Deeper thoughts about walks guidebook writing

Reflections on how to create a successful product

In last week’s post, A look behind the scenes at walks guidebook writing, I shared ‘an insider’s view from 25 years of freelancing’. This week I am going to delve into deliberations that go through my head when I am planning and researching a guidebook.

Bringing a new guidebook into the world is a communal effort, even if – as I did in the past – you have a go at publishing yourself. You still need to work with a host of others, from those that can supply skills that you lack to a printer if you are producing physical books. Even simple tasks such as obtaining ISBNs and getting them converted into a barcode, require the services of others.

The author and publisher have the greatest interest in the birthing of a new guidebook, but it will arrive into an ecosystem where there are many other ’stakeholders’. The most obvious of these is the reader – or potential reader – who now has a new option. Why should they choose this guidebook, or this area? Does it offer something different or better to the other guidebooks out there?

A footbridge over the river in Glen Tilt, Perthshire © Felicity Martin

Other stakeholders include rival publishers, who might already have a title that is in direct competition to this one. Do they appeal to a different audience or is their format dissimilar in size, layout and illustration? Any publisher knows that their latest title needs stand out against the competition, but also, if they come up with a particularly good formula, that it might be copied in due course by others.

Beyond readers and the publishing industry, there are others that are affected. The community living in the area that a guidebook covers may see more visitors as a result. People within that community may differ in opinion as to whether that is a good thing or not.

Also, especially in the case of a walks guidebook, landowners may see more people on their land than previously, particularly when new or seldom walked routes are included. In Scotland, where I work, there is a right of responsible access, so people are not confined to rights of way. But that means that the author must make subtle judgements about how to guide readers to comply with the law and act responsibly, especially around sensitive areas such as golf courses and farmyards.

To promote or not to promote?

The purpose of my trip in early April was to check and make updates to walks in a Pathfinder guidebook. North Coast 500 and Northern Highlands was published in 2022 and I am now making revisions prior to a reprint. This title covers terrain around the popular 500+ mile road route, which circuits the far north of the Scottish mainland.

Front cover of North Coast 500 and Northern Highlands by Felicity Martin

It was a book I thoroughly enjoyed researching and writing, as it covers a range of distinctly different landscapes, all stunningly beautiful. I did, though, have qualms about attracting more people to a route that many consider to be already too congested. Especially visitors obsessed with speed or unused to driving on single-track roads (I included tips for driving safely on them).

However, what I was being asked to do was a walks guidebook, a means to get people off the road and into the countryside. My approach was to encourage people to slow down and take more time to appreciate the delights of the region or – even better – to focus on one part, as I wrote:

But there is no need to tackle the whole route in one go. You will probably enjoy the region more if you visit part of it and explore in more depth, perhaps staying in one or two villages for a few days at a time. You can always return for another holiday to explore other sections.

By focussing on one section of this book at a time, you could have a more relaxing trip and gain a deeper appreciation of the wildlife and history of that area.

Balnakeil Bay near Durness in the far northwest of Scotland © Felicity Martin

To aid this approach I highlighted cross-country roads that enable visitors to access manageable sections of the route from Inverness, the start and finish point of the North Coast 500. And, on top of the 28 walks, I included 24 stop-off strolls, where a short wander leads to a notable viewpoint, waterfall or heritage site. These were places that shouldn’t be missed while in the area.

What makes a good walks guidebook?

That’s a difficult question, because it depends on the reader and their walking level, both in terms of physical effort and navigational competence required. And it is also influenced by how the walks are presented, in terms of text, maps, photographs and additional information.

My answer is that it should enable readers to enjoy a selection of walks that suit their abilities and tastes, while engaging with the place and learning more about its natural and human heritage.

Orange-tip butterfly on a great stitchwort flower © Felicity Martin

When I set up Catkin Press, I wrote an Author Brief to clarify what I was aiming to do and the standards that I felt I, or any other author should meet to deliver this. I defined the objective of the imprint as:

We are a small publisher that produces 'books from Scotland that aim to help readers enjoy healthy, active lives in touch with nature'. Catkin Press aims to differentiate its publications from the competition through colourful and well illustrated layouts that are attractive to readers, and through the quality of the content. Hence a need for good photographs. Other 'brand' values include selecting quality walks (the best in the area, not 'fillers'), connecting readers with the natural world around them, and providing clear, concise route descriptions.

I felt that walks choice was critical to that quality. There are few walks that haven’t been described somewhere at sometime, but could they be improved or made more interesting? And where are the opportunities to develop novel routes to take readers into less well trod areas? To invent new walks I often spend hours pouring over maps and consulting Scotland’s core paths plan to see where I could create circuits. This is what I wrote in the Author Brief about walk choice:

The selected walks should have a good mix of grades and be well spread around the area being covered. The aim should be to showcase the natural assets of that part of Scotland.

Wherever possible, the start point of the walks included should be accessible by public transport - try to start from (or near) a town or village rather than out in the sticks. However, some of the best walks may need to start from more remote locations, especially where the book covers a less populated area. Try to identify the best place for car drivers to park to do the walk – ideally a car park, but at least somewhere with enough space for cars to be left without causing any obstruction.

The walks in any Catkin Press book should, above all, be enjoyable to do. That means omitting routes that are unduly difficult to navigate (or describe), or that take people into difficult terrain (unless it’s a route graded hard) or into areas where access rights are dubious or open to challenge.

Felicity being interviewed by Mark Stephen of BBC Scotland Out of Doors about Catkin Press guidebooks © Felicity Martin

What do you like and dislike about guidebooks you have used? I’d be interested to hear in the comments.

Different types of walks guidebooks

One of the skills of publishers is tailoring their products to fit the perceived needs of readers. The Ordnance Survey branded Pathfinder guides have been going for decades. I remember using them to explore new areas long before I became a freelance writer. Over the years I have written some of their new Scottish titles and regularly revise many more. You can see most of these on my Bookshoporg affiliate page.

The Pathfinder guides have a solid reputation and appeal both to experienced walkers looking for new ideas as well as newcomers wanting guidance as they start to become regular walkers. The series has weathered the development of online resources for finding walks and the expansion of walks guidebook publishers. They have had the same editor for many years and are produced for Ordnance Survey by Milestone Publishing Ltd.

During the Covid lockdowns many people took to walking because it was their only opportunity to leave the house. To appeal to this audience, many of whom had never used a map or a guidebook before, Ordnance Survey and Milestone developed a new format of Short Walks Made Easy. It was hoped they would capture this market and keep these people walking, although I have also found that they appeal to older experienced walkers who are looking for less demanding routes than they used to do.

The Short Walks Made Easy titles have covers with the same orange as the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps series. Each of the ten walks they contain has a short point by point description with a photograph showing the direction of travel from each waypoint. Simple maps are included to give an overview of the route, but require no special map reading skills.

Front covers of five Short Walks Made Easy titles written by Felicity Martin

Routes in the Short Walks Made Easy books are carefully chosen based on a large number of criteria and each must have special features of interest. These appear for each walk under ‘Stories behind the walks’ and ‘Nature Notes’. The books are highly illustrated with lots of photographs, including of the scenery and places to eat.

I have written five of the Scottish titles in the Short Walks Made Easy series. The most recent is Mull and Iona, which has just been published. This was a joy to research as Mull is one of the most scenic Hebridean islands. But it was also a challenge to select the most suitable routes and to keep the difficulty level down on a rugged island with very few surfaced paths. In the process I had some memorable walks and discovered beautiful parts of the island I hadn’t previously visited.

Outstanding Walks Scotland

My other most recent book is a much heftier volume. It is more of an inspirational book, aimed at expanding walkers’ horizons and also appealing to the gift market. Outstanding Walks Scotland is a guide to the different regions of the country, covering not just the walking they offer but the distinctive culture and special attractions of each. Having spent 45 years exploring Scotland, I feel that many people have a limited idea of the country. I wanted to open people’s eyes to the enormous variation in landscapes and character that can be found in different areas.

Front cover of Outstanding Walks Scotland by Felicity Martin

The book contains a selection of walks, outlining them and describing their highlights, but without point to point descriptions as included in pocket guidebooks. Instead the book has QR codes that lead to the route in OS Maps and includes a six-month subscription to the OS Maps app. This is the app I use to plan and record my routes; it gives access to Ordnance Survey mapping at various scales, including Landranger (1:10,000) and Explorer (1:25,000).

The book also picks up on the idea of stop-off places that we included in the North Coast 500 Pathfinder guidebook, with a selection of Don’t Miss sites for each region. These vary from castles, abbeys and other heritage sites to beaches, waterfalls and various spectacular natural features.

I am currently preparing about a talk the book that I am giving at Strathearn Library on 8th May at 7.30pm. It is timed for the start of the annual Drovers’ Tryst walking festival, which is based in Crieff, Perthshire. The publicity poster reads, ‘Join author Felicity Martin to explore Scotland's best walks from her book, "Outstanding Walks Scotland." Discover hidden gems, learn about planning your own hikes, and hear her memorable walking stories.’ You are very welcome if you live anywhere nearby. Tickets are available online.