No Boat Required by Peter Caton
When is an island not an island? Peter Caton takes us to all four corners of England, Scotland and Wales to find out. Sharing our nation’s fascination with islands, Peter sets out to be the first person to visit all 43 tidal islands which can be walked to from the UK mainland. Along the way he faces many challenges: precipitous cliffs, vicious dogs, disappearing footpaths, lost bus drivers, fast tides, quicksand and enormous quantities of mud, but also experiences wonderfully scenic journeys by road, rail and on foot. He contrasts the friendly welcome from most islanders and owners with the reluctance of others to permit visits, and tells how he was thrown off one secret island. An entertaining narrative illustrated with colour photographs, No Boat Required contains a wealth of information as the author unearths many little known facts and stories. It tells of the solitude of the many remote islands and the difficulties of balancing the needs of people and wildlife. We learn of the islands’ varied histories – stories of pirates, smugglers, murder and ghosts, of battles with Vikings, an island claimed by punks and another with its own king. He writes of the beauty of the islands and our coast, and reflects on how these may be affected by climate change. In No Boat Required Peter Caton takes us to explore islands, some familiar but most which few of us know exist and even fewer have visited. He finds that our tidal islands are special places, many with fascinating and amusing stories and each one of them different. It adds up to a unique journey around Britain.
Peter Caton was born in 1960 and has always lived in Upminster, Essex. He is married with two children. He has a keen interest in walking, the countryside and conservation and is a member of many environmental organisations. Peter’s first book Essex Coast Walk was published in 2009 and describes a walk along the entire length of the Essex coast.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781848767010 |
| ISBN 10 | 1848767013 |
| Title | No Boat Required |
| Author | Peter Caton |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Troubador Publishing |
| Year published | 2011-09-01 |
| Number of pages | 400 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |