Walking With Plato: A Philosophical Hike Through the British Isles

by Gary Hayden

All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.' So said Friedrich Nietzsche, and so thought philosophy buff Gary Hayden as he set off on Britain’s most challenging to walk from John o’Groats to Land’s End.But it wasn’t all quaint country lanes, picture-postcard villages and cosy bed and breakfasts. Disillusioned after another grueling day, his feet blistered and his back aching from lugging camping gear, he sought solace in the words of 'Everything that deceives may be said to enchant.'In this humorous, uplifting and delightfully British tale, Gary finds solitude and weary limbs bring him closer to the wisdom of the world’s greatest thinkers. Recalling Rousseau’s reverie, Bertrand Russell’s misery, Epicurus’ joy in simplicity and Thoreau’s love of the wilderness, Walking with Plato offers a breath of fresh, country air for anyone craving an escape from the humdrum of everyday life.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Walking, Nature, Memoir, British Literature

181 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2016

About the author

If you look at the ratings I give, here on Goodreads, you might think that I'm very easy to please, since many of them are five-star. But that's because I tend mostly to rate books I love and admire, rather than just anything that comes my way.
I love classic literature, particularly classic British literature, especially Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope.
As a writer, I'm influenced to some degree by every good book I've ever read - and quite possibly many of the not-so-good books too. But my biggest (conscious) influences are the philosophers Bertrand Russell and David Hume.

Reviews

[Gary Hayden]

I wrote this book, and so can't really comment on it.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually, I run screaming from anything to do with "philosophy" - just ... ugh! But, as the book was small, I decided to look through it at the library, liking the passages I read. There's philosophy, but it's occasional and relatable; whenever Hayden does use a quote, he's applying it to a situation encountered on his travels. Only at one point did I ever feel even slightly bogged down.

The book is primarily a travel journal featuring highlights of the couple's journey, though not at all a "Dear Diary" (entry-by-entry) approach. I'm giving the book five stars as he's sharing the experience as one might with a friend. The first part was rather grueling for them, so fit in well with Max Frankl's "Always Have a Goal" philosophy discussed later in the book. Another point he raises has to do with just being in the moment, letting the experience happen, rather than trying to concentrate on, and remember, all sorts of details.

Rather than my going on more about it, if you think it sounds interesting, you should like it as much as I did ... unless you come away feeling there wasn't enough philosophy. In that case, you're excused. Otherwise, Highly Recommended!

[iana · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a precious little book.
While walking miles and miles across Britain together with his wife, Gary Hayden reflects on his life and life in general basing on words of different philosophers. Issues he talks about are 100% obvious, but nonetheless important. Too often we forget to think about the simplest pleasures of life, forget to be happy while pursuing happiness. There are so many wonderful things and places around us which we fail to notice due to the modern way of living. People have ceased to enjoy, as Hayden says, “simply being”, and I absolutely agree with him. Tons of information and too many of other people’s opinions stop us from being ourselves and living in harmony.
I found it a very heart warming, calming and inspiring read. Enjoyed it immensely but wished it was 5 times longer. Highly recommended, especially if you feel down and need some encouragement to carry on.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were a wee bit younger and healthier, I could see myself yearning to make the trek that this author and his wife made, the End to End walk from tip to tip of Britain. I am not able to do any such thing but I did appreciate reliving the journey through this delightful read. It is quintessentially British in its understated approach and I loved every minute of the book. The philosophy that he threads through the entire journey is the icing on the cake. Again, there are far too many quotes for me to list all that I appreciated, so I will just leave you with one concerning Plato that I Just loved.

"Plato believed that we humans have a dual nature, that we are bodies and minds. And he believed that we can only reach our potential - we can only become the best of ourselves - when our two natures are, as it were, pulling together."

[Shivam Chaturvedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doesnt happen often that one comes across a book that somehow perfectly captures the essence of what is going on in your life at that point of time.

It happened to me last year in October, reading Ivan Turgenev's First Love and it has happened once again reading this book. Funnily, I came across this book randomly browsing through the bookshelves of Columbia University's bookstore, and the title and book cover just caught my attention, nestled amongst the great works of Kierkegaard, Sartre, Aristotle and Cicero. It was similar with First Love too, just that I had been randomly browsing the bookshelves of Project Gutenberg that day.

In essence, Walking with Plato is not a great work of literature or philosophy, as much as a breezy stroll through a riverside park is nothing like a marathon. But it is a delightful reminder of simpler things in life, and why we should all take it easy sometimes - both with our thoughts and the books we read.

[Austen to Zafón · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the end-to-end walk from John O'Groats to Land's End, this book was rather slow, repetitive, and meditative. Part travelogue, part philosophical pondering, it doesn't tell you much about the destinations along the walk, but rather about the journey in the author's mind, about how it changed his perspective and relieved, if only for a few months, his depression and anxiety.

Throughout, we are treated to quotes from philosophers and poets on the powers of nature, exercise, meditation, and purpose to nourish our emotional selves.

This is not a book to read in long stretches. Read a little and let it percolate. I enjoyed it most when I read one or two sections. Longer and the repetition began to make me tune out. And, if you're like me, take notes on trails you'd like to walk! I found the descriptions of the Heart of England Way and the Cotswolds Way alluring and will be researching those soon.

[Elif · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! I don’t even remember when or why I bought it but I’m so glad I did. Enjoyed every page.

English: https://elifthereader.com/books/walki...
Türkçe: https://kitaplikkedisi.com/kitaplar/w...

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. A repetitive 'we walked from here to here' interspersed with some occasional quotes. He hints at previous struggles eg with mental health and losing faith without really exploring them which might have been more interesting.

[Rog the Jammy Dodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a philosophical take on walking from one end of Britain to the other, in this case John O'Groats to Lands End (JOGLE). It drew on the author's study of philosophy, previously applied to his admitted somewhat depressive personality. A reluctant walker at the start, accompanying his more outgoing and outward bound wife, Gary ultimately discovers happiness and contentment in the simple act of walking, appreciating both the pain and the beauty, in the moment. As a fellow JOGLEr who undertook the walk in the same direction in 2019, his philosophical take was a refreshing viewpoint to the many books I have read on the subject. Gary's thoughts often chimed with my own and by the end I was "in the zone" reminiscing...and feeling quite wistful.

[Ms6282 Slater · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively short book about a long walk. Details and description of the route and places passed through are limited. It’s more a reflection on the changes experienced by the author by undertaking the walk, with some reference to philosophers including the title’s Plato.

[Joshua Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tonally this was pretty glum, bloke moans about walking until he appreciates the walk, maybe a little reductive, but I just didn’t get on with it. It’s also fairly repetitive, as he he points out himself, he’s not a ‘nature writer’, so there’s a lot of ‘…and then we walked to…’ Having said this, I’m just coming from reading Morton, who was fairly pessimistic, so I could still have the residue of that hanging about. Maybe you’ll fair better with it.

[Lori L (She Treads Softly) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walking with Plato by Gary Hayden is a highly recommended walking tour of Great Britain, with philosophical pondering shared along the way.

Hayden and Wendy, his wife, decided to do a three month "End-to-End" walking tour from the northeastern tip of Scotland to the southwestern tip of England. They started in John o'Groats and made their way to Land's End (JoGLE), a 1,200-mile trek, enduring blisters, sore backs and feet, and weather along the way. The eight chapters list the towns they went through during that part of their travels.

Rather than an account detailing exactly what they did from a detailed journal kept along the journey, Hayden, who was 49 when they undertook the journey, shares what he remembers as he recalls their travels. He had no plans to write a book about their experiences, and is glad he didn't keep a journal because it would have ruined the experience, reducing it to something that needed to be recorded and sold rather than lived.

There are stories and thoughts shared about the areas they traversed and some of the sights they encountered along the way. You can appreciate Walking with Plato without any geographical knowledge, but it might help American readers to have a clear knowledge of the names and places, including walking trails in Great Britain, or at least a map handy to follow Hayden and Wendy's path.

Along the recounted journey, Hayden contemplates some thoughts from other thinkers. Bertrand Russell said "The secret of happiness is to understand that the world is horrible, horrible, horrible." Hayden thought that it makes sense because, if you go through life thinking the world owes you anything, you will be disappointed. However, if you accept that the world cares nothing for you or your plans and that bad things happen to everyone, you can stoically wait/hope for something better to happen.

He also ponders the writing of Epicurus, and concluded that the more you have, the less you appreciate it. The key is to subtract from your desires to appreciate the simple, wholesome things in life. If you are walking 1200 miles and usually cooking outside and sleeping in a tent, the simple pleasure of a coffee and a biscuit along the way takes on a new satisfaction.

Hayden felt that the walk was benefiting his mental health along the way. Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist who believed that "the striving for meaning is the most powerful and motivating force in human life, and that a sense of purpose is essential to mental wellbeing." Frankl's thoughts summed up Hayden's feelings about the goal to walk JoGLE, "Thus it can be seen that mental health is based on what one has already achieved and what one still has to accomplish."

Walking with Plato is a worthwhile travel memoir, and every reader can appreciate Hayden's thoughts along the route. It might be more appreciated a bit more by those who know the geography compared to those of us not living in Great Britain who had to stop and look at a map. (No judging please, I could follow walking travels across the USA quite easily.)

Disclosure: My advanced reading copy was courtesy of the publisher via Library Thing for review purposes.

[Gilion Dumas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking with Plato is a book of philosophical and other musings inspired by the author's thousand-mile walk from John o’Groats, the northern tip of Scotland, to Land’s End, the southernmost tip of England. Hayden recounts the scenery, midges, books, ups, downs, and adventures he and his wife have along their journey. The book is pure charm and any Anglophile who's enjoyed a country ramble or a poke through old villages would love it.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite different from most of the road trip books I've read. Often I come away thinking I'm glad they did the trip, I wouldn't want to. This book left me wanting to follow in their footsteps. It felt more like an Impressionists story of the trek. I did very much wish for maps to accompany the text. I do also wish that a couple of the photos that were described were included to be able to see a part of the hike. I appreciated the author's growth as he moved from viewing the journey as a challenge and a trudge to an exhilarating and enjoyable end in itself. I noticed that he grew out of depression into comfortable happiness. Exercise will do that for you. It made for an uplifting and inspiring read. Thank you to LibraryThing from whom I won an advanced readers copy.

[Bethan · Rating 2 out of 5]

My main issue with this book was that consistently the author bemoans any expenditure on accommodation yet has the luxury of being able to take 3 months off work (to which we later find out that he is still writing a paid column for a newspaper whilst doing JoGLE) and prior to moving back to England, paints living a life of luxury in Vietnam.
To me it came across as someone who is comfortable trying to pretend that money is an issue and that pissed me off for the entire book, so much so that when I reached the point where he sends 15lbs of camping gear home in the post(!) and states that they will be staying in accommodation for the rest of the walk “and budget be damned!” I wanted to throw the book across the room.

[Florent Chua · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot help chuckling at the humorous anecdotes. I never know Hayden can be so funny at times. Perhaps this book is a reminder that our lives are transient before nature, making it all the more important for us to reflect upon the meaning of life itself. Some call it Zen, or Tao, but ultimately the answer has to come from within yourself. In a way, the philosophical aspect appeals to me.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyful, thought-provoking and provided a beautiful calm at the end of each day when I cozied up to read. I loved the combination of Andy's reflections on his experiences and the links with philosophers throughout the ages.

[Warren Gossett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book demanded to be read in one day. With a little sadness that the last page came so quickly. Just as the author had a bit of sadness that he and his wife's walk from John o'Groats to Land's End, after weeks of struggling to adapt and joyous surprises, also finished.

[Piisa]

"The point in life is to know what's enough." Gensei.

[Tanya Waller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly realistic explanation of what it's like to walk just for the enjoyment of being outside.

[Adeptus Fringilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a short book for such a long walk, but its a good and interesting story, especially I enjoyed the philosophical musings. They make this book worthwhile.

[Ian Hodkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this, a thoughtful review of life in general with numerous philosophical insights set against a trudge across the UK from JOG to LE.

[Mani Parsai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walking with Plato presents itself as a hybrid of a book, fulfilling a dual function: part travelogue, part philosophy guide.

But Gary Hayden’s attempts to structure his narrative as travelogue come up short, whilst the questions posed, although similar to those found in any given philosophical treatise, are found to lack depth.

Ultimately, he fails to construct a literary text which succeeds at either function. The book is a substandard travel guide, failing to convey the natural beauty or rugged wildness of the ethereal British countryside. This misstep is disappointingly justified by blunt admissions from an author who claims he has simply forgot of many of the sites and locations dotted across his journey. Meanwhile, Hayden’s ventures into philosophical thought are unsustained and rarely covered in sufficient depth to nourish a reader’s desire for a proper exploration of the scholars mentioned.

Personally, I felt unsatisfied at times with the lack of thought attributed to quotes, having viewed them as deeply thoughtful and influential. But I later realised, whether intentional or not, this had prompted me to embark on my own journey. I began to explore these glimmers of knowledge, contrasting them alongside my own path, meditating on them as I let thoughts settle in my mind, just as Hayden did throughout his 1,100+ mile odyssey. I deeply enjoyed absorbing the workings of the author’s mind as I was witness to the process of an ideological reformation. This drew my focus away from the landscape allowed my own expectations to be subside as I drew up pictures of Hayden’s vague depictions in my mind - fashioning my own scenes in which I could visualise the route and sanctuaries of respite.

The author believes the End-to-End journey is not one which either can or should be shared, but rather experienced. This sentiment is complemented by his fleeting descriptions as they invoke a desire in the reader to view the sights of the trail for themselves (calming internal criticisms towards Hayden for his lack of illustration).

I found the book to be the most engaging at the start. Later on, I became weary of repetitive descriptions and a sentiment of thrift, which seemed performative and farcical, having been brought up (far) too much. As my interest began to fade after the chapter on the Pennine Path, I questioned whether I should complete the book, finding myself tired at times. Yet placing myself in the position of a Thru-Hiker (the spirit which Hayden embodied for three months), I realised the journey itself was the merit, and pressed on. I was glad to see that the ending granted notions thoughtful enough to compensate for the author’s repeated idioms and a lack of care in later chapters. Although I believe this in part may not have been entirely an error, but rather a reflection of the walk.

All in all, I deeply enjoyed Walking with Plato, and found myself enamoured by Hayden’s thoughtful choice of scholars to invoke. I was surprised to encounter a range of philosophies, all of which were tactfully linked to the author’s personal responses. These embedded quotations proved a source of profound contemplation and joy, at moments eclipsing the pleasure derived from the text itself - but it takes a sound mind to curate these words as well .

Although I found this text to be annoyingly imperfect: “The point in life is to know what’s enough.” —Gensei

And for me, this journey was certainly enough.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ordinarily, I wouldn't have picked up this book. However, my wife read it and praised it, gave it to her friend, who also praised it, so when it came back to us, I thought that I would find a slot for it. I'm glad that I did because it's quite an engaging tale

It's the story of the author's walk from John O'Groats to Land's End. In many ways, not an easy walk, but one that he obviously wanted to do. As he was walking, he found himself in his own company, almost like locked in his own mind with himself. He spent a good part of that time on inner rumination about the intricacies of philosophy. Those who walk can readily understand this.

However, it's not a book that's readily categorised. It's a book about walking, but it's not a walking book. It's a book about philosophy, but it's not a philosophy book. It rather fuses the two. It could be objected that the philosophy is rather lightweight, which is true. But I doubt very much that I would have enjoyed yet another philosophy book as much as I enjoyed this one.

It could be objected that the book is a very thin travelogue. Again, this is true. I have to say that this is the aspect of the book that I found to be most frustrating. I know many of the landmarks the author passed - the midges on Rannoch Moor being one example - and I would have liked something of an update on those which is more recent to my experience.

The walk must have given rise to many privations - the walk over the Devil's Staircase comes to mind here - but the author isn't at all concerned by this. I quite liked that approach. On a walk like this you expect hardships. And when you finish it, you exchange one set of hardships for another and you et on with it as best you can. I really liked this carefree approach to life's challenges and obstacles.

Of the book, I can recall more readily the passage through Scotland than the passage through England. Perhaps I simply paid greater attention to the parts that interested me? At the expense of the parts in which I am less interested? If so, it suggests that we are given a choice by the book to focus on the things we like. There aren't many books where you can say that.

I quite liked the book. It is well written, the narrative flows quite well, and the descriptions are very keenly observed at times. The book is not overly long and the writer's style is not ponderous. I quite liked the book.

[Tineke Dijkstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Hayden's account of his hike from John o'Groats to Land's End with his partner Wendy. It was an easy read, often plain. Hayden also reflects on this during his writing, stating that he has written as he had walked: not noticing every single flower of leaf, but considering himself a "nature-lover" in Emerson's terms. He also mentions that he had no intention of writing the book while he was walking, therefore not having made any real notes during the hike - something he's happy about, because it would have greatly influenced his experience.

The book is real and honest, which is what I enjoyed about it most. I am an ethusiastic walker of pilgrimages and would love to walk more hikes, thereby recognizing a lot of what Hayden wrote. The addition of the philosophical concepts and linking them to his experience of hiking, was a lovely extra. I also enjoyed Hayden drawing a link to Thoreau's "Walden", which has been on my TBR for some time and which I have been planning on taking up sometime soon. I made notes, saved quotes. This is something to return to.

4/5 stars

Not 5 stars because at some points it did feel a bit like a guide book ("this day we walked from ... to ..., ... miles over this and that type of road"). I do understand where that comes from, also taking in mind the fact that there is of yet no such guide book, but it did not always spark my enthusiasm.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

After spending 5 years in Viet Nam, Gary and his partner Wendy walk from the northern tip of Scotland at John o Groats to the southern tip of England at Land’s End – about 1000 miles. The author tells you that he is not really an outdoor person (Wendy is) and that he does not notice things when he is walking. He basically gives detailed information on the route, the weather, and the accommodations, be it their tent, a B&B or a hostel. He also reflects on various philosophies (for me ad nauseum, but I guess some people like that). I did find his realization late in the trip that when he is walking day after day he thinks about things less and less and is often simply in the moment. That was a nice relief from his philosophical meanderings and it jives perfectly with my experiences while hiking, although I also notice plants and trees and rocks and birds and animals. I was also interested in how different hiking is in Britain from my hiking experiences in the Pacific Northwest and in all the various hiking paths. I found it surprising that he basically never mentions Wendy or their relationship on this long hike – it was almost as if she did not exist.

I read this on my Kindle while on vacation. I believe it was sent to me as a freebie.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, Gary Hayden, and his wife have traveled and lived around the world but always come back to their England. His wife, Wendy, is an avid hiker/walker but Gary is a reluctant one so when they decide to hike 1200 miles, he is doing so mainly to please his wife. They start at John O'Groats to begin their End to Ending hike, planning on 3 months of camping/backpacking to finish at Land's End completing England's longest long distance walking challenge. He doesn't keep a journal, more like notes interspersed with various philosophers' writings that he feels fits the different terrain, weather, moods and difficulties of the journey. He writes that C.S. Lewis felt that "there is nothing so irritating for the true nature lover as sharing a ramble with a botanist or a landscape painter. The botanist will insist on pointing out beautiful objects and the landscape painter will insist on pointing out beautiful views. Nature lovers are not interested in the particulars. They want to experience the WHOLE!"

By the end of the hike, he felt there were "no low lights, no high lights, just a glorious whole". For anyone who has hike any distance, by choice, we know exactly what he means.

[John Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I read some reviews that suggested that this wasn't a very good travel book and even the author about 3/4 of the way through the book questioned how good he was at writing this type of book, but I ended up really liking it. I really enjoy travel books, too. Gary Hayden and his wife, after spending 5 years in Vietnam, decide to walk from John O'Groats on the northern tip of Scotland to Land's End in the southwest tip of England. Mainly, he details the scenery along the way, where they stopped each night and what the weather was like. I enjoyed following along with a Michelin Road Atlas of Britain. Mainly, though, as a philosopher, he writes about what he was thinking about as he walked, much of it as he thought through some philosophical ideas that the walking allowed him to ponder a lot. I enjoyed hearing his thoughts on various topics. As he and his wife got farther along and he felt much more fit and healthy, he became much more optimistic in his thinking. The other aspect of the book that impressed me was all the wonderful walking trails they were able to walk on for long distances. It was an enjoyable read and it looks like there are some walks worth trying sometime.

[Mubeen Irfan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Comfort is relative.
Simplicity is the essence of life.
Nature is all and everything around us and not just field, trees, plants & hills.
When you finally reach your goals, things start to appear meaningless.
Life needs motivation to work towards be it financial, personal or communal.
Uncertainty is the beauty of life.
Beauty is appreciated by soul and no true definition can comprehend it.

And above all, walking frees your mind to wander, think, appreciate and bear with yourself.

These are a few important lessons from different philosophers quoted by the writer while describing his otherwise boring walk from Britain's end to end. As the name suggests, he keeps going back to Plato more than other thinkers hence the title.

I was looking more of something like Wild when I picked it up but it is a travelogue about someone who is a philosophy buff and thinks & relates whatever he felt in this walk with what the philosophers say about life, its pleasures and of course walking. It is not a book I would have read if I had known about it earlier. Give it a miss.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved:
Some interesting insights into realities of the walk from John O Groats to Land’s End (something on my bucket list to do). Some nice philosophical quotes from great thinkers.
Easy enough to read.

Didn’t love:
I think the target audience age was much older. It’s a great achievement to walk the UK but I found so much of it too twee and lightweight. They stayed mostly in B&Bs instead of camping, they clearly have a lot of money to be able to spend, ate lots of nice food, and many attempts at charming humour didn’t land for me (e.g. the author saying how he posted a funny picture of his partner on Facebook just came across as something an old relative would do - I didn’t find it funny or worth knowing).
It was also a very repetitive book and generally felt like an older relative’s diary (except I cared a lot less because I obviously don’t know the author).