New From Cicerone - Lightweight Camping

Latest publication from Cicerone is Lightweight Camping, by occasional OM contributor and long-standing outdoors industry journo, John Traynor.

The first thing we'd point out is that the 155-page volume isn't about ultralight backpacking – if you want to know about Cuben fabric tarps and carbon fibre toothbrushes, look elsewhere – 'lightweight' in this context pretty well means 'not heavyweight, kitchen sink and all' family tent camping.

Nor is it a selection of kit check-lists and list of essential equipment features, if you want those, there are plenty around. Instead it's more of a gentle distillation of a lifetime's worth of camping experience laced with anecdotes from past trips and leavened with some robust opinions – John's none too keen on dogs in a camping context by the way.

There are chapters on Basecamp, mobile camping by foot, car, bike or canoe, wild – 'out in the open' – camping, tents and equipment choice and a final section called 'treading softly' about minimising your impact.

Lightweight Camping isn't a detailed A to Z of how to go camping, it won't tell you which models of tent or stove to buy or go into the minutae of the pros and cons of different tent structures, but it's laced with wise observations based on John's vast experience and, arguably most importantly, a quietly bubbling sense of the more subtle pleasures of camping.

All of which makes it strangely hard to classify, but oddly, a rather nice to read and maybe best suited to those just starting out under canvas who need to be convinced of its wider appeal. Oh and there are some nice pictures too.

Lightweight Camping retails for £12.95. More details at www.ciceronepress.co.uk.