Highland Bookshop, 60 High Street, Fort William, PH33 6AH

Book Review
Waymaking:An anthology of Women's adventurre writing, poetry and Art

Waymaking an Anthology of Women Adventure

Edited by Helen Mort, Claire Carter, Heather Dawe and Camilla Barnard

As dreich autumn nights set in, there is no better book to be reading by the fireside than WAYMAKING: An anthology of women’s adventure writing, poetry and art.

Put out by Vertebrate Publishing, Waymaking is an answer to the enormous selection of male adventure writers and follows in the footsteps of Nan Shepherd and Gwen Moffat. A selection of female experience of the great outdoors.

To clarify, Waymaking does not wish to bash its fists against the feminist door or be the girly-girl answer to the great outdoors. It merely seeks to explore nature and the adventure through women's eyes, to expand upon the labours of Shepherd and Moffat.

Between fantastic essays of self-discovery and short stories of amusing adventures are the extraordinary works of art, as technically diverse as they are emotionally captivating. The poetry, even for those who tremble in fear at the word, is deep, approachable and resonating.

My personal favourite, and it was a difficult choice, is Nikki Frumkin’s Enchantment Larches. A sunset hillside, frozen in place by the artist’s hand, by her words and by the ice on the mountain itself.

Waymaking is an excellent addition to any personal library, or a fabulous gift for those with a wild, outdoor heart.

 

Reviewed by Kelsey Ward

Back to reviewed book list page