The essence of ‘Home Ground’ is a collection of twenty walks, ranging from about five to fifteen miles in length, situated in the North West of England. The criterion for selection is that each walk must be situated in whole or in part on Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 ‘Landranger’ map no. 103 (Blackburn and Burnley). This was the map used by the author when he first began to explore the area almost fifty years ago, and these long personal associations, heightened by a long absence from the area, make this truly his home ground. Within this relatively small area there is a rich variety of beautiful scenery, largely unsung, all lying within some twenty miles of industrial East Lancashire. From the suburbs of Blackburn to the fringe of the Yorkshire Dales, from the sweeping fells of the Forest of Bowland to the wooded valleys and heights of Calderdale, these walks have something to offer to walkers of practically all tastes. Both the Forest of Bowland and the Pennine Way feature strongly on the map and in the book, and extra sections discuss these features. Especially the Forest of Bowland, recognized as an area of outstanding national beauty but not a national park, is introduced in some detail as its charm and many opportunities for the walker and day visitor are still little known. The Pennine Way, which features in three of the walks, is mentioned more autobiographically as the author recalls his own experience of the Way and its wider relationship to Northern England. About the Author Andrew Stachulski was born in Blackburn in 1950, the son of a Polish father and English mother, and grew up in nearby Great Harwood. He was educated at Accrington Grammar School from 1961 to 1968, when he gained entrance to read Natural Sciences at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. He graduated with firstclass honours in 1971 and, after winning a senior scholarship, he remained at the college to study for a Ph. D. under the supervision of Professor Alan (now Sir Alan) Battersby. Following the completion of his doctorate in 1974, he held postdoctoral fellowships with the Medical Research Council and at Jesus College, Oxford until 1978. There followed a long period of employment in the chemical industry, first with Beecham Pharmaceuticals (later SmithKline Beecham) and then Ultrafine Chemicals, Manchester. In 2001 he fulfilled a longheld ambition by returning to academic life at the University of Liverpool, becoming a senior lecturer in 2003. Recently (Jan., 2010) he moved to take up a senior research fellowship at the University of Oxford. Walking has always been a great love of his life, beginning in the Ribble Valley and Pendle country of his native Lancashire. In the mid 1970s he completed a number of Britain’s longdistance footpaths, the Pennine Way, Offa’s Dyke Path and Coast to Coast walk, accompanied by college friends. Subsequently he climbed all the principal fells of the Lake District, where he often returns, and from 1981 again with a college friend he began to climb in the Scottish Highlands. In 2003 he completed the circuit of all the ‘Munros’, the separate Scottish mountains of 3,000 ft. or greater height. His first walks were planned with the aid of the old one inch to one mile Ordnance Survey map of Blackburn and Burnley, and that is truly his home ground. It was particularly following his return to the North in 1991, then living in Greater Manchester, that this book came to be planned. Old walks familiar from childhood, in the Ribble and Hodder valleys, Pendle country, South Pennines and the Forest of Bowland were revisited and built on, and many new ones were added. From these the twenty walks featured in this book have been selected, walks which appeal personally to the author through their beauty or special associations, or which in his view speak most clearly of the characteristics of the area.

Japanese Gardens - Revealed and Explained is comprehensive and thorough in its coverage of the subject of Japanese gardens and provides the reader with a journey through their history, meaning and eye catching beauty. All aspects of Japanese gardens and gardening are covered from design to ingredients and it even covers subjects like pruning techniques as well as numerous suggestions of what to plant in a Japanese garden courtesy of Master gardener L.H. Bailey. Discover Zen gardens (sometimes known as Japanese Rock gardens) and the deliberate ease of their appearance on the eye,meaning and design.This book is suitable for beginners right the way through to more experienced enthusiasts of Japanese gardens. Lovingly put together by the author and editor Russ Chard - a Japanese garden enthusiast and writer for over 10 years.Weblinks are included to Youtube videos to see how the author built a small space Japanese Zen garden at his home. This book is not plumped up with photographs, just 70 pages of pure Japanese garden information. The subject is complicated but Japanese gardens - Revealed and Explained is in plain English and simplified and explained for ease of learning. Anyone with ambitions to create and build a Japanese garden or Zen garden would find this book a very useful companion to their dream and plans through to the finished garden.

If you have ever dreamed of having your own calm, tranquil and beautifully designed Japanese garden space at your home then '11 Simple Ways To Turn Your Garden Japanese' will give you some inspiring ideas that won't break the bank. From basic small space gardens to much larger Japanese style gardens this book explains the principles of Japanese garden design, shows you design plans, pictures, gives some very useful tips and all in plain English. Learn the methods of Japanese gardening that stretch back hundreds of years and how to use them with a more contemporary twist. Bridges, edging, Rocks, Stones, Moss, Dry water, Trees, Shrubs , Courtyard gardens are just some of the ways that you can add a touch of Japan to your garden space. Author Russ Chard is an expert on Japanese gardens and has published 3 books and has numerous websites on the subject as well as a weekly newsletter for lovers of Japanese gardens. Landscape designer Tim Sykes shares a full domestic Japanese themed garden design in the book as well.

Think of Ireland and what comes to mind. Forty shades of greenThis ancient mystic land is much more colourful than that - with a stunning variety of flora and fauna waiting to be enjoyed. And Co. Wexford, located in the southeast corner of the island, is particularly rich in its diversity of wildlife and habitats. Bordered by a mountain range on its western flank and by seas to the east and south, Co Wexford is a feast for the senses - with spectacular coastlines and islands, rolling hills, rich patchwork countryside, rugged cliffs, ever changing sand-dune systems, brackish lagoons, large estuaries and meandering streams and rivers. Come with us and explore all this natural beauty in 'Wexford's Wild Heritage'. This book encompasses the locations visited and the wildlife experienced by Alan, Chris and Don during a year-long recording of a radio series. Page after colourful page features wonderful wildlife photos and unique artwork. The images speak for themselves with just a smattering of explanatory text to help with locations and identifications. You don't have to be Irish to appreciate and enjoy 'Wexford's Wild Heritage, a wildlife book produced by people like yourself with a love for the natural world. The enthusiastic people who contributed their time and knowledge to help us achieve our goal made our journey through the seasons even more enjoyable. We express our sincere gratitude to you all. Based on 'Wexford's Wild Heritage', a twenty-five part Radio Series grant-aided by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and broadcast by South East Radio this publication brings together some of the natural wildlife delights of Co. Wexford. The opportunity for the Wildside Team to explore Co. Wexford, which is not only steeped in history, but can boast such rich and varied landscapes, was a tremendous privilege. There are many un-spoilt areas to discover that are a feast for the senses - stunning coastlines and islands, rolling hills, rich patchwork countryside, rugged cliffs, ever changing sand-dune systems, brackish lagoons, large estuaries and meandering streams and rivers. And it is the flora and fauna, both resident and migrant, to be found in these habitats that we have tried to encompass within the pages of this book. The twelve months we spent visiting as many locations as we could around the County happened to coincide with some of the wettest and coldest weather on record for decades. In spite of this we had some wonderful wildlife encounters -- from the top of Mount Leinster to the rocky outcrop of Hook Head, from Camolin Woods to the Ballyteigue Dunes, from the Slaney to Great Saltee - our yearlong journey through Co. Wexford's seasons was inspirational. The enthusiastic people who contributed their time and knowledge to help us achieve our goal made that journey easier and more enjoyable. We express our sincere gratitude to you all. Lets hope this book will encourage you to get out and discover more of what our amazing County has to offer -- Wexford's Wild Heritage.

These glorious hills, rightly described as an area of outstanding natural beauty, contain a treasure trove of spectacular views, along with flowers and wildlife just asking to be photographed. In the following pages I take you through the seasons, offering just a taste of what can be seen, in the hope that it will tempt you to explore this wonderful countryside for yourselves. From hidden gems like the stone crocodile head on a fresh water spring in Compton Abdale, and fearsome gargoyles staring down at you from ancient churches, to the grandeur of castles and the splendour of stately homes, I hope to bring the Cotswolds alive for you with the help of my camera. So as not to spoil the images with excess wording I have let the pictures speak for theirselves but at the back of the book you will find a page-by-page explanation of the photographs, along with the locations. This book was made possible by the help and kindness shown to me by the various attractions, allowing me to roam freely over their properties in search of interesting views, fascinating artefacts and plentiful wildlife

‘The Gustav Holst Way’ is the first guidebook to describe the 35-mile rambling route across the Cotswolds to celebrate the life and work of the composer Gustav Holst. Published exactly 100 years after Holst began work on The Planets, the route visits many of the places that were important to the young Holst as his musical career took wing. Among the highlights are the house in Cheltenham where he was born (now the Holst Birthplace Museum) and several venues in the Cotswolds where he played, conducted and taught music. The richly illustrated guidebook divides the walk into five easy/moderate sections (with four optional detours) and includes detailed maps, points of historical interest and all the practical information you need to follow in Gustav Holst’s footsteps from Cranham to Wyck Rissington. The Holst Birthplace Museum Gustav Holst, one of England’s greatest composers, was born in a Regency terraced house in Cheltenham in 1874. The house has been carefully restored and converted into a ‘living museum’ that captures the atmosphere of the era, both above and below stairs. The most eye-catching of the museum’s collection of 3,000 items is the piano on which Holst composed The Planets, as popular as ever nearly 100 years after it was published. Step inside the Museum and see the piano Holst used to compose The Planets. Find out how he developed into a world-class composer by examining and listening to original manu*s written when he was a schoolboy in Cheltenham. "