index.htmlbooks by Ronald Turnbull


My books so far...

All of my books are guidebooks in the wide sense, combining where-to and how-to with why-to and sometimes why-not-to. The ones that are utilitarian route-descriptions are in the lower table: Guidebooks
[I don’t want the literary stuff, take me to the Guidebooks]
Battle Valleys
A portrait of the Border, where 'every valley has its battle, and every stream its song'. The Border Country, from Dumfries to Berwick and Hadrian's Wall, in history and pictures.
hardback, over 100 photos, Frances Lincoln 2012 ... more
Sandstone and Sea Stacks
A walkers' guide to the geology of Britain's seaside. A follow-up to Granite & Grit, covering in particular the geological periods after the Carboniferous, fossils, water as a geological force and the beach at Crackington Haven.
hardback, 300 photos, diagrams and sketch maps, Frances Lincoln 2011 ... more
OWPG Awards for Excellence: best outdoor book 2012
West Highland Way
The path in pictures. Plus a bit of history, wildlife, geology, cattle thieves, Romantic poets, etc
hardback, 300 photos, diagrams and sketch maps, Frances Lincoln 2010 ... more
Blencathra
A Portrait of the Mountain in words as well as pictures. Underground granite, mystic talking fish, first ascent of Sharp Edge, self-mutilating vicar of Threlkeld, plus about 22 routes up it
hardback, 300 photos, diagrams and sketch maps, Frances Lincoln 2010 ... more
Granite and Grit
A Walkers' Guide to the Geology of British Mountains: the seventeen sorts of stone that make up the UK's mountain ground, how they got there, what they're like to walk on.
hardback, 300 photos, diagrams and sketch maps, Frances Lincoln hardback 2009, paperback 2010. ... more
OWPG Awards for Excellence: best outdoor book 2009
Muir and More
John Muir, his life and walks: the John Muir Trail (California) and the John Muir Way (East Lothian), bears and beards, the deep-fried haggis, the huckleberry, and Henry David Thoreau, with notes on the geology and theology of the high Sierras
hardback, 11 line drawings by Colin Brash, diagrams and sketch maps, Millrace Books 2008. ...more
The Life and Times of the Black Pig
A Biography of Ben Macdui: seventeen routes up, with geology, jokes, and mountain mysteries, plus lifestyle notes on Aberdonians, snow buntings, fairies and wooly hats
hardback, 10 line drawings by Colin Brash, diagrams and sketch maps, Millrace Books 2007. ...more
OWPG Awards for Excellence: best outdoor book 2007
Three Peaks, Ten Tors       OUT OF PRINT
Long-distance and challenge walks in the UK: tools and techniques, routes and reminiscences. The National Three Peaks, the Three Peaks of Yorkshire, and 13 other routes.
plastic-encased paperback, photos, diagrams and sketch maps, Cicerone 2007. ...more
The Riddle of Sphinx Rock
The Life and Times of Great Gable: fifteen routes up, with geology, jokes, and what it means to be a mountain in today's world
hardback, 10 line drawings by Colin Brash, diagrams and sketch maps, Millrace Books 2005. ...more
Pevensey Guide: the Cairngorms
Picture book of the Cairngorms, with history, natural history, legends, jokes etc. Some short walks detailed here and there
large format paperback, 110 colour photos, David & Charles 2002. ...more
   The Book of the Bivvy
Philosophy and technology of the bivvy bag, with accounts of expeditions and various digressions along the way
paperback, some photos colour and b&w, Cicerone 2001, 3rd revision 2010 ...more
OWG Awards for Excellence: best outdoor book 2001
   The Book of the Bivvy (revised 2021)
Twentieth anniversary edition, extensively re-written with rather more about gentler, lower-level expeditions and down-filled sleeping bags. Now in full colour, but still with the same minimalist price-tag. ...more
Coast-to-Coasting (with John Gillham)       OUT OF PRINT
The art of the UK coast-to-coast walk conveyed with equal parts inspiration and perspiration. Eight routes described in words and pictures
hardback, full colour with lots of pictures, David & Charles 1999 ...more
OWG/9feet Awards for Excellence: best outdoor book 2000
Long Days in Lakeland
Walking, running, scrambling but also sitting still and thinking about it. The 3000s walk, the Bob Graham Round, and various odd expeditions.
hardback, b&w and 16 pages of colour photos, Grey Stone 1998 ...more
highly commended Lakeland Book of the Year Award 1999
   Lakeland Mountain Challenges (with Roy Clayton)
The 3000s walk, the Old County Tops, the Eight Great Horseshoes and a walk all the way across; with advice on how to survive.
paperback, b&w pictures and photos, Grey Stone 1999; revised edition 2010 ...more
   Welsh 3000ft Challenges (with Roy Clayton)
The 3000s walk (or run), the Paddy Buckley Round of 47 summits, a Welsh end-to-end, and the 1000m peaks race; with advice on how to survive
paperback, b&w pictures and photos, Grey Stone 1997, partial revision 2003; full revision 2010
Across Scotland on Foot
The art of walking (or running) across Scotland from one side to the other. 7 routes described, with supplementary chapters on nutrition, skills, fitness, looking after the feet and telling a buzzard from an eagle
paperback, b&w pictures and photos, Grey Stone 1994 ...more

[back to the literary stuff]
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Guidebooks
Walking in the Scottish Borders
Greentop styling indicates 'walking' rather than 'mountain walking' and valley, riverside and a coastal walk mixed in with the hills. 'Scottish Borders' here includes the Tweed and its catchment, including the English Cheviots and Ettrick, Moffat and Manor hills extending into Dumfries & Galloway. Some overlap with 'Southern Uplands' but the hill walks here are a bit shorter and easier.
paperback, OS mapping, photos: Cicerone 2020, reprinted 2021 ... more
Walking the Galloway Hills
My home hill range: the chance finally came to write the guidebook!
paperback, OS mapping, photos Cicerone 2019 ... more
The Southern Upland Way by Alan Castle, revision by RT
The coast to coast walk across the Southern Uplands – works best as a beginner's backpack route. Runs 10 miles north of my home. I redid the route description and most of the photos.
paperback, OS mapping, photos, Cicerone, fully revised 2018 ... more
The Jurassic Coast
Coast, and inland hills, between Exmouth and Poole: with special attention to the cliffs, beach pebbles, fossils and landforms
OWPG Awards for Excellence: best guidebook 2015
paperback, OS mapping, diagrams, photos Cicerone 2015, reprinted 2019, 2021 ... more
Walking in the Southern Uplands
The best 43 routes between Edinburgh/Glasgow and the Scotland/England border, over hills from Merrick to Arthur's Seat
paperback, OS mapping, photos Cicerone 2014 ... more
   Walking Ben Lomond, Rannoch and Atholl
Originally published as 'Highland Perthshire'. 80 routes, high low, and through the big bit between Lomond-Trossach and Cairngorms national parks. Includes Ben Alder and the Bridge of Orchy group
paperback, OS mapping and sketch maps, photos Cicerone 2013, reprinted with new name 2020 ... more
NOT the West Highland Way
Options above and alongside the path, and wider-ranging beginner backpack paths between Loch Lomond and Fort William
paperback, OS mapping and sketch maps, photos Cicerone 2010 ... more
St Cuthbert's Way
The path from Melrose to Lindisfarne in the useful Rucksack Readers' format. Options over the Cheviot, plus muddy pilgrim path to Holy Island.
waterproof paperback, spiral bound, Rucksack Readers 2009 ...no more just yet unless I do a webpage
   Walking Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
70 walks covering the national park's lowland, moorland, lower hills, and all the Munros
paperback, OS mapping and sketch maps, photos Cicerone 2009 ... more
   Ben Nevis and Glen Coe
100 walks, scrambles and through routes, covering lowland, moorland and lower hills, and all the Munros, south as far as Ben Cruachan
paperback, OS mapping and sketch maps, photos Cicerone 2007 ...more
   Walking in the Cairngorms
over 100 walks, scrambles and through routes, covering forests and riversides, moorland and lower hills, and all the Munros
paperback, OS mapping and sketch maps, photos Cicerone 2005 ...more
Walking in Scottish Highlands
a 'superb selection' of 20 routes among some nice photos not by me. Some of these walks may appear in other AA walks books says the Introduction; in fact all 20 are from 50 Walks in Scottish Highlands & Islands, my 2003 book below. AA 2006
   50 Walks in Scottish Highlands & Islands
valley and mid-level walks, up to 2500ft (750m), 2-10 miles (3-15 km) with appearances by Bonnie Prince Charlie, the midge, and the MacDonalds of Glencoe on a cattle raid
paperback, sketch maps, AA 2003; revised (mostly by me) edition 2009
  50 Walks: Somerset
on the Levels and up the seven hill ranges of the county. Brief mentions for the sabre-tooth tiger, the bittern, and King Alfred.
paperback, sketch maps, AA 2002; revised edition 2009
   Ramblers’ Guide: Lake District (with John Gillham)
30 mountain and valley walks in the Lake District, with colour pictures and Harvey map extracts
large paperback, 100 colour photos, HarperCollins 1999, revised edition 2011 ...more
Walking the Lowther Hills       OUT OF PRINT
40 hill walks in Dumfries & Galloway, but excluding the Galloway Hills: so the Lowthers, Carsphairn Hills, Criffel, Screel and Cairnsmore of Fleet
paperback, some photos colour and b&w, sketch maps, Cicerone 1999 ...more
Coast to Coast Trail Guide        OUT OF PRINT
Route description and some background chit-chat for Wainwright’s classic walk from St Bees (Cumbria) to Robin Hood’s Bay (Yorkshire).
paperback, sketch maps, Dalesman 1998
OWG/Cola Award: best guidebook 1998

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