The Tree Climber’s Guide

The Tree Climber’s Guide
Jack Cooke

‘After I finished this book I alarmed my family by going into the garden and climbing the apple tree.’ – Damian Whitworth, The Times‘One of the publishing sensations of the year … For anyone who has ever felt a little overwhelmed in a big city, or wanted to step out of the rat race for an hour or two, Jack Cooke will be something of an inspiration.’ – Robert Hardman, Daily MailA wonderful cocktail of engaging writing, beautiful illustration and heartfelt appreciation for the natural world. An essential oddity for any book collection.In this charming, witty and exquisitely illustrated companion, Jack Cooke explores the city through its canopy; teetering on the edge of an oak’s branches, scurrying up a Scots pine, spying views from the treetops that few have ever had the chance to see. He takes us through the parks, over the canals and rivers and into secret gardens on his journey sometimes only ten foot above the street.Part guidebook, part meditation on the consolations of nature, The Tree Climber’s Guide is as uniquely odd, alluring and motley as the trees themselves. It is a journey into the tangle of bark and branches that surround us all and a welcome reminder that the best things in life are free – they just sometimes require a step in the right direction.

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Copyright (#udf41fb2a-f1eb-52f6-83eb-cd32609bd22a)

HarperCollinsPublishers

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London SE1 9GF

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First published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2016

FIRST EDITION

© Jack Cooke 2016, 2017

Cover design by Dominic Forbes © HarperCollinsPublishers 2017

Cover illustrations based on photographs © Jeff Gilbert/Alamy; Shutterstock.com (textures)

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Jack Cooke asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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Source ISBN: 9780008157609

Ebook Edition © April 2016 ISBN: 9780008153922

Version: 2017-03-14

Dedication (#udf41fb2a-f1eb-52f6-83eb-cd32609bd22a)

To my mother, who has a great love of trees and a mortal fear of heights

Epigraph (#udf41fb2a-f1eb-52f6-83eb-cd32609bd22a)

‘Back to the trees!’ shouted Uncle Vanya. ‘Back to nature!’

The Evolution Man, Or, How I Ate My Father, Roy Lewis

Contents

Cover (#uf7d68bac-3539-5d13-93c4-8aea1e6863bf)

Title Page (#ulink_a04c96da-80f4-56ed-a605-f1790b27df6c)

Copyright (#ulink_19216ed9-4505-5154-8014-538d0a05b8cb)

Dedication (#ulink_efce7f00-edfc-54fb-b3b8-fd6e19acbbd8)

Epigraph (#ulink_484a0c00-5004-5419-9502-78c84f1a4ddc)

(#ulink_68f5c985-1d86-5c5b-ad85-3df1016e280f)Introduction (#u32a5d9e3-2842-5fb7-a420-2f2ce238c8d6)

(#ulink_9a675c4d-f0f3-5441-ae17-010d4c637802)The Inner Gibbon (#u35bd3751-dc60-443a-b6a4-4262b2ba9ae6)

A Short History of Climbing Trees (#u35bd3751-dc60-443a-b6a4-4262b2ba9ae6)

(#ulink_14d1c398-3e65-5213-bea3-df4b6eb7f5fb)Green Fingers (#ucecb8d52-2c67-4987-b516-9414ac0ddb5b)

(#ulink_4b1becc5-8e31-517d-8833-8e82dd43e329)A Warning to the Curious (#uc11ce99f-29bd-4fd1-ba61-492a0257f231)

(#ulink_c733d340-81ca-5911-b619-c08198f65af6)Canals & Rivers (#u44b40679-f79e-47a1-a8df-c7683d6779b5)

(#ulink_d9f57371-eddc-5279-bc2a-cb1f2754b848)Brothers in Arms, Bishop’s Park (#ufedd9b20-17ab-448f-b65e-df3612015075)

(#ulink_45cdf922-43f7-5f41-ac34-e87d95e09e11)The Helping Hand, Regent’s Canal (#u32573934-5948-4fef-acd5-1bff0ef7684c)

(#ulink_2db502dd-8e7b-5ce1-90fa-cf81d6ea0e27)The Hideout, Beverley Brook (#ufd46d0f6-df91-4d19-b15e-8286cc0d694e)

(#ulink_56ec94f5-30d3-5b68-968d-1b362fe691b5)The Old Mill, Ravensbourne River (#u9092cc06-b54b-44fc-ab93-73a53ad9a486)

(#ulink_263a7b7b-ac05-5710-b389-16b7c3b04256)The Crow’s Nest, King Edward VII Memorial Park (#u2312505c-9fd9-4d20-8b9e-89f35c3e3912)

(#ulink_ff903881-6a20-532e-9654-b28377a4d5c4)The Sidewinder, Hertford Union Canal (#u269de4a4-bbff-4692-861e-1750cbac8a20)

(#ulink_6c9a4dc9-b44e-5a96-b3de-fe7b6c666c73)The Golden Fleece, Little Venice (#uabef18b7-58ad-4b11-98ce-3fef5fd298d0)

(#litres_trial_promo)The Double Decker, Millbank (#litres_trial_promo)

(#litres_trial_promo)Ophelia’s Treehouse, The Bow Brook (#litres_trial_promo)

(#litres_trial_promo)The Fireman’s Pole, Meadowbank (#litres_trial_promo)

(#litres_trial_promo)The Fish Hook, River Wandle (#litres_trial_promo)

(#litres_trial_promo)City Parks (#litres_trial_promo)