The Best of Wainwright: A Personal Selection

by Hunter Davis (Editor)

Wainwright's biographer selects twenty of his and Wainwright's favorite mountains and eloquently and entertainingly introduces them to the reader, with an account of how they came to be chosen.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Walking, Reference, British Literature

Hardcover

First published February 1, 2010

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me be clear... I have 'issues' with the Lake District and have had since I was five years old. Give me the Peak District any day (not least because the 'peaks' are not generally real peaks) Realistically, I am probably stuck down nearer the honeypots rather than high on the majestic fells. Yet this selection by Hunter Davies from Alfred Wainwright's iconic Pictorial Guides to the Fells captivated me.

I've always found the idea of the Pictorial Guides attractive, with all the ingredients of a volume that feels good in the hand, and this collection seems to be a great introduction to Wainwright's work - fittingly as it has been made by fellow Lakeland resident and Wainwright biographer Hunter Davies. Davies sets the works in context and whets your appetite for each successive fell selection. You are then free to enjoy the format - the description of each location, the ascent routes, the summit, the ridge routes, the views and the all important descents all lovingly drawn and annotated with a dry, mischievous humour I had not expected.

I still felt really, really uncomfortable reading about Helvellyn though!