BOOK REVIEW
Hostile Habitats 2nd ed
M Wrightham & N Kempe (eds)
(2019, Scottish Mountaineering Trust)

Review by Dave Windle

One of the delights of reviewing books is that you do get to read some excellent books. This book is a case in point. I already have a copy, but the opportunity to go through it again carefully instead of just dipping into it was irresistible.

This book has been required reading for hillwalkers since it was first published in 2006. The authors have managed to find the right balance between “I spy” and going into too much detail. It does an excellent job of informing the average hillwalker with a wealth of photos and diagrams and covers pretty much all that we’re likely to see when out in the hills. Reading it when we get back lets us understand what we’re seeing around us.

Far too often, you come across other hillwalkers, oblivious to what’s around them, intent on pounding their way to the top and then, after a brief rest, onto the next summit. If this describes you, then this is not the book for you.

The book has chapters on Mountain Climate, Geological Foundation, Landscape, Vegetation, Invertebrates, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Human Traces, Future of Our Mountains.

Each chapter contains identification photos and descriptions. One of the strengths of the book is the selection of these identification sections. You want to be able to answer all typical questions without the level of detail that sends you straight to sleep. The individual chapters add up to an excellent reference book for non-specialists such as the typical hillwalker.

The second edition has been updated with updated text reflecting current thinking on the mountain environment, more and better identification photos and improved descriptive photos in some places. The Further Reading advice has been changed significantly to reflect new publications.

I strongly recommend it.

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