Countryside Book Club – spring 2025

Our new PR and Comms assistant, likes nothing better than to curl up with a good book. Read this article to find her top picks for books this March. Happy reading!

The Salt Path – Raynor Winn

A remarkable true story of a couple who lose their home and their health. With nothing to lose, they decide to set on a remarkable walk of the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path. A testament to love, endurance and of the remarkable healing that can come from being outside, this book helps you to appreciate every step of your own path. We follow Ray and Moth’s journey, whilst marvelling at the wonder of nature and its ability to restore.

Wintering – Katherine May

A book that combines the author’s life with remarkable stories of others, showing that by slowing down and resting we can heal. Through recovering with nature, we too can become more resilient. In a world focused on productivity over wellbeing, May explores how different people embrace rest in different parts of the world. She examines the importance of looking to nature for the blueprint on how we can live fulfilled lives.

Wilding – By Isabella Tree

This story is the true testament of a couple who decided to turn their 3,500 acres of land from being intensely farmed to being rewilded. Now home to endangered species a-plenty, this project highlights what happens when nature is left to its own devices. It presents how important all creatures and insects are to our ecosystem and how crucial this is. This book is available as a novel and as an illustrated guide for families too!

Waterlog – By Rodger Deakin

Now considered a classic within nature writing, Waterlog is Deakin’s diary. Written whilst attempting to swim as much of the British Isles as possible, this is a remarkable read. His task was inspired by a short story Deakin himself read, when young. Through it we see how many of our rivers, pools and streams are being lost to pollution and poor planning. We also see the wonderful community that can arise from appreciating our natural resources.

Losing Eden – Why Our Minds Need The Wild by Lucy Jones

Through research and real-life stories, Jones argues how crucial nature is to our lives. She examines why connecting with the natural world is so vital for our health, using stories from all over the world as evidence to inspire change. A fascinating read.

If you try any of these books, let us know what you think on our socials and look out for our next book picks in the coming months. You can buy online from a local independent bookshop at Bookshop.

Or – as all of these books have been out for a while – why not borrow one from your nearest library?