Coastal Headlands of Mainland Britain

Book excerpt: Many books claim to be unique. In this instance the claim is justified. There are walking guides to coastal footpaths, books devoted to beaches, local guides and general books about the coast. No other book concentrates on the headlands of mainland Britain. The author has visited all the headlands in this book and has included descriptions of well over 200. Every part of the coastline of mainland Britain is covered. Sufficient information is given for walkers to find their way without difficulty. No fewer than 93 have full access for wheelchair users. A symbol in the heading to each headland indicates wheelchair accessibility.The book will appeal to nature lovers and walkers. Recreational walking has always been popular and never more so than today. Much of the coast is open to walkers. The author only found a handful of headlands that had no public access and these have not been included. What is more most headlands are strikingly beautiful. Their variety is infinite. Many are equipped with car parks making access easy. Even in the remoter parts of Scotland the headlands can be explored easily within a day from a town or village with accommodation.An introduction outlines the attractions of headlands. This is followed by descriptions of individual headlands beginning in north Kent at the mouth of the Thames estuary and proceeding clockwise right round Britain. A heading to each headland gives its name and the county where it can be found, followed by its grid reference and the relevant Ordnance Survey Landranger and Explorer maps. All headlands are illustrated with colour photographs. Many of these are aerial. This book is packed full of interesting information. This is presented in nontechnical language easily understood by the general reader. There is a wealth of facts on subjects such as flora, local history (civil and military), geology, shipwrecks and lighthouses, mining and quarrying and many other subjects. Of particular interest are features unique to the headland in question. These may be local literary associations, someone buried on the headland, a rare flower found hardly anywhere else, and so forth. The list is endless. There is a comprehensive general index leading the reader direct to the relevant headlands. Wheelchair users can find an index of headlands that are wheelchair friendly.Published as an e-book means that the reader can take his/her smart phone or tablet computer on a walk and read about the headland while on the spot. Many are the guidebooks that have remained unread because events have moved on once the walk is over. An e-book adds immediacy to the experience.The author wishes to share his enthusiasm for headlands with all his readers. Headlands are a priceless heritage to be preserved for the enjoyment of this and future generations.