The southern half of Utah is canyon country, a land of aridity, sparse vegetation, and unique and scenically spectacular topography and geology. It is a land rich in sites of archaeological importance and parts of it are sacred to indigenous people. It is also mostly public land, owned by the American people, part of their national legacy, and for a century it has been contested terrain.

Frederick Swanson, in Wonders of Sand and Stone, tells the story of the century-long battles between those who would preserve large parts of this spectacular landscape and those who would dedicate them to “multiple use,” principally grazing, mining, dams, and oil and gas development.

The story begins early in the history of America’s national parks when Utah’s redrock country was virtually inaccessible except to a few intrepid explorers, prospectors, and reaches to the 21st century conflicts over Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments.

This century of struggle over public land use has led to five national parks and eight national monuments managed by the National Park Service; the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, also managed by the Park Service; and the recently diminished Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears monuments managed, if that is the appropriate verb, by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Read full review…

After a number of attempts trying to fictionalize her family history, nature writer Jessica J. Lee found that her academic work in environmental history actually helped unlock how to tell the story.

“I had been trying for many years to write this story of my grandparents,” said Lee, the author of “Two Trees Make a Forest: Travels Among Taiwan’s Mountains and Coasts in Search of My Family’s Past,” which mixes family history, memoir and nature writing.

Lee’s maternal grandparents were both born in mainland China, emigrating first to Taiwan before ultimately settling in Canada, and Lee had attempted to write her grandparents’ story in various ways, from short stories to a novel.

She found the answer in nature. “I realized that structuring the book around landscape and nature allowed me to bring my own language into the story,” she said. “And to really say I might have had all these communication gaps with my grandparents but this is a language through which I can understand the places that mattered to them.”

Throughout the book, Lee merged the story of her family’s migration with her own experiences connecting to the nature of Taiwan, which developed in part through hiking.

Read full review…

One of the best ways to learn history is to literally follow in the footsteps of those who were there, says Karen Berger, author of the new book, “America’s National Historic Trails.”

“These are historic routes – a trail version of the National Park system,” she says. The 19 federally recognized trails range from 54 to 5,000 miles, and pass largely through rural areas, making them perfect for road trips and socially distant traveling.

A good example is the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. Although the shortest trail at just 54 miles, this route resonates with many travelers, retracing 1965’s famous five-day voting rights march to the Alabama state capitol. The trail crosses the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, where the late Rep. John Lewis and others were beaten by police. Mostly following U.S. Highway 80, the route lets travelers delve into civil rights history at visitors centers, museums and memorials.

Another is the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, right here in North Carolina. During the latter half of the Revolutionary War, the British found themselves outmaneuvered and outsmarted by southern mountain men, who won 1780’s decisive Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina. The trail traces the route of the American fighters, known as the Overmountain Men.

Read full story…

These new fiction releases are oddly compatible tales of gritty heroines on long-haul journeys in a natural world on the brink of destruction. Where these bleak stories diverge is on the matter of redemption.

Each book places the relationship between humans and earth at its center, with different takes on just how screwed we are—in one, healthy wilderness is the last safe place to live; in another, we’ve almost totally destroyed it; in the third, it’s just becoming clear that nature is in danger.

You won’t find a totally happy ending in the bunch, but rather three different messages about how we let the destruction of the environment get this bad, the sacrifices required to turn things around, and the consequences of not doing enough.

Each story brings a naturalist’s eye to the Anthropocene; all together they provide a compelling, apocalyptic, and occasionally hopeful reflection on everything we stand to lose.

‘The New Wilderness,’ by Diane Cook

In this novel, Cook’s first, things are looking pretty bad in civilization—though we never see it, we just hear about its polluted and overpopulated state from people who have been allowed to escape. The novel is told from the perspectives of former home designer Bea and her young daughter, Agnes, who are among the few selected to live an experimentally nomadic life in one of the world’s last natural places, known as the Wilderness State.

‘Ruthie Fear,’ by Maxim Loskutoff

This novel sometimes veers into the realm of magical realism: Ruthie has a vision of a flying, skeleton-like creature while out hunting with her dad, while Rutherford tells his daughter stories of elk the size of school buses. “You hunt them with rocket launchers,” he says. “If you miss, they’ll skewer you on their antlers and toss you out into space.”

‘Migrations,’ by Charlotte McConaghy

The heroine, Franny Stone, lives in a world that seems just like our own. Except in this novel, it’s almost all of the animals—monkeys, apes, big cats, bears, and wolves—that are becoming extinct. Franny talks her way onto the ship Saghani and heads south, along with a colorful crew and a troubled captain, both parties in search of their own rare animal.

Complete reviews here…

From Industrial Site to Outdoor Treasure

DuPont Forest protects thousands of acres of trees, five lakes and more than one hundred miles of multi-use trails. It attracts hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers from all over the United States, and its six waterfalls have been featured in movies like The Hunger Games and The Last of the Mohicans.

All of this natural beauty is easily accessible, increasing its appeal. It took not only the generosity of a multinational company but also Southern Appalachian grit and self-reliance and local activism to make these benefits available to all. DuPont Forest is young, and its future is still unfolding.

Author and hiker Danny Bernstein traces the past of DuPont State Recreational Forest and shows its potential.

Disclosure: I was contacted by the author, Danny Bernstein, and a representative of Arcadia Publishing with an offer to receive this book. It was provided at no cost to me. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete this review. I was not pressured in any way to make an endorsement.

An Introduction

As Ms. Bernstein describes in the first chapter, this written portrait of DuPont Forest uses historic documents, Dupont Corporation memos, newsletters, Friends of DuPont research and photographs, North Carolina Forest Service reports and newspaper clippings. It also relies on the best recollections of people in the area at various times.

Since it first opened in 1997 and was expanded a few years later, DuPont State Recreational Forest has been a haven for those who live in Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, especially those in the Hendersonville, Brevard, Greenville region. It is only in recent years that the name DuPont has been spread far and wide as a world-class mountain biking destination, bringing with that well-earned notoriety nearly a million visitors per year.

I first moved to WNC in 2003, soon after all the political upheaval surrounding the establishment of DuPont Forest had begun to simmer down. So I was able to skip right over the tedium and jump directly to the enjoyment. With this book Danny Bernstein fills in the blanks of what happened prior to when I arrived, and offers a look at the problems created by the astronomical growth.

Mountain biker getting some air – Photo by Jeff Clark

From the Cherokee Through DuPont Corporation

Ms. Bernstein takes us through the early development of what is now DuPont State Forest, including relics of the Native American past. There are petroglyphs to be found on the property. Many of the early settlers used the land and water as a respite from the summer heat and humidity of the Southeast. The mountains helped with that. I can certainly relate.

In the first half of the last century the bulk of the land was owned by two groups: the Guion family who farmed the land out what is now Sky Valley Road, and a consortium of families who constructed a lodge overlooking High Falls. The picnic shelter at High Falls now sits on that former site.

In the 1950s DuPont came along, eventually purchasing the entire acreage and building a plant that provided employment for more than a thousand residents of Henderson and Transylvania counties for decades. By all accounts DuPont was a good corporate citizen. The plant evolved over time, eventually settling on a films business and was sold multiple times. The final operator was the Belgian Agfa Corporation who closed and dismantled the plant in 2002.

The End of an Era

By the mid-1990s DuPont was ready to sell all the land. The eastern half was simple. It included Hooker and Wintergreen Falls and Stone Mountain. The process of turning over the land to the State of North Carolina went very smoothly, and in 1997 DuPont State Forest was born. As Danny wrote:

The DuPont Company was not demanding. It didn’t require that the forest be named after the company. But it was felt that there were so many DuPont retirees and employees in the area that it was right to acknowledge them. Everyone felt very good when the company sold such a large tract of land for a nominal price.

The other half of the property including the major waterfalls and the plant site was not as simple. It took five years of political squabbling to resolve many conflicts. Bernstein provides the details and helps us to understand the give and take, and the nail biting that occurred at the turn of the century. Spoiler alert: the land was saved, and merged with the original half to form a larger and more robust DuPont State Recreational Forest.

Today, DuPont is managed by the North Carolina Forest Service, though it seems more like a state park because of all the recreation opportunities. Bernstein describes what it’s like to walk in the varied timberlands:

In DuPont Forest, the most abundant natural community is montane oak-hikcory. Scarlet oak and white oak are the dominant trees on more than half the land. Widespread American chestnut sprouts are also found here. But pastureland was planted with white pine all at once.

Perhaps the largest contemporary problem for DuPont State Forest is managing its success. Crowds have boomed over the years with annual attendance approaching a million. The waterfalls area is especially packed, representing 75% of all the traffic. If you get out and about on other trails within the forest you are likely to find some solitude.

A heron visits Triple Falls – Photo by Jeff Clark

How to Get One

Danny Bernstein is a hiker, hike leader, and outdoor writer. She’s been a committed hiker since her early twenties, having completed the Appalachian Trail, all the trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the South Beyond 6,000 peaks, the Mountains to Sea Trail across North Carolina and three Caminos de Santiago. She currently leads hikes for Carolina Mountain Club, Friends of the Smokies, and the Asheville Camino group.

She has written two Southern Appalachian hiking guides, The Mountains to Sea Trail Across North Carolina, published by The History Press, and Forests, Alligators, Battlefields: My Journey Through the National Parks of the South to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

In her previous life, she worked in computer science, way before computers were cool, first as a software developer and then as a professor of computer science. Her motto is “No place is too far to walk if you have the time.” Her personal website is Hiker to Hiker.

DuPont Forest – A History retails for US$21.99 and is published by The History Press. You can order copies from Amazon in softcover book form, or US$12.99 for your Kindle. You may also order from Arcadia Publishing.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

This ultimate hiker’s guide, from the celebrated Appalachian Trail to Micronesia’s secluded Six Waterfalls Hike, treks through 100 energizing experiences for all levels.

Filled with beautiful National Geographic photography, wisdom from expert hikers like Andrew Skurka, need-to-know travel information, and practical wildlife-spotting tips, this inspirational guide offers the planet’s best experiences for hikers and sightseers.

From short day hikes–California’s Sierra High Route, Lake Agnes Teahouse in Alberta, Norway’s Mt. Skala–to multiday excursions like Mt. Meru in Tanzania and multi-week treks (Egypt’s Sinai Trail, Bhutan’s Snowman Trek, and the Bibbulum Track in Australia), you’ll find a hike that matches your interests and skill level.

Crossing all continents and climates (from the jungles of Costa Rica to the ice fields in Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Parks), as well as experiences (a wine route through Switzerland or moose spotting on the Teton Crest Trail in Wyoming,) there is a trail for everyone in these pages. So pack your gear and lace your boots: this comprehensive and innovative guide will lead you to experience the best hikes of your life.

Disclosure: I was contacted by a representative of TLC Book Tours with an offer to receive this book. It was provided at no cost to me. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete this review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

An Introduction

As you would expect of anything published by National Geographic, the quality of this coffee table book is stellar. Made with reinforced binding and thick glossy paper, it is built to be durable. As always with NatGeo, the photography is top notch. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill adventure photos. You will find the best locations, the best lighting, the best professionals.

The layout for 100 Hikes of a Lifetime is in sections by geography… essentially by continents of the world. So as I considered this book review, I looked through the North America section for trails that I have actually hiked. One is Angels Landing at Zion National Park in Utah. So I will focus this review on that particular hike.

Angels Landing at Zion National Park

Here is how I described the decision point known as Scout Lookout on the Angels Landing Trail:

Once you reach the top of Walters Wiggles you have your first close-up view of Angels Landing. A hundred yards later you reach Scout Lookout. For the first time you can peer over the east side of Zion Canyon and at the north face of Angels Landing. It’s the last chance to summon your courage before summiting. Scout Lookout is a sandy area about a half-acre in size that even has a couple of pit toilets. I can’t imagine the line that must form on a touristy summer weekend.

We paused for a few minutes to survey the remaining path to the top of Angels Landing. It didn’t take long to convince ourselves that it simply wasn’t for us. Paralysis by fear is not a healthy condition, for you, or for anyone else around you. Each person is different. Hundreds of people climb to the summit every day without incident. Hundreds of others stop at Scout Lookout, or continue along the West Rim Trail as we did.

And here is how 100 Hikes of a Lifetime describes Scout Lookout:

Scout Lookout, some 1,000 feet (305 m) over the valley floor, is a prime spot for a snack, a breathing break, and a gander at the view. Many folks turn around here because the biggest challenge lies ahead: a 400-vertical-foot (122 m) climb up a nerve-fraying fin of rock entirely unsuited to those who are afraid of heights. Bolted chains help steady wobbly hikers as sheer cliff faces plung below-so steep they play host to rock climbers who scale their smooth vertical faces.

What You Will Find in This Book

Each trail report includes the type of information that I always look for before heading out for an adventure. For example, the hike distance and estimated time requirement are included, as well as the best season(s) to go, and the difficulty of the trek. They also describe any wildlife you may encounter while there, so keep your eyes peeled. The Know Before You Go advice is also quite helpful.

Angels Landing is exceptionally popular-with good reason-so go in the early morning or late afternoon to beat the throngs. When hiking in the desert, it’s imperitive to slather on sunscreen and bring a sun hat. For this hike, the Park Service recommends wearing sturdy, closed-toe, hiking shoes with grippy rubber soles for negotiating steep sandstone.

Of course the highlight of any National Geographic book is the photography. They always hire the most talented and respected professionals, and the products here do not disappoint. The pictures that accompany the Angels Landing trail report include a closeup of a native bighorn sheep, and a hiker surveying the narrow path ahead to the summit of this giant monolith, much as we did on our visit in 2014.

Here I am just above Scout Landing contemplating the narrow trail to Angels Landing summit.

How to Get One

After all the individual reports, the tail-end of this book includes sound advice for hiking conservation:

As hikers, we have the good fortune of seeing the world’s most magnificent corners. Majestic mountain peaks, dormant volcanoes, highland meadows, desert dunes, and lush marshlands are our oasis-the scenes and wonders that draw us back to the trail time and time again. It is our responsibility to protect and preserve these wild places and the wildlife that lives within them before they’re lost forever. Hikers should be leading the charge to protect our wilderness areas because we are in the privileged position to see the changes taking place firsthand. It’s our backyard and our responsibility.

This advice is followed by a list of conservation guidelines to help get you started.

There is then an index of sorts that lists each of the Destinations by Location, enabling you to pick your favorite country and find recommended trails by page number. But you’re probably going to want to scroll through the entire book from cover to cover to enjoy the sights that await when you head to these remarkable places.

The author of this book is Kate Siber, a freelance journalist and correspondent for Outside magazine. Her work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, National Parks, 5280, the Boston Globe, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, among many other newspapers and magazines. She has been honored with several Lowell Thomas awards, including Travel Journalist of the Year.

100 Hikes of a Lifetime retails for US$35 and is published by National Geographic Partners. You can order copies from Amazon in hardcover book form. You may also order from Barnes and Noble and from IndieBound.

Disclosure: I was contacted by a representative of TLC Book Tours with an offer to receive this book. It was provided at no cost to me. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete this review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Digital media continued its march across the cultural landscape in the past decade, but its proliferation didn’t diminish the importance of books—even if these days we’re thumbing through real pages less often than we’re swiping pixels on our screens.

Books challenge our perceptions and paradigms, provoke curiosity, and inspire action. And for many of us, engaging with big ideas felt more important during this decade than ever before.

These stories made us marvel at the seemingly impossible limits of the human body and feel enthralled with the wonders of nature.

They mobilized us to stand up against environmental injustice, taught us about climate change, and inspired us to take our ideas out into the world.

In that spirit, here are ten books from the past ten years that sparked debate, changed discourse, and spawned movements in the outdoor world. Each book is also matched with recommended reading from the same genre or subject area.

Thru-hikers and section hikers always have a story about what brought them to the trail. The Appalachian Trail in particular is swarming with folklore, so nearly everyone remembers the first story they heard about the 2,000+ mile footpath that weaves uninterrupted from Georgia to Maine. Sometimes the magic is captivated in a single moment; for others several instances over time bound them closer and closer to the trail.

You may find magic in the words and stories of others. Reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson you may be intrigued. You might think perhaps one day I’d hike it. But then Jennifer Pharr Davis gives you a story you could really attach too—one that you could see yourself in—and then you’ll know. You have to make the trek. For many of life’s greatest endeavors, that’s all it takes: someone’s story to inspire us, blaze a path, and serve as a beacon to guide us.

Because stories are so powerful, listed here are some of the powerful stories that set the stage for those considering an Appalachian Trail thru hike. It’s not all-inclusive, but it contains the books that may have the most powerful effects on you and your dreams.

See the list…

As it turns out, Americans really like to hike. In 2016 the Pew Research Center found that half of Americans had gone on at least one hike the year before.

And it’s not just hyperactive 20-somethings. Another study revealed that nearly every age group likes hiking the same amount.

With numbers that widespread, it’s likely that you’ve got someone in your life that finds peace while trekking through the outdoors.

So whether it’s your active teenage niece, your spiritual, 30-something friend, or your walk-loving grandparent, a gift that shows them how well you know them is the perfect way to put a smile on their face this holiday season.

For example, Into Thin Air is a detailed account of a storm atop Mount Everest that claimed eight lives. Jon Krakauer’s novel is hailed by many as one of the greatest adventure books of all time. And rightly so. He was on the mountain during the disastrous season on the highest mountain on Earth.

Skip the shoes and backpacks — hikers tend to be really selective when it comes to their favorite gear — and instead get them a book they’ll love.

See a list of choices…

Perhaps you’re planning a trip to the United Kingdom in your future, and looking for a chance to explore the scenic countryside. You’ve seen pictures of the majestic coastline in travel guides and thought that maybe you would like to take in some hiking along the sandstone and limestone cliffs that overlook the sea. Enter Stephen Reynolds.

What happens when a 37-year-old office worker, who exercises marginally less than the average cheese sandwich, decides to walk 630 miles of challenging coastline in one go? Will he go on an epic voyage of self-discovery. . . or just get really knackered? Find out the answers to these important questions, and many more, by joining Reynolds on a grand adventure around the 630-mile South West Coast Trail that circumnavigates the, yes, southwestern corner of England.

Reynolds details his experiences in the new book Just Off for a Walk, a self-published journal of his two month thru hiking adventure. What we have come to know as hiking in the States, is simply called walking in the UK, and it is a hobby that has been around in that ancient country for centuries. The Brits know how to build trails that stand the test of time.

Disclosure: I was contacted by Stephen Reynolds with an offer to receive his book. It was provided at no cost to me. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete this review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

An Introduction

I discovered immediately upon turning the first pages that Stephen Reynolds has an enjoyable writing style. His self-deprecating wit had me saying to myself, yep, been there, done that. Reynolds’ humor throughout the book makes this an easy read, one filled with anecdotes of his encounters with other walkers, with wildlife, and the rough and tumble English coast.

In fact, I used Google Maps and Google Earth to follow along with his walk. As I was reading, I had the map of the English coast up on my computer so I could see the coves, and the bays, and the villages he encountered along the way. When Reynolds described especially intriguing locations, I would switch to Google Earth for a zoom in, and a look for myself.

For Reynolds, walking the South West Coast Path was an answer to insomnia. He discovered one day that taking a long walk seemed to help him sleep better that night.

I was not sleeping because I was worried about not sleeping, which was worrying. A never-ending cycle of deafening silences and high-speed stillness. I make a snap decision to go for a walk in the countryside. Maybe some fresh air in the August sunshine will be of some help. [It…] ended up changing everything. I discovered by accident that a long walk is far and away the best medicine for insomnia. Cleaning out the old noggin and injecting a slice of much needed physical exertion into my otherwise sloth-like existence.

After months and months of not sleeping, he hatched an idea of months and months of walking. Not one to mess around with a weekend walking and camping excursion Reynolds chose the South West Coast Trail.

The South West Coast Path is the big daddy of the National Trails in the UK. Over 600 miles in length and including some of the toughest terrain these shores have to offer. In other words, the obvious choice for a pasty podge-face pushing forty with orienteering skills that […would qualify for a Darwin Award].

To his credit, Reynolds planned well. He prepared a budget. He purchased guidebooks. He mapped out daily distances to travel, and resupply points. He considered his nourishment requirements.

As part of my meticulous planning for the trip, I’d researched what food supplies I would need with painstaking precision. I subsequently disregarded these findings however and plumped instead for a diet exclusively made up of salami, Mars Bars, and individually wrapped mini cheeses.

Beginning the Journey of a Lifetime

It seems to be a theme throughout books about long-distance hiking, one that Reynolds also had to deal with from day one: a backpack that is simply too big, and too heavy. He wrestled with his “Monster” for days, even pondering opportunities to ditch his tent and sleeping bag. In the end, though, he finished with everything intact.

His plan involved staying in hostels, in B&B’s, the occasional hotel for a soothing bath, and his trusty canvas tent. He argued with that tent every time he used it. The tent seemed to grow overnight as he slept, as it would never fit back in its carry bag the next morning. He didn’t camp much, but he successfully carried his tent with him throughout. He even offered this bit of good advice to those new to tent camping:

I set up my tent in a picturesque spot under an oak tree by a flowing river. This successfully ensures I need the loo every twenty minutes throughout the night.

Like many who have gone before, for the first few days Reynolds wrestles with his decision. Thru hiking is hard, tedious work. All the ups and downs of the British coast are exhausting. It is very tiring and sweaty. Everything is sore. You stink. You hurt. You wonder whose great idea this was anyway.

As I begin to get close to the town of Ilfracombe, my darkening mood is realised by a road sign in the distance that reads “Welcome to Hell.” I approach it somewhat apprehensively to discover it actually reads “Welcome to Hele Bay,” but has been tampered with and partially obscured by the overgrown roadside flora.

After the first few days, though, Reynolds begins to get into his surroundings. He takes more time to study the scenery rather than just beating in miles. He marvels at the beauty of the English coast and countryside and begins to realize that this wasn’t such a bad decision after all.

No sooner have I turned the corner at Morte Point when the rocky, rugged cliffs are replaced by a vast yellow sandy beach. Littered with hundreds of surfers, the scene is surreal, almost absurd. The sun is beating down on the sparkling blue sea and I wonder how I’ve gone from North Devon in April to the California sunshine in the space of five minutes.

One of the many beaches along the English Coast by Stephen Reynolds

I thoroughly enjoyed the anecdotes shared by Reynolds of those times when things don’t necessarily go as well as one might have liked. In the community we’ve come to recognize these situations as what we call “hiking fiascos.” Take for example this problem he had with his food:

I stop for lunch and make an important culinary decision. It’s time to let the individually wrapped mini cheeses go. Big words I know, but hear me out. They are sweaty. Increasingly so. As I walk gallantly onward through this breathtaking coastline, I do so amidst a potent cloud of smelly cheese. No more.

Lunch was usually on the trail, but most nights Reynolds would enjoy his supper at the myriad of English pubs scattered throughout the many small towns along the way. Well, maybe enjoy isn’t necessarily the right word.

I order the enticingly named Indian Chip Butty… how could I not? When it arrives, it’s not a disappointment; a mountain of chips covered in curry, atop a chunky slice of toasted bread. I feel certain there is a cheese element also, but I’m not able to confirm this amongst the culinary carnage.

Or how about this gem when he discovered that walking day after day after day can actually be hard on the feet:

I remember having a tube of ibuprofen gel in the darkest recesses of my pack. I proceed to cover my sore feet in it, generously layering on about four layers. I notice it’s slightly past the use-by date so I may as well use the entire tube. Minutes later, I’m about halfway up the hill out of Clovelly when my error in judgment becomes apparent. My feet have gone completely numb. I also lose some degree of spatial awareness as the lack of any sensation in my feet leaves me unable to judge where the ground is.

Needless to say, don’t do that. Thank Stephen Reynolds for that valuable tip.

With the bad though, also comes the good. On a few occasions Reynolds would splurge for overnight accommodations:

I wander around the vast hotel room in my fluffy dressing gown, sipping a single malt from the mini bar, whilst perusing the dinner menu. Having decided on the charred leeks and white asparagus with hazelnuts and milk skin, I clap on the lights, switch on the fifty-inch HD flat screen and hop onto the four-poster water bed for a well-earned siesta. People just don’t realize how tough the nomadic lifestyle of the long-distance walker can be.

Encounters Along the Way

Reynolds writes about many of the daily encounters he has with other walkers, and folks who inhabit the many small villages along the coast. One of the great things about the South West Coast Path is the frequency of these hamlets that end short periods of isolation. Unlike some of the world’s other great long distance trails, you never have to be concerned about loneliness.

I briefly contemplate the reactions I’ve had from the many folks I’ve met along the way. It can be said that there is rarely a middle ground. Either they think I’m a total moron for voluntarily walking 630 miles on my own, when there are perfectly good public transport options available. Or they are jealous of the adventure I’m on and wish they could join me. It seems it’s either your idea of heaven or hell.

Twice on the adventure he even ran into celebrities who were out and about on holiday, and couldn’t wait to tell his wife.

I text Tasha [wife] and tell her about my experience mingling with a celebrity on the path. After a minute or so she replies with this text, “Did you ask him to use his shower?” I may live to be a hundred and never understand the complex intricacies of this woman’s mind.

There was also plenty of wildlife, from fox to rabbit, and the occasional deer. Mostly there were sheep, goats, ponies and cattle grazing in the meadows and farmland so common along the route. One day, he had an unusual encounter of the insect persuasion.

I inadvertently commit beetle genocide as they suddenly swarm the ground in front of me in biblical-plague-like quantities. I apologetically wipe the gooey remains of entire families, communities even, from the soles of my boots using a tuft of grass.

Undoubtedly his favorites though, are the seabirds that constantly swoop and hover over the coastal shore. He loves the gulls, the kestrels, and in particular, the buzzards.

I stop to gaze lovingly at a buzzard in flight. The graceful maneuvering of the birds of prey along the coastline has already become one of the stand out highlights of the trip.

Learning About Himself

For those of you who have experience with a long distance hike, especially with a really looonnnggg distance hike, you know all about the boredom that can occasionally set in. Reynolds was certainly not immune. Did you know that long distance walking has contributed many of the great philosophers of our time?

It’s generally thought (by which I mean I’ve decided) that as far as the noble art of thinking is concerned, walkers fit into two distinct categories. The first is the walker who walks to think. The walk is where you sort out all your problems and return to normal life with an action plan at the ready. The second is the walker who walks to not think, whereby the walk is the only place where you are able to switch off, clear your head, and focus purely on the journey. I’m predominantly from the latter camp. It’s concerning me that I may be entering into the spirit of this mind-set a touch too literally and wandering zombie-like around the most beautiful coastline in the world without noticing half of it.

But, just as we may lose our minds on occasion, so too are the times of sharp focus, where we truly notice our surroundings.

The open-air Minack Theater is carved into the rock face and juts triumphantly out from the cliff’s edge. I’m dumbstruck at its spendor, feeling as though I’ve wandered into ancient Rome by mistake. It occurs to me that in the space of just a few hours I’ve seen the very worst and the very best examples of humankind’s effects on this exhilarating coastline. The tacky entertainment complexes of Lands’ End seem of a different world to the architectural triumph of Minack that now caresses my optic senses.

Photo of Minack Theater by Stephen Reynolds

His visual sense wasn’t the only one. His taste buds were represented as well, although his family might not have understood.

I have to tell you that the Commercial Inn in the town of St. Just, Cornwall, Great Britain, serves the best monkfish curry in the entire world. Later that evening I call several loved ones to share this important discovery but, if anything, I’m met with little more than widespread apathy.

The scenery was what would mostly snap him out of the monotonous march, step after step after step. He mentioned that he took 700 photographs along the length of his trip. Some spots really caught his eye.

I snap hundreds of photographs of seals from this secretive vantage point, like a member of the paparazzi clicking away at some unsuspecting celebrities in their swimming costumes on a beach in Majorca. Instead of a telescopic lens however, I have a cheap smartphone. As a result, I have hundreds of pictures of what looks to be distant blurry rocks on a nondescript shoreline. I care not though. I feel as though the world is a pretty wonderful place, all things considered.

And this one:

The spot at St. Loy’s is so secluded and has an almost tropical feel to it, contrasted against the rocky cliffs and still calm ocean. I decide that once I’ve replaced Bill Bryson as the world’s premier travel writer and made my inevitable millions, I will live here.

Reynolds did a good job of keeping his mind occupied when it would drift off into the trudgery. He had another brilliant idea for padding his bank account:

I’ve been composing this masterpiece, mentally, for a week or so now. The premise is simple enough: take a well-known song from the popular music world and change a word or two so that it sounds like it’s about walking. I’ll give you an example. I’ve come up with “Keep strollin’ strollin’ strollin’ strollin'”, you know, like that song that says “Keep rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin'” by Linford Biscuits or whatever he’s called. It’s a sure-fire money spinner in the unlikely event that this book doesn’t make me my billions. It’s always sensible in life to have a robust backup plan.

Notice in just a matter of days the thousand-fold increase in his presumed fortune.

Coming to an End

Reynolds isn’t all comedian. When the mood strikes him, he can put together a few paragraphs of prose that demonstrate his quality writing ability. Like with anyone who undertakes a lengthy adventure, as the end approaches, we wonder what we may have discovered along the way… about ourselves.

That first sight of the sea has an increasing sense of profoundness with every passing day. A hitherto unrealized weight is lifted the moment my eyes rest upon the seductive waves; be they silent and still, full of fury, or boisterous and playful. There are occasional flashes of neon, jagged lightning on the horizon where sea meets sky. The scene is so staggeringly beautiful I feel as though I might explode. The power and grandeur of nature creates the sensation that I’m at the edge of everything that has ever been; the very beginning or the very end of time, of life, of all.

Lighthouse along English Coast by Stephen Reynolds

Or this passage that is just as much about life as it is walking the path:

It dawns on me that when I started the walk I was forever looking backwards, amazed at how far I’d travelled, but as the trip goes on it’s these forward vistas that bring me the most joy. This is especially true as I enter the final third of the journey, as it provides a welcome reminder that there is still so much to look forward to.

On the final days of his walk, Reynolds is both sad to see it end (he even considers turning around and doing a yoyo), and happy for what comes next.

This incredible adventure is all but at an end, and I suppose the reality of that is at last sinking in. I desperately miss Tasha, my family and my friends and will be over the moon to be with them again, but this has been an even more enriching and beautiful experience than I ever could have hoped for. I’ll miss the nomadic freedom, the feeling of being on an endless journey. Life concentrated into its purest and most simple form. Walk, eat, walk, sleep, repeat.

I subconsciously begin muttering a mantra under my breath: This is who I am, this is what I am, this is why I am, my reason and where I belong, I will not go quietly. Passers-by, of whom there are many along this popular and accessible final section, become increasingly alarmed at the leather skinned muddy ne’er-do-well with the oversized backpack audibly chanting and staring out to sea.

Upon crossing the finish line and reuniting with family, Reynolds describes an especially heart-warming moment with his mother. She obviously has worried herself sick for her son’s safety throughout the two months that he was on the South West Coast Path.

My mum, delighted to find me alive and well and not butchered at the hands of a crazed old Cornish fisherman, comments instead on my resemblance to aforementioned crazed old Cornish fisherman.

A perfect ending, to a special tale.

What Did I Think?

By now you can no doubt tell that I thoroughly enjoyed Just Off for a Walk. Have I mentioned that Stephen Reynolds is just downright funny. Each page is a series of zingers one right after the other — just like walking a trail — one step after another. He works in finance by trade, but I have a suspicion this won’t be the last book we will see from Stephen Reynolds.

Reynolds describes himself as a 37-year-old office worker, who exercises marginally less than the average cheese sandwich. During his walk around the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Poole he takes in 26,719 steps, 921 stiles, 302 bridges, 91,000 feet of climbing and descending, 1 seal, 0 basking sharks, lots of chips, 1 overweight, over-sized backpack, and single-handedly keeps the population of Slough, Berkshire in business by consuming copious amounts of Mars Bars.

Just Off for a Walk can be had for less than $10 and is self-published by Stephen Reynolds. You can order copies from Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

Disclosure: I was contacted by Stephen Reynolds with an offer to receive his book. It was provided at no cost to me. My only responsibility was an agreement to complete this review. I was not pressured in any way to make a positive endorsement.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.