Book Description

This is one of the first four in a new series of fabulously illustrated natural history travel guides, intended for the general reader with an interest in natural history, and for the growing numbers of 'ecotourists' who want to know where to see wildlife in the countries they visit. Thebooks are designed to complement each other and to build into a nature library, together giving an introduction to the natural history of Europe.Britain's compact scale belies the diversity of its landscapes - from sea-cliffs and rocky offshore islands, to the massifs of the Scottish Highlands, the low fenland of East Anglia, and the gentle wooded coombes of the south-west. This fabulously illustrated new travel guide describes hundreds ofplaces where these landscapes and their inhabitants can be seen at their best, all in easy reach of the discerning traveller.Essentially practical, the book first introduces the ecology, geology, and wildlife of Britain, then goes on to describe where to see its natural history at its best. There are descriptions of a selection of some 200 sites to visit, each carefully chosen to show a range of habitats and fascinatingwildlife. The entries are the personal choice of the authors and are based on intensive travel and research in the region. Described sites range in size from a few to thousands of hectares, be they National Parks, nature reserves, or simply common land, but all are open to the public and accessibleto the ordinary visitor. Four colour throughout, this book has stunning landscape photographs, line drawings and photographs of individual animals of plants and animals, colour region and site maps, and a splendid composite painting encapsulating typical habitats and their inhabitants.