The wild weather over the past few weeks has meant I haven’t been able to get out and enjoy the hills as much as I’d like. But if I am stuck indoors, at least I have time to read books about the outdoors. This is often where I find inspiration for my next adventure or personal challenge.
So here’s a list – in no particular order – of 8 inspiring books about the outdoors. There’s a mix of old and new titles; well-known favourites and perhaps one or two lesser-known. I’ve some Amazon affiliate links on this page and as an associate I earn from a purchase.
Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found by Cheryl Strayed
An absolute classic. The film is good, but the book is even better. The true story of 26 year-old Cheryl’s 2,600 mile walk along the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. I loved reading about how the walk literally saved her life – something I feel I can relate to.
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
An incredible book. I first became aware of it when two people independently recommended it to me while I was out walking. On one level it is an account of walking the South West Coast Path, but it’s far more than that. Read it.
Woman in the Wilderness: My Story of Love, Survival and Self-Discovery by Miriam Lancewood
I first came across this story while watching the Ben Fogle series, New Lives in the Wild. This is Miriam’s story of her life with her partner Peter. The couple live a nomadic life, and the book covers their years in New Zealand (the TV episode filmed them in Bulgaria). A really interesting account of living an outdoors life that in many ways I envy.
The Scottish Bothy Bible: The complete guide to Scotland’s bothies and how to reach them by Geoff Allan
A complete guide to the 81 Scottish bothies maintained by the Mountain Bothy Association. The random and remote nature of the bothies is definitely part of their appeal, and sets them apart from mountain huts. This book details the history and facilities of each bothy, as well directions to help you find them. This is an interesting read as well as a useful resource.
Midges, Maps and Muesli: Account of a 5,000 Mile Walk Around the Coast Of Britain by Helen Krasner
This book is quite old now – she completed the walk over 30 years ago. However, that in itself makes it a really interesting read. A well written, honest and humble account of an incredible walk around a pre-internet, pre-mobile phone Britain.
Call of the Wild: My Escape to Alaska by Guy Grieve
This is the story of what happened when Guy Grieve gave up his job in Edinburgh and went to spend a year alone in the interior of Alaska. The book is a highly engaging read. I’m a self-confessed gear-geek, so I particularly enjoyed his notes and gear lists at the end.
The Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff
OK, this is a story about running rather than walking. Nonetheless it is a great account of a long-distance trail on my bucket list: the Te Araroa Trail in New Zealand. It is 1,900 miles long, from Cape Reinga at the top of the North Island to Bluff at the bottom of the South Island. Anna decided to run it in 148 days. The book is worth reading for her down-to-earth take on facing a life-changing challenge.
Race to the Pole by James Cracknell and Ben Fogle
Further reading
My Inov8 Roclite Mid boots review
Boots or shoes – which is best for hill walking
My Dover to Cape Wrath Walk – wildcamping every night
My Lands End to John O’Groats walk – via Snowdon, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis
Wildwalkinguk is a blog run by myself in spare time, and I pay for its running costs myself. I do have some Amazon affiliate links on the site. If you click on these links and buy what you need, the company will pay a small commission to us. This money goes towards the costs of hosting the blog. I would be extremely grateful if you could consider using our links when you next need to buy something. Thank you so much for your support. Mark.