L.T.C. Rolt played a crucial role in the revival of Britain’s inland waterways and pioneered the first preserved narrow-gauge railway. He is still a towering figure in the fields of inland waterways, preserved railways and post-war conservation: a bridge and a locomotive have been named after him, and there is a Rolt Prize, Rolt Fellows and an annual Rolt Lecture.

In this series of linked essays, Joseph Boughey explains aspects of Rolt’s earlier life and work, and sets his writing and practice in a broader context, considering such themes as the landscapes Rolt knew; the nature of travel and ‘country’ writing; the organicist movement of the 1930s and ’40s; English canals and navigable rivers from the 1930s to the ’50s the background to early railway preservation; and the nature of craft, craftspeople and preservation.

Exploring Rolt’s Landscapes focuses on an earlier period of Rolt’s life before he devoted his life to writing professionally. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the rich history of Britain’s waterways.