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A review by halfmanhalfbook
Ramble on: The Story of Our Love for Walking Britain by Sinclair McKay
4.0
The act of taking a stroll in the countryside is now a right that we take for granted, and this right has been fought for on the land and in the political arena for decades.
McKay takes us on a series of short walks, and whilst doing so he considers the political, social, and historical aspects of walking in the UK. We go from the Kinder Scout mass trespass, to urban walks in London, skirting the edge of Salisbury Plain and up to Rannoch Moor, one of the few wild places left in these isles. Some of the book is purely dedicated to the political struggle, and there are chapters on the clothing that walkers use, ley lines and night walking.
Over all it was a reasonable read. He has researched the book well, and there are plenty of facts and anecdotes and he seems to have covered most things that are walking and rambling related. What he does seem to be missing though is a chapter on maps. I know that there are lots of other books on maps out there, mostly because I have read a lot of them, but it would have made this more complete. Really a 3.5 star book, but I am feeling generous.
McKay takes us on a series of short walks, and whilst doing so he considers the political, social, and historical aspects of walking in the UK. We go from the Kinder Scout mass trespass, to urban walks in London, skirting the edge of Salisbury Plain and up to Rannoch Moor, one of the few wild places left in these isles. Some of the book is purely dedicated to the political struggle, and there are chapters on the clothing that walkers use, ley lines and night walking.
Over all it was a reasonable read. He has researched the book well, and there are plenty of facts and anecdotes and he seems to have covered most things that are walking and rambling related. What he does seem to be missing though is a chapter on maps. I know that there are lots of other books on maps out there, mostly because I have read a lot of them, but it would have made this more complete. Really a 3.5 star book, but I am feeling generous.