Northern Eye Books

The Future of Publishing?

What will the face of publishing look like in the future? I'm sure that's a question that exercises publishers' minds in the wee small hours of the morning. How do we 'keep up to speed'?; how do we make our businesses 'future proof?; what steps should we begin to take NOW to ensure we're still in the game in, say, 10 years' time?

The directors of Northern Eye Books occasionally (LOL) ask ourselves these questions. But it sometimes takes the prompting of outside parties to focus our minds (albeit for the blink of an eye, before our butterfly attention spans are off on some other trivial pursuit).

So, with thanks to Gary Smailes of the innovative new blog 'OneBook', here's what an expert at Pan MacMillan has to say about the likely future of publishing. There are a wealth of good points and links to new ideas here. I especially like the ideas of 'webscriptions' where subscribers pay a monthly or annual fee to have access to all your books' content in digital form.

Take a long, hard look at the ideas suggested in this FREE downloadable PDF, and let us know what you think. See: The Future of Publishing? We all need to give this some thought.

Thanks to Gary for the link, and even bigger thanks, too, to the author, Sara Lloyd. :D

A brilliant synopsis. Thankyou.

Wildflowers at Minera

What a contrast!

Ten days ago I was photographing swathes of bluebells just on the cusp in Bodnook Wood, below Rawhead on Cheshire's Sandstone Trail, and this week I took more pictures in the ash woods that flourish on spoil heaps in Minera, just to the West of Coedpoeth, near Wrexham in North Wales. Now, the Cheshire woods are lovely, leafy and lovable but well walked. But the Welsh woodlands are, well ... different. They're virtually unvisited and FULL of wildflowers in vast masses and burgeoning, old-fashioned diversity. It was like stepping back maybe 50 years or more.

I walked in along the old mineral railway line, and then dropped down a clayey slope to cross an iron stained stream that runs out of the old quarries. Crumbled hills of limestone waste sprinkled with occasional lead ore, and clothed entirely in deep woods, run up the flanking slopes of Eglusham Mountain.

And across all this pit-filled woodland floor are the flowers. And what flowers; it's enough to make you smile ... :)! Bluebells in carpets that make the Cheshire flowers - lovely as they are - look like a mere smattering, intermingled with oceans of wood anemones, and combed floods of ramsons, or wild garlic, just coming into pale bloom and filling the air with their faint garlicky taint. And, here and there, the fountains of unfurling broad buckler ferns burst upwards among the flowers.

Further on, in a disused quarry there were early purple and spotted orchids gathered in clusters beneath the bent hawthorns; nearby were lakes of pale wood violets and small seas of yellow cowslips.

Later, the same area will host bee orchids and then sundew and butterwort. And everywhere there are the fossilised shells of ancient seashells that fell to the ocean bed sometime in the unimaginable past.

It's an inspiring place and one I shall no doubt revisit again and again.

Under Raw Head, Bickerton

Cheshire bluebells are coming into bloom in Bodnook (bird nook) wood, below Raw Head on the Sandstone Trail. Soon the fragrant, mauve-blue flowers will open fully and carpet the woodland floor in those few brief weeks before the leaves open fully in the canopy overhead and block the light.

Last year I spent several days there taking photographs - one or two of which will appear in the 'almost ready' (honest - just the maps to complete :)) ) Walking Cheshire's Sandstone Trail book. Horses grazed in the fields below, pheasants trotted along the woodland boundaries, and the odd peacock butterfly flitted from flower to flower.

There were wood violets along the edges of the wood too, and cow parsley sprinting upwards in the hedgerows.

It's time to visit again and see how the woods are coming along.

Best Wirral Pub Walks

This summer we'll be working on a 160 page Best Wirral Pub Walks book. It'll be similar in style and approach to other Northern Eye Book titles and take walkers and drinkers to around 20 of the best pubs and inns spread across the Wirral Peninsula.

As usual, the book will feature an eye-catching cover, excellent layout and design, and an attractive price.

The walks will take in the very best of Wirral: the tidal Dee and Mersey estuaries, the old Irish ferry port at Parkgate, the low, heather-clad sandstone hills, Thurstaston Country Park, Hilbre Island, Viking Meols, the windswept end of Wirral, and much more ...

Each walk will feature the usual walk precis and 'factfile' - containing useful information such as the starting point, parking, distance, duration, difficulty, and the relevant OS map(s), along with full, numbered directions, and a clear and accurate annotated map with route, symbols and points-of-interest numbers. And, like all our books, there will be plenty of superb photographs - in both black-and-white and colour.

But what will make the book stand out is a full page section on each of the pubs: their history, facilities, child and dog friendliness, as well as beer, wine and food details.

We've already shortlisted twenty or so of our favourite pubs, planned the routes, and done preliminary route explorations.

But we're always glad to get feedback. So if you know the Wirral and have your own favourite hostelry, then do let us know. The best suggestions will be incorporated into the book.

April Showers

April showers this year have been of snow and ice here in Snowdonia, with the middle of the month seeing the heaviest falls for several years. This is all the more unusual coming at the end of one of the mildest and dullest winters on record. There was virtually no snow from Christmas through to the middle of March, then, just in time for Easter came a light covering which looked set to be washed away by an early spring. As usual the British weather is anything but predictable.

Today I have been walking in the Gwydyr Forest, near Betws-y-coed, researching a walk for a new book (Best Walks in North Wales – due early this summer). The cloud was down so the forest seemed a good option, but by midday the grey ceiling was rolling back to reveal sparkling snowfields on the eastern shoulders of the Carneddau. These high broad ridges catch snow easily and their fluorescent glow was a striking sight framed by the dull green of the forest. I have spent most of the last two years walking these high tops for material to use in Mountain and hill walking in Snowdonia, a two-volume in-depth guide to high level walks throughout the Snowdonia National Park which is now complete and ready for print (June 2008). It was hard to justify being up there now with nothing new to explore, but I desperately wanted to tramp fresh snow.

By the time I had finished walking, the peaks of the Snowdon Horseshoe at the head of the valley were clearing. I drove down to Llynnau Mymbyr near Capel Curig to eat my lunch by the lake. The excitement of this familiar view never fades. It is always different depending on light and weather. By the time I reached the little footbridge by the outflow the steel-grey blade of Crib Goch had slashed the cloud ceiling into long ribbons which drifted slowly between the summits casting long shadows across the valley and throwing it into stark relief. I regretted my earlier decision to walk in the forest.

The long, rather uninteresting slopes to the south of Llynnau Mymbyr rise to Moel Siabod—a striking summit from the south and east but hardly noticed from Capel Curig. With a covering of snow however, the mountain leaps from obscurity. Today the upper 500 feet were an unbroken white blanket. Almost without thinking I began walking up woodland path, which leads onto the mountain’s upper slopes. An hour and twenty minute’s later I was stumbling through knee-deep snow on the boulder-strewn summit ridge. It was surprisingly hard going, the smooth surface of the snow gave little hint of the uneven ground beneath. I jumped from boulder to boulder where possible balancing precariously with my single trekking pole, but only the largest rocks broke the surface. I made my way from ‘island’ to ‘island’ eventually reaching the familiar triangulation pillar on the highest rocks with boots packed full of melting snow.

The sky overhead was clear by the time I reached the summit, but Snowdon held onto its streamers of cloud which floated on the easterly breeze like Tibetan prayer flags. Between the cloud and the mountains Cardigan Bay glowed like a sheet of polished copper rising to an invisible skyline, the slate-blue arm of Lleyn suspended on its surface.

I made an easy, rapid descent on the snow that came to an end all too soon to be replaced by knee-jerking mud and rocks, but it was soon over.

There are few mountain ascents in Snowdonia that start and finish in woods but this path is both an exception and a delight. Sparse oaks are encountered first before pines crowd in. The bright spring green of new growth seemed out of place against the cold background. The colouring was Alpine—green, blue, white—rather than the more familiar tundra hues of yellow and brown.

I checked my camera. Almost 150 photographs. “Not a bad day”, I thought as I flicked through the previews on the tiny screen back at the car. I could tell (even without my glasses) that I would be pleased with at least some of the images I had captured. I hope you enjoy them too.

Carl Rogers

Favourite pubs on Cheshire's Sandstone Trail

Working over the last couple of years on the soon-to-be published Walking Cheshire's Sandstone Trail book, I must have walked the whole route several times in both directions, and some sections more than others. Like the Sandstone Trail's dedicated ranger, John Street, I'm now able to walk the whole route in my mind's-eye; that is, I can literally close my eyes and imagine the Trail metre by metre and stile by stile, from North to South and back again. This dedicated visualisation exercise needs peace and quiet (bedtime is best), the right frame of mind, and no interruptions. It's a bit like speed walking or some kind of flickering home movie.

It has been a great experience (back "in real life", as my children say), getting to know a stretch of country so intimately, at all seasons, and at all times of day. I've seen it in strong sunlight, heavy rain, and swirling snow. I think I know much of its history and something of its wildlife, too. But what really engages my imagination are the many fine pubs along the route. :) In the words of Homer Simpson, "Mmm, Beeer!". I've had a pint or two of real ale, a warm welcome, and some great food in them all. But which are my favourites?

Good question. But to circumvent it, why don't I list them all, and then you can choose your favourites? There are some grand circular walks from the Sandstone Trail, and many of the best appear in Carl Roger's evergreen book, Circular Walks on the Sandstone Trail.

What's that, the pubs, you say!

Running from Frodsham in the north to Whitchurch in the south, some of the best, in my opinion, are:

The Bear's Paw, Frodsham
The Helter Skelter, Frodsham
** Ring o' Bells, Overton
* Goshawk, Mouldsworth
Farmers' Arms and * Morris Dancer, Kelsall
*** The Boot, Willington
Rising Sun and Swan Hotel, Tarporley
Shady Oak, Beeston
** Beeston Castle Hotel, Beeston Brook
*** Pheasant Inn, Higher Burwardsley
Bickerton Poacher, Bulkeley
Coppermine, Brown Knowl
**** Blue Bell at Bell o' the Hill, Tushingham
Nag's Head at Grindley Brook
** Willeymoor Tavern, Willeymoor Lock

Circumvent? Bunkum! Which do I like best? Probably the Ring o' Bells at Frodsham (central bar and great old fashioned atmosphere), Beeston Castle Hotel at Beeston Brook (next to Beeston market, it serves real beer and farmer size meals), the Pheasant at Burwardsley (Weetwood Ales, great views and decor, and good food), and the Blue Bell at Tushingham (one of the oldest pubs in Cheshire with a real fire, real ale, real food and real customers - real lovely!).

Anyone for a pint?

FREE downloadable walk PDFs?

We're thinking of trying something new. Recent conversations (thanks, Gary :) ) and browsing the web to see what's hot and what's not have brought to the surface an idea that's been bubbling away ...

We may soon be adding free downloadable PDFs (packaged document format) of walks in Wales, Cheshire and the North West to our Northern Eye Books website. The walks would be full chapter extracts from some of our bestselling books. Each mostly 3-5 mile, circular walk would be exactly as it appears in the book and contain a complete route description, a numbered map, and superb photographs. Some might be favourite pub walks in Cheshire or the Wirral. Others might be mountain walks and scrambles in North Wales. And yet others might be sections of long distance routes such as the Anglesey Coastal Path or Cheshire's Sandstone Trail.

Free, downloadable PDFs of great walks would act as a springboard into our website, encourage walkers to buy our printed books, and be a great promotional tool.

So, would YOU search out free downloadable walks?

Would you be willing to pay for them - say at £1 or so each?

Let me know what you think. Either comment here or send me an email.

And watch this space for imminent developments ...

Easter on Glyndwr's Way

This Easter I walked a section of the lovely, open and remote Glyndwr's Way near Knighton, in Powys - often referred to as Wales' 'green desert'. It's silent sedge, skylark and sheep country.

The rolling boggy hills stretched away into the blue distance, while buzzards, red kites and the occasional peregrine moved overhead. Sheep browsed and wild ponies grazed. Cloud shadows flickered across the slopes. Only the odd RAF trainer jet and flights of insect-like army helicopters broke the silence. All day, I saw no other walkers.

Walking across this empty landscape settled the soul. One day I'd like to walk the whole 'horseshoe-shaped' route from Knighton to Welshpool.

Please let there be time.

Froggy would a-Wooing Go!

Cheshire's frogs were late mating this year, and I missed them.

Last year they crowded into a local pond for a three day bout of energetic congress (their sexual embrace is actually called 'amplexus'!) around 3rd March; this year neighbours reported a perky pondful for a few days around the 10th while I was busy elsewhere.

Now only the gelatinous masses of frogs' spawn remain unattended in the water; the frogs have returned to their damp nooks in surrounding fields and gardens.

So here's a picture I took last year. Next year I'll pay more attention.

Frogs, I will get your photos in 2009. Ribbit!

All Wales' Coastal Path by 2012?

"Walkers will be able go all around the Welsh coastline on a continuous path by 2012, says the Countryside Council for Wales.

Work has already started on the 800-mile route, funded by grants from the Welsh Assembly."

So says an article on Live for the Outdoors blog.

Sales of our recent book on the newly finished Anglesey Coastal Path suggest people are keen to explore new sections of the coast. We've a couple of sections in mind for new books. Do you have favourite parts of the coast that you'd like to see featured in a quality walking book?