Give a good present: suggestions for walkers who like to read
Wanderlust: a history of walking by Rebecca
Solnit
A very detailed and
readable account of how walking as a leisure pastime has developed over
centuries. This well-researched book by an American writer, walker and
environmentalist cites examples relating to urban, rural and wild landscapes.
The Walker’s Friend: a miscellany of wit and
Wisdom by Jude Palmer
The perfect dip-in
book with quotes, anecdotes, articles and astonishing facts about all aspects
of walking – including a joke about two packets of crisps out for a stroll ….
(think about it)
The Old
Ways: a Journey on Foot by Robert
Macfarlane
Using the themes of
geological features, Macfarlane takes a wide-ranging look at well-known paths
like the Ridgeway and more obscure routes in other parts of the world. A very
individual and thought-provoking perspective.
Pathways by David Stewart and Nicholas
Rudd-Jones
An exploration of old
British routes, their uses over centuries and the people to be met along the
way. David Stewart runs WalkingWorld (www.walkingworld.com) which gives members
online access to thousands of walks.
The Lost Art of Walking by Geoff Nicholson
The tongue-in-cheek sub-title
of this book is The History, Science,
Philosophy, Literature, Theory and Practice of Pedestrianism – a fair
indication of Nicholson’s eclectic choice of topics, with an emphasis on city
walking. His main interest is the people perspective.
Special Interest
The War Walk: a journey along the Western Front
Nigel Jones’ guide to
the battlefields of WW1 is a practical and evocative account of a personal
pilgrimage.
Walk into Prehistory
Bill Bevan looks at 40
ancient sites in Britain and Ireland, considering their settings and how they were meant to be viewed from
the approach on foot to ritual functions.