A Wagon in the Woods

In text brimming with erudition , nature notes and observation , [Aldred] describes how he meticulously restored a century - old, roofless, rotting Romani caravan and installed it in the greenwood, returning, literally, to his roots. * Saga Magazine *
An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream. – Ella Al-Shamahi, British explorer, paleoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist, stand-up comic and presenter
A riveting account of a years-long quest to reconnect with a much-loved place in nature through sheer effort and determination; an epic of mud and wood and water. – Neil Ansell, author of The Circling Sky
An epic adventure on an intimate scale. Aldred’s warm and vivid descriptions of family, fellowship, craft and most of all a lifelong love of nature evoke Roger Deakin. Enchanting. – Callum Robinson, author of Ingrained
A contemporary ‘Walden’ – Sarah Langford, author of Rooted
Aldred is a wildlife cameraman who spends his life on the road. This is his ode to home. A beautiful, humble, honest book , it reminds us to look into the undergrowth to find the wonder, to slow down and notice more. The perfect tonic for our chaotic times. – Sophy Roberts, author of A Training School for Elephants and Lost Pianos of Siberia
Aldred has travelled the world driven by his love for trees. But the forest he loves most is here at home - the New Forest. This wonderful book takes us all into the depth of his special place - reminding us that we all need our own special wild place. – Alastair Fothergill, producer of The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet
Written from the heart with honesty and humility, A Wagon in the Woods is a feast for the senses, brimming with beautifully observed details of nature, history and family. – Lee Schofield, author of Wild Fell

James Aldred grew up on the edge of the New Forest and spent his teenage years exploring it. By fifteen he was building forest shelters, sleeping rough in the woods and spending much of his time up in the branches of trees.

These days, he works in the treetops as an Emmy award-winning wildlife cameraman, regularly collaborating with National Geographic and the BBC on landmark natural history programmes with David Attenborough. He is also the author of The Man Who Climbs Trees and Goshawk Summer, for which he won the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2022.

He lives with his family near Bristol and enjoys returning to the Forest to share it with his wife and sons whenever he can.

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