About us
Wild Places Publishing specialises in caving-related publications, perhaps the best known of these being Descent magazine although we also publish books.
Descent was launched as a small-format magazine in January 1969, price 2/6 (12.5p); it moved to A4 format with issue (40) in 1979. Its first editor and publisher was Bruce Bedford - you can read the story of those early years in Descent (210) - until issue (55) appeared in 1983, when Gloucester-based Ambit Publications took the reins as publisher. While Keith Creighton ran the publishing end of things, supported by Sue Dwyer who did the layout, Bruce remained as editor until issue (82) in 1988. Keith produced a single issue as interim editor, then Chris Howes began his tenure as editor with issue (84), from the beginning working alongside assistant editor Judith Calford.
In 1997, the publisher changed to Gloster Publications (named for the Second World War aircraft, not the company's town). In fact, this was still Ambit Publications, renamed while restructuring, which in turn led to the sale of Descent in 1998. Thus, the magazine came to Wild Places Publishing, at that time only recently set up by Chris and Judith to produce Images Below and other titles.
Things had come full circle: Descent began as a caver-production, was later independently published, and is now again totally associated with cavers from the written content, editing and production to publication. In 2009 Chris and Judith were honoured with the Tratman Award 'for their production of Descent, with continuing innovation taking it to its 200th edition and beyond, and in recognition of the magazine's contribution to speleology.'
Of course, Descent production is only part of what Wild Places works on - do take a look at our books, for example. We only present top quality products and have won awards for our publications, so rest assured that you cannot find finer.