage. Once you've tasted what the South Cornwall section has to offer, we think you'll be inspired to come back to tackle the complete trail. -
This lovely, pocket size book offers the ten best short circular walks to upland moors and tors across the Peak District. The uplands of the Peak bear the characteristics of hills rather than mountains: high, undulating plateaux dissected by deep, meandering valleys. Yet there is little uniformity; the seemingly remote moorland of the Kinder plateau is in sharp contrast to the gentler and lower upland heaths found farther south. These landscapes change subtly with the seasons and, for those who care to look, are rich in wildlife. There are birds, hares, and foxes; and in summer, adders and lizards bask in the sun while butterflies dance in the remotest places. -
Pembrokeshire’s Café Culture is booming and it’s not the big chains leading the way. Gone are the steamy fugs, greasy-spoon menus and chipped mugs; instead, there’s no shortage of bright and friendly venues serving speciality coffees and teas, home-made baking, and wonderful snacks and meals that capitalise on the best of local produce and culinary talent. Very often there’re take-away options too and sometimes interesting wines or Welsh-brewed beers and ciders. Many are open all day from breakfast and morning coffee to afternoon tea, with some venues running into the evening too with live music, poetry or storytelling. They’re great places to rest or meet up with friends, too; so go for a walk and see what you can find — you’ll not be disappointed. -
Minehead to Bude
The ten walking routes featured here highlight the best short circular walks along the Somerset and North Devon Coast section of the popular, 630-mile long South West Coast Path (SWCP). Exmoor's fringe of majestic cliffs, secluded coves, ragged wave-washed rocks and rich coastal woodland is a stunning prelude to the long distance trail. Further west are Devon's glorious beaches but also an ever-more rugged coastline, which curves to the battering Atlantic surf. Large settlements are few, but occasional picturesque hamlets and villages grew around coves and small landings where fishing and seaborne trade (not always above board) supplemented the traditional farming way of life of the hinterland. Nature complements the intrinsic beauty of this landscape; seabirds abound on the cliffs and shore, while the lush and sometimes rare flora of unspoiled cliffs, native woodland, rough pasture and dunes supports smaller birds and countless butterflies. The five-book series of 'Top Ten Walks' covers the whole of the UK's famous South West Coast Path. Each book explores the highlights along the way; showcasing its natural beauty, wildlife and heritage. Once you've experienced what the Somerset and North Devon section has to offer, we think you'll be inspired to come back to tackle the complete trail. -
Discover the very best of the Peak District. These ten themed walks explore the contrasting faces of the Peaks — the gentle White and rugged Dark Peak. Discover clear rivers and streams, ancient packhorse bridges and stepping stones. Walk through winding dales and valleys bright with wildflowers. Visit stately Chatsworth or marvel at the panorama from Monsal Head. Tour upland reservoirs and dramatic rocky edges popular with climbers. Slog up Shutlingsloe or explore the open moorland and strangely eroded tors on Kinder Edge. Every one is a walk to remember. -
Product Description One of nine books in the new Top 10 Walks: Wales Coast Path series. The past two centuries have wrought more change on South Wales than any other section of the country’s coast. Until the end of the 18th century, Swansea, Barry and even Cardiff were just small ports, though their ships traded far and wide. The industry of iron and coal changed things forever but most of the coast and its immediate hinterland were left unspoiled and elsewhere, nature has reclaimed some of what was taken. The coast is one of extreme contrasts, ranging from great dune systems through sheer cliffs to miles of coastal saltmarsh. Nowhere is far from a delightful stretch overlooking the sea, with fine views, nature and heritage all around. -
Bude to Land's End
The ten walking routes featured here highlight the best short circular walks along the North Cornwall Coast section of the popular, 630-mile long South West Coast Path (SWCP). From Bude to the western-most tip of England at Land's End, Cornwall's northern coast has a character all its own. Much of its 140 miles is set against the open Atlantic, whose winter storms and thundering waves have sculpted a rugged coastline of formidable cliffs. Tiny, wave-washed coves and zawns contrast expansive beaches and dunes, the wild scenery often spilling offshore to half submerged reefs, stacks and rocky islands. The holiday resorts of St Ives and Newquay can attract summer crowds, but elsewhere, the coast is often deserted, with only birds for company and the delights of nature as distractions. The five-book series of 'Top Ten Walks' covers the whole of the UK's famous South West Coast Path. Each book explores the highlights along the way; showcasing its natural beauty, wildlife and heritage. Once you've tasted what the North Cornwall section has to offer, we think you'll be inspired to come back to tackle the complete trail. -
This attractive pocket size book gives you the ten very best dale and valley walks in the Peak District. The White Peak is known for dramatic limestone gorges: convoluted pathways carved into its heart, where rearing pinnacles, dark caves and thundering rivers struck awe into seventeenth-century travellers. Still captivating today, they harbour rich woodland, wildflower meadows and disappearing and resurgent streams, one of the area’s strangest curiosities. Delightful Dovedale, once the haunt of the renowned anglers Izaak Walton and Charles Cotton, contrasts with Cave Dale, a gaunt, dry passage below Castleton’s Norman stronghold. But the Dark Peak has attractive valleys too, and different again is the Dane Valley, which cuts onto the Cheshire Plain from the gritstone moors. -
This lovely pocket size book explores ten of the Peak District's most fascinating historic landscapes — from prehistoric monuments to Industrial Revolution ruins. Stone tools from Thor’s Cave indicate that man arrived in the Peak as the glaciers receded. More obvious are Bronze and Iron Age circles, burials and earthworks, as well as the scars of mineral extraction — begun by the Romans and continuing today. Some Peakland churches claim Saxon foundation, and by the Middle Ages there was an extensive network of tracks and settlements. Water powered the first industrial revolution, bringing roads, canals and railways, and in the fine country mansions, farmsteads, cottages and town houses there is a rich variety of vernacular and classic architecture. -
This attractive pocket size book will take you on short circular walks to the ten finest rocks and edges in the Peak District. Surprisingly for newcomers, the Peak District is almost devoid of anything resembling a traditional mountain peak (the name instead derives from the Old English paec, merely meaning ‘hill’). In reality, The Peak is a high, sloping plateau, cleft by deep valleys and winding ravines. In compensation, however, there are long runs of startlingly dramatic cliffs — here known as edges — and spectacularly weathered outcrops of rock, often referred to as tors. For rock climbers, they offer some of England’s finest challenges, while for walkers the views from the escarpments’ rims can be unforgettable.
