Description

‘A wonderful ramble beneath the boughs’ Chris Packham
‘Brilliant and highly readable’ John Wright
‘Spellbinding. A thrilling account’ James Fox
‘Passionate, knowledgeable and immersive’ Tristan Gooley

Step into the woods, and discover the trees that made Britain

Ancient woods are Britain’s richest habitats: rare fragments of our landscape that teem with life from soil to canopy. They live in our collective imagination as quiet places, best left pristine and untouched. But their story has always been one of interdependence with people. Now, as ever, these woods – including remnants of the primeval ‘wildwood’ – need the thoughtful intervention of humans to survive.

With the benefit of over twenty years’ experience rehabilitating ancient woodland – from the Lakes to the Peak District, by way of suburban London’s hidden gems – Luke Barley brings us deep into this hidden world to reveal majestic oaks, freshly coppiced hazels, endangered limes, and the passionate individuals tending them for future generations. As modern woodlanders judiciously cut and fell, the flood of fresh light brings new life and hope to these irreplaceable natural jewels.

With clear-sighted passion and lyrical prose, Barley reveals what we stand to gain, as individuals and as a society, by rekindling our ancient connection with these special places.

Publisher Review

A wonderful ramble beneath the boughs. Barley listens, translates and spins their beautiful ancient yarns — Chris Packham Luke Barley’s spellbinding book dispels decades of myths about our woodlands, showing the reality to be so much more extraordinary. Ancient is a thrilling account of our past that offers a valuable blueprint for our future — James Fox, author of CRAFTLAND A brilliant and highly readable exploration of our surviving ancient woodlands; one written by someone who actually works with them — John Wright, author of THE FORAGER’S CALENDAR A passionate, knowledgeable and immersive guide to these important and magnificent habitats — Tristan Gooley, author of HOW TO READ A TREE Billhook in hand, Barley he hacks through pretension, politics and downright ignorance so that we can see both the wood and the trees. He’s a tremendous companion in the forest — Charles Foster, author of THE EDGES OF THE WORLD Stunning. This beautiful biography of Britain’s ancient woodland demonstrates irrefutably that we humans are a part of nature rather than apart from it’ — Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, author of OUR OAKEN BONES A timely guide to our irreplaceable ancient woodlands offering expert insights into their past and hope for their future — Paul Wood, author of TREE HUNTING Bristles with insight gained through devotion and toil. Ancient is a wise and heartfelt love song to our woodlands, a book that reveals treasure in the trees — Lee Schofield, author of WILD FELL Brilliant. My favourite kind of nature book – one that explores and celebrates the intricate, tangled relationship we share with the natural world — Tiffany Francis-Baker, author of EBB AND FLOW Thoughtfully written and exquisitely attentive to the symbioses between human and nonhuman life in the woods, Ancient reveals history and heritage that hold vital lessons for a greener, happier future — Chantal Lyons, author of GROUNDBREAKERS