Books
THE WATER REMEDY
Folklore, ritual and wisdom
The elemental pull of water is irresistible, whether it’s to bathe, swim, shower, splash about, sail or simply paddle. We are drawn to it not just for pleasure but for its healing and wellbeing benefits. Destinations, from holy wells to mysterious lakes and enchanted rivers, also have spiritual meaning and are shrouded in myths and folklore. This book is a guide to some of the best places in Wales and the UK to enjoy being with water, inspiring us to see beyond its day-to-day domestic use so that we can benefit from its spiritual and restorative powers. Published on 24 April (Calon) 2025
‘The pull of water is irresistible; we are drawn to it, not just because without it we would not survive, but because of its beauty and because it is a source of healing and wellbeing.’
LITTLE WILD LIBRARY : nettles, clover, dandelion
Simple things to do with the plants around you
The first three books in this exciting new series – Nettles, Clover and Dandelion – will be published on 18 March 2025 (Verbena). Each is a pocket-sized beginner’s guide to foraging with everything you need to know about each plant. Contents include folklore, how to harvest, health benefits, and loads of recipes and easy makes to make the most of often over-looked but fascinating and useful wild plants.
‘There are few better ways to start the day than setting off on a summer morning with a basket over one arm to search for wild plants. You become immersed in the natural world; a part of it rather than just a passerby.’
THE MAGIC OF SEEDS
The nature-lover's guide to growing garden flowers and herbs from seed
A beautifully illustrated guide to harvesting the seeds of 100 different garden plants and flowers, with advice on when and how to sow them, and where and when to plant them out. Alongside this hands-on guidance, there are snippets of folklore and traditions to enhance an appreciation of nature and the inherent magic of seeds.
‘There is something poetical about seeds: they arrive via scented blossom, fat pods, flamboyant blooms and sweet fruit, then drop into the soft earth to germinate and grow.’
Your magical garden
Harness the power of the elements to create an enchanted outdoor space
One of the main reasons I bought my house in Herefordshire was the garden. Surrounded by woodland and with views of distant hills, it felt like a special, magical place. I wanted to reflect this in its design and choice of plants. So I tuned into the five elements to create a place of contemplation, meditation, ritual, and connection to nature and the earth. This book tells you how I did it.
‘I am beginning to understand my little patch of land and how I can work with it and the elements to create something truly magical.’
Simple Pleasures: life’s little joys
Find happiness in 100 simple things
This little book celebrates the everyday things that bring me joy, from the feel of fresh sheets to whistling, rocking chairs and the joy of daydreaming. I like to think of it as balm for the soul and the perfect antidote to a pressurised, disconnected modern world. I hope you share the delight of some of the simple pleasures or might consider them if you don’t!
‘The joy of these simple pleasures is that they can be found amid the humdrum business of daily life.’
50 Things to do in the Urban Wild
Green refuges and outdoor spaces are more important now than ever – connecting with them gives us a break from our stressful, tech-consumed lives and is a way to boost our wellbeing and happiness.
Nature is waiting for us to discover it, even in the most urban environment. This book has ways to do just that, from going on a night safari, to making a worm farm or creating a one-pot allotment. Two hundred illustrations help you along the way.
The Witch’s Yearbook
Spells, stones and rituals for a year of modern magic
Based on the cycles of nature and guided by the seasons, this book gives you the tools and knowhow to unveil the magic that surrounds us. By celebrating the eight festivals of the Wheel of the Year, you will work with nature to activate your hidden power and trigger miraculous happenings. Witchcraft can attract love, give your career a boost, protect your home and help with healing. It will enrich your life.
It includes:
- Seasonal spells, remedies, rituals and affirmations that use the power of plants, herbs and stones to offer guidance and healing.
- Features including crystal gazing, dowsing, reading the Tarot, the magic of stone circles and folklore traditions, to increase knowledge and inspire curiosity.
- Creative projects with a witchy purpose that can be used in rituals and spells.
Whether you are a solitary hedge witch, part of a coven, a practising witch or an aspiring one, this book will furnish you with the vital knowledge to enrich your journey and to sprinkle magic and enchantment over the everyday.
‘Do you wonder if there is something beyond the grind of the everyday? Do you believe in magic?’
Sacred Places
Where to find wonder in the world
Wellness travellers are seeking transformative experiences – wellness is, by nature, a journey and a quest. The concept of transformative travel is about finding experiences through trips that shift perspective and allow digital detoxing, connection with oneself, nature, communities and a sense of the bigger picture in life.
Sacred Places is an exploration for seekers of unusual and enlightening destinations, for both armchair travelling and as inspiration for future journeys. The book is as much about experiences as describing the wonder of the place. Examples include plant medicine ceremonies in South America, walking the Camino Way, Stonehenge on the winter solstice, wild swimming in Iceland’s sacred hot springs and silent retreats. Readers will also learn about the history and geography of the place, significant stories, dates to visit, myths, legends and ceremonies.
‘You’ll feel utterly transformed’
Sunday Times
‘Helps adds a spiritual depth to our wanderings’
The Simple Things
Beyond the Footpath
Mindful adventures for modern pilgrims
A book to take you on a journey to places of spiritual or personal significance, and show you how to travel in a way that enhances your connection to the world and to yourself. Whether you choose a long-distance trail, an ascent of an awe-inspiring mountain, a walk in an ancient forest, a journey to a temple, stone circle or sacred garden, or simply a lunchtime stroll to somewhere special, it has suggestions and tips to inspire you to open the door and walk into a world of wonder.
‘A treasure trove of inspiration…[Beyond the Footpath] shows us how to make the most of the calm beauty of the natural world that surrounds us, as well as offering practical guidance on where to find – and how to travel to – those special places.’
Raynor Winn, best-selling author of The Salt Path
‘Inspirational yet practical. With mindful exercises and tracks to take. Discover the benefits of being a modern pilgrim’
Country Living
‘A brilliant solution to restoring balance and rediscovering meaning’
The Simple Things
‘… while the amount of people to have walked to the Camino now seems to outnumber those who haven’t, this book widens its gaze, serving a rare secular view …as well as challenges that tug at the soul…’
Wilderness Magazine
Hidden Villages of Britain
Inspired by the popular Channel 4 programme ‘Penelope Keith’s Hidden Villages’, this book explores the most interesting and beautiful examples of British villages. Using the Batstford guides of the 1930s as a starting point, it is a journey around tucked-away places, from honey-coloured Cotswolds cottages to Scottish fishing communities. Along the way it explores village traditions, encompassing folklore, history and newer ways of life.
The National Trust Book of the Coast
A trip around the British coastline, from saltmarsh to dune systems to spectacular beaches. Published to celebrate 50 years of the National Trust’s Neptune Coastline Campaign, it focuses on the shoreline in the National Trust’s care. Alongside descriptions and history of the coast, there are suggestions of things to do, wildlife to see and six essays by notable writers.
Brownsea Island Guidebook
An informative and lively account of the National Trust nature reserve in Poole Harbour, including tales of eccentric owners, wartime activities, the birth of the Scouting movement and red squirrels.
Gower Peninsula Guidebook
An in-depth look at this peninsula in South Wales, including history and wildlife. Discover caves that were home to Prehistoric people and smugglers’ haunts; where to find otters, wading birds and rare plants; and how the writer Dylan Thomas once got stranded on Worms Head overnight. Seven walks with step-by-step instructions, ranging from gentle one-mile wanders to longer, more challenging excursions, are the perfect way to get to know the Peninsula by foot, while a fold-out Spotter’s Guide helps identify species you’ll spot here, including birds, butterflies and plants.
