An audiobook for my commute to work. A great little tale about a hesitant journalist's foray into the world of detectorists. For obvious reasons, many a nod to The Detectorists TV show but also some very interesting facts about several detectorist led finds and information for would be detectorists also. I have had a bit of an obsession with metal detecting since I was a child and loved reading stories about treasure hoards and ancient items being found. Although, what I once thought was a treasure box was actually a baking tray! Memorable experiences, rooted in landscape and history, could be had in objectively unremarkable places — on the A1, a road I know well, for example.” Searchers, seekers, hobbyists, all of them falling captive to the allure of the hunt - once unearthed a journey that seems to find its own path - and one which, for the author, is an unmistakably compelling one. Finding himself in the process, as, over the course of one year (outlined in this book), he grows from awkward novice to a devotee embedded in a close-knit community of, some would say, oddballs, but really more aptly described as dopamine-linked journeymen (for this band of brothers is by-and-large male). A few weeks later he retrieved his new machine from where it was hidden behind the wheelie bins. He was starting on a journey that he never ever thought that he would take.

The Accidental Detectorist by Nigel Richardson | Waterstones The Accidental Detectorist by Nigel Richardson | Waterstones

There are things below the surface that pull people together in a shared love of history, landscape and the hope that, this time, something incredible will be unearthed. I learned a lot and enjoyed the stories about metal detectoring. I found it fascinating and liked the style of writing and the storytelling. I often find it hard to get into non fiction books but Richardson’s writing style drew me in and I was keen to find out more about his story. He writes with warmth and empathy as well as some humour along the way. It’s really interesting to find out about his journey into detecting and all the different people he meets, and how his perspectives change.

What starts as a day out to gather material for an article develops into a surprising passion for writer and journalist Nigel.

The Accidental Detectorist: Uncovering an Underground - WHSmith The Accidental Detectorist: Uncovering an Underground -

I found this book interesting, fascinating and very informative. It was interesting to read how Covid-19 altered this travel writer’s journey in life. Forced to stay in the UK, journalist and writer Nigel Richardson started metal detecting. I would love to be able to do metal detecting too, as I have always been fascinated by looking for treasures. I love going to Whitby, Scarborough and Spurn Point on Yorkshire coast looking for fossils. It is amazing and so peaceful just walking and dreaming of what treasures could be found. The possibilities are endless, and that’s what makes metal detecting so interesting I think. Charting his course from utter novice to “one of the crew”, Nigel describes his tentative steps into the hobby, which seems for him to be as much about seeking a sense of identity and belonging — following all the upheavals and upsets of Brexit followed by the pandemic — as it does about buried treasure. Richardson's writing style is easy enough, conversational with some humour thrown in but there are only so many times you can read someone saying "found anything good?!" It was a journey that would take him to various parts of the country from his local village to the wide skies of Norfolk. He walked in fields that people had walked across hundreds of years ago and lost the items that he would find later. He would share these experiences with one person sweeping the head of their machine across another part of the field and went to big rallies where there would be hundreds of other detectorists who were as obsessed as he was becoming. The one thing that he want to find was an elusive hammered coin. Everyone else seemed to have found them.Scouring the country from Cornwall to Scotland in search of treasure and the best detectorists, Nigel finds himself more immersed in the culture than he bargained for and makes his own personal journey from cynicism to obsession in his trail through the heartlands of metal detecting. From women’s groups who react against the hobby’s male bias, to the ‘Nighthawks’ who risk jail-time in their pursuits, he finds his preconceptions disabused and gets to the heart of what makes this quiet community so obsessed with happy beeps. There is discussion about the value of the finds, both monetarily and historically, and how there is sometimes a disconnect between the priorities and values of detectorists and others. What is more important, monetary value or the story told by finds? Soon the author is hooked on this hobby and as restrictions lift, he begins to travel to different parts of the county and country to meet others, learn more and attempt to find a hammered coin.

The Accidental Detectorist: Uncovering an Underground Obsession - AbeBooks The Accidental Detectorist: Uncovering an Underground Obsession -

The beauty of this hobby is that the English landscape is looked at differently. As Richardson says, he would have chosen Albania or Madagascar rather than Hampshire to go treasure hunting, but his local area suddenly appears to be a kind of undiscovered country. There's plenty to learn besides the laws of digging on farmland, from reading old maps and history books to the new jargon and equipment belonging to the detectorists. Richardson also explains the more shady side of this hobby with ‘nighthawks’ and people who don’t adhere to the rules. I love the fact that this book weaves in the history of different areas with the finds that people have made and describes a typical day out with other detectorists. I loved reading about the rallies and it has inspired me to see if there is a local group near to me. Loved it. Superbly written account of the world of metal detecting. So many brilliant anecdotes. Will be hard to beat as my Non-fiction book of the year. I loved read about different treasures, different areas for treasure hunting, as well as about the authors finds. I also loved seeing photos of the various items the author has found. What an interesting book!

Erm this was okay, but just okay. I think Richardson does his best with a subject that can be interesting up to a point but after reading, a whole book on metal detecting to me seems excessive. Maybe an article or a short book would have been better? The excitement and passion for the subject matter comes through from the off, and the historical detail and context makes for a more informed read. If you are thinking of starting this hobby- which the writer certainly tempts you with- this would be a great foundation in which to help you on your way. If you are a history geek like me, you'll also enjoy the context and the finds.