by Graham Robb
First published 2016
Graham Robb spent years tracking down 2,002 cols and 105 passes scattered throughout the British Isles. A col marks the lowest point between two mountain peaks. Robb discovered that dozens of these geographical features had vanished from official maps. The Ordnance Survey lost track of them. Some survive only in old ballads or monastery records. Eleven cols cut through Hadrian's Wall, yet mapmakers have never properly marked them. Robb found virgin cols that no person has ever crossed. His systematic approach reveals how these overlooked landscape features shaped British history. The book serves as both a comprehensive catalog for outdoor enthusiasts and a fresh lens for understanding the geography that influenced centuries of human movement across Britain.
Genres: history, geography, adventure, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-nonfiction, outdoors
Setting: British Isles, Hadrian's Wall
224 pages · Hardcover · Particular Books