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Shining Levels: The Story of a Man Who Went Back to Nature
John Wyatt first encountered the Lake District during a boyhood camping trip to Windermere. He was overwhelmed by the freedom of the landscape and the closeness to nature he felt. It was as if he belonged here, amongst the fells, the crags and the endless horizon. This call to the wild stayed with him, becoming so powerful that one day he did what many only dream of: he left a steady job and his town life to become a forestry worker in a Lakeland wood at Cartmel Fell. This is one of the finest books ever written on the Lake District. Like Thoreau, John Wyatt embraced the simplicity of living alone in a woodland hut, immersing himself in a life made rich by birdsong, foraging for food the smell of woodsmoke, and the extraordinary companionship of Buck, a young roe deer discovered in the woods.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 25, 2018
People are affected by the grand vistas of the Lake District in many ways, many return year after year to climb the same hills, to bask in the tranquillity of the lakes or to just enjoy the peace away from the hubris of modern life. John Wyatt's first experience of this part of the country was when he visited in the cub scouts and it deeply affected him.
A few years later he was working for the Telegraph in Manchester, but the draw of the lakes still had him, so he applied for the job of forest worker at Cartmel Fell. He ended up in a simple hut that had a bed, a stove and very little else. The work was simple and hard, but he relished the task as he was living in the place that he loved the most. One day everything changed when two boys brought him a young fawn that they had found and thought was ill. He explained that it had probably been hidden by its mother who'd return later, but by then it was too late. Wyatt had gained a charge, that he came to call Buck.
If you are expecting wide panoramas of the beautiful landscapes of the lakes then this is probably not the book for you, there is a fair amount about the comradery of the people who he worked with and who he lived near but the majority of this book is about John caring for a young roe deer that was to become a great, semi-wild companion. The antics of Buck would regularly startle and surprise those who would not expect a wild animal to have such a close association with a human. Wyatt may not have had many possessions when he was a woodsman, but he had a life that had riches that no one else could buy.
A few years later he was working for the Telegraph in Manchester, but the draw of the lakes still had him, so he applied for the job of forest worker at Cartmel Fell. He ended up in a simple hut that had a bed, a stove and very little else. The work was simple and hard, but he relished the task as he was living in the place that he loved the most. One day everything changed when two boys brought him a young fawn that they had found and thought was ill. He explained that it had probably been hidden by its mother who'd return later, but by then it was too late. Wyatt had gained a charge, that he came to call Buck.
If you are expecting wide panoramas of the beautiful landscapes of the lakes then this is probably not the book for you, there is a fair amount about the comradery of the people who he worked with and who he lived near but the majority of this book is about John caring for a young roe deer that was to become a great, semi-wild companion. The antics of Buck would regularly startle and surprise those who would not expect a wild animal to have such a close association with a human. Wyatt may not have had many possessions when he was a woodsman, but he had a life that had riches that no one else could buy.
August 22, 2022
5 star nature writing here from John Wyatt.
His passion for the outdoor spaces of the Lake District really shines through in this account of his time spent as a "forestry worker" (loose job description, more an outdoor handyman).
Wyatt shows a zen-like, almost Buddhist approach to his surroundings, to the living organisms he co-exists with. He treats them with respect and tenderness and is genuinely curious about the world around him.
The greatest part of the tale however, is the relationship between him and the reluctantly rescued Buck, the roe deer who children bring to him as a fawn, thinking its been abandoned by its mother. The retelling of this relationship is hauntingly metaphorical for life itself; the difficulties in raising a vulnerable being, the bond created as in a family, the playfulness of the creature and the burgeoning distance created as Buck grows up and starts to wander off for longer and longer periods.
The writing is beautifully poetic and compassionate, without being overly sentimental.
I absolutely loved this; it kept me company during a bout of infuriating insomnia last night 🥱🥱🥱🥱🥴🥴🥴🥴. Thank you Mr Wyatt.
His passion for the outdoor spaces of the Lake District really shines through in this account of his time spent as a "forestry worker" (loose job description, more an outdoor handyman).
Wyatt shows a zen-like, almost Buddhist approach to his surroundings, to the living organisms he co-exists with. He treats them with respect and tenderness and is genuinely curious about the world around him.
The greatest part of the tale however, is the relationship between him and the reluctantly rescued Buck, the roe deer who children bring to him as a fawn, thinking its been abandoned by its mother. The retelling of this relationship is hauntingly metaphorical for life itself; the difficulties in raising a vulnerable being, the bond created as in a family, the playfulness of the creature and the burgeoning distance created as Buck grows up and starts to wander off for longer and longer periods.
The writing is beautifully poetic and compassionate, without being overly sentimental.
I absolutely loved this; it kept me company during a bout of infuriating insomnia last night 🥱🥱🥱🥱🥴🥴🥴🥴. Thank you Mr Wyatt.
May 2, 2024
I read this in my very early twenties and wanted to live this life so much. I had forgotten how well written it is and was surprised how much of the imagery has remained with me for almost two decades. I am still waiting to find my own little lost roe deer, though.
June 9, 2018
One of the classic rural memoirs has been brought back in to print in this fantastic edition from Little Toller Books illustrated with etchings by Norman Ackroyd. The 'shining levels' of the title are the tarns and lakes of the Lake District, although this is distinctly not a book about tourist Lakeland, or even about the fells and lakes. It is the story, first published in 1972, of one man's working life in a remote forest in the southern Lakes. John Wyatt was a self-taught writer, with a real understanding of nature and rural working life - both of which he brings to life with sensitive, crystal clear prose. I've been meaning to read this for some time, and I'm glad that I waited for such a beautiful edition before doing so. C
December 27, 2023
This book contains some of the most beautiful passages of nature writing I've ever read. Wyatt's prose is gorgeous and so precise, and I really appreciated how much he basked in the detail of the birds, plants and animals he encountered, as well as giving ample room to describing his friends and fellow countrymen and the communities they lived amongst in the Lakes. Wyatt speaks as someone who isn't of the Lakes by birth, with a sense of slight abstraction from everything that makes it all the more accessible, but his passion for the land, its people, and its flora and fauna rings out above everything else. An inspiring, heartfelt, magical book, and one I'll keep going back to for advice on which plants to nibble when I'm out rambling!
July 22, 2018
“True solitude is not loneliness. It is a great one-ness. One with everything: the cool grass, the deer, the glade, the wood, the countryside; this thin layer of gas which gives our world life; the planet, the galaxy, the universe. It is not a loss; but a gift of wholeness. A wholeness with everything; body, spirit, mind, and the whole level of attention. A wholeness in the one moment of time poised on eternity.”
Wyatt’s autobiographical account reads like a more coherent version of Thoreau's Walden, which I feel is unfairly the more famous classic in the genre. He describes his life as a forester in the Lake District in the early 1960s. Most of the time he lives in a rudimentary hut, but he brings himself closer to nature by spending prolonged periods in a self-made shelter. In lyrical prose Wyatt expresses his deep love of nature in describing the ins and outs of his life and job, the characters he meets and the natural environment he lives and works in.
Wyatt eventually went on to be the first Chief Warden of the Lake District national park and its chief ranger for 25 years.
He died in 2006 and The Guardian ran a nice obituary, which can be found here:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006...
Wyatt’s autobiographical account reads like a more coherent version of Thoreau's Walden, which I feel is unfairly the more famous classic in the genre. He describes his life as a forester in the Lake District in the early 1960s. Most of the time he lives in a rudimentary hut, but he brings himself closer to nature by spending prolonged periods in a self-made shelter. In lyrical prose Wyatt expresses his deep love of nature in describing the ins and outs of his life and job, the characters he meets and the natural environment he lives and works in.
Wyatt eventually went on to be the first Chief Warden of the Lake District national park and its chief ranger for 25 years.
He died in 2006 and The Guardian ran a nice obituary, which can be found here:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006...
June 6, 2019
I wasn't surprised to learn after finishing The Shining Level that it has been re-published by Little Toller, experts in bringing back forgotten environmental writing. Despite my perpetual ambivalence about the English Lake District (childhood 'trauma') and my limited patience for 'survivalism' I very much enjoyed John Wyatt's account of his experiences whilst working on the land there.
A good deal of the book involves Buck, the roe deer he was lumbered with due to misguided intervention by children. It was interesting to see the way in which he functioned as part of the human landscape: his co-workers and friends (there is a fine tale about buying a piano at an auction), his employer whom he assisted in moth-collection and observed deer stalking. His style is dry and there is a good deal of unforced humour in the book. I appreciated the way he went with the flow and the insights provided by his curiosity.
A good deal of the book involves Buck, the roe deer he was lumbered with due to misguided intervention by children. It was interesting to see the way in which he functioned as part of the human landscape: his co-workers and friends (there is a fine tale about buying a piano at an auction), his employer whom he assisted in moth-collection and observed deer stalking. His style is dry and there is a good deal of unforced humour in the book. I appreciated the way he went with the flow and the insights provided by his curiosity.
October 16, 2021
"True solitude is not a loneliness, it is a great oneness."
Simply captivating, a gorgeous classic of nature writing that will leave you desperate to abandon all comforts and connections and live in the woods. Wyatt narrates the minutiae and mishaps of daily life living on only what nature can provide with a candid honesty and sparkling humour, and regularly lapses into wide-eyed, philosophical awe at the natural world, and our place within it, that will leave you breathless.
PS: don't read the Melvin Bragg introduction until after you've finished the book, Bragg literally describes everything that happens including the ending. One has to wonder what the point in some of these introductions is really, other than to perhaps attract readers to a lost cult classic with a more widely known name. Aside from the slightly auxiliary introduction however, I can't fault the Little Toller Nature Classics series, all beautifully produced with original artwork.
Simply captivating, a gorgeous classic of nature writing that will leave you desperate to abandon all comforts and connections and live in the woods. Wyatt narrates the minutiae and mishaps of daily life living on only what nature can provide with a candid honesty and sparkling humour, and regularly lapses into wide-eyed, philosophical awe at the natural world, and our place within it, that will leave you breathless.
PS: don't read the Melvin Bragg introduction until after you've finished the book, Bragg literally describes everything that happens including the ending. One has to wonder what the point in some of these introductions is really, other than to perhaps attract readers to a lost cult classic with a more widely known name. Aside from the slightly auxiliary introduction however, I can't fault the Little Toller Nature Classics series, all beautifully produced with original artwork.
March 9, 2016
John Wyatt, a “townie”, has an affinity with the country, especially the Lake District. He is given the opportunity to work there, protecting woodland.
He lives in a woodlanders hut and despite his youth (20s?) he is regarded as having a special bond with wildlife by some of the locals. For this reason, some of the children bring a newly born roe deer to him, orphaned and likely to die. He nurtures the deer, a buck, and the story of its development and involvement in JW's life is fascinating, as is the author's writing of the life of the woodland – intimately observed.
A beautifully written book, tender, moving and not without humour.
He lives in a woodlanders hut and despite his youth (20s?) he is regarded as having a special bond with wildlife by some of the locals. For this reason, some of the children bring a newly born roe deer to him, orphaned and likely to die. He nurtures the deer, a buck, and the story of its development and involvement in JW's life is fascinating, as is the author's writing of the life of the woodland – intimately observed.
A beautifully written book, tender, moving and not without humour.
February 13, 2013
A simple, good, heartfelt, fast read that leaves me with a good taste in the brain. A very British naturalist type book by a man who wanted to live naturally, simply, and he did find his "walden pond" in the Lake District. There are some lovely descriptions and very funny bits too, very enjoyable.
May 27, 2017
A memoir that can only warm the heart and make one yearn for a life closer to nature and less full of 'things'. For those of us who love the Lake District it is a book that can only increase that feeling it offers of a connection with nature at its most basic, and its most spiritual. Wonderful.
April 7, 2015
Really good read! Not my usual sort of book but thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography of a countryman working and getting to know the land and wildlife all around him.
December 24, 2016
Moving book about a young man going back to nature in the Lake District in the 1960s. Later became a senior figure in the Lake District National Park.
January 31, 2025
A very wholesome read which plunges you into the natural world beautifully, enhanced by sweet drawings throughout. Buck the young deer has you rooting for him.
February 18, 2018
A definite new favourite.
January 23, 2021
This books means so much to me that when I couldn't find it in the house I bought another copy, I read when I want to be reminded of the non technology world and the importance of nature.
January 20, 2024
This is an account of the author's time living in a hut in a wood in the Lake District. He only mentions that it was after his national service, but online biographies indicate it was set in the early 1960s.
I loved his descriptions of the hut and the wildlife surrounding it. During his time there, he raises a roe fawn, which is brought to him by children who mistakenly believe it has been abandoned. His account of his life with 'Buck' is finely observed and filled with love for the animal, while avoiding any sentimentality.
His life in the hut is very simple, but at one point, he decides he wants to live even more simply and see how little he needs to survive. He builds a shelter deeper in the wood, and also makes an oven out of slate and stone. It's fascinating learning how he overcame the various challenges of such a spartan life - I especially liked his account of moving his fire last thing at night, so that he could make his bed on the ground where the fire had just been, thus benefitting from 'underfloor heating'! Fascinating to read about, although I wouldn't like to experience it myself.
I loved his attention to detail, whether it's describing a surprise encounter with a red deer stag at sunset, when "its coat glowed like fire, its great antlers gleamed like red-hot metal" or designing the "ideal after-dinner mixture" of wood for an open fire. Sights, scents, smells, sounds and textures all spring to life on the page. And I loved reading about his day to day life.
I lost interest slightly during the sections that discuss his employer, the major, and especially when Wyatt goes moth-hunting for him. I felt this became quite repetitive. I also found some of his philosophising about the meaning of life to be a bit tedious. But overall, an interesting, beautifully written book with some nice touches of humour that is recommended for anyone who enjoys reading about British nature or the Lake District.
I loved his descriptions of the hut and the wildlife surrounding it. During his time there, he raises a roe fawn, which is brought to him by children who mistakenly believe it has been abandoned. His account of his life with 'Buck' is finely observed and filled with love for the animal, while avoiding any sentimentality.
His life in the hut is very simple, but at one point, he decides he wants to live even more simply and see how little he needs to survive. He builds a shelter deeper in the wood, and also makes an oven out of slate and stone. It's fascinating learning how he overcame the various challenges of such a spartan life - I especially liked his account of moving his fire last thing at night, so that he could make his bed on the ground where the fire had just been, thus benefitting from 'underfloor heating'! Fascinating to read about, although I wouldn't like to experience it myself.
I loved his attention to detail, whether it's describing a surprise encounter with a red deer stag at sunset, when "its coat glowed like fire, its great antlers gleamed like red-hot metal" or designing the "ideal after-dinner mixture" of wood for an open fire. Sights, scents, smells, sounds and textures all spring to life on the page. And I loved reading about his day to day life.
I lost interest slightly during the sections that discuss his employer, the major, and especially when Wyatt goes moth-hunting for him. I felt this became quite repetitive. I also found some of his philosophising about the meaning of life to be a bit tedious. But overall, an interesting, beautifully written book with some nice touches of humour that is recommended for anyone who enjoys reading about British nature or the Lake District.
June 3, 2025
This book feels unique in my nature writing collection. It's not one for long, sweeping landscape descriptions or romantic musings about the beauty of nature - though published in 1973, the language and writing is modern, very readable and enjoyable, and rather than making nature alone the focal point, Wyatt writes beautifully about the people and wildlife that surround him, as well as his daily activities and interests. Somehow it adds up to a brilliant book that I finished in a couple of sittings, and enjoyed immensely. Little Toller's Nature Writing collection generally publishes great works, but this is definitely a highlight for me. Refreshing!
February 28, 2023
Just delightful. John Wyatt has an deep affinity with nature. An affinity few of us will ever realise. This is beautiful writing about his time living a solitary life in the woods of the Lake District. Solitary but not alone. He took on the job of woodsman and his living conditions were as basic as he could make them. This was a conscious choice as he wanted to immerse himself in the environment. He manages to bring the woodlands, which are full of such diversity in plant and animal life, to life so well, that I came away with a feeling of deep appreciation! An exceptional book.
June 17, 2023
This might be an all timer for me, beautiful nature writing and some wonderful characters, not least Buck the lovely deer.
September 30, 2023
What a beautiful book.
September 14, 2024
A gentle book with a focus on animals, especially deer. Laurie Lee like descriptions of countryside living both in solitude and company.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews