Colin Elford spends his days alone - alone but for the deer, the squirrels, the rabbits, the birds and the many other creatures inhabiting the woods. From the crisp coldness of January, through the excitement of spring and the warmth of summer, and back into the dampness of the autumn and the chill winds of winter, we accompany the forest ranger as he goes about his work - stalking in the early-morning darkness, putting an injured fallow buck out of its misery, watching stoats kill a hare, observing owls, and simply enjoying the outdoors. "A Year in the Woods" is an invigorating look at nature through a forest ranger's eyes and an enthralling journey deep into the woods. It includes a delightful 'Preamble' by Craig Taylor.

Author Biography

Colin Elford is a forest ranger on the Dorset/Wiltshire border. The manuscript version of his diary found its way to Hamish Hamilton via his neighbour, the angling writer Chris Yates. Craig Taylor is the author of Return to Akenfield and One Million Tiny Plays About Britain and the editor of the magazine Five Dials.