Time to put your best hiking-boot-adorned foot forward.
Author and experienced mountaineer Alex Roddie has penned a book that’s guaranteed to spark your lust for wandering, with the tome documenting epic hiking trails in Ireland and Great Britain and stunning photographs showcasing landscapes that can be viewed along the way.
Wanderlust British & Irish Isles: Hiking the Trails of Great Britain and Ireland (gestalten.com) is filled with incredible pictures of dramatic peaks, craggy cliffs and breathtaking beaches – plus expert guidance on tackling the best hiking routes that meander in their midst.
Within the compendium’s spellbinding pages, readers will find maps for each trail and advice on when is best to tackle each route on foot.
Broken down by region, the tome showcases the ‘breathtaking nature’ and ‘timeless culture’ that is there to be discovered on hiking routes in England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland , Scotland and the Isle of Man.
Scroll down to see a selection of 10 images from the tome, from the world-famous mountains of the Lake District to the ‘most famous long distance trail in Scotland’.
CUCKMERE HAVEN, EAST SUSSEX, SOUTH DOWNS WAY: ‘A multiday hike in England with a high chance of sunshine and dry weather: this may sound like a myth, but the South Downs Way offers exactly that,’ writes Roddie in his opening remarks on this walking trail. The above image shows part of Cuckmere Haven – an area of flood plains that marks the start of the ‘excellent Seven Sisters section’, the author writes. He advises five to eight days to complete the route, which covers 100 miles (161km) from Winchester in Hampshire to Eastbourne, East Sussex
KINDER PLATEAU, WHITE PEAK AND DARK PEAK CIRCUIT, DERBYSHIRE: Behold the view north across the Edale Basin from the Kinder Plateau, which can be seen when hiking this circular trail around the Peak District. The path covers 64.6 miles (104km) and takes four to five days, according to the tome, which grades it as ‘moderate’ difficulty. Other highlights include Lathkill Dale, summiting Mam Tor hill and crossing ‘the ancient woodlands of Chatsworth Park’, it adds
HEBRIDEAN WAY, OUTER HEBRIDES, SCOTLAND: ‘With two interisland ferry crossings, six causeways and ten islands, this is an unusual trail,’ says Roddie of this 175-mile (281km) hiking route in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. He continues: ‘Of all the trails in this book, this one gives you the most islands. Look at the Outer Hebrides on the map and you will notice that the islands form a north-south arc. The Hebridean Way traverses this island chain from its southern tip to Stornoway, the capital of Lewis, in the north.’ This image shows the turquoise waters of Seilebost Beach on the Isle of Harris, which can be seen on part of the trail. Roddie recommends 11 to 15 days to complete the hike, which he says is moderate to challenging
GLYNDWR’S WAY, POWYS, WALES: ‘The Glyndwr Way wanders through the rolling hills of the Welsh countryside’, writes Roddie, as this picture shows. The author recommends eight to 10 days to complete the 135.5-mile (218km) trek, which starts in Knighton, Welshpool, and finishes in Powys. ‘The trail passes through rugged and often sparsely populated countryside, making this a fantastic walk for the lover of solitude,’ he notes
OGWEA VALLEY, THE WELSH 3,000ERS, SNOWDONIA: A hiker looks out across a ‘sea of clouds in the Ogwea Valley’ in this image, which shows part of the Welsh 3,000ers trail in North Wales. The three-day route, explains Roddie, covers 30 miles (50km) from Bwlch y Ddeufaen to Pen-y-Pass or Llanberis and is described by the author as ‘challenging’. Hikers can expect scrambling, rock climbing and steep sections, he tells readers
CRUMMOCK WATER AND BUTTERMERE, LAKE DISTRICT, WAINWRIGHT’S COAST TO COAST WALK: ‘This is a classic walk, and some would consider it the classic – the English long-distance route against which all others are compared,’ writes Roddie of this walk. The above picture shows the amazing views that hikers can enjoy along the way, looking down at the lakes of Crummock Water and Buttermere, with Haystacks hill to the left. The book recommends nine to 14 days to complete the 180-mile (290km) trail on foot, which crosses the North of England from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire
MEALL MEADHONACH, SUILVEN CIRCUIT, SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS: This spellbinding image shows Mount Suilven’s eastern summit – Meall Meadhonach – which hikers can gaze upon during this circular trail in the Scottish Highlands. In his book, Roddie says the 2,389ft (731m) mountain has ‘more character, perhaps, than any other peak of such modest height’. The author recommends one to two days to complete the trail, which covers 17.7-miles (28.4km) and is described as challenging. Hikers can set off from Inverkirkaig in Sutherland or from Lochinver, if hiking clockwise, the book suggests
PORTH DINLLAEN, NORTH WALES PILGRIM’S WAY: Hikers tackling the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way can stop to enjoy this picturesque view of Porth Dinllaen village during the 135.8-mile (218.5km) journey from Holywell in Flintshire to Aberdaron, Gwynedd. Known as the ‘Welsh Camino’, the route was ‘established in 2015 to link ancient churches dedicated to the saints of the 6th and 7th centuries’, writes Roddie. The author recommends seven to 11 days to complete the ‘easy to moderate’ trail
THE CAMBRIAN WAY, NORTH WALES: This epic 297-mile (478km) walking trail runs the length of Wales, from Cardiff on the south coast to Conwy in the north. Part of the trail passes through the Brecon Beacons National Park, which the book describes as ‘a long, tough stage of more than 20.5 miles (33km) over the principal summits of the range, including the highest, Pen y Fan (2,907ft / 886m)’, which is pictured above. ‘The sharp, sculpted peaks and ridges of the Beacons have the feeling of a prehistoric landscape,’ it adds
FAIRFIELD TO HELVELLYN TRAVERSE, CUMBRIA: ‘Experienced and well-equipped mountaineers can tackle this route at any time of year, but most should avoid winter and wait until the snow has melted,’ writes Roddie. The Fairfield to Helvellyn Traverse is a ‘challenging route’ with ’13 peaks along the way’, writes Roddie. Above is a photograph taken from one of those peaks – Helvellyn – described in the book as ‘the highest point in a great north-south ridge’. The trail follows ‘well-established trails over fells that have been enjoyed for generations’ the author says, adding: ‘Still, only the fittest walkers will be capable of completing this in a day, so making a wild camp somewhere along the ridge is a necessity.’ He recommends two days to complete the 20.3-mile (32.6km) trek, which runs from Rydal to Keswick and is described in the book as challenging
Wanderlust British & Irish Isles is published by Gestalten and is available to buy for £40, with free shipping to the UK, Germany and the U.S
