The Tattooed Hills

A Wanderlust Best Travel Book 2026

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Across southern England and beyond, the land bears the marks of centuries — white horses, giants, crosses, badges, even a lost panda — cut into the chalk and exposed to the sky. In The Tattooed Hills, Jon Woolcott travels to these remarkable sites, exploring their history and the deep cultural roots that link landscape to identity.

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Part travelogue, part cultural history, Woolcott examines how these figures — sometimes ancient, sometimes surprisingly recent — reflect our collective imagination, and how their meanings have shifted over time. Once emblems of pride or remembrance, they have become mirrors of our changing values and contradictions. From Iron Age hillforts to modern regimental carvings, the book draws together archaeology, folklore, art, literature, and music to reveal the evolving story of Britain's chalk landscapes and the people who shaped them.

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Beautifully written and steeped in a sense of place, Woolcott visits many of England's chalk figures, delving into their mysteries — including the Westbury White Horse, the Long Man of Wilmington, the Cerne Abbas Giant, and the Uffington White Horse. The Tattooed Hills is a captivating exploration of landscape, culture, and belonging, revealing how the chalk beneath our feet connects us to our past and continues to shape who we are today.

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Fiona Robertson called it a fascinating detective story told with humour and joy, while The Bookseller praised its alluring blend of travel writing, cultural history, and folklore. John Grindrod described it as witty, evocative, and profoundly human, and Charles Foster called Woolcott the most splendid company on an immaculately researched tour of chalky weirdness.