Our Wild Picks for World Book Day

World Book Day falls on 23 April in the UK, and is a chance to celebrate literature of all types and from all genres. 

We at the Trust have been reviewing literature on wildness, wild places and nature in our Journal since 2006, and we'd like to share just some of our recomendations. You can enjoy these books anywhere and at anytime; at the top of a munro, in a bothy after a day of adventuring, or just curled up warm in your bed. 

Wild Fell by Lee Schofield

Wild Fell is a personal account of the author's decade managing a working upland farm for the RSPB, set against the backdrop of the Lake District. Balancing conservation and farming in a community sometimes resistant to change, Schofield offers a hopeful vision for the future of landscapes where we can all thrive.

Scotland: A Rewilding Journey by Susan Wright, Peter Cairns and Nick Underdown

We reviewed this well-written and beautifully illustrated book in our Spring 2019 Journal, and were impressed by its passion and optimism. Scotland: A Rewilding Journey describes how and why much of Scotland’s uplands are ecologically degraded, aiming to inspire land managers, politicians, conservation NGOs and the reader with a vision of a wilder Scotland. 

Regeneration: The Rescue of a Wild Land by Andrew Painting

Regeneration tells the painfully honest but ultimately inspirational story of Mar Lodge’s transformation from a hunting estate to a model of ecological restoration. A must-read for those interested in landscape-scale conservation and the future of Scotland’s natural heritage.

Sky Dance: Fighting for the wild in the Scottish Highlands by John D Burns

The Scottish Highlands provides the backdrop for this tale exploring key issues in land management such as deer overpopulation, rewilding, and species reintroduction. John D. Burns, author of The Last Hillwalker and Bothy Tales, gives us a thought-provoking read blending outdoor adventure, detective drama and environmental activism to raise important questions about the future of Scotland’s landscape.

The Outrun by Amy Liptrot

Now a major motion picture, this deeply personal story chronicles the Amy Liptrot's struggle with addiction and eventually finding solace in the wild Orkney landscapes of her childhood. This beautifully written memoir centres on self-discovery, recovery and the connection between human life and the natural world. 

Castles in the Mist by Robin Noble

Robin Noble’s Castles in the Mist offers a valuable insight into the historical context of the evolution of the current Highland landscape and challenges the traditional model of the Highland estate. 

Ethel by Helen Mort

This biography of pioneering environmentalist Ethel Haythornthwaite offers a compelling portrait of a woman whose conservation efforts shaped the Peak District and Sheffield’s wild places. Through a series of personal letters and reflections, Ethel’s fascinating life, significant legacy and remarkable contributions to preserving nature are brought to light.

The Hidden Ways: Scotland’s Forgotten Roads by Alistair Moffat

In The Hidden Ways: Scotland’s Forgotten Roads, Alistair Moffat explores some of Scotland’s roads less travelled. Moffat takes us along Roman roads tramped by armies, pilgrim routes, drove roads, turnpikes, sea-roads and many more in a bid to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and trace the stories of a variety of unremembered but important lives.