Collins Ramblers Best Walks in Britain - Top Hiking Trails & Scenic Routes for Outdoor Adventures | Perfect for Nature Lovers & Travel Enthusiasts

"Ramblers Best Walks Britain: 75 of Britain's Best Walks" makes for a nice celebration of 75 years of the Ramblers' Association of Britain. As a coffee table book, to browse through on long winter evenings, it is all that it needs to be -- 280+ pages, offering a mix of informative and descriptive text, maps and full page photographs. If you want an overview of the kind of terrain, and the walking opportunities to be offered in England, Scotland or Wales (but not Northern Ireland, note) then this book certainly provides that, and offers some very beautiful photographs of it all, to boot.Unfortunately, its large and heavy format means that the book is all but useless out in the field, or up on the fells -- there is no way anyone would want to take this with them, tucked into a rucksack, or under the arm (or even trans-Atlantic in a suitcase); it is far too heavy and bulky and is unlikely to benefit for exposure to any inclement weather conditions. Nor, with only 75 walks in total, does it offer anything other than a sampling of the rambling opportunities that any area may have to cover, giving the reader nothing more than a taste of the delights that the British countryside has in store. But if all you want is the big picture, look no further.As a book to read, sitting by the fire, glass in hand, and imagination free to roam, this book is sure to delight any who love to be out and about, looking at new things and new places, at those times when they are able to be doing it for real. As a guide to actually doing it, though, it is sorely flawed -- buy it to read, and to look through for vacation ideas, or to help you get more from a trip to the UK; don't try using it as a guidebook!