Ancient Reviving the Woods That Made Britain

"A wonderful ramble beneath the boughs. Barley listens, translates and spins their beautiful ancient yarns"
– Chris Packham

"A complex and fascinating tale of our forests and the people that have lived with and made use of them"
– Guardian

"Barley communicates his love and knowledge of woods with eloquence"
– Christopher Hart, Daily Mail

"Luke Barley brings us deep into his hidden world to reveal majestic oaks, freshly coppiced hazels, and the passionate individuals tending them for future generations"
– Countryside

"Luke Barley's spellbinding book dispels decades of myths about our woodlands, showing the reality to be so much more extraordinary. Ancient is a thrilling account of our past that offers a valuable blueprint for our future"
– James Fox, author of Craftland

"A brilliant and highly readable exploration of our surviving ancient woodlands; one written by someone who actually works with them"
– |John Wright, author of The Forager's Calendar

"A passionate, knowledgeable and immersive guide to these important and magnificent habitats"
– Tristan Gooley, author of How To Read a Tree

"Billhook in hand, Barley he hacks through pretension, politics and downright ignorance so that we can see both the wood and the trees. He's a tremendous companion in the forest"
– Charles Foster, author of The Edges of the World

"Stunning. This beautiful biography of Britain's ancient woodland demonstrates irrefutably that we humans are a part of nature rather than apart from it"
– Merlin Hanbury-Tenison, author of Our Oaken Bones

"A timely guide to our irreplaceable ancient woodlands offering expert insights into their past and hope for their future"
– Paul Wood, author of Tree Hunting

"Bristles with insight gained through devotion and toil. Ancient is a wise and heartfelt love song to our woodlands, a book that reveals treasure in the trees"
– Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell

"Brilliant. My favourite kind of nature book – one that explores and celebrates the intricate, tangled relationship we share with the natural world"
– Tiffany Francis-Baker, author of Ebb and Flow

"Thoughtfully written and exquisitely attentive to the symbioses between human and nonhuman life in the woods, Ancient reveals history and heritage that hold vital lessons for a greener, happier future"
– Chantal Lyons, author of Groundbreakers