We are delighted to announce a major upgrade to this popular route: over 4 miles of road-walking east of Aberfeldy has been replaced by a delightful footpath along the south bank of the River Tay. For a free upgrade sheet with detailed directions, plus a list of minor changes including waymarking elsewhere on the route, visit this page.
The Rob Roy Way route has been printed on the 2007 Ordnance Survey Explorer maps (1:25,000), which we now offer as a 4-map pack at a special £6 discount. Please visit Rob Roy Way for more detail on both book and map pack. The Loch Ard forest section of the Way has also been waymarked, but large-scale maps are still highly recommended.
The second Rob Roy Challenge took place on 23.6.07, and during June the southern part (including the famous Loch Ard forest section) was permanently waymarked. For more info on this major fund-raising event, sponsored by Martin Currie, visit the Rob Roy Challenge website.
Jacquetta Megarry has completed the Xtreme Everest trek to and from Everest Base Camp (5300 m/17,225 ft), as one of 200+ volunteers who also completed medical tests daily en route. For more info, visit the Xtreme Everest website; for links to press coverage, visit About us.
Xtreme Everest and Rucksack Readers are still attracting media attention, see the 23 March issue of the Bookseller (p25), April's issue of Country Walking (p130), and the centrefold spread in the Stirling Observer of 6 April (pp28-9).
February marked the month when the media discovered Rucksack Readers and Jacquetta's participation in Xtreme Everest was covered extensively. The Sunday Post of 4.2.2007 had a 1000-word feature about "Supergran" at Everest Base Camp (p.21); in Radio Scotland's Out of Doors, Mark Stephen interviewed Jacquetta on 10.2.07; the Mail on Sunday carried a feature on the books by Simon Heptinstall (11.2.07, Travel section); and the Scotsman's magazine had a full-page feature (17.2.07 p.38).
In January, our new edition Speyside Way was released for pre-order. The book will be published on 15 April 2007 but pre-orders are often sent out in advance. Visit its page to see samples of the enriched photographs, updated directions and new village plans.
On 1 November, the new edition of the Rob Roy Way was released, with new material on Rob Roy MacGregor, over 75 colour photographs and improved navigational advice.
The Cateran Trail upgrade card is hot off the press. Visit Cateran Trail for more information and to order. The card is free on request if you bought this book from us, otherwise it comes free on request with any new order.
Denali/Mt McKinley is the summit of North America and latest in our Rucksack Pocket Summits series, by Harry Kikstra. Visit Denali for more information. Also released this month is the second edition of Explore the Inca Trail which covers the new regulations.
The first Rob Roy Challenge took place along our Rob Roy Way route in June 2006. Superb organisation and excellent weather greeted 615 competitors from all over the UK, 93% of whom successfully completed up to 55 miles bike-and-hike in times of 5-12 hours, see Rob Roy Challenge. Next year's "Challenge" will be on Sat 23rd June 2007.
New title: Denali (aka Mount McKinley) is the highest point of North America, and Harry Kikstra's guidebook on climbing it, the latest in our Rucksack Pocket Summit series, is due in July. Harry completed his seven summits early this year and went back to Everest in May. Also due in July is the fully revised edition of our "Explore the Inca Trail".
Adrian Couper of Bristol just became the 550th subscriber to our newsletter and therefore won £55-worth of free books. "I don't think I've ever won anything before" he emailed, sounding surprised but pleased. He has chosen five books covering walks he intends to complete.
Now covering Marangu, Machame and Rongai routes our new edition of "Explore Mount Kilimanjaro" has just arrived. Rongai is one of the most flexible and least difficult ascent routes. Also you descend by Marangu, thus traversing the mountain and experiencing more variety. Click Kili to find out why Chris Bonington is taking this book with him.
Less than 5 years after its first title was released, Rucksack Readers made a splash at the LIBF 2005 with a full-shelf display of a dozen titles, poster, new leaflet and bookmarks. LIBF 2005 was the launchpad for the new pocket series, Rucksack Pocket Summits. First title to be released is Harry Kikstra's "Aconcagua: Summit of South America", price £9.99 ($14.95), published August 05.
"With a combination of efficient production methods, imaginative marketing tactics and a single-minded focus on a specific product and audience, Rucksack Readers has managed to attract attention to its innovative guides for long distance walkers and trekkers - in the face of fierce competition in the travel book market.
Most of Megarry's "21st century virtual operation" is computer-based and automated ... a niche focus, a virtual organisation, smart IT and innovative marketing can overcome inefficiencies of the UK book trade."
Launched at the Blairgowrie and East Perthshire Walking Festival, the Cateran Trail, the Cateran Trail got off to a flying start with weapons demonstrations by the Ardblair Highlanders, led by Laurence Blair Oliphant (who wrote the Preface to the book).
Announcement of the Cateran Trail title at the London Book Fair led the Perthshire Advertiser to warn readers (PA 26.3.04, p.18): "Blairgowrie is bracing itself for a flood of foreign walkers after the news that its historic circular walk is to be the subject of a renowned guidebook." The book will be launched at the Blairgowrie & East Perthshire Walking Festival (30 September-3 October 2004).
Sandra Bardwell's new book "The Dingle Way" was published on 1 March. The Dingle Peninsula is one of Ireland's best-kept secrets, and this walk features seascapes, mountain views and Ireland's longest beach. The book includes background on archaeology, Brendan the Voyager, wildlife and a special section on Great Blasket Island, uninhabited since 1953.
The latest Rucksack Reader opens up China's most famous tourist destination, and the world's largest manmade "object", to the ordinary walker. The book provides background on the dynasties, civilisation and culture, 70 photographs, maps and site plans. It focuses on the most rewarding sections of Great Wall, dating from the Ming Dynasty.
The second edition of our popular West Highland Way title was released in July 2003. It features many new photographs (including the front cover), a number of updates and improvements (with help from the Way's Rangers) and improved directions, especially in places where walkers have gone astray in the past. The new ISBN is 1-898481-19-9, but the UK price is still £10.99.
BBC Radio Scotland covered the anniversary of the opening of the Great Glen Way in its "Out of Doors" programme. The prize package on offer was a free week's walking, with 5 nights' accommodation, luggage transfer and the Rucksack Reader.
We received bulk copies of the Wicklow Way on 22 January 2003 and started to ship to website customers and distributors the same day. The Irish launch of Rucksack Readers is on 17 March 2003.
Rucksack Readers were on display at Frankfurt for the first time, on the Scottish Publishers Association stand 8.0 H901. Jacquetta Megarry was there to meet distributors and possible partners. Advance Information sheets on two new titles (the Wicklow Way and Explore the Great Wall) were distributed.
Explore Mount Kilimanjaro has proved so popular that we have had to produce a second edition only 18 months after the first. With a few route updates and improvements, the price is the same but the ISBN is now 1-898481-16-4. The second edition begins shipping on 1 September.
Eagerly awaited, the first advance copies of Rob Roy Way started to ship on 12 July 2002. Distributors and wholesalers received their main supplies later in July.
The newly revised second edition started to ship on 19 June. Based on fieldwork done by Sandra Bardwell during May 2002, various updates and improvements have been made. Due to an unexpected run on copies of this book, the first edition had sold out inside a year.
On completion of their inaugural Rob Roy Way, walkers were contratulated by Cllr Tom Scott of Perth & Kinross Council, and by Mr Andrew Mathieson, Chairman of Perthshire Tourist Board. Each walker was given a certificate and Rob Roy Way whisky miniature. Local press were in attendance.
A report on the Rob Roy Way Inaugural Walk was transmitted on Saturday 18 May on Scottish Television's lunchtime news. Walkers left from Drymen Tourist Information Centre and there was also newspapers coverage: see report and photo in the Stirling Observer, 24.5.02, page 4.
After weeks of work behind the scenes, our new website has gone live. Dropdown menus make it easier to navigate between books, and site content is now easier for us to update. Two new titles are announced and we are offering an occasional newsletter. We want your feedback, both comments on this site and suggestions for the future.
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