The Man Who Climbs Trees

Wild adventures in the world's treetops by the man who gets David Attenborough up into the branches.

A book of heart-stopping bravery and endurance, packed with astonishing—and sometimes gruesome—encounters with wild creatures. James Aldred is an old-school hero, and his thrilling recollections of a life of adventure driven by a love for trees will give you new reverence for the beauties and mysteries of the natural world.

The giant trees, described by James Aldred, are full of wonder and his fascinating book is a story of real adventure

Peter Wohlleben, author of the international bestseller THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES

A great read – incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective from the arms of the world’s giants

Passionate and courageous, in his masterpiece of a memoir, James Aldred reminds us that the sweet green world around us is as alive as any creature--and trees are wondrous individuals with deep truths to tell. This is a book filled with beauty, suspense and revelation. I loved it!

Sy Montgomery, author of THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS

[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book

To leave the dank darkness of the jungle floor and travel up to the sunlight forest canopy is probably the natural world’s most exciting revelation. James Aldred’s wonderful book is as close as you will ever get to that experience, without risking the climb for yourself.

Alastair Fothergill, TV Producer for ‘The Blue Planet’, ‘Planet Earth’ and ‘Frozen Planet’

A heady blend of daredevil ascents with a reflective wonder at the beauty of these living climbing frames

Derek Niemann, nature writer and journalist

A beautiful testament to the unique perspective offered by life high in the branches

Bruce Parry, award-winning documentary film-maker and author

James Aldred grew up on the edge of the New Forest and spent his teenage years exploring it. By fifteen he was building forest shelters, sleeping rough in the woods and spending much of his time up in the branches of trees. These days, he works in the treetops as an Emmy award-winning wildlife cameraman working regularly with National Geographic and the BBC, collaborating on many landmark natural history programmes with David Attenborough. He is also the author of The Man Who Climbs Trees and Goshawk Summer, for which he won the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2022. He lives with his family near Bristol and enjoys returning to the Forest to share it with his wife and sons whenever he can.

'A book of heart-stopping bravery and endurance' -- Helen Macdonald 
'A great read – incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective' -- Chris Packham 
'[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book' -- Daily Mail BOOK OF THE WEEK 
 
This is the story of a professional British tree climber, cameraman and adventurer, who has made a career out of travelling the world, filming wildlife for the BBC and climbing trees with people like David Attenborough, Chris Packham and Helen Macdonald. 
 
James's climbs take him to breathtaking locations as he scales the most incredible and majestic trees on the planet. On the way he meets native tribes, gets attacked by African bees, climbs alongside gorillas, chased by elephants, and spends his nights in a hammock pitched high in the branches with only the stars above him. 
 
This book blends incredible stories of scrapes and bruises in the branches with a new way of looking at life high above the daily grind, up into the canopy of the forest.

James Aldred

In text brimming with erudition , nature notes and observation , [Aldred] describes how he meticulously restored a century - old, roofless, rotting Romani caravan and installed it in the greenwood, returning, literally, to his roots.

An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream.

Ella Al-Shamahi, British explorer, paleoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist, stand-up comic and presenter

A riveting account of a years-long quest to reconnect with a much-loved place in nature through sheer effort and determination; an epic of mud and wood and water.

An epic adventure on an intimate scale. Aldred's warm and vivid descriptions of family, fellowship, craft and most of all a lifelong love of nature evoke Roger Deakin. Enchanting.

Aldred is a wildlife cameraman who spends his life on the road. This is his ode to home. A beautiful, humble, honest book , it reminds us to look into the undergrowth to find the wonder, to slow down and notice more. The perfect tonic for our chaotic times.

Sophy Roberts, author of A Training School for Elephants and Lost Pianos of Siberia

Aldred has travelled the world driven by his love for trees. But the forest he loves most is here at home - the New Forest. This wonderful book takes us all into the depth of his special place - reminding us that we all need our own special wild place.

Alastair Fothergill, producer of The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Frozen Planet

Written from the heart with honesty and humility, A Wagon in the Woods is a feast for the senses, brimming with beautifully observed details of nature, history and family.

Pursuing a dream in an ancient forest

Join James Aldred on a captivating journey, encountering master craftsmen, British wildlife, and a deep passion for a remarkable landscape. 
 
There are some moments in childhood that are frozen in time, vivid and vital, an anchor. When James Aldred tracked down an old horse-drawn wagon he once played in, he found himself inside one such moment again. Though brambles had overtaken its rotted boards and its wheels were barely there, it transported him to a magical summer in the New Forest forty years ago and awakened in him the possibility of reliving it with his young family. Pairing an ambition to restore the wagon to its former glory with a determination to share the Forest with his children, he embarked on a remarkable journey. 
 
In his evocative memoir, Aldred chronicles his return to a cherished childhood landscape, rich with the history of the Romani families who once roamed freely there. As he painstakingly restores the wagon, Aldred delves into both the New Forest's natural history and storied past, tracing its roots back to the 16th century and even further to the time of William the Conqueror. Camera traps reveal otters hunting in the brook, while the nearby goshawk nest and fox earth speak to the area's thriving wildlife. 
 
Masterfully observed, A Wagon in the Woods is a celebration of both people and place, and the timeless bond between land, history and the enduring spirit of adventure.

James Aldred

Praise for A Wagon in the Woods

In text brimming with erudition , nature notes and observation , [Aldred] describes how he meticulously restored a century - old, roofless, rotting Romani caravan and installed it in the greenwood, returning, litera ...

An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream.

A riveting account of a years-long quest to reconnect with a much-loved place in nature through sheer effort and determination; an epic of mud and wood and water.

In text brimming with erudition , nature notes and observation , [Aldred] describes how he meticulously restored a century - old, roofless, rotting Romani caravan and installed it in the greenwood, returning, litera ...

An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream.

A riveting account of a years-long quest to reconnect with a much-loved place in nature through sheer effort and determination; an epic of mud and wood and water.

In text brimming with erudition , nature notes and observation , [Aldred] describes how he meticulously restored a century - old, roofless, rotting Romani caravan and installed it in the greenwood, returning, litera ...

An inspirational tale of discovery and a passionate quest to fulfil a life-long dream.

A riveting account of a years-long quest to reconnect with a much-loved place in nature through sheer effort and determination; an epic of mud and wood and water.

Books by James Aldred

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter