ONE WOMAN WALKS EUROPE

by Ursula Martin

From Wales to Ukraine and Back Again the gripping sequel to her bestselling One Woman Walks Wales


Join Ursula Martin on an epic 5500-mile trek across Europe in One Woman Walks Europe, an adventurous tale of endurance and self-discovery.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

Paperback

Reviews

[Zoe Langley-Wathen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This travel memoir details a journey of almost incomprehensible proportions. Ursula Martin walked thousands of miles across Europe, and then onwards to Wales, in all weather, suffering numerous battles with pain, and unplanned management of loneliness and vulnerability during the Covid pandemic lockdowns.

She details with raw honesty the rollercoaster of emotions and the beauty of the brief, yet often profound connections she made with people along the way.

The challenge sparked deeper, inner conversations with herself that recount a troubled childhood and the impact this has had on Ursula's life, relationships, and future direction. I appreciated the author's willingness to share her background, which she did with sensitivity and honesty.

Overall, it is a thoughtful, enjoyable read with some delightful descriptions of place.

[Laura Maisey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully researched and constructed book, detailing a journey by foot from Kyiv to Wales over the space of two years. It is a remarkable story of perseverance in the face of adversity and learning to understand oneself through difficulty and past traumas. The characters she describes meeting are vivid and very alive to the reader. It is impressive how she creates a page-turning story, when she essentially does the same thing every day; wake up, walk, sleep. Many adventure books fall into that repetitive style but Ursula's book never does that. It is constantly interesting and spending a whole weekend inside the world created by her book was an absolute pleasure.

[Anna Malzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this very friendly account that zips you along with the writer to all sorts of interesting corners of Europe, while also carrying you along on her emotional journey. I found it funny, authentic, and poignant, and by the end I could feel the rush of emotions taking flight as she concluded this absolutely epic journey. A great read, and the fact that half of it was attempted during COVID also makes it a fascinating account of such a strange and important moment in history.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The loneliness of the long distance hiker! Ursula told her story with total honesty - including that she was often lonely - as she took us along every step with her on this amazing journey. As well as wearing her heart on her sleeve, Ursula’s descriptions of everything she saw and experienced are so evocative. She’s a great writer. I have no idea how Ursula had the willpower to keep walking day after day but I’m glad she did and returned to share this wonderful story with us.

[Martyn Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ursula's resilience, integrity and humanity shines in each chapter. Her feelings, fears and challenges eek through every paragraph, and I am inspired by her experience of walking through such a cross-section of European community. It is an antidote to a post-truth world, a first-hand account which we should all read, to ground us in the realities of the world. To walk that distance is an outstanding achievement, and to cope with the loneliness of lockdown in a foriegn country is a testament to her endurance, fortitiude, and her unwavering ability to face her vulnerabilities and to grow as an individual.

Her writing is an inspiration, there is no artifice or fancy prose here, yet the world she constructs in your mind as you read is powerful – a raw unfiltered insight into her life as a long-distance walker, a pilgrimage into her own inner world, and a journey through the natural world we all need to protect. This book deserves the widest readership, and for me, it stands hand and shoulders above other victim-centric walking memoirs that have dominated the press recently.

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard the author speak about her walking before I read this book. As a person she was intriguing, both uncomfortable in self-promotion yet so clearly someone to admire and learn from.

This epic journey done on foot achieves so much insight into the cultural diversity, similarities and big divides over each border. She manages to mix insightful travelogue and her own personal life journey. I felt her pain, physical and emotional alongside self doubt. The joys of being in the moment, personal challenge, the wild camping and the eclectic people she met along her way.

I found the book combined the best elements of memoir and a travelogue like no other.

[Cheyenne Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I had to show myself who I am, define myself through action, take myself to my edges in order to see them. And the more I did, the more I realised what I was capable of."

An inspirational journey across Europe on foot. The writing is relatable, unpretentious, and filled with authentic reflections that capture Ursula’s personal growth and resilience as she navigates the challenges of solo travel as a woman.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Ursula Matin writes beautifully about the countries she walks through, their history and politics, scenery and wildlife and culture and customs. I found it enthralling and have already read it twice. It rolls along easily even though she is sometimes touching difficult subjects I really recommend it to anyone who is interested in the incredible feat of walking alone through Europe, and the reasons why she keeps going.

[Susie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book about a girl who walks from kyiv in ukraine through europe back to wales. it takes her years to do it as she walks through many countries some with many challenges. it took me years to read, well at least a month, not sure why I did enjoy it, especially her experiences of the different countries, like romania, serbia, bosnia and towards the end north spain camino route, which i want to do. It sounds like it took its toll all that walking though, over 5000 miles. worth a read.

[Bryony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really felt connected to Ursula's journey due to her honesty, vulnerability, descriptions, and experiences. As a female who dreams of solo suffering too (such as wild camping), this book is a great addition to this area of personal genre. Also, how to even package such a long-term extreme experience into 300-ish pages will always impress me. Thanks to this read, I learnt more about the history of the Balkans than ever before. Great book.

[Brendan James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about a truly amazing experience walking across Europe. Ursula is a remarkable woman - her account of her journey is fascinating, inspirational and beautifully written. A totally absorbing read, filled with wonderful reflections and observations. I’m totally in awe!! Fantastic.

[Christine Bridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely fascinating and absorbing. Keeps me reading after midnight. Thoughtful, poetic, wise and determined - very determined. Ursula writes so intensely, you feel you are getting to know this intrepid adventurer.

[Rachel Healey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and enticing writing that leaves you wanting an adventure of your own.