The Ancient Woods of Helford River (Ancient Woodlands of Britain)

The Helford River, Cornwall is a place of wonder and delight: one of the very few places in England where ancient woodland meets the sea. “This is oak country, and the oaks have that surprising variety of size and shape that only Cornwall and Devon oaks can offer. Smooth wooded hillsides, subtly mottled with the different greens or browns of individual oak-trees, sweep down to high-water mark.” So begins Oliver Rackham’s book covering 25 woods, predominantly in the north of the Lizard peninsula, including: Bonallack, Calamansack, Devichoys, Grambla, Gweek, Merthen, Reskymmer, Trelowarren, Tremayne and Treverry. He brings to life the curious industrial and cultural history of this unique area, and shows how these woods have survived and what the future may have in store. Illustrated throughout with photographs, maps and diagrams, this forms the second volume in the regional series The Ancient Woodlands of Britain. This book is published in collaboration with the Woodland Trust.

Author Biography: Oliver Rackham (1939-2015) was the pre-eminent botanist of his generation, whose work focused on trees and woodlands.