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A Wagon in the Woods

The inspiring new memoir from the winner of the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing

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A Wagon in the Woods

By: James Aldred
Narrated by: James Aldred
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Brought to you by Penguin.

For everyone who dreams of escape to a cabin by a stream, for those moments of tranquility while the natural world does its thing around you ...

Some moments in childhood are frozen in time, vivid and vital, an anchor. When James Aldred tracked down an old horse-drawn wagon he once played in, he found himself inside one such moment again. However broken and rotten, it transported him to a magical summer in the New Forest forty years ago and awakened in him the possibility of reliving it with his young family.

In his evocative memoir, Aldred chronicles his return to a cherished landscape. As he painstakingly restores the wagon, learning from local crafts people, he delves into both the New Forest's natural history and storied past, tracing its roots back to the 16th century and even further to the time of William the Conqueror. Camera traps reveal otters hunting in the brook nearby, while the nearby goshawk nest and fox earth speak to the area's thriving wildlife.

Masterfully observed, A Wagon in the Woods is a celebration of both people and place, and the timeless bond between land, history and the enduring spirit of adventure.

© James Aldred 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Nature & Ecology Rural Science Sociology
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Critic reviews

In text brimming with erudition , nature notes and observation , [Aldred] describes how he meticulously restored a century - old, roofless, rotting Romani caravan and installed it in the greenwood, returning, literally, to his roots.
An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream. (Ella Al-Shamahi, British explorer, paleoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist, stand-up comic and presenter)
A riveting account of a years-long quest to reconnect with a much-loved place in nature through sheer effort and determination; an epic of mud and wood and water. (Neil Ansell, author of The Circling Sky)
An epic adventure on an intimate scale. Aldred's warm and vivid descriptions of family, fellowship, craft and most of all a lifelong love of nature evoke Roger Deakin. Enchanting. (Callum Robinson, author of Ingrained)
A contemporary ‘Walden’ (Sarah Langford, author of Rooted)
Aldred is a wildlife cameraman who spends his life on the road. This is his ode to home. A beautiful, humble, honest book , it reminds us to look into the undergrowth to find the wonder, to slow down and notice more. The perfect tonic for our chaotic times. (Sophy Roberts, author of A Training School for Elephants and Lost Pianos of Siberia)
Aldred has travelled the world driven by his love for trees. But the forest he loves most is here at home - the New Forest. This wonderful book takes us all into the depth of his special place - reminding us that we all need our own special wild place. (Alastair Fothergill, producer of The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet)
Written from the heart with honesty and humility, A Wagon in the Woods is a feast for the senses, brimming with beautifully observed details of nature, history and family. (Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell)
All stars
Most relevant
The joy and pain of a project that you know is for you! The people you meet along the way, and a love of nature. I loved this book and also learned from it.

A story of what's meant to be

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