I don't think "Mountains of the Mind " by Robert MacFarlane has been mentioned yet...

A big thanks to Mike Rayner for recommending 'The Winding Trail' by Roger Smith. Having just taken charge of a copy I can confirm this to be a super anthology of material. Good call Mike!

Neil Fullwood
5953
First joined 1984 (ish)
Marches Group

Have a look at John Hillaby's 'Journey Through Britain', first published by Constable in 1968.
A classic and very personal account of the End to End trundle before it became fashionable.

Will endorse “Born to Run”, a great story but their was another book that I found fascinating this year “Two wheels on My Wagon” by Paul Howard, the story of a mountain bike down the spine of America from Canada to the USA / Mexico border and I am sorry to say it but it is just as enticing as “Out on Your Feet” Thank goodness the ride it depicts and the runs described in “Born to Run” is in America (well maybe just over the Mexican Border but some of us cross the Tweed and Esk now and again), otherwise the 100 could have a couple of rivals.

My favourite British walking book is One Man and his Bog, my favourite foreign one is Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. I have dared to say that on this forum; the other one I look at is White Blaze where Bill is a hate figure!

Whilst not about walking, but ultra distance running, "Born To Run" by Christopher Macdougall is well worth reading. It is the story of his quest to discover more about the Tarahumara Mexican Indians, who are reknowned for their skills as endurance runners and athletes. It also delves into the world of ultra running events in America, and the evolution of humankind as long distance runners.

Thanks for your contributions thus far. Please keep them coming.

A recap for those who are interested:

• 500 Mile Walkies by Mark Wallington
• A Lifetime of Mountains by A Harry Griffin
• A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby
• A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor
• Between the Woods and the Water by Patrick Leigh Fermor
• Barrow's Boys by Fergus Fleming
• Cassell's Tales of Endurance by Fergus Fleming
• Clear Waters Rising by Nick Crane
• Hamish's Mountain Walk by Hamish Brown
• High Summer by Chris Townsend
• Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
• Just a Little Run Around the World by Rosie Swale Pope
• Ninety Degrees North by Fergus Fleming
• Out On Your Feet - the Hundred by Julie Welch.
• One Man and His Bog by Barry Pilton
• Pennine Walkies by Mark Wallington
• Rural Rides by William Cobbett
• Summits and Secrets by Kurt Diemberger
• Two Degrees West by Nick Crane
• The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
• The Winding Trail by Roger Smith
• The Herriers Chronicles by Hugh Walpole
• The Blue Bear by Lynn Schooler
• The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac
• Voyages of Delusion by Glyn Williams
• Wagon's West by Frank McLynn
• Winterdance by Gary Paulsen
• Walking Home by Lynn Schooler
• Wild Wales by George Borrow

Time, then, to catalogue the library:
The Winding Trail, edited by Roger Smith - an anthology for walkers and backpackers that includes Richard Crawshaw's world walking record reprinted from the May 1974 LDWA newsletter and Dianne Bullard's double Lyke Wake from the August 1975 LDWA newsletter
Out On Your Feet - the Hundred by Julie Welch. Got to remind you of that one
Ninety Degrees North by Fergus Fleming - attempts to reach the North Pole
Barrow's Boys by Fergus Fleming - exploration in the Arctic and the Sahara
Cassell's Tales of Endurance by Fergus Fleming - explotation worldwide from Marco Polo to Umberto Nobile
Voyages of Delusion by Glyn Williams - the serach for the Northwest Passage
Wagon's West by Frank McLynn - America's overland trails

Hamish Brown "Hamish's Mountain Walk" - first continuous round of the Munros fuelled by stashes of tinned cream
and Eric Newby "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush" the ladies fashion scene to Nuristan mountains via climbing lessons in Snowdonis where the instruction involved telling him to jump off to see if the rope held. It did.

One Man and His Bog by Barry Pilton is an amusing light hearted read about him walking the Pennine Way. Just checked on Amazon and available very cheap!

Surprised Nick Crane has not received a mention yet
Try either 'Clear Waters Rising' or 'Two Degrees West'

I have just ordered 'The vintage book of walking' and 'The burning leg - walking scenes from classic fiction' both by Duncan Minshull - they sound promising but the jury is out until read. Why not try -

Winterdance, Gary Paulsen
The Pilgrimage, Paulo Coelho (Pilgimage to Santiago de Compostelo)
Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer (also made into a film)


I also read all of the Mark Wallington books - including Boogie up the river - sad to admit but it gave me the inspiration to paddle a canadian canoe the wrong way up the Thames, Henley to the source - a spring in a field, circa 1995.

I've just read "Just a Little Run Around the World" by Rosie Swale Pope. She decided to do this run after her husband died, as a tribute and chose a route in the Northern Hemisphere so that she could touch land as much as possible. But the catch was, much of the land was frozen and it is really amazing what she put up with to achieve her goal. I really enjoyed reading the experiences she had and am amazed she made it. She was from Tenby and it did make the news at the time. Makes you want to go explore Russia and Siberia in particular - but not with a tent!

Gripping stuff.
This list is a great idea - keep it going, like Eileen I'm keeping an eye on it now.

Patrick Leigh Fermor "A Time of Gifts" and "Between the Woods and the Water"

William Cobbett's Rural Rides.

Hugh Walpole The Herriers Chronicals. Bit heavy but still a good read

Keep going please... I'm noting!

I enjoyed "Walking Home" a journey in the Alaskan Wilderness by Lynn Schooler. A man by the way. And he writes bitterly of his wife- who eventually got off with an Italian so no wonder! I listened to a brief chapter on radio 4. He has written another "The Blue Bear" which the librairies have got waiting lists for!I Will read that next- he is a good writer of the outdoor life though. Wonderful.

George Borrow "Wild Wales".

A Harry Griffin "A Lifetime of Mountains" edited by Martin Wainwright

Talking of Mark Wallington, have you read "Pennine Walkies"? - very amusing!

I enjoyed High Summer, by Chris Townsend, it inspired me to start walking before i'd heard of the LDWA

Being an avid reader I am always on the hunt for a decent book. I want to compile a list of books that relate to travel/walking/journeying - fiction or otherwise that I could dip into.

Whilst I draw the line at AtoZ maps and guide books (perhaps with the exception of Wainwright) I do include anything else from Mark Wallington's 500 Mile Walkies through to Kurt Diemberger’s Summits and Secrets; Jack Kerouc's the Dharma Bums to Paulo Coelho's By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept…….bla

Your suggestions are now greatly anticipated…...