36 Islands cover art

36 Islands

In Search of the Hidden Wonders of the Lake District and a Few Other Things Too

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36 Islands

By: Robert Twigger
Narrated by: Robert Twigger
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About this listen

'A Swallows and Amazons adventure for the modern day by one of the most interesting travel writers working today' Bijan Omrani, author of Caesar's Footprints

'A headlong plunge into the deep, dark waters of the Lake District and its islands. Packed with curious historical facts, philosophical and literary footnotes' Shaun Bythell, author of Diary of a Bookseller

Robert Twigger, poet, artist and travel author, is a lover of uninhabited islands. A lifelong passion for the Lake District led him to embark on a mission to visit all 36 islands of the region - some little more than rocks, some home only to wildlife, some the perfect spot for a night of wild-camping. Armed only with an inflatable canoe, and inspired by Arthur Ransome, Wainwright, Wordsworth and other writers of the region, he journeys beyond the tourists and the busy roads, beneath the surface, to islands both real and remembered. Here the low tide of the unconscious reveals itself through the strange flotsam that it leaves on the shore - a new sense of discovery, about himself and the world we live in.
Ecosystems & Habitats Europe Human Geography Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary Western Europe

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Critic reviews

A Swallows and Amazons adventure for the modern day by one of the most interesting travel writers working today: 36 Islands is a journey to the forgotten parts of the Lake District that weaves together philosophy, psychology, poetry, literature, folk-lore, angry swans and damp pot noodles, and reminds us of the healing power of the forgotten wildernesses close by us
A headlong plunge into the deep, dark waters of the Lake District and its islands. Packed with curious historical facts, philosophical and literary footnotes and a highly entertaining sense that every other visitor to the Lakes is an interloper, you can feel the chill of waters creeping into your bones as Twigger paddles his way to some of the most inaccessible spots of this liminal hinterland. I really enjoyed it
Robert Twigger has an inexhaustible curiosity, a childlike desire to explore and bags of energy.... the author is full of stories... He visits all the well-known lakes (and some not - who has heard of Devoke Water?), exploring islands that inspired Beatrix Potter and William Golding, as well as the ever-present Ransome. It's usually raining, but he's an irrepressible optimist... The world is a better place with adventurers such as Mr Twigger about (Fiona Reynolds)
Armed only with an inflatable canoe, Twigger - a man resolutely fascinated by uninhabited isles - journeys beyond the tourists and busy roads to explore Cumbria's finest. In doing so, he visits both real and remembered islands, drawing inspiration from the Lakeland poets, Alfred Wainwright and others, to redraw his own map of the Lakes and visit a place very different to the one we know
Beguiling . . . Here is a man who believes that through living actively rather than passively, we better value our place in this beautiful world. Here's to that
All stars
Most relevant
Its so refreshing to immerse oneself in adventurous experiences but minus Bear Grylls-like self-admiration. I love the detail of every trip which I can visualise so clearly.
But it's the reflective, somewhat rambling tone that I love most. Frequently I stopped to think about say, the nature of courage and just as often I laughed with pure delight..

I love the reflective yet good humoured tone

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