From the foreword:Some years ago, I was asked by a member of a Rambling Club to which I belonged, what was the meaning of the word Lychgate. Not being able to give an explanation, I took the first opportunity of looking into the matter. From that day I have made it a duty and pleasure to keep a log of everything unusual discovered during my many wanderings. This little book is the result.The Rambler's Countryside Companion is a treasure trove of countryside sights, lore and history. From understanding the relevance of standing stones in Wiltshire to looking out for hop pickers in Kent, from ancient crosses in Northumbria to archery in Edinburgh, and from bridges in Monmouthshire to country rhymes from around the British Isles, this little gem is a delightful collection of history, nature and a bygone age. Topics covered include barns, bench marks, bridges, churches, dew ponds, dovecots, haymaking, hopping, horse brasses, love spoons, market crosses, scarecrows, stiles, sundials, thatching, village greens, watermills, weathercocks, whipping posts and windmills. (A lychgate is the decorative entrance gate to churchyards. The word 'lych' is derived from the German word for corpse as it is traditionally under this gate that the coffin was rested before being brought into the church.)