Travels With Boogie: 500 Mile Walkies and Boogie Up the River in One Volume

Walkies #1-2

by Mark Wallington

THE BOOK Omnibus edition of Mark Wallington's two humour/travel classics featuring the much-loved Boogie. In 500 MILE WALKIES Mark and Boogie tackle Britains longest coastal footpath - from Somerset to Devon, from Cornwall to Dorset. ('The humorous travel book we've been waiting for' DAILY MAIL) In BOOGIE UP THE RIVER, man and dog take to the water to trace the source of the Thames in a siff of the same vintage as Three Men in a Boat. Boogie - flatulent, streetwise yet still lovable; Mark Wallington -the natural successor to Jerome K Jerome.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Animals, Humor, British Literature, Dogs

432 pages, Paperback

First published December 4, 1995

Reviews

[Dark-Draco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an omnibus edition of two books. '500 Mile Walkies' tells of how the author decided to walk from Minehead to Poole, following the coast line through Devon, Cornwell and Dorset. He has no other motives than to impress a girl, but decides he does need a travelling companion. Along comes Boogie, his mate's dog, who is used to London, is 100% Mongrol and prefers concrete to grass. They aren't really the camping type, so the book is a a list of one misadventure after another...from a tent that refuses to stay up to getting lost on the army shooting range.

'Boogie up the River' is about travelling the length of the Thames, from London up-river to its source. He's supposed to be accompnnied by Jennifer, his on-off girlfriend, but when she fails to turn up, he takes his dog, Boogie - well, more that he can't find anywhere to have him for the duration. Again, from having no idea how to skull an ancient skiff, he soon settles into the routine of raising with the dawn (or some time in the morning), skulling gently for a few miles and whiling away his time chatting to lock-keepers and studying the wildlife.

I found this a very enjoyable read, funny in places, and a great advocate for the places the author has visited. I would have liked a bit more about Boogie and his misadventures, but all in all, it was a good read. In the second book, I found Jennifer annoying and cruel - I hope that it is true just so she can read it and see what a bitch she comes across as. A great way to spend some reading time...hope you like it too

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any dog owner, it cracks me up. Not only does Mark Wallington's writing just reflect the mentality of every dog owner he gives such a rich characterisation to Boogie the dog that makes him just as relateable. Any dog owner who reads it will see themselves and their dog within the pages it's one of those books i keep with me where ever i go because it's just a cracking read along with Pennine Walkies (the sequel)

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book, although I'm sure the author would agree it's not great literature! The first story is a light-hearted travel tale of the author's walk round the Devon/Cornwall coastline, with an introduction to the inimitable Boogie, both right up my street. In the second story, the author and Boogie take a rowing boat along the Thames, from London to its source in the wilds of Wilts/Glos - also an enjoyable light read only slightly marred by the introduction of a repellent love interest!

[Pauline Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first travel books I read and is very funny. The author walks with his dog seeing great places and meeting all sorts of people along the way. It inspired me to get into hill walking and I've read other walkiing accounts by the same author.

[Adam Winter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turn over each page to find out more about the stunning south west coast and Mark and Boogie's adventure around it. This book is a great comedy, factual and travel book, definitely worth a read!

[Neil Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a keen hiker I was inspired to seek out the book 500 mile walkies as it was allegedly the inspiration for Raynor Winn and Moth to walk the south west coast path which they documented in the best selling book and film the salt path. I was a huge fan of the salt path and having moved to Cornwall in 2022 it inspired me to start my own adventure on the path. Sadly the bubble burst a bit for me when it turned out that a lot of the salt path story was fabricated and that Ray and Moth had actually been quite dishonest.

So wanting further inspiration for my hiking I decided on reading 500 mile walkies. I found this book as it contained two of Mark Wallingtons books, the second being Boogie up the river about his travels up the Thames in a camping skiff. Having grown up living by the Thames this was again an area of the country that I knew well. I am also a competitive rower and water sport enthusiast so anything relating to water appeals.

So I have a lot of personnel interest in the book. I preferred the second book ‘boogie up the river’ more than the first. I think Mark’s writing in the second book is far more fluid and easy to read. I also found the second book hilarious. His observations of bird life and the behaviour of boogie made for very enjoyable reading. Having said that 500 mile walkies is a great account of hiking the coast path. I know the north Devon and Cornwall coast very well so I could relate to it. Likewise I have hiked and camped with dogs so the accounts of flatulence, encounters with livestock and scavenging behaviour are truly relatable.

Over all it was a fantastic book covering two great adventures. I had really looked forward to reading it and it did not let me down. A must read for hikers, water sport enthusiasts and dog owners.

[Janet Fizz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would I want any book I had written to be called 'pleasant'? I'm not sure.
This was indeed a pleasant-enough read.
The first part was the story of a long-distance coastal path walk, which I enjoyed. However, it didn't hold my attention and I skipped quite a lot of it.
The second part held my attention all the way through - a tale of rowing to find the source of the River Thames. There were some very prettily-described parts of the riverbank. However, all the way through I found myself not believing that there was really a girl-friend. I think she was a made-up character to give the book a reason for being. That is fair enough, I suppose, it just spoiled it a bit.
Over all, though, the author's repetition of thematic 'jokes' was laboured, and irritated me. I wouldn't read it a second time.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one volume of two books - 500 mile walkies and Boogie up the River. I originally wanted to read the first but stayed on for the second one.

500 mile walkies is about Mark’s walk along the South West Coast Path. Raynor Winn mentions it in The Salt Path as being a book she’d read years before starting out on her own walk along the path. And that’s where I learned of this book from. I’m currently doing a virtual walk along the South West Coast Path (I’ve just walked around the Lizard peninsular) and so have revisited The Salt Path, and read this as being topical to my virtual walk.

The writing style in both books is light and humorous and I enjoyed them both. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Boogie and all his quirks and tricks. A truly characterful dog.

[Sarah Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light and mildly entertaining read. Two books in one, I enjoyed the walk around the South West Coastpath more than the rowing up the Thames river.
"But the rewards of a journey aren't always immediate and aren't always manifest. The point is should we count milestones or miles? And the truth is I learned a lot from my time on the river - learned a lot, that is, about myself.
This may not sound so special. After all, most journeys offer travellers an insight into their own personality. But the difference between this trip and any other I've been on is that although I know I did learn a lot about myself, now I'm back I can't for the life of me remember what it was."

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an omnibus edition, and although both are good, the first is better (500 Mile Walkies). Both are what you’d call ‘easy reading’ but I don’t mean that in a snobby way, they are ideal mood raisers, generating smiles and the occasional chuckle in the process. The Boogie in the title is a dog the author borrowed from a friend to accompany him along a walk from Minehead to Poole, along with camping gear (most of which seemed to be faulty or threadbare). Boogie steals each scene he appears in and as the story develops, both seem to warm to the other (despite Boogie’s) sulphurous farts which make themselves felt whenever they bed down in the tent overnight.

[Tracey- Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has actually been a fun read. Mark and boogie are a fascinating team. It’s more about mark than boogie , that’s the only disappointing part about this book, I would like to have got my idea of the character of the dog.
I have found it an amusing read thanks to mark’s way of telling his adventure from Cornwall up to the Thames .

[Anita Bartholomew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice easy funny read about one man's travels with a dog (not really his dog - it's complicated!). The pair are ill equipped for walking around the Somerset, Devon, Cornwall coast path and somehow manage to survive the epic walk. Some parts are laugh out loud and I became very fond of the characters, so was happy to go on and read the next instalment involving a rowing boat on the Thames.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 books in one. The first a walk round southwest coastal path, the second a trip up to the source of the Thames. He has an amusing writing style & an observant eye. Reading them 30+ years on you can’t help noticing the changes in the world he describes.

[Miss ElaineSullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

On Jeremy Clarkson’s recommendation I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading about Boogie and Mark. Mark’s style is so enjoyable and laugh out loud funny. His observations are so good about life and people.

[Nicola Gilg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd read reviews of this beforehand describing how bad Jennifer is. It turns out she really is that bad. Does she really exist? Does she know how terrible she comes across in this book?! That said, the Jennifer element did move this review from 2 stars to 3!

[Imogen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hysterical

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I came across tis book. Fun journey stories.

[Mrs Sandra Kempster-Arscott · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK but not enough information about the places visited so disappointing from this aspect.

[Linda Wright]

Leant to Marilyn via Emma - October 2024

[Alison Bullock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and half to four stars. Amusingly written ,probably more enjoyable if one is more familiar with the journeys Mark went on.

[Katy Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this because I was interested in the walk around Cornwall but the writer seemed very down on all that he saw and it wasn't the cornwall I know. Surprisingly I enjoyed the boat trip up the Thames much more and laughed out loud quite often. Perhaps he had mellowed by the time he took this trip. It gets a bit boring to hear yet again how awful Boogie is but there is also something charming about the inner journey the author travels. Light reading but not hard to keep going till the end....or the source!

[Jane Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed 500 Mile Walkies better than Boogie Up the River which seemed too samey to me. The descriptions were good - could see the views that he was looking at in my imagination. Was pretty disgusted with the fact that the writer thought it was acceptable to let a dog wander at will - no responsibility there. Yeh - OK books.

[Omi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book, '500 Mile Walkies' I really, really enjoyed. Oddly enough, I couldn't really get into 'Boogie Up The River' at all. I've never really been one for travel writing, but I found 500 Mile Walkies a really good read.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is in two halves - there are two different stories in it. So I read one half, then put it away to read the other one much later. It was such a lovely read I bought a copy for my local library!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comfort book which punctuates my life every few years, much as Boogie the dog's flatulent expressions interrupt the romantic machinations of the endearingly hapless narrator.

[Ramona Honan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Boogie books are a joy to read and sooooo funny.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved it, the perfect feel good book for all dog lovers

[Mark Winterbourne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book, its a complete howl to read. A vision of a dogs life.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvellous!

[Martinxo · Rating 1 out of 5]

This could have been a good book if the author hadn't tried so damn hard to be funny on every second line. Tiresome in the extreme.