Helen Moat – författare

A silver sea of gossamer rippling over an upland field, the work of tiny money spiders A woodpecker’s maestro drumming performance in a wet winter woodlandThe diving antics of laser-eyed buzzardsThe hug of a small forest...Determined to overcome her winter anxiety, Helen Moat sets out into the darkness. Her discoveries begin at home, and then on across the world from the Arctic Circle to Asia. Along the way, she finds beauty in the small things that only winter can offer.Helen’s quest to dispel her seasonal blues has its ups and downs; slowly, though, she learns not only to accept the darkness of winter, but to embrace it. When she travels to Lapland and Japan, their cultural and philosophical attitude to the season is a revelation.While the Earth Holds Its Breath nurtures resilience and determination, finding a joyous positivity that does not ignore the darkness, but finds something to love there.

Part of Bradt's distinctive, award-winning series of Slow Travel guides to UK regions, the new, thoroughly updated third edition of The Peak District (Slow Travel) offers a wider, more personal selection of places to explore than any other guidebook. Slow down and let expert local author Helen Moat not only guide you around all the well-known places in this much-loved area, but escort you off the beaten tourist track to uncover the hidden corners of the Peak District, teasing out its special qualities. The author's love of interesting and colourful stories about people and places draws her to highlight quirky and unusual places, from secret gorges, historical ruins and abandoned mills to strange follies and irresistible pubs. The result, for the reader, is a privileged understanding of what makes this stunning region tick - and why it deserves repeat visits.Although mostly in the county of Derbyshire, the Peak District extends into parts of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and both South and West Yorkshire - putting it within easy reach of millions of people. Its small surface area harbours unexpectedly diverse landscapes, including deep-cut dales, rocky escarpments, weathered tors and far-reaching moorland. From the characterful mill towns of Holmfirth, Marsden and Uppermill to the historical stone-built settlements that lie in the heart of the national park; from the elegant spa town of Buxton to the colourful market towns of Matlock, Ashbourne and Leek, the Peak District is filled with story and history - and great beauty. Bradt's The Peak District (Slow Travel) helps you connect with the people who work and live in the national park through the author's first-hand accounts of their experiences, and helps you discover great places to eat and drink - with a particular focus on tasty, local and good-quality food in atmospheric venues and locations. An emphasis on car-free travel throws up a range of options for getting around, from walking, cycling, boating, buses and trains to more surprising modes of transport that form as much part of the sightseeing experience as they do simply getting from A to B. This is Slow Travel at its finest.