Peter Caton Books

02/06/2025

Started the publication process for my next book today. Provisional publication date 28th November.

My Father's Dartmoor - Sixty Years of Dartmoor Walks & History

A celebration of my father’s sixty years of Dartmoor walking and campaigning, adding a little to the historical record of the National Park and completing the book he was unable to finish. Produced in full colour and illustrated with over 200 Dartmoor photographs.

Part One starts with five chapters written by my father describing walks in the 1950s & 60s. Further chapters describe some of his walks with family, in all weathers and with the Dartmoor Preservation Association.

Part Two contains photographs going back to 1954, some of which are compared with recent pictures. One chapter shows photographs from Dartmoor railways taken in the 1950s, including the famous Princetown branch line.

Part Three is based around my father’s Dartmoor documents, including letters from Hansford Worth and Hemery, with investigation undertaken regarding some of the buildings and artefacts mentioned. Based on his 1958 photograph the history of a remote Dartmoor farmhouse is researched, questioning previously published information.

The final chapter looks at changes observed on Dartmoor in the last sixty years.

02/06/2025

Just a reminder that all my books are still available post free from Swan Books.
Please support local independent businesses.
It may be convenient to buy from those huge online retailers but they are killing off our shops and taking almost all the profits. On sales through Amazon authors get just 25% of the cover price which unless the print run is many thousands, doesn’t even cover the printing costs.

21/05/2025

Excellent review of my latest Dartmoor book.

This is one of the most interesting and important books about Dartmoor published in recent years, a fascinating and challenging work by Peter Caton. It not only tries to answer the question posed i…

23/03/2025

I have acquired new copies of these two books by Peter Caton, both excellent reads. I have a few signed copies (please ask) £10 the pair incl. UK p&p. Payment by BACS or PayPal.

19/02/2025

19/01/2025

Dartmoor on Countryfile tonight.Opening statement ‘Dartmoor an untamed wilderness’. But is it?

Unlimited Premium Delivery is available to Amazon Prime members. To join, select "Yes, I want a free trial with FREE Premium Delivery on this order." above the Add to Basket button and confirm your Amazon Prime free trial sign-up.

18/01/2025

My next book, based on Dad's Dartmoor walks, photos and documents, has been featured on Torquay Museum's page.

14/11/2024

With over 4000 copies sold the third reprint of Essex Coast Walk has just arrived. The book, a narrative of my walks along the whole Essex coast, was updated in 2016. This year I have started repeating the walk, looking at what has changed on the coast, and there will eventually be a new book, Essex Coast Revisited.

Essex Coast Walk Essex Coast WalkReprinted & Updated 2016Available now at Swan BooksWhen Peter Caton set out to walk the Essex coast he had no idea of the beauty, wildlife and stories that he would find on the way. He takes the reader up and down the many creeks and estuaries of the longest coastlin...

03/11/2024

My latest is now available -

Dartmoor : England's Last Wilderness?

A Dartmoor narrative, exploring many aspects of the moor by means of a series of varied walks and asking the question, is Dartmoor England’s last wilderness?

The author starts by telling us of the various mishaps he’s experienced on Dartmoor and the lessons learned. He moves on to describing walks, each with a theme and including information on the history, legends, geography and people of the moor. Making use of his father’s sixty year old notebooks, he refers back to some of his childhood walks in the 1960s & 70s.

Some of the many controversies and conflicts relating to Dartmoor are discussed, including access, camping and rewilding and the book includes four chapters on battles to save the moor.

The author considers what defines a wilderness, whether Dartmoor qualifies and if so is it England’s last. Illustrated with 100 colour and monochrome photos, the book could perhaps be described as a Dartmoor miscellany with themes of walks, wilderness, controversies and stories of the moor.

Available post free from -

Peter Caton A Dartmoor narrative, exploring many aspects of the moor by means of a series of varied walks and asking the question, is Dartmoor England’s last wilderness?The author starts by telling us of the various mishaps he’s experienced on Dartmoor and the lessons learned. He moves on to des...

20/09/2024

Copies of my next book will be available in early October.

Pre-order from Swan Books. Free postage. Support local independent businesses.

Peter Caton *publication due August 2024*A Dartmoor narrative, exploring many aspects of the moor by means of a series of varied walks and asking the question, is Dartmoor England’s last wilderness?The author starts by telling us of the various mishaps he’s experienced on Dartmoor and the lesson...

08/07/2024

Walks Discovering Lesser Known Dartmoor is now stocked in the excellent new shop in the Church House at Widecombe and at Pixies Holt neat Dartmeet. It can be bought at most bookshops around Devon and the DNPA visitor centres.

Walks Discovering Lesser Known DartmoorWalks Discovering Lesser Known DartmoorAvailable to buy today from the link below:www.swanbooks.co.ukA guide describing routes of 1½ to 10 miles, enabling walkers to discover the beauty, history and hidden places of Dartmoor, the wildest, most remote and argua...

17/06/2024

Dartmoor : England’s Last Wilderness?

My next Dartmoor book is due for publication on 28th August. Currently it is with the publisher awaiting proof reading.

A Dartmoor narrative, exploring many aspects of the moor by means of a series of varied walks and asking the question, is Dartmoor England’s last wilderness?

The author starts by telling us of the various mishaps he’s experienced on Dartmoor and the lessons learned. He moves on to describing walks, each with a theme and including information on the history, legends, geography and people of the moor. Making use of his father’s sixty year old notebooks, he refers back to some of his childhood walks in the 1960s & 70s.

Some of the many controversies and conflicts relating to Dartmoor are discussed, including access, camping and rewilding and the book includes four chapters on battles to save the moor.

The author considers what defines a wilderness, whether Dartmoor qualifies and if so is it England’s last. Illustrated with 100 colour and monochrome photos, the book could perhaps be described as a Dartmoor miscellany with themes of walks, wilderness, controversies and stories of the moor.

A writer of travel and walking books, Peter Caton has walked on Dartmoor for almost sixty years.