Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People

by Robert E. Manning, Martha S. Manning

“Long-distance walking is good for you and good for the earth... But most of all, walking is a joyful celebration of life and the diverse, beautiful, and curious world in which we live.” —from the Introduction

Walking is simple, but it can also be profound. In an increasingly complex and frantic world, walking can simplify our lives. It encourages intimate contact with places and people, promotes health, and is one of the most sustainable forms of recreation. Robert and Martha Manning invite readers to explore the pleasures of long-distance walking in their inspiring new book, Walking Distance.

At the heart of Walking Distance are firsthand descriptions of thirty of the world’s great long-distance hikes, spanning six continents and ranging from inn-to-inn to backpacking trips. Each entry—from Turkey’s Lycian Way to Vermont’s Long Trail—features personal anecdotes, natural and cultural history, and useful tips, including suggestions for preparing for hikes and for additional reading. Each trail narrative is richly illustrated with color photographs and maps.


The Walks
Alta Via 1 (Italy)
C&O Canal (Maryland, U.S.)
Camino de Santiago (Spain)
Cape Winelands Walk (South Africa)
Chilkoot Trail (Alaska, U.S. and B.C., Canada)
Cinque Terre (Italy)
Coast to Coast Trail (England)
Colorado Trail (Colorado, U.S.)
Cotswold Way (England)
Great Ocean Walk (Australia)
Inca Trail (Peru)
John Muir Trail (California, U.S.)
Kaibab Trail (Arizona, U.S.)
Kalalua Trail (Hawaii, U.S.)
King Ludwig’s Way (Germany)
Kungsleden (Sweden)
Long Trail (Vermont, U.S.)
Lost Coast Trail (California, U.S.)
Lycian Way (Turkey)
Milford Track (New Zealand)
Ocala Trail (Florida, U.S.)
Overland Track (Australia)
Paria River Canyon (Utah and Arizona, U.S.)
South Downs Way (England)
Superior Hiking Trail (Minnesota, U.S.)
Tahoe Rim Trail (California and Nevada, U.S.)
Tour du Mont Blanc (France, Italy, Switzerland)
Walker’s Haute Route (France, Switzerland)
West Coast Trail (B.C., Canada)
West Highland Way (Scotland)

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Walking, Nature, Outdoors, Adventure

244 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine coffee table book with splendid pictures of classic hiking trails around the world. The text is skippable. A bland, unnecessary "how to hike" section takes up far too many pages. Also, I'm not sure who these "ordinary people" are, but they're probably not completing the numerous multi-day mountainous hikes outlined in this book. Those "ordinary people" would be dead two miles in.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend this book to those who are interested. I found it interesting, particularly once it got into the hikes themselves, which are definitely the meat of the book. The authors share their insights and stories, along with photographs. I have made a list of the hikes I'd like to do from this book, and it is long:

Alta Vista
Camino de Santiago
Cinque Terre
Coast to Coast
Great Ocean Walk
Inca Trail
Kalalau Trail
Lost Coast Trail
Lycian Trail
Milford Track
Ocala Trail
Overland Track
Paria River Canyon
South Downs Way
Tour de Mont Blanc

Some of these walks I'd heard of before, some I had not, but I now know more about them, and this book has inspired me to investigate further.

[Carie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will sit on my coffee table for the indefinite future and will continue to call my name. After walking the Camino de Santiago last year, I can't wait to get moving again, and this book provides loads of potential opportunities. Great book to jump-start a walking adventure! If only time and money were limitless...

[Wendy Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely lovely and inspiring book featuring a number of long walking paths across the globe. Not so much about hiking, but WALKING, the book contains lots of tips and hints that can make these big journeys accessible to all levels of fitness. This is just the thing to inspire your bucket list!

[Maddy]

It was good. Some of the pictures could have been chosen better, and I feel like these hikes are just the most well-known ones and not necessarily the best ones, but it’s pretty solid. I don’t really want to give it a rating because it’s not a book that I feel really needs a rating (and it doesn’t exactly fit into my scale either)

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good list of some interesting long distance hikes/walks all over the world. Included some history about each hike with good descriptions of scenery, terrain, accommodations, access, etc. Beginning of walk included information on training, gear, resources, etc. The authors did all the hikes and talked about their experiences.
Really enjoyed the book. Very inspirational.

[Melinda Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, helpful and inspiring

[Barbpie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and descriptions have inspired me to add some of these hikes to my bucket list.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to walk all of these!

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very informative and visually stimulating guide to long-distance hikes across the world. The Manning's start out with some helpful tips for hiking long distance and the therapeutic benefits of walking in nature. I've always been curious about longer hikes such as the Appalachian Trail & the Camino del Santiago so I was delighted to hear that there were so many other long-distance trails out there. The pictures are gorgeous and give you an idea for what the landscape is like. They also give you helpful information such as possible dangers you might encounter, whether you can camp or access lodging on the trail, and whether there is luggage service available. Being a noob to long-distance hiking, this book was incredibly helpful and I've created my bucket list using the 30 hikes they mentioned.

Even if you don't read it, just browse through the pictures. They're fantastic!

[Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several walks here I've always wanted to do: the Cinque Terre, the West Highland Way, the Coast to Coast Walk and the Camino de Santiago. Only two that I've tasted myself, the C&O Canal and the Milford Track, and they are well described. And almost every other one I'd like to do (I've added King Ludwig's Way through Bavaria to the list), minus those that require special skill (no Chilkoot Trail for me). Inspiring, beautiful and practical, this looks like a coffee table book but it's also a jumping-off point for planning more trips.

[Nancy Motto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me want to put my hiking shoes on and run out the door. This is not meant to be an in depth exploration of the trails profiled in the book but an introduction and a tantalizing taste of the many trails the authors have walked. I certainly added a couple of hikes to my list and it reawakened my determination to walk the South Downs some day. I loved the walking quotes sprinkled throughout the book

[Lauren Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reader is taken through practical profiles of long-distance walks around the world, providing statistics, logistics, background, and resources for each. It is a great survey from which my interest has been piqued in general and my favorite routes selected from among those described. Both inspirational and methodical.

P.S.: I took notes and certainly aspire to walk at least one of these routes!

[Adam Lund · Rating 5 out of 5]

An introduction to some of the great long distance walks in the world, Walking Distance is sort of a lifetime to do list and source of ideas for active travel. Captivating descriptions of each hike, photos, and resources for further investigation make this a worthwhile guide for inspired foot travelers.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of inspiration here for those of us who can't take a few months off to hike the Appalachian Trail or who want to know what other trails are out there. Most of the walks could be done on a 1-2 week vacation, and range in level of difficulty from easy inn-to-inn strolling to challenging hiking at high elevation. Each walk description includes references for further research.

[Nancy Motto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me want to put on my hiking shoes and run out the door. This is not meant to be an in depth exploration of the ten walks profiled in the book but an introduction to whet your appetite. It certainly got me dreaming again about walking the South Downs. I love the walking quotes sprinkled throughout the book

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great wish book for walkers. Where have I been? Where do I want to go?

Good variety in distance and difficulty, but really just an introduction to some of the great walking adventures in the world.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish that I had a companion to accompany me on journeys such as this couple have made. I am a walker, but my usual companions are my two dogs. It certainly is inspiring, and gave me ideas for future vacations (both walking and bicycling some of these areas described in the book).

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sweet and inspirational book. Of course you'll have to do more research to actually go on one of the walks, but this book covers all the basics and introduces the reader to the range of possibilities.

[Bita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope to one day do some of these walks.