From the very centre of England - literally, as his village is furthest from the sea - he travels to its outermost edges. The Green Road into the Trees is a journey made rich by the characters he meets along the way. And the ways he takes are the old ways, the drover-paths and tracks, the paths and ditches half covered by bramble and tunnelled by alder, beech and oak: the trails that can still be traced by those who know where to look. Just as in his acclaimed book about Peru, The White Rock, Hugh shows how older, half-forgotten cultures lie much closer to the surface than we may think. In recent years, archaeologists have uncovered remarkable findings about the Celts, Saxons and Vikings that have often yet to reach the wider public. Travelling along the Icknield Way, Hugh passes the great prehistoric monuments of Maiden Castle, Stonehenge and Avebury, before ending at the Wash near Seahenge. By taking a 400 mile journey from coast to coast, through both the sacred and profane landscapes of ancient England, Hugh casts unexpected light - and humour - on the way we live now.
| ISBN | 1848093322 | | Pages | 320 | | ISBN13 | 9781848093324
(What's this?) | | Weight (grammes) | 616 | | Publisher | Cornerstone | | Published in | London | | Imprint | Preface Publishing | | Height (mm) | 240 | | Format | Hardback | | Width (mm) | 162 | | Publication date | 07 Jun 2012 | | Spine width (mm) | 31 | | DEWEY | 914.104 | | Academic level | General | | DEWEY edition | DC23 | |
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"An immensely enjoyable book: curious, articulate, intellectually playful and savagely candid" -- John Gimlette The Spectator "He records more than impressions: there are fascinating excursions into neglected areas of British history, and conversations with hippies, travellers and farmers, which makes Mr Thomson's journey a joy to follow." Country Life "An ideal companion - knowledgeable, but refreshingly unpretentious" -- Tom Robbins Financial Times "The author travels from the centre of England to its outermost edges, taking in drover paths and old ways, showing how half-forgotten cultures lie much closer to the surface than we may think." Saga Magazine "I would love to walk with Thomson" -- John Sutherland Financial Times
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