The Pennine Way: A Geological Companion
The Pennine Way is one of Britain’s longest and most arduous walks, not for the faint-hearted, and this is a nicely presented book on the geology of the area. Charlie Bendall attempts the near-impossible: describing the geology of the route for an audience with minimal geological understanding.
There are a great many nicely drawn figures that are simple to follow and generally explain things in layman’s terms. Some are particularly effective, while others are less so, and a few of the cross-sections are rather small. As with many introductory books, some concepts—especially what lies beneath the surface—may still prove difficult for readers without a geology background to comprehend.
The book is easy to read and could readily be studied in sections by those undertaking the walk. Assuming that many readers will be outdoor adventurers rather than geoscientists, there could perhaps have been more on the botany, ornithology and archaeology (for example, the Chew Green Roman encampment). The iconic view of part of Hadrian’s Wall above Crag Lough, with the Whin Sill, would also have made a welcome addition.
The index is fairly basic and there is no glossary of the terms used throughout the book. Geological sources appear to rely largely on British Geological Survey maps and guides, and some references mentioned in the text are not included among the listed sources. In a few places, geological terms or map labels are introduced before they are fully explained, which may cause some confusion for non-specialist readers.
There are occasional elements of the personal writing style that I found slightly distracting, and some terminology and nomenclature choices will not appeal to every geologist. Likewise, a careful technical read-through by a geoscientist might have picked up a handful of inconsistencies in terminology and spelling. That aside, the book is generally well produced and largely free of errors.
Overall, the author has taken on a challenging task and produced an accessible introduction to the geology of the Pennine Way that walkers with an interest in the landscape will find both readable and informative.
Reviewed by Malcolm Hart
DETAILS
BY: Charlie Bendall (2025) The Crowood Press Ltd, 240 pp.
ISBN: 9780719845574
PRICE: £20, available from Geoscientist’s bookshop
