Best Books about Walking
Paris Street Rainy Day (1877) by Gustave Caillebotte.
I’ve always enjoyed walking, and it’s something I try to do every day. The simple act of putting one foot in front of the other gets you moving through the world and can be the start of a major journey or just a jaunt around the block to get you off the couch. It’s also something I enjoy reading about, so when I was out for a walk I thought - hey, why not make a list of my best books about walking. And just as the longest journey starts with the first step, this list starts with my first book. Which is…..
The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
‘The salt path’ is the story of Raynor Winn and her husband Moth. After Moth receives a devastating medical diagnosis, followed by the loss of their home, the couple have nowhere to go, so set out to walk the 630-mile southwest coast path, across the English counties of Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall.
They have little money or possessions and spend the nights ‘wild camping’. This is one of those books about long walks which looks at healing through nature and the kindness of strangers, human strength, and endurance. I've written about this book in more detail here.
It’s an emotional read, full of ups and downs as they deal with the reality of their life and Moth’s degenerative disease. They discover that despite their age, they are stronger than they thought and their story is one of triumph over adversity, and not giving up. And it tells us a lot about the curative power of walking. There’s also a lot of laughs along the way and going by it’s place on the bestseller lists, is one of the most popular books about walking in England.
“The path had given us certainty, a sense of security that came with knowing that tomorrow and the next day and the next we would pack up the tent, put one foot in front of the other and walk.”
How To Walk - Thich Nhat Hanh
“When you walk, arrive with every step. That is walking meditation. There’s nothing else to it.”
I’ve mentioned in another post about my love of meditation, and walking is something I like to combine with mindfulness. There were a couple of books I could have chosen but I’ve gone with ‘How to walk’ by Thich nhat hanh (thay), known as the father of modern mindfulness.
"Most of us walk without chains, yet we aren’t free. We’re tethered to regret and sorrow from the past. We return to the past and continue to suffer. The past is a prison. But now you have the key to unlock the door and arrive in the present moment. You breathe in, you bring your mind home to your body, you make a step, and you arrive in the here and now.”
In this book, Thay talks about how we can slow down the simple act of walking and feel completely alive, becoming aware of our surroundings and breaking the chain of constant thought. He has a simple, familiar style, able to transmit a timeless wisdom that chimes within.
“Walk slowly, but not so slowly that you draw too much attention to yourself. This is a kind of invisible practice. Enjoy nature and your own serenity without making others uncomfortable or making a show of it.”
We don’t always have to be walking in a rush, the world blurring as we pass. Experience the joy of walking: feel your feet on the ground, look at the colours and details, and feel the air on your face. Listen to the birdsong, the passing traffic, the murmur of chat. Everything rises, everything falls, and nothing is permanent. This is probably the shortest volume on my list of best books about walking, but don't doubt that it can be transformative.
Walking - Henry David Thoreau
“I am alarmed when it happens that I have walked a mile into the woods bodily, without getting there in spirit.”
The above quote is related to what I was referring to in Thay’s walking meditation book - Thoreau feels we can only truly feel the benefit of a walk if we’re able to leave our everyday worries and concerns aside for just a short time. To be present, to feel our body moving through space, letting our minds settle and opening ourselves up to awareness.
This is a short book, originally a lecture posthumously published as an essay back in 1862. Thoreau wanted us to reconnect with the wild, maybe easier back then, but which can be hard to do when you live in the city. But for some of us, it’s possible, by just traveling a few miles outside our familiar milieu, to find nature.
Henry David Thoreau was known for his love of leisurely afternoon walks, for sometimes four hours at a time. Whilst reading this book I came across a description of one of my favourite words - Sauntering. I'm known for my love of a good saunter.
“SAUNTERING, which word is beautifully derived "from idle people who roved about the country, in the Middle Ages, and asked charity, under the pretense of going a la Sainte Terre," to the Holy Land, till the children exclaimed, "There goes a Sainte-Terrer," a Saunterer, a Holy-Lander.”
It reminded me of my own time as a Pelligrino, on the Camino Portugues from a few years back. Occasionally a resident would offer a cup of water or a small snack as I was passing. Humans have been going on pilgrimages for as long as we've been able to walk.
I really couldn’t have compiled a best books about walking list without mentioning Henry David Thoreau. His style can be a bit meandering at times, but like the best walks, I think it’s ok to ramble off track now and then.
’I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits unless I spend four hours a day at least—and it is commonly more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.'
Walking: One Step at a Time - Erling Kagge
'After having put my shoes on and let my thoughts wander, I am sure of one thing - to put one foot in front of the other is one of the most important things we do.'
This short book could be considered a sort of philosophy of walking. It asks questions such as why do we walk, where are we walking from, and importantly, where are we walking to? This is a book very much about the restorative act of movement which reminds me of another quote - (you can probably tell by now I like a good quote):
"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right." - G. M. Trevelyan
Erling Kagge is the first person to reach the North Pole, South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest on foot, so he knows a little bit about walking. He also touches upon something I’ve thought a lot about recently - do children walk anymore? I can’t help but think there’s a tsunami of health problems awaiting the next generation due to sedentary habits.
Reading this book and compiling these summaries has taken up a good part of my morning. This book has inspired me to take a few hours and head for a long meandering saunter through a local park, so I will return to this best books about walking list on my return. Now, where did I leave my boots?
I’ve also noticed there’s a soft rain outside. A drizzle, but it’ll get you soaked to the skin. As the saying goes, There’s no such thing as bad weather, just unsuitable clothing. If I didn’t leave the house in Ireland because of the rain, I’d never get outside. And I find the sound and soft patter of rain as I walk to be incredibly soothing. Hard to beat a grand, soft day.
The Old Ways: a Journey on Foot - Robert Macfarlane
In ‘The old ways: a journey on foot’, Robert MacFarlane sets off from his home in Cambridge to explore the tracks and trails, byways and ancient paths that criss cross Britain and beyond. It’s about how we connect to our ancient landscape and is both evocative and informative.
I have previously read ‘Underland’ by the same author so was familiar with how he incorporates natural history, geology, myth, legend and literature into his descriptions. This is an erudite book about paths that humans have traversed for millennia.
Macfarlane meets the 'usual and unusual, quiet and voluble, everyday and eccentric - for whom landscape and walking were vital means of making sense of themselves and of the world....met dawdlers, dreamers, striders, guides, pilgrims, wanderers, stravaigs, trespassers, cartographers.'
I probably consult a dictionary when I'm reading Macfarlane more than any other author recently. And there's another great word to go into my walking lexicon - stravaigs. 'To wander about aimlessly - I went stravaiging about the roads one evening.'
From walking in the Himalayas, exploring Spain, Palestine, and to the most dangerous path in England - a tidal sands path in Essex. He has a tendency to indulge in philosophical musings and it takes a while to get used to Macfarlanes style of writing, and it won’t be to everyone's taste. But once you do it’s immersive and I like how it meanders and it ambles its way onto my best books about walking list.
“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk; every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness.”
Soren Kierkegaard
52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time - Annabel streets
One of the things I enjoy about walking is that it allows me the opportunity to listen to an audiobook, such as this one, which is narrated by Deryn Edwards. Annabel Streets describes the book as a love letter to walking and sets out to list the benefits of walking, of which there are many.
This is such a wonderfully informative book. From improving your gait and breathing, to the benefits it has for both our mental and physical health. One of the aspects I liked was the advice to mix up your walking routine - whether that's a new path, new time of day, even new people to walk with if you like a 'walkintalk' - it's very easy to literally get stuck in a rut. Reading a book in praise of walking can get you motivated again.
I would also say that there is a lot of common sense in this book - I know to wrap up well in the wet weather, thanks. And I won't be passing any heed to the tip which says ‘do a silly little dance when you walk’ as I've no desire to scare either dogs or small children.
One of the things that the author touches upon that I also find important is talking to people when I’m walking. I always say morning or hi, because I think it's so important to acknowledge other walkers. If they don’t respond, I always think that's ok too - you never know what sort of a day another person is having; before you judge another person, walk a mile in their shoes. I’ve written in another post about loneliness and I sometimes think that maybe I'm the only other person they will speak to that day. A lot of people are walking around feeling they are invisible, and it's nice to let them know they aren't.
I should say that as much as I enjoy listening to audiobooks, I don’t keep the earbuds in for the whole walk. I like the sounds of the birds and the rustle of the trees in the wind. There’s something incredibly soothing with letting the sounds of nature wash over you. Though when I’m getting back to the traffic-clogged town again, I tend to pop them back in.
This book will appeal to those who have perhaps fallen out of love with the act of walking. It's such a simple activity, but many of us find it hard to shift ourselves from the sofa. There’s certainly enough inspiration in here to get you up and moving again, with its short chapters and approach that’s very much rooted in science. '52 Ways to walk' deserves its place on any best books about walking list.
Summary
Cliff Walk at Pourville (1882) by Claude Monet
I should say that one of the things that become apparent in some of these books is that some of the authors have plenty of time to walk - Thoreau walked for four hours a day. If I did that at lunchtime, by the time I returned my workplace would be closed. I'd be healthier but I wouldn't have a job.
Most of my walking is confined to weekends and holidays but I do like to squeeze in shorter walks during the work day. It's not good to eat at the desk, but by doing so I can saunter (there’s that great word again) around the grounds of my local planetarium, where there’s a little wood and a zig-zag path up a hill. It's a balm for the soul during the workday.
I hope you've found something useful in this list of best books about walking and that you can carve small moments out of your day for a little stroll. It’s as good for the head as it is for the heart and it's available to those of us lucky enough to have two legs.
Any other good books about walking I've missed? If you're a saunterer, a stroller, a rambler or even a stravaiger, let me know below!