A Wagon in the Woods: Pursuing a dream in an ancient forest

An enchanting journey of restoration and rediscovery in the heart of the New Forest . . .

‘The perfect tonic for our chaotic times.’ - Sophy Roberts, author of Lost Pianos of Siberia and A Training School for Elephants

Some moments in childhood are frozen in time, vivid and vital, an anchor. When James Aldred tracked down an old horse-drawn wagon he once played in, he found himself inside one such moment again. However broken and rotten, it transported him to a magical summer in the New Forest forty years ago and awakened in him the possibility of reliving it with his young family.

In his evocative memoir, Aldred chronicles his return to a cherished landscape. As he painstakingly restores the wagon, learning from local crafts people, he delves into both the New Forest's natural history and storied past, tracing its roots back to the 16th century and even further to the time of William the Conqueror. Camera traps reveal otters hunting in the brook nearby, while the nearby goshawk nest and fox earth speak to the area's thriving wildlife.

Masterfully observed, A Wagon in the Woods is a celebration of both people and place, and the timeless bond between land, history and the enduring spirit of adventure.

‘Aldred has travelled the world driven by his love for trees. But the forest he loves most is here at home-the New Forest.This wonderful book takes us all into the depth of his special place - reminding us that we all need our own special wild place.’ - Alastair Fothergill, producer of The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet

'An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream.' - Ella Al-Shamahi, British explorer, paleoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist, stand-up comic and presenter