Walking, hiking, trekking Books

Book Synopsis The Earth Beneath My Feet tells the extraordinary true story of a 7,000-mile solo walk. Hiking from Calabria in Italy to the top of Norway, Andrew Terrill reveals the wild side of Europe that most people miss. A compelling travel narrative about a challenging physical journey, The Earth Beneath My Feet also explores ''the journey within'' - a passionate search for belonging within the natural world. Like millions of people, Andrew Terrill grew up on the edge of a big city. But for Terrill, a young man in his early twenties, suburban life lacked purpose and meaning. What Terrill craved was a life of simplicity, freedom and adventure, and after surviving a near-fatal fall in the Swiss Alps, that was the life he chose.In May 1997, despite lacking the funds, Terrill left his London home and travelled to the southernmost point of Calabria, Italy. Once there, he turned north and began walking. His destination, the North Cape at the top of Norway, lay unimaginably far away.Leaving civilisation behind, and frequently even trails, Terrill journeyed deep into the ''other'' Europe, the hidden wilderness Europe, a parallel continent that still exists beyond road''s end. Travelling alone, he hiked the length of the Apennine mountain range - a forgotten side of Italy few outsiders ever know - continued across the Alps, through the forests of Central Europe, and then on towards the vast northern wildernesses of Arctic Norway. With every step, Terrill immersed himself in the natural world, seeking a deeper connection with it. The 18-month journey became a voyage of discovery, unveiling the secrets and treasures of Europe''s least-known places. The miles brought hardships and struggles, pushed Terrill to his limits, but ultimately led to unimaginable rewards.The Earth Beneath My Feet describes the first eight months of this epic walk. It takes readers the length of Italy during a searing-hot summer, and then across Austria into the depths of a fierce Alpine winter. The book introduces many of Europe''s wildest and most beautiful locations - environments little touched by the modern world - as well as the colourful characters who live alongside the wild. It describes the full experience of travelling on foot through nature, and of living outside in all conditions. And it chronicles a journey of immense growth, of overcoming a sheltered upbringing and finding connection with something bigger and wilder.The Earth Beneath My Feet is a narrative filled with freshness, optimism, wonder and youthful enthusiasm - an inspiring true story by a young man who chose to embrace life and live it to the full.Featuring 80 evocative black and white photographs, and 8 maps, The Earth Beneath My Feet will satisfy anyone who feels the call of adventure, who has the urge to travel, who loves nature, and who feels a desire to live the life they know deep down they are meant to live. The second half of this journey, told in On Sacred Ground, will follow on June 1 2022.

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Book SynopsisFrom 1969 to 1979 Overend Watts recorded and toured extensively with Mott The Hoople, Mott, and British Lions before shunning the limelight and turning his hand to record producing, gentlemen's hairdressing (briefly!), and dealing in antiques. At this point, however, most of his spare time was spent in the pursuit of large carp and he became a well-known figure on the gravel pits around the London area, where he always used luminous pink carp rods, so his mates, and the carp, could locate him easily! After a few years of antique fairs and auctions he concentrated on recycling and painting furniture and restoring antiques before opening a large "retro" department store in Hereford, which proved popular with customers from both Great Britain and abroad, with its specialist clothing, unusual antiquities, instruments, and rare music. After leaving the retro store in February 2003, Overend then aged 55, and The Man Who Hated Walking, attempted the S.W Coast Path National Trail - the greatest challenge of his life - all 650 miles of it. Or in Overend's case, more like 680 miles as he frequently got lost over the two months it took him to achieve this incredible feat of endurance.The Man Who Hated Walking, Overend's first book is a wonderful document of this amazing achievement, which is explored and described with more than a smattering of his macabre humour. Although undoubtedly a book that all Mott The Hoople fans will want, it is also an essential read for the walking fraternity, and is a massive inspiration for anyone who has the urge to do some serious walking.Trade ReviewA laugh-out-loud, riveting documentation. Watts' conversational tone and vivid descriptive narratives peppered with hysterical vernacular affords the reader the feeling that they are indeed walking with the author every step of the way, through his agonizing spells of foot and back pain, numerous bouts of self-doubt and his moods of terror and triumph. Tom Semioli, The Huffington Post

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Book Synopsis'As I studied the maps, one thing about them captured my imagination - Across this blank space was written one challenging word, "Unexplored"' In 1937 two of the twentieth century's greatest explorers set off to explore an unknown area of the Himalaya, the breath-taking Shaksgam mountains. With a team of surveyors and Sherpas, Eric Shipton and H.W. Tilman located and mapped the land around K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. It was their greatest venture, and one that paved the way for all future mountaineering in that area of the Himalaya. For Shipton and Tilman, exploration was everything, with a summit a welcome bonus, and Blank on the Map is the book that best captures their spirit of adventure.With an observant eye and keen sense of humour, Shipton tells how the expedition entered the unknown Shaksgam mountains, crossing impenetrable gorges, huge rivers and endless snow fields. There's a very human element to Shipton's dealings with his Sherpa friends, and with his Balti porters, some of whom were helpful, while some were less so. The expedition uncovers traces of ancient cultures and visits vibrant modern civilisations living during the last days of the British Empire. Only when all supplies are exhausted, their clothes in tatters and all equipment lost do the men finally return home. A mountain exploration classic.

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisOne name above all others has become associated with walking in the Lake District: Alfred Wainwright, whose seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, first published in 1955–66, has become the definitive guidebook. Wainwright’s meticulously hand-drawn maps, diagrams and drawings take walkers up the 214 principal hills and mountains of the Lake District, describing the main routes of ascent from different starting points, as well as lesser-known variants, showing the summit viewpoint panoramas and the ridge routes that can be made to create longer walks. Every page combines words and illustrations to present the routes in a way that is original, visually appealing and easy to follow. This new edition of Wainwright’s Walking Guide to the Lake District Fells has been comprehensively revised. Paths, maps, diagrams and route descriptions have been checked and corrected throughout. These revisions have been undertaken by writer and designer Cl

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