Over the year of interviewing adventurers for my Adventure1000 project, I chatted to lots of folk who’ve written books about their journeys on foot.
If you’re planning a trip of your own I recommend you dipping into some of these before you go.
- Nick Hunt: Walking the Woods and the Water
- Rob Lilwall: Walking Home from Mongolia
- Alastair Humphreys: There Are Other Rivers
- Ed Stafford: Walking the Amazon
- Lev Wood: Walking the Nile
- Karl Bushby: Giant Steps
- Rosie Swale-Pope: Just a Little Run Around the World
Also recommended:
- Patrick Leigh Fermor: A Time of Gifts
- Nick Crane: Clear Waters Rising
- Laurie Lee: As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
- Stephen Graham: The Gentle Art of Tramping
- Ffyona Campbell: The Whole Story
- Cheryl Strayed: Wild
- Rory Stewart: The Places in Between
Some great reads there.
Two other thoughts…
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz
Also:
Of Walking In Ice: Munich – Paris: 23 November – 14 December, 1974 by Werner Herzog
My favourites seem to be missing; that may be a generational thing. You haven’t read enough if Colin Fletcher’s, The Thousand-Mile Summer and The Man Who walked Through Time. I would also recommend all of Chris Townsend’s book. he is still walking and writing.
I have a list of Long Walks on Goodreads and would appreciate more of your Reccomends.
Spanish Steps by Tim Moore – about the Camino de Santiago
You’re making me feel very old. The classic has to be the man who walked the Pacific Crest Trail long before Cheryl Strayed (though I love her work), Colin Fletcher, in THE 1000 MILE SUMMER. Even better, the book that fired my interest was THE MAN WHO WALKED THROUGH TIME.
Solid list you have here. I also enjoyed (and you might like it as well) “Ten Million Steps” by M.J. “Nimble Will Nomad” Eberhart. He hiked from the Florida Keys to Quebec and this book also has the first published chronicle of solo hiking the Eastern Continental Trail. Pretty interesting journeys.
I like The Walk West by Peter Jenkins and Off the Road by Jack Hitt. The former is about walking the Grand Canyon end-to-end, the latter about walking the Camino de Santiago.
I meant The Man Who Walked Through Time! That’s about the Grand Canyon. I got my books confused.
Although it’s controversial (meaning it may be made up or it could be the greatest journey ever undertaken), I cannot help but add The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom by Slavomir Rawicz to the list!
I agree.
Thank you for the recommendations – I have just ordered The Man Who Walked Through Time.
500 miles Walkies by Mark Wallington
The Happy Traveller – a book for poor men by Frank Tatchell
A Walk Across America – Peter Jenkins
Life on Foot: A Walk Across America – Nate Damm
I recommend a book by Carrot Quinn “Thru-hiking will break your heart”. It is about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, like “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed. A fantastic book. Carrot Quinn manages to write in a very human, straightforward way so it’s easy to relate.
Anything by the great Wilfred Thesiger?
He definetly “Walked the walk”….
I’m ashamed to have excluded Arabian Sands!
Werner Herzog’s Vom Gehen Im Eis/Of Walking In Ice is a strange, inspiring, frightening, eccentric account of his 500 mile winter walk from Munich to Paris in 1974. I walked the route last year – partly in his footsteps, partly inspired by many readings of Of Walking In Ice, but mostly in my own way – last November, sleeping out for all the 32 days/nights it took without a tent, using bushcraft. His trip, as he wrote about it was hellish, and more an anti-walk, a shamanic pilgrimage, than a joyful stroll. Writing a book on my own walk at the moment from a much happier and less driven perspective. Though there were still plenty of tough times and a bit of weather battling. Of Walking In Ice has just been republished to mark the 40th anniversary, as a paperback by Vintage Classics. Herzog has stated that he regards the walk and the book as amongst his greatest achievements. Saying something from the man who made Fitzcarraldo and other incredible films.
What no John Hillary. Journey to the Jade Sea is terrific.
I’m having a mental blank. What was the one about the guys that escaped a Russian stalag camp and walked south to India. epic
I too have forgotten but it’s cool!
It’s in the very first comment-
The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1845296443/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dn4SBbG3JA0QZ Great book! :)
In September I am usually called upon to give a thruhiker a lift from the border. I have quizzed them all and none knew of Colin Fletcher. Three f the hikers were triple crown hikers. I gave them a reading list.
Colin Fletcher inspired my generation, everyone read his books. All his books were published in North America.
On foot Through Africa and The Whole Story by Ffyona Campbell are a good read
Can’t forget Heath Anish Anderson – Thirst, and Sarah Marquis of France!
Doug – nice one, I’ve never heard of Colin Fletcher. I had a squiz, he has written some cool books. Great recommendation.
Thanks