Nature of Snowdonia: A Beginner's Guide to the Upland Environment - Softcover

This is the first complete field guide for the mountains of Snowdonia through the seasons, its plants, animals and rocks. Don't tear up your chunky field guides to hill flowers, birds, lichens and animal tracks - pack this small volume in your rucksack for a day in the hills instead. Everything you're likely to see in the hills at that time of year is here in one volume. The chapters are organised by season; winter is the perfect time for studying rocks and lichen; in spring the bog flowers flourish and beautiful orchids bloom; summer brings fruits and flowers, and the trees are in full leaf; and, in autumn an amazing display of fungi appear, and the hill farms are busy again in preparation for winter. Each species is identified by its English common name, scientific name and Welsh name (there's also a brief guide to pronouncing Welsh names), accompanied by a clear colour photograph as it can be seen on the hills of Snowdonia. The geology section includes clear colour diagrams of the geological processes which formed the rocks underfoot and there's a rock quiz to help you remember your rock types. A little knowledge of thyme, tormentil and thrift will enhance your day in the hills. Fossil trilobytes and roche moutonnee (rock sheep), bogbean beer and caterpillar fungus, are just some of the fascinating things you will discover. This is the first book of its kind for Snowdonia, encompassing all the things a hillwalker or climber might see in the hills throughout the year. Very useful for aspirant mountain leaders, who are required to show an understanding of the mountain environment.

Mike Raine started hillwalking on the Yorkshire moors in the early seventies and graduated to rock climbing as teenager. Having started working in the outdoors in the early eighties in centres and as a freelancer, he then studied and trained to become a geography teacher and spent 12 years working in secondary schools. Today he works full time at Plas Y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre as a Mountaineering Instructor and Coach. Mike heads up the environment department at PYB where he also runs weekend and week long courses about Snowdonia's upland environment. A keen rock climber he is still adding new routes in North Wales.