Outlandish: Walking Europe’s Unlikely Landscapes
- Downloads：9373
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-11-04 10:19:23
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Nick Hunt
- ISBN：B08Y8LXV93
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Reviews
Helen Precious
，
Outlandish explores the 'oddities' of geographical classifications。 Hunt explores the 'jungle' of Eastern Europe and the 'desert' of Spain to name a few。 The author has a clear love of the natural world vividly describing the flora and fauna alongside the native populations of the regions he walks with a real fondness。 Part lament for those areas already lost as a result of human encroachment / climate change and part hoorah for mother Earth who despite everything is fighting back and adapting t Outlandish explores the 'oddities' of geographical classifications。 Hunt explores the 'jungle' of Eastern Europe and the 'desert' of Spain to name a few。 The author has a clear love of the natural world vividly describing the flora and fauna alongside the native populations of the regions he walks with a real fondness。 Part lament for those areas already lost as a result of human encroachment / climate change and part hoorah for mother Earth who despite everything is fighting back and adapting to the new challenges of the 21st century。 。。。more
Verity Halliday
，
In Outlandish， Nick Hunt explores four different locations in Europe that feel like they’ve been transplanted from some distant land。 Hunt traverses the landscapes on foot， meeting residents and other explorers many of whom are a little outlandish themselves。A great armchair traveller’s read， so important while real life travel is still so restricted。Thanks to the author， publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback。
Brenda
，
Europe is incredibly diverse in climate， geography， topography and culture。 Nick Hunt highlights four such areas in Europe （Scotland， Poland and Belarus， Spain and Hungary） which seem incongruous and surprising as they are typically found elsewhere in the world。 We can all understand the importance of preserving these outlandish places mentioned in the book and elsewhere。 Sometimes what we discover in our back yards， whether solo or not， can mean pleasant learning experiences。Hunt's vivid descri Europe is incredibly diverse in climate， geography， topography and culture。 Nick Hunt highlights four such areas in Europe （Scotland， Poland and Belarus， Spain and Hungary） which seem incongruous and surprising as they are typically found elsewhere in the world。 We can all understand the importance of preserving these outlandish places mentioned in the book and elsewhere。 Sometimes what we discover in our back yards， whether solo or not， can mean pleasant learning experiences。Hunt's vivid descriptions are incredible！ He has such a beautiful way with words， sometimes witty， sometimes serious， always compelling。 Not only does he describe the special wildernesses in each country but also details history climate （including the six general global zones）， word origins， biodiversity and the impacts of climate change and includes maps。 I really enjoyed the inclusion of animals such as Ibex， water buffalo， reindeer， bison and what sounds like porcupines， not where you'd expect them。 I can relate to temperature extremes as I live in -40C to +40C and have experienced whiteouts and swirling blizzards thousands of times。 And still hate winter！ The winter descriptions here are brilliant。 The cultural links， Hun origins， note in the car， "Geronimo"， shaluf signals， Poland A and B and "breaking the low" are amongst my favourite tidbits。 The book is jam-packed with fascinating information！If you yearn for exploration （as I do！）， travel， nature and cultural inspiration， do read this。 My sincere thank you to Nicholas Brealey US and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this lovely book。 。。。more
Jessica - How Jessica Reads
，
Part travelogue， part ecological history， and totally fascinating。 Full review coming for Shelf Awareness。
Dan
，
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Nicholas Brealey US for an advanced copy of this new travel and nature memoir。In Outlandish author Nick Hunt has written a book that makes a person want to go on long walks and discover new things even if it is just a walk to the mailbox。 Mr Hunt has chosen to walk in places that are not hard to get to， but just unexpected， like a glacier in Scotland with reindeer or a desert in Spain are two examples。 As he walks he shares his insights， discoveries， and My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Nicholas Brealey US for an advanced copy of this new travel and nature memoir。In Outlandish author Nick Hunt has written a book that makes a person want to go on long walks and discover new things even if it is just a walk to the mailbox。 Mr Hunt has chosen to walk in places that are not hard to get to， but just unexpected， like a glacier in Scotland with reindeer or a desert in Spain are two examples。 As he walks he shares his insights， discoveries， and things he learns， either by himself or commonly with a walking companion。The writing is eloquent with facts， figures， insights and humour about the natural world around him， lines stay with the reader well after the book is done。 While the exotic nature of some of the places would be interesting even with plain writing， Mr。 Hunt I feel could make a small park excursion in any city in the world fascinating。 I read the book not all at once， but a section at a time， stopping as one journey ended， waiting a week and joining him again on his excursions。 A thoroughly enjoyable book that is perfect for nature lovers and readers。 Fans of the writers Bill Bryson and John McPhee would without a doubt enjoy this also。 I can't wait to start on some of Mr。 Hunt's other works。 。。。more
Andy Weston
，
And a low 3 stars。。Out of all the reviews I write I am the harshest critic of travel books。 There are so many well-written travel blogs around （I have one myself）， many of which are not only interesting and well-researched， but also currently taking place， which gives an added dimension of adventure to them。mHunt， the great nephew of Sir John Hunt， who led the 1953 successful Everest expedition， chooses four， very tenuously linked wildernesses to visit new write about; each occupies a quarter of And a low 3 stars。。Out of all the reviews I write I am the harshest critic of travel books。 There are so many well-written travel blogs around （I have one myself）， many of which are not only interesting and well-researched， but also currently taking place， which gives an added dimension of adventure to them。mHunt， the great nephew of Sir John Hunt， who led the 1953 successful Everest expedition， chooses four， very tenuously linked wildernesses to visit new write about; each occupies a quarter of the book。 The chapter on ‘the Scottish Arctic’ has some interest， but is largely nothing new。 I have read many descriptions of wild expeditions in the Scottish Highlands， and this has little new to say。 Patrick Baker takes my prize。 Spain’s desert， at Tabernas， was what originally attracted me to the book， as I am currently travelling in the country， not far from there。 It may be well-known as the place the spaghetti westerns of the 1970s were filmed， but Hunt does not make it sound in anyway attractive， though granted， that may have been his intention。 The other two places， Poland’s Białowieża Forest on the Belorus border （which I have visited myself）， and Hungary’s Hortobágy National Park， do have interest to me， but Hunt’s writing only very rarely inspires， and more often feels inflated。 All four sections could have been covered in half as many pages， leaving room for four more。 The travel writing classics of many years go still stand high in the genre， but these days you’ve got to do more than Hunt does here。。Breakfast was a raw onion eaten as I walk。。My hands are so thirsty that they can hardly work the lid。 Would he attract the publisher if it wasn’t for his great uncle， I could cynically add… 。。。more
Jack
，
Finding the exotic in the everyday。 A lovely concept with a powerful underlying message。 Hunt manages to seamlessly weave together personal experience， anecdotes， history， mythology and a poetic inspection of the natural world into a wonderful blend of captivating passages。 Each location is rich with that outlandish sensation he is so eagerly in search of and it seems fitting to have their current characteristics now etched in history despite the fact that they may not be etched into the earth f Finding the exotic in the everyday。 A lovely concept with a powerful underlying message。 Hunt manages to seamlessly weave together personal experience， anecdotes， history， mythology and a poetic inspection of the natural world into a wonderful blend of captivating passages。 Each location is rich with that outlandish sensation he is so eagerly in search of and it seems fitting to have their current characteristics now etched in history despite the fact that they may not be etched into the earth for too much longer。 。。。more
Philippa
，
Outlandish is a book about misplaced landscapes， parts of the world found in the wrong part of the world。 I was hooked the moment I read the blurb – I’m always fascinated by writing that manages to make the familiar strange， capturing new and uncanny strands in places we thought we already knew。 Outlandish does this so very well， wandering between Scotland， Poland， Spain and Hungary in search of environments that feel out of place: Arctic tundra in Scotland， primeval forest in Poland， desert in Outlandish is a book about misplaced landscapes， parts of the world found in the wrong part of the world。 I was hooked the moment I read the blurb – I’m always fascinated by writing that manages to make the familiar strange， capturing new and uncanny strands in places we thought we already knew。 Outlandish does this so very well， wandering between Scotland， Poland， Spain and Hungary in search of environments that feel out of place: Arctic tundra in Scotland， primeval forest in Poland， desert in Spain and grassland steppes in Hungary。 The places seem to exist as a glimpse of the past， deep time lingering into the present， echoing with a warning for the future。The first section， on Scotland， is an incredible piece of writing。 Hunt perfectly captures the mood of the Scottish landscape， moving in turn from beautiful to eerie to lonely， vast in scope and atmosphere。 Respect for the mountains is balanced with a great love with them， and Hunt adds a reassuring touch of humour and lightness when needed。The desert in Spain is the other section that has really stayed with me。 Hunt conveys such a strong sense of the layers of time: different moments in human history stacked on top of each other， separate but brought close， as if all happening simultaneously， intrinsically linked。 The contrast between the timelessness and emptiness of the desert landscape and the mentions of areas where movies where filmed， of Hunt ‘traipsing in the director’s footsteps’， is sharp and jarring – the incongruity of this perfectly highlights the selfish human uses of the landscape。 It would be impossible to write a book so full of love and curiosity for the land without mentioning the growing fear of climate change。 Hunt’s concern for the future of the places – and for humanity – comes across clear and stark。 It’s a valuable reminder that the world does not exist around humans – that the landscapes have existed before us and will continue to exist after us， and how human life is only damaging these places， not helping them flourish。 The calm isolation of these places – coupled with Hunt’s quiet warnings about climate change – marks humanity as an intrusion on the landscape。Outlandish is a powerful and fascinating wander through Europe， laced through with beautiful and vivid prose。 I really enjoyed this and will definitely be keeping an eye out for Hunt’s other two books。（Thanks to NetGalley and Nicholas Brealey for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review。） 。。。more
Tom
，
Every page of this book sings with reverence for the natural world， with insight， poetry and history。 Far more than a travel book， it is elevated by a deep moral purpose: to make us look clearly at the realities of climate change
Anna
，
Fascinating and even kind of quirky weird。 I listened to this because one of the four places the author visits is in the Cairngorms in Scotland - I only saw a bit but I loved this area。 In a weird bit of symmetry， his trip to the desert in Spain describes the progression of heatstroke， at the same time as I learned that in the Joy of Sweat book I was listening to at the same time。 The Steppe of Hungary and the forest of Poland were both pretty interesting and slightly dangerous in different ways Fascinating and even kind of quirky weird。 I listened to this because one of the four places the author visits is in the Cairngorms in Scotland - I only saw a bit but I loved this area。 In a weird bit of symmetry， his trip to the desert in Spain describes the progression of heatstroke， at the same time as I learned that in the Joy of Sweat book I was listening to at the same time。 The Steppe of Hungary and the forest of Poland were both pretty interesting and slightly dangerous in different ways from the European heat wave。 Who knows what climate change will do to these four places。 I also learned quite a bit about the nondemocratic situation in Hungary。 。。。more
Paul Kelly
，
His best yet！！！ 4。5 stars。 Sooooo near to 5。 Keep going Nick。 Better and better。
Bernie Gourley
，
There are many beautiful and wonderous sights that come to mind when one thinks of Europe: forests， meadows， alpine vistas， or cities of stunning architecture。 However， there are other sights that one wouldn’t expect at all: tundra， jungle， desert， or steppe， but those are the unexpected destinations that Hunt takes his reader。 In some cases， a destination under discussion doesn’t meet the technical definitions for said ecosystem， but they’re the closest that Europe has to offer， and that’s enou There are many beautiful and wonderous sights that come to mind when one thinks of Europe: forests， meadows， alpine vistas， or cities of stunning architecture。 However， there are other sights that one wouldn’t expect at all: tundra， jungle， desert， or steppe， but those are the unexpected destinations that Hunt takes his reader。 In some cases， a destination under discussion doesn’t meet the technical definitions for said ecosystem， but they’re the closest that Europe has to offer， and that’s enough to make them outlandish。 ttThe book takes the reader on a tour of four uncharacteristic ecosystems of Europe: Cairngorms arctic tundra in northern Scotland， Poland’s “jungle” – the forest primeval of Bialowieza， Spain’s Tabernas desert， and the Hungarian Puszta （i。e。 the Pannonian Steppe。） For each of these places， the reader is treated not only to vivid description of the locale and its flora and fauna， but also some fascinating folklore， cultural peculiarities， and indigenous mysteries。 In Scotland， this involves inexplicable reindeer and the legend of the Big Grey Man。 In Poland and Belarus， we learn about legendary forest folk deities and about the last Soviet standing。 In Spain， one gets a lesson in Spaghetti Westerns。 In Hungary we see birders， neo-Nazis， and Central Asian immigrants all traipsing the same ground。 tI found this book to be an engaging read。 It helps raise consciousness about climate change without collapsing into a gloomy doom-fest。 This discussion is most notable in the most extreme ecosystems， Cairngorms and Tabernas， but most of the intense discussion is saved for a brief epilogue entitled “The Last Snow。” The book offers rudimentary maps， but relies entirely on text to paint a picture， but I felt the author did a great job of bringing the places to life through words。 tIf you’re interested in learning more about a few of the globe’s lesser-known natural settings， I’d highly recommend this book。 。。。more
Spencer Orey
，
I loved Nick Hunt's book about walking the different winds。 Turns out I love his writing。 This book is great， with a mix of super tough walks interspersed with history and climate information and all kinds of thoughtful asides。 He's a great guide and really brought these places to life for me。 If you can't travel much right now， books like this are a great way to escape into surprising places。 My only complaint is that， like the wind， the section set in the UK was the least interesting （but stil I loved Nick Hunt's book about walking the different winds。 Turns out I love his writing。 This book is great， with a mix of super tough walks interspersed with history and climate information and all kinds of thoughtful asides。 He's a great guide and really brought these places to life for me。 If you can't travel much right now， books like this are a great way to escape into surprising places。 My only complaint is that， like the wind， the section set in the UK was the least interesting （but still interesting）。 The jungle， the desert， and the steppe were fantastic and really got my imagination roaring。 。。。more
Steven Beningo
，
A very good book by a British writer who travels to four unique landscapes in Europe: an Arctic type landscape in Scotland， a forest with bison in Poland and Belarus， a desert in Spain， and a steppe in Hungary。
Tissie
，
This is a very peculiar book。 One I savored for a long while， because it’s fascinating， both in concept and in storytelling。 Did you know that there’s a glacier tucked away in Scotland？ Or a desert in Spain？ I was aware about the latter， and of course the existence of the Hungarian steppe is common knowledge， but the glacier stumped me。 Same with the Białowieża， a Polish forest。 [Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups] This is a very peculiar book。 One I savored for a long while， because it’s fascinating， both in concept and in storytelling。 Did you know that there’s a glacier tucked away in Scotland？ Or a desert in Spain？ I was aware about the latter， and of course the existence of the Hungarian steppe is common knowledge， but the glacier stumped me。 Same with the Białowieża， a Polish forest。 [Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups] 。。。more
Kelly
，
The author brings the reader on an interesting journey to rarely visited parts of Europe。 Definitely a walk on the wild side with tales of some truly unique landscapes。 Written in a manner that makes the reader almost see what the author saw during his enviable journeys。 The author also weaves some important environmental message throughout the story。 Readers are sure to finish this book learning something new about Europe。
Yvonne
，
This was such a fabulous book to read over several days as I followed the author around the unlikely landscapes of Europe。The author described many things along his travels from local interesting observations， snippets of history， geography and also how climate change is altering the landscape。 He has visited places that I would love to see， but I also know I never will but a chance to travel and witness things vicariously is the next best thing。 I did find myself travelling the internet as I lo This was such a fabulous book to read over several days as I followed the author around the unlikely landscapes of Europe。The author described many things along his travels from local interesting observations， snippets of history， geography and also how climate change is altering the landscape。 He has visited places that I would love to see， but I also know I never will but a chance to travel and witness things vicariously is the next best thing。 I did find myself travelling the internet as I looked up the places he had visited， this added to the enjoyment of the book。 The author did give great descriptions by the way。 He was able to convey the feeling he felt through his very thought-provoking words。 This was such an interesting book to read and one I adored， it is also tinged with sadness as things are changing。 Climate change， the impact of people on areas and how many things will change beyond recognition。 An important observation from an author who allows the reader to travel alongside him。 A book that will appeal to many readers of non-fiction， travel， ecology and one I would definitely recommend。 。。。more
Marian
，
This was a book that touched my core。 I loved the narrative and the way the author portrayed the four journeys to profoundly different， unique landscapes; landscapes that are often shadows of their former selves。What Nick Hunt did was to take me to the places through his writing and immersed me in it。 I felt what he felt and through the text， I saw what he saw and I was transported to the destinations， with each sentence。 The writing was both evocative and thought-provoking， and what makes the b This was a book that touched my core。 I loved the narrative and the way the author portrayed the four journeys to profoundly different， unique landscapes; landscapes that are often shadows of their former selves。What Nick Hunt did was to take me to the places through his writing and immersed me in it。 I felt what he felt and through the text， I saw what he saw and I was transported to the destinations， with each sentence。 The writing was both evocative and thought-provoking， and what makes the book a delightful rounded read is the interesting references to the history， culture， language， and geography， which are sprinkled through the book。The final twist in the tale though is the serious issues the book embraces; the impact of humans on the natural environment and the serious effect that climate change is having on the world， again the descriptions are well-thought-out and considered。 This was a book that I didn’t want to end。 #Outlandish #Netgalley 。。。more
Chantal Lyons
，
I've read and enjoyed Nick Hunt's previous two travel/walking books， and 'Outlandish' does not disappoint。 In fact， it's his deepest and richest so far， lent a new urgency by the growing spectre of climate breakdown。 What I thought was a project rooted in pure curiosity turned out to be something more speculative， more fearful。 The opening section of the book is spent in the Cairngorms， among snow and reindeer。 There is something a little obligatory-feeling to the descriptions of hiking and Nan I've read and enjoyed Nick Hunt's previous two travel/walking books， and 'Outlandish' does not disappoint。 In fact， it's his deepest and richest so far， lent a new urgency by the growing spectre of climate breakdown。 What I thought was a project rooted in pure curiosity turned out to be something more speculative， more fearful。 The opening section of the book is spent in the Cairngorms， among snow and reindeer。 There is something a little obligatory-feeling to the descriptions of hiking and Nan Shepherd quotes， but Hunt's prose is beautiful without being pretentious。 The wheel begins to turn in the Białowieża section as Hunt touches upon conflicts between loggers， locals and environmentalists， but it's in the third and fourth sections of the book - the Almeria desert in Spain， and the steppe of Hortobágy National Park in Hungary where everything truly clicks into place。 To paraphrase the author， these places may be outlandish at this moment， but soon， thanks to climate breakdown， they will no longer be alone; everywhere will be outlandish。 It's a book that is as heartbreaking as it is fascinating， and there is an especially moving scene involving a birder in Hortobágy。 I will not forget it。 This is nature/travel writing with a deep and painful bite。（With thanks to Nicholas Brealey and NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review） 。。。more
Theediscerning
，
This travel book is about the author's seeking out the more unusual places across Europe – a way to get to the extremes of the Earth while causing fewer carbon emissions。 It's partly about the mental and physical approach taken when you seek out the more domestic kinds of 'here be dragons'-type situations。 Except there are no dragons to be found， but there are reindeer in the Cairngorms， approached for their arctic tundra-styled geology; there are wolves， bison and more in the woods of Eastern P This travel book is about the author's seeking out the more unusual places across Europe – a way to get to the extremes of the Earth while causing fewer carbon emissions。 It's partly about the mental and physical approach taken when you seek out the more domestic kinds of 'here be dragons'-type situations。 Except there are no dragons to be found， but there are reindeer in the Cairngorms， approached for their arctic tundra-styled geology; there are wolves， bison and more in the woods of Eastern Poland and Belarus; heck – there are cowboys in southern Spain。I don't know why， but I found on opening this an odd feeling that I would be disappointed。 Going to four places， and offering equally large chunks of writing about each， seemed a peculiar number – either three places too many or ten too few。 But these mini-missions into the less-explored are in and of themselves spot on。 Just the first has notable instances of the wondrous – one spell up a snowy mountainside has the author know he is irrevocably alone。 With a panorama of mountains all around， all covered in the white stuff， he has absolutely no sight， sound or smell of any other member of his species， and no proof they ever existed， but for one thing – the names of the hills he's looking at on the map he has in his hand。 It's a most quotable episode， made all the more remarkable by the fact the author didn't even need his passport to get to such a place。Now I know a lot of Americans would scoff at that， the liberties they think they can take with their immense territory and their resulting ability to self-isolate in nature。 But Europe is supposed to be the tinier， over-developed， wilderness-less， other-free continent。 And so there is ageless woodland， and a bit of true desert in SE Spain， and there is a chunk of Hungary that the Mongolians and Kazakhs much， much further east would recognise as the steppes they call home。 These regions are important， and well worth looking at – our author calls them 'exclaves' - isolated bits of one type of geology in the wrong place， mismatching with what's around them。And， partly because they are unconnected to a bigger entity， they are all endangered。 The snows are melting， the trees are getting diseased courtesy of climate change， the birdwatchers in Hungary are grim about what chance they'll have to see their goals in the future。 The desert， though， that's a shoe-in for something to last， and can only expand。 And when Europe gets hot enough， we're all goners。 There is some ecology here that is seriously not entertaining to read about， and however much I want to tell myself not to shoot the messenger， that's hard。 What we have are four novella-length snapshots of some notable places， and in having such a guide – one assumes the first and last person ever to tick off all four in such a fashion – we're only thankful someone has taken the effort to let us know what they were like before they were gone for good。 Four and a half stars。 。。。more
Rachel
，
Outlandish by Nick Hunt is a wonderful collection of travels， musings， nature observations， reflections， and experiences of unique and out of the ordinary locations。I really enjoyed this book。 I was able to truly enjoy myself and escape for a few moments to unusual and off the beaten path locations with Mr。 Hunt。 The author was impressive in his landscape descriptions， location choices， and his observations。 I really enjoyed the inclusion of Scotland。 A great collection， learned a few things， an Outlandish by Nick Hunt is a wonderful collection of travels， musings， nature observations， reflections， and experiences of unique and out of the ordinary locations。I really enjoyed this book。 I was able to truly enjoy myself and escape for a few moments to unusual and off the beaten path locations with Mr。 Hunt。 The author was impressive in his landscape descriptions， location choices， and his observations。 I really enjoyed the inclusion of Scotland。 A great collection， learned a few things， and a great， temporary escape。 Recommend for anyone that enjoys traveling， nature， and learning about unique locations around Europe。 Thank you NG and Nicholas Brealey for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion。I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon， Instagram， and B&N accounts upon publication。 。。。more
Geoffrey
，