Originally published in 1969, at a time when there was an ever-increasing number of people going to the coast and countryside at weekends and on holiday, this book filled a gap by providing detail on the physical results of all that needed to be done for the leisure-seeking public. It discusses juggling the needs of the public whilst maintaining the quality of the natural environment – a balancing act which remains as relevant in the 21st Century as when the book was first published. The book is intended for all those making provision for public recreation and countryside protection. The passing of the Countryside Act in 1968 in the UK necessitated detailed work for local authorities: the design and siting of car parks; public lavatories; litter bins, camp and picnic sites; swimming pools and information centres to name but a few. Elisabeth Beazley discusses the principles involved and illustrates successful and cautionary examples from both sides of the Atlantic as well as Continental Europe
