Six countryside books to treasure

1. The National Trust Book of the Countryside

No organisation is better suited to touring the countryside than the National Trust, the custodians of some of the most beautiful stretches of land and coastline. This book covers cultural life and the changing British landscape, including key ancient monuments; wildlife, covering past and present flora and fauna, with features on how to identify key native species; and conservation. All the regions of Britain are covered with an overview of its particular countryside and its development, plus recommended walks, photo-stories of particular sites through the seasons, and how to "read" the countryside features. A dazzling celebration of the land with stunning photography.

2. 22 Ideas that Saved the English Countryside

With contributions from leading thinkers, campaigners and high profile supporters including Bill Bryson, Phillip Pullman, Benjamin Zephaniah, Jeanette Winterson, Michael Morpurgo, Andrew Motion and Simon Jenkins, the book will be generously illustrated with archive images and beautiful colour photography of present day landscapes. Readers will see what has been saved, what has been protected for ever, and, on occasion, what has been lost (often the most poignant image of all). As well as a main narrative on the ideas themselves, each chapter will contain short sections on the original thinkers, the advocates and campaigners, the battles and the achievements.

3. The Unofficial Countryside - Richard Mabey

During the early 1970s Richard Mabey explored crumbling city docks and overgrown bomb-sites, navigated inner city canals and car parks, and discovered there was scarcely a nook in our urban landscape incapable of supporting life. The Unofficial Countryside is a timely reminder of how nature flourishes against the odds, surviving in the most obscure and surprising places.

4. Icons of England – Bill Bryson

This celebration of the English countryside does not only focus on the rolling green landscapes and magnificent monuments that set England apart from the rest of the world. Many of the contributors bring their own special touch, presenting a refreshingly eclectic variety of personal icons, from pub signs to seaside piers, from cattle grids to canal boats, and from village cricket to nimbies. This new expanded paperback edition has contributions from many celebrities including Bill Bryson (below), Michael Palin, Eric Clapton, Bryan Ferry, Sebastian Faulks, Kate Adie, Kevin Spacey, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, Richard Mabey , Simon Jenkins, John Sergeant, Benjamin Zephaniah, Joan Bakewell, Antony Beevor, Libby Purves, Jonathan Dimbleby, and many more: and a new preface by HRH Prince Charles.

5. A Natural History of the Hedgerow – John Wright

It is difficult to think of a more quintessential symbol of the British countryside than the British hedgerow, bursting with blackberries, hazelnuts and sloes, and home to oak and ash, field mice and butterflies. But as much as we might dream about foraging for mushrooms or collecting wayside nettles for soup, most of us are unaware of quite how profoundly hedgerows have shaped the history of our landscape and our species. One of Britain's best-known naturalists, John Wright introduces us to the natural and cultural history of hedges (as well as ditches, dykes and dry stone walls) - from the arrival of the first settlers in the British Isles to the modern day, when we have finally begun to recognise the importance of these unique ecosystems. A book to stuff into your pocket for country walks in every season, or to savour in winter before a roaring fire.

6. Usborne Naturetrail Book of the Countryside

This is a practical and beautifully illustrated introduction to the flora and fauna found in the countryside, packed with amazing facts and clues to look for to identify the different species of trees, birds and wild flowers to be found all year round. It comes with step-by-step instructions for countryside activities including leaf rubbing, keeping a flower diary and making bird feeders, and internet links to recommended websites with games, activities and online identification guides.