Title: Hostile Habitats
Author: Kempe, Nick & Wrightham, Mark (ed)
Published by: Scottish Mountaineering Trust
Year: 2006
Date reviewed: 8.07
ISBN: 0 907521 93 2

This book is aimed at anyone who spends time in the Scottish mountains, especially climbers and hillwalkers. The authors of the nine different chapters are themselves hillwalkers, and each is an expert in their own field. Their aim is to increase readers’ awareness of the richness and diversity of the natural environment in the Scottish hills, through chapters ranging from the geology, landforms and climate, through plants, birds and animals (the lowly and the majestic), to the impact of human activity. Read any chapter and unless you are a specialist in that field you are bound to learn many things you didn’t know before. Excellent colour photographs illustrate the text and help with identification, and each chapter is supplemented with an illustrated identification guide.

The great thing is that it works! I read the first few chapters before setting out on the hills recently, and my new-found knowledge definitely meant I got more out of my surroundings. Trudging up a steep grass slope is more enjoyable when you are on the look-out for and can identify different grasses and plants, or you recognise a butterwort and know how it catches and digests its insect prey. The same goes for the geology and landforms around you. So thanks, editors and authors all – a really worthwhile book and strongly recommended.

"Hostile Habitats" is published by the Scottish Mountaineering Trust with support from Scottish National Heritage.