Title: The Most Amazing Places to Walk in Britain
Author: Unknown
Published by: Readers Digest
Year: 2009
Date reviewed: 06.09
ISBN: 978 0 276 44497 5

This is one of a series of ‘Most Amazing Places’ books published by Readers’ Digest, others being ‘to Visit’, ‘on Britain’s Coast’ and ‘in Britain’s Countryside’. This ‘to Walk’ book covers 200 routes from The Lizard to Poolewe. Distances vary from as little as 3 miles up to about 8 with the majority being around 4.5 to 6 miles. Only a few of the walks visit the higher parts of the country: I found Black Hill in Herefordshire (2100ft); the highest walk described in the Lake District reaches 1500ft. The walk descriptions do not include total ascent.

A major challenge for any book of this type is to avoid repetitive or formulaic walk descriptions, and here it succeeds quite well by mixing directions with description and information so the reader has some idea of points of interest along the way.

Another challenge, of course, is to make the directions accurate. I can only vouch for the walks in the book I know well, but for these I’d say that no-one should go wrong following them. Each description has a map as well as written directions. The map scales vary; contours are shown at 100ft intervals and coloured to emphasise the height, and there is plenty of other detail – gates and stiles mentioned in the text are also shown on the map. Together the text and maps should allow accurate route-finding even for less experienced walkers.

As well as the walk descriptions and maps there are plenty of photographs and a series of illustrated double-page articles which expand, often in rather over-elaborate prose, on some aspect of the relevant region.

As for the content – well, the title has a lot to live up to! Let’s face it, there are many places to walk in Britain which are more amazing than some of the walks here. Inevitably the constraints of accessibility, distance and exertion have dictated the selection. Even so, I feel there’s a case to be made for some ‘amazing’ walks in cities as well as countryside – the Thames Path in London, Oxford’s churches, colleges and riverside, Liverpool’s waterfront are just a few that spring to mind.

So would I recommend this book, and if so to whom? It’s nicely produced, the directions and maps are clear and give more than bare instructions, and the coverage is good. I suspect everyone who looks at their own area will quibble about the choice of walks, but that’s inevitable. If you were planning a trip to a new part of the country you might well find some ideas for areas to visit on foot. It’s not aimed at the Long Distance Walker (too heavy for the rucksack, for one thing), or the Wainwright- or Munro-bagger, or the more energetic Rambler. But if you’re someone who’s new to walking, maybe taking it up for the good of your health and general well-being, or you know someone you’d like to encourage to be a bit more active, then this book could be a good guide to point you or them in the right direction.