My latest book is, as of May 11, officially in the shops and online – and it’s a particularly special one. I’ve been working with BBC Springwatch, BBC Books and Penguin since the end of last summer to create the first walk book to accompany the UK’s favourite nature series.

Ever since 2005 Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch have been thrilling audiences nationwide with their insightful looks into the wildlife that thrives on our very own doorsteps here in the British Isles, celebrating everything from the world’s longest-running study of red deer behaviour on Scotland’s Isle of Rum to avocets, the RSPB’s emblem, breeding on their Suffolk Minsmere reserve. Now, there is a new walk book to get readers out exploring the lovely landscapes captured in these programmes over the last 18 years.

This is a walk book with a difference – and I’m not just saying that because I wrote it! Most walk books take you on walks to places humans deem special or significant. This book takes you to the places wildlife deems special or significant. You won’t find much-climbed peaks or popular beauty spots in this book – not unless wildlife frequents them. More often than not, this book transports you out into the spellbinding but rarely championed parts of English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish countryside, on hiking routes that visit the places perfect for spotting our most iconic fauna and flora.

It truly is a beautiful book, with evocative introductions and background information on the destinations covered brought to life by sketches of iconic wildlife featured on the walks, and with a foreword by Chris Packham. It will take you on a journey from the Isles of Scilly to Snowdonia to Shetland; from Canterbury to the Causeway Coast, with 100 mapped routes to get you out to the places Britain’s most wonderful wildlife calls home, and a bunch of fine detail down to the best place to park and the most interesting sights on the walks themselves.

The journey wasn’t always easy – not when I was trail-running some of these routes on dark winter days! – but the result really is one you have to witness. I feel this book encapsulates many of the spots in the UK Springwatch have enjoyed capturing and I have best loved walking in over the years. And, as you will hopefully see if you order on the link below, this book contains many more than 100 ideas for days out in the British Isles, will get you out into some little-known countryside – and intimately acquainted with it, too.

Springwatch: Great British Walks – 100 Wildlife Walks Through Our Beautiful Countryside

Categories: Travel/Reference Books, UK TravelTags: Adventure Travel, BBC, BBC Books, england, england travel, hiking, Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland travel, Penguin, scotland, Scotland travel, Springwatch, travel reference books, UK Travel, wales, Wales travel, walking, wilderness, wildlife