Laurence Mackinreviews the latest travel writing
Ecoescape: Ireland
Catherine Mack
Markham, €11.69
It might seem a little favourable to be reviewing Catherine Mack’s book, seeing as she often occupies the space opposite this column, but neither Mack nor this guide needs such artificial help. Ecoescape is Mack’s guide to 50 green escapes in Ireland, places that offer a tempting tourism experience with minimal impact on the environment while using the best of local resources. The entries are not so much reviews as concise articles, each carefully researched and completely individual; the personality and the passion behind the people and the places crackle off the page, and Mack has done more than provide a great guide book: she has done a great service to some of the sterling work being done to promote Irish tourism at a grass-roots level, in the best sense of the word. Clean, elegant layout and handsome photos make this a classy affair, but perhaps one of the nicest touches is the “getting there slowly” entry on each listing, which tells you how to arrive by public or more sustainable means of transport, such as your legs. A terrific guide, then, to some of the best this country has to offer.
Kyoto City Guide
Lonely Planet, £13.99
You’re unlikely to get to Kyoto in a very sustainable fashion, but thanks to the treaty signed there it has become a byword for ecological thinking. Kyoto is a city of quiet contemplation filled with Zen gardens and peaceful temples, and it is, at least according to this guide, the most beautiful city in Asia. It is also full of traditional Japanese culture, and this book lists reams of atmospheric cafes, restaurants and cracking bars to tempt you away from the bright lights of Tokyo.