Upland by Ed Douglas review – a glorious survey of Britain’s high places

The writer and climber brings colour and carnival to his account of a country and people shaped by its mountains It comes as a shock to learn that Britain’s uplands were not always rocky, covered with coarse grass and suitable only for sheep. About 54,000 years ago – a mere blink in geological time – this island’s high places were teeming with nature. Lushly forested peaks, crags and gorges were home to megafauna including mammoth, woolly rhinoceros and giant elk. The one sour note in this el...

By Kathryn Hughes