As one strides through the countryside, the mind will dwell on just about anything- music, relationships, films, composing poetry and letters, tonight’s meal, clouds building to the left, what can be left out of the pack next time, that twinge in the left thigh…

On foot, a change of terrain makes itself known immediately, rock and soil types are also noticed, especially if wet. Even the most ignorant amongst us will also notice a change in flora. What can help add interest to a hike is to have some knowledge of what we are passing through. The weather, the flora, the fauna, mans imprint upon the land, the why. To this end, Three Points of the Compass believes that a well stocked book shelf at home and time taken out to read and gen up on various subjects is almost as important for a decent walk as the walk itself, almost.

Alongside this are the various volumes that have been published that can aid greatly in either planning, or simply provide the inspiration or encouragement to carry out or consider an adventure.

I am not referring necessarily just to a guide to a particular trail, though I gain much of interest from the sterling research work that many hikers and authors have put into a whole bunch of these that sit on my shelves. You can also find a short history of guide books for rambling in my home county of Kent, England here.

Links below to a number of glances at some volumes I value on my shelves:

Inspiration-

• Ffyona Campbell- The Whole Story, a walk around the world 
• Nicholas Crane- Two Degrees West, an English Journey
• Sir Ranulph Fiennes- Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know
• John Hillaby- Journey through Britain
• Tom Isaacs- Shake Well Before Use, a walk around Britain’s coastline
• Laurie Lee- As I walked out one Midsummer Morning
• Keble Martin- Over the Hills
• Julian Sayarer- Life Cycles
• Ernest Shackleton- South. The Illustrated story of Shackleton’s last expedition 1914-1917
• Ted Simon- Jupiter’s Travels

A decent read-

• John Paddy Browne- Map Cover Art, A pictorial history of Ordnance Survey cover illustrations.
• A. Walker- The Big Walk

Essentials for the bookshelf-

• Alfred Wainwright- A Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, books 1-7

Ornithology-

• Lars Jonsson Field Guide
• Helm Identification Guides
• Raptors
• Waders
• The Bird Collectors
• T & A D Poyser
• Birds of the Western Palearctic

Botany- 

• Roger Phillips Photographic Guides
• Wild Flower Keys
• Specialist Groups
• Trees
• Those ‘special’ flowers
• The Natural History of British Flora
• Gerard’s Herbal

Natural History-

• Naturalists’ Handbooks
• Mammal Monographs
• AIDGAP Guides
• Dragonflies and Damselflies
• Fungi
• Butterflies and Moths
• The Handbook of British Mammals

Geology-

• Lakeland Rocks
• Fossils 
• British Regional Geology- The Wealden District
• The Geology of Britain
• Minerals, Rocks and Fossils
• A Walker’s Guide to the Geology of British Mountains
• Chalk Hill Figures

History-

• The English Barn and Oasthouse
• Traditional Buildings of the English Countryside
• Castles and Hillforts
• The British Landscape
• Churches
• ‘Shire’ publications
• The Oxford History of England
• Canals

Childrens books-

• Rupert Bear– 2020 saw the 100th birthday of this little chap. One of his adventures was Rupert goes Hiking, all of the 58 story panels are reproduced here
• Eagle Annual– a blast from the past- one for kids now grown up!
  • Map Your Own Home– From 1962 Eagle Annual
  • Going Thataway- Clues without a compass– From 1962 Eagle Annual
  • How to Camp the Outward Bound Way– From 1963 Eagle Annual

Oddities-‘

• Know the Game’ series– a wide-ranging and informative book series published in the last century. Those relating to outdoor activities are covered here