The landscapes and wildlife of southwest England
From basking sharks to bluebells, from its fragile submarine reefs to the tops of its highest moorland tors, southwest England is one of Britain’s most beautiful, most wildlife-rich areas. Its landscapes are among the country’s most diverse, and include the rugged, storm-battered cliffs of Cornwall, the heathlands of Dorset, the dunes and river estuaries of Devon, the rugged moors and ancient woodlands of both Dartmoor and Exmoor, and the reefs of the Scillies, Plymouth Sound and Lyme Bay. All this forms the subject matter for the book Wild Southwest, written and photographed by Nigel Hicks.
About Wild Southwest

Wild Southwest is a colourful, richly illustrated introduction to southwest England’s most beautiful wild places, as well as its magnificent plant and animal wildlife.
Encompassing the four southwest counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, environments covered include the region’s two national parks (Dartmoor and Exmoor) and its geological World Heritage Site (the Jurassic Coast), as well as a host of wider environments. These range from Somerset’s Mendip Hills and Dorset’s chalk grasslands, to the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, and the lovely Isles of Scilly. On top of this, the book includes the stunning submarine environment that surrounds the southwest peninsula.
Wildlife ranges from bluebells and bee orchids to basking sharks and buzzards, taking in many of the southwest’s common plant and animal species, plus some of its lesser known ones.
All writing and terrestrial photography is by Nigel Hicks. Underwater photography is supplied by Paul Naylor and Colin Munro.
Aquaterra Publishing
Wild Southwest was the first book to have been published by Nigel’s own publishing company, Aquaterra Publishing, though it has since been joined by three further titles, namely Beautiful Devon, Beautiful Cornwall and Beautiful Somerset.
Sample pages
Click on the image below to link through to sample pages.
Some Wild Southwest info:
No of pages | 160 |
Dimensions | 260 x 210 mm |
Cover type | Paperback with flaps |
No of words | 25,000 approx |
No of photos | 300 approx |
ISBN | 9780992797010 |
Publisher | Aquaterra Publishing |
Price | £14.99 |