This portrait of Rutland reveals the landscape, architecture, fauna and flora of an unspoilt and beguiling landlocked county throughout the seasons. Rutland's motto, multum in parvo (much in little) was certainly well chosen and its diminutive borders encompass a slice of quintessential England. Rutland's two towns, Oakham and Uppingham, both have internationally renowned public schools and despite being the nation's smallest county, with the creation of the reservoir of Rutland Water, it has somehow also managed to accommodate one of Europe's largest man-made lakes. Most of the county's villages have been spared the rampant development that has blighted many of their peers lying closer to the major conurbations of England and quiet country lanes and bridleways vastly outnumber main trunk roads. The landscape character is surprisingly varied with the rolling hills of the north and west gradually subsiding into more open countryside around the eastern border with Lincolnshire. Rutland is renowned for its many historic churches and in common with the villages they serve are built from the high quality limestone that has been quarried in the region for centuries. It may not take long to drive in a straight line from one side of Rutland to the other but for those willing to venture off the beaten track, the rewards are immense and this beautifully illustrated book will encourage such further exploration.