Wild Nature Diary 2025 Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Deborah Banasko
When I agreed to review the Wild Nature Diary I was expecting beautiful photography, but this product has actually blown me away with the stunning depictions of our natural world.
The photographs focus on the un-spoilt beauty of areas within Great Britain, and introduce the elements of land, nature, people and spirit which meant so much to John Muir (1838-1914). John Muir was the founder of modern conservation and inspired the introduction of national parks.
The John Muir trust was launched in 1983 to take “positive action in the face of the process of erosion and degradation”, and is dedicated to enhancing and protecting wild places and the nature living within it. By purchasing this diary you are helping to support this wonderful charity with its work.
The front cover is stunning and draws you in, with the opening preface by John Beatty being a fascinating read followed by some further information about the John Muir Trust.
On the next few pages you are greeted with a taste of the stunning photography which will follow, with an emphasis on land, nature then people.
Focusing on the practical side of things first of all, this is a very functional diary. I measure it at around 21cm by 19cm and finished with a silver ring-binder edge, with the cover being made of a thicker card then the internal paper. Each page is of high-quality glossy paper, and for every week of the year there is an entire page dedicated to each photograph (more on that shortly), with the adjacent page sectioned into 7 days. There is plenty of space to write down birthdays, appointments and plans for the day so this is a perfectly sized diary for me.
I do think that a diary is a personal thing, as some people require a large “page-a-day” work diary whilst others need a pocket slim-line one. For me, having enough space to write just a few lines is ample and I would suggest that this diary would suit the majority of people, should you be considering this as a Christmas gift. Little features such as which week of the year or month we are on are shown on the diary side.
Numerous photographers have contributed their work to this product (29 to be precise), and each and every picture is just stunning. Accompanying every photograph is a written description; this may be about the animal in the picture or the land feature being shown, and it really helps you to connect with nature and the story being presented. My husband and I found this fascinating, as there were areas being depicted that we had never seen before, yet they are right here in the country that we live in. The animals shown were especially beautiful.
This leads me onto the other feature which I really appreciated, as beside every photograph was a map of a section of the UK with a dot marking where the picture was taken, a nice touch when looking at land features. To finish it off, three small squares are used to present key sections of the main picture.
I love this well considered, consistent layout. I also appreciate opening my diary and seeing things that make me smile and teach me something about my country.
This would make an excellent Christmas gift for a man or woman as you cannot help but appreciate the beauty of the artwork and be fascinated by the words. I can think of a handful of people on my Christmas list who would appreciate a thoughtful and unique gift such as this.
This isn’t the sort of diary that I personally would throw into a bag as you really wouldn’t want to damage it. It is definitely one for the office draw. I think perhaps a clear protective cover may have been a welcome addition to prevent damage, or even a thicker outer cover, but perhaps I am being a little picky.
This diary is more than worth the £16.50 recommended retail price and it is a great gifting price-point. I would award it an easy 5 stars out of 5.
RRP: £16.50
Rating: 5/5 stars
For more information or to buy, visit wild-nature.co.uk.