Thwaites Wainwright Prize 2015 shortlist revealed

Celebrating the legacy of renowned British nature writer Alfred Wainwright, the Prize reflects his core values of inspiring people to explore the outdoors, whilst engendering a love of landscape and respect for nature.

The 2015 shortlist successfully showcases the breadth of experience the British countryside provokes in contemporary literature today, with the six writers drawing inspiration from a variety of interactions with the natural world around them.

The shortlisted titles are:

Running Free: A Runner’s Journey Back to Nature by Richard Askwith

The Moor by William Atkins

Claxton: Field Notes from a Small Planet  by Mark Cocker

Meadowland  by John Lewis-Stempel

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Rising Ground: A Search for the Spirit of Place by Philip Marsden

Worth £5,000, the 2015 Prize is judged by a panel that includes: chair Dame Fiona Reynolds, current Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge and former director general of The National Trust; Nigel Roby, chief executive and publisher of The Bookseller; Paul Evans, broadcaster and nature writer; Fergus Collins, editor of BBC Countryfile magazine; Bill Lyons, TV executive editor of Countryfile, Secret Britain and Coast; and Katie Bond, publisher at the National Trust.

Commenting on the shortlist, chair of judges Dame Fiona Reynolds, said: 

“From wild moorlands to quaint meadows, the shortlist for the Thwaites Wainwright Prize 2015 reflects both the vast variety of landscapes within the UK and the phenomenal creative work this inspires. Featuring previous award winners – like the Costa Book of the Year, H is for Hawk – alongside award debutantes, these six shortlistees show that nature writing in the UK is as strong as ever.”

The winner will be announced on Wednesday 22 April, 2015.