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The Downhill Hiking Club: A short walk across the Lebanon
Three men. 470 kilometres. Twenty-one days.
Welcome to the Downhill Hiking Club . . .
At a boozy, cricket-filled afternoon at Lord's, Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to the unthinkable: a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country's mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. For Joly it is something of a homecoming, having grown up in Beirut. It was a happy childhood, though he did go to school with Osama bin Laden.
Arriving in Lebanon armed with copious amounts of Vaseline - and no walking experience, bar taking the dog for the occasional stroll - Dom, Chris and Harry don't quite know what they've got themselves into. Joined by their bemused chaperone Caroll, they meet a variety of characters along the way including Ali, a stony-faced Hezbollah Museum guide who seems unperturbed by circling Israeli jets, and part-time Londoner Raf, who challenges Dom and the boys to a brain-freeze drinking contest. From a hair-raising creep along the 'Valley of the Skulls' to accidentally flashing an unsuspecting Ethiopian cook, the three friends just about manage to keep going.
With more than a smattering of persiflage and some cringe-worthy moments, The Downhill Hiking Club is a big-hearted, witty and affectionate love letter to Lebanon and its rich history with a meditation on family and homeland at its heart. Written with Dom's trademark humour, it is a paean to both the simple joys of friendship and to growing old disgracefully.
Welcome to the Downhill Hiking Club . . .
At a boozy, cricket-filled afternoon at Lord's, Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to the unthinkable: a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country's mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. For Joly it is something of a homecoming, having grown up in Beirut. It was a happy childhood, though he did go to school with Osama bin Laden.
Arriving in Lebanon armed with copious amounts of Vaseline - and no walking experience, bar taking the dog for the occasional stroll - Dom, Chris and Harry don't quite know what they've got themselves into. Joined by their bemused chaperone Caroll, they meet a variety of characters along the way including Ali, a stony-faced Hezbollah Museum guide who seems unperturbed by circling Israeli jets, and part-time Londoner Raf, who challenges Dom and the boys to a brain-freeze drinking contest. From a hair-raising creep along the 'Valley of the Skulls' to accidentally flashing an unsuspecting Ethiopian cook, the three friends just about manage to keep going.
With more than a smattering of persiflage and some cringe-worthy moments, The Downhill Hiking Club is a big-hearted, witty and affectionate love letter to Lebanon and its rich history with a meditation on family and homeland at its heart. Written with Dom's trademark humour, it is a paean to both the simple joys of friendship and to growing old disgracefully.
320 pages, Paperback
Published October 19, 2021
29 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 52 reviews
September 13, 2024
This travel narrative is casual, irreverent and all about the narrator returning to the country he grew up in. He brought friends for the hike and the focus is all about touristic first impressions and the pranks and banter of old friends on holiday together.
I had a lot of fun with this book. I would love to visit Lebanon if peace ever returns to the region. I did learn significantly more about the country than I had known before but education or analysis was not the point.
I had a lot of fun with this book. I would love to visit Lebanon if peace ever returns to the region. I did learn significantly more about the country than I had known before but education or analysis was not the point.
March 8, 2022
The perfect fusion of fascinating and witty. I devoured travel books in my twenties and fancied a change of genre. Dom and his posh mates' 'trek' across Lebanon did not disappoint, and helped lift the lid on many of my preconceived ideas about this beautiful country, its history and turmoil. I SO want to go there.
July 16, 2024
3.5 stars
March 13, 2022
An insightful look at Lebanon 🇱🇧. The ending felt a little rushed, but I guess the landscape was much the same throughout, so perhaps that explains why. Chuckled out load on a number of occasions & got some positive tune recommendations; not least ‘Boxer Rebellion’.
December 18, 2022
I went and saw Dom at a local theatre where he declared he liked to blag hollidays through work.
At the time I thought this was bravado, but this book is testiment that he was telling the truth.
From the start it is clear that the expedition is half-hearted. The only goal is to "do" the walk. If that means missing parts of it or driving parts or moaning about it until the route is changed then so be it.
I never really got a feel for Lebanon or learnt much about it.
Dom spends a great deal of time talking about his other holidays, the music he is listening to, what he is missing at home, his late father and what local animals might be thinking.
His thoughts are sprayed shotgun style over the journey. In a single page Dom may talk about a destoryed bunker, a trip he had as a child, his time on "I'm a Celebrety" and how much he misses his dogs. But you get no depth or details to anything.
I never felt like I learned aything about Lebanon or even the people on the trip.
This book feels very much like listening to someones telephone conversation on the bus: you only get partial information, intersting things are happening but you get no answers.
On the plus side this is a light, easy going book and, even though I didn't love it, it is written well enough so you can get through it and the book certainly doesn't get bogged down.
A lot of people seem to love this book but it just isn't for me, even for a light read I need some meat.
At one point Dom's friends joke that this book isn't going to be a "Walk in the Woods" and I had a sudden urge to switch books that never left me.
For me, this was the idle musings of some random dads strolling through the countryside who like to eat, moan and rib each other - which has its palce, but is not for me.
At the time I thought this was bravado, but this book is testiment that he was telling the truth.
From the start it is clear that the expedition is half-hearted. The only goal is to "do" the walk. If that means missing parts of it or driving parts or moaning about it until the route is changed then so be it.
I never really got a feel for Lebanon or learnt much about it.
Dom spends a great deal of time talking about his other holidays, the music he is listening to, what he is missing at home, his late father and what local animals might be thinking.
His thoughts are sprayed shotgun style over the journey. In a single page Dom may talk about a destoryed bunker, a trip he had as a child, his time on "I'm a Celebrety" and how much he misses his dogs. But you get no depth or details to anything.
I never felt like I learned aything about Lebanon or even the people on the trip.
This book feels very much like listening to someones telephone conversation on the bus: you only get partial information, intersting things are happening but you get no answers.
On the plus side this is a light, easy going book and, even though I didn't love it, it is written well enough so you can get through it and the book certainly doesn't get bogged down.
A lot of people seem to love this book but it just isn't for me, even for a light read I need some meat.
At one point Dom's friends joke that this book isn't going to be a "Walk in the Woods" and I had a sudden urge to switch books that never left me.
For me, this was the idle musings of some random dads strolling through the countryside who like to eat, moan and rib each other - which has its palce, but is not for me.
October 24, 2025
A casual, amusing narration of three friends walking across Lebanon. It’s made me long to see the beautiful views described and particularly eat the authentic food!
July 17, 2019
I bought this book primarily because of my interest in the middle east and history. I was expecting a look at the historic conflicts in Lebanon instead I got the jolly japes of 3 hooray henries and their public schoolboy antics. There is more depth in a petri dish and apart from Joly there was no connection with Lebanon or it's people. This would not have been printed if written by an unknown author. Rubbish.
October 12, 2022
A very enjoyable and easy to read travelogue about three friends' hike along the LMT (Lebanon Mountain Trail). It was both humorous as informative. Listened to this as an audiobook, the narration was alright too.
July 15, 2024
Make no mistake about it: Dom Joly absolutely loves Lebanon.
It's in his heart and soul. As a child growing up in its most turbulent era, he makes his feelings clear that it is the proverbial godmother of his entire family, who has lived there for three generations. The old Joly home sits atop a hill just outside of Beirut, where his sister and her family still live. In his youth, travels around the country were restricted by the unrest caused from within and without, but he was able to go as far up to Syria and take in its sights as well. After Palin-esque endeavors to travel the world and document it in its strangest experiences, Joly decided to pay this loving godmother a visit and hike from its very south to its very north through the newly-christened Lebanon Mountain Trail and experience its magic all over again.
Joly tries to take in as much of the Lebanese wilderness as he could, traveling through valleys, mountains, and forests. He paints a beautiful picture of the serenity of the Lebanese countryside in a decidedly romantic way. Her skies smile at him, her cedars embrace and protect him, and the springs and streams he traverses always appear to caress and soothe him. More importantly, the Lebanese people welcome him with open arms, and his nostalgia for the traditional foods is perhaps the strongest of his emotions. From well-known delicacies like manakish bread to foods only familiar to Levantine families such as Makdous (stuffed aubergines), Joly seems to smile through each descriptive sentence. Lebanon is where he belongs, and he makes it very clear to the readers from the very beginning as he repeats several times: he is a "traveler," not a tourist.
But make no mistake about it, either: Dom Joly took the worst companions possible with him.
What could have been a great guide to Lebanon's beauty was dragged down to an almost cartoon-like immaturity by the antics of the two people who had agreed to join him. While some may interpret their experience as funny, based on how wet-behind-the-ears they are to the journey ahead, the unprotected eye sees the clearest case against taking xenophobes out of their comfort zones.
In Chris and Harry, supposedly Dom's closest friends, we see undeniable evidence of an unshaken colonialist attitude, updated for 21st century sensibilities, that immediately makes them abhorrent. Dubai-based advertising executive Chris is a poster-boy for the city's worst denizens: entitled, egotistical, lazy, and immature. Like almost every other expatriate resident of that city, he refuses to let go of its gilded lifestyle and seemingly has no idea how to use his legs away from pushing the pedal of a luxury car, choosing to pack luggage that seems to be meant for a holiday in the south of France, then complaining that they have to walk everywhere. Expectedly, he ends up being the one who makes most use of the guide's car whenever the mountains take their toll on his dainty toes.
But even this attitude pales in comparison to Harry, who not only refuses to fully take in a new experience, but makes it clear to locals that he finds their culture disgusting. In every account of being presented with local food, he immediately flinches at the very thought of its existence. Cheese for breakfast?! Good heavens! What sort of uncouth barbarian thought of the idea?! Even when satiated with Choco Pops for breakfast and spaghetti for lunch, Harry isn't content to stop there and be grateful. Instead, he throws in comments like "[...] I think it might just be a contributing factor to the low tourism footfall here. People simply can't cope with abominations like cheese and olives for breakfast."
Joly tries to paint a cynical picture with comments like this, but they do nothing but showcase British ethnocentrism at its finest. The fact that this journey is documented in book form rather than visually contributes to the difficulty of understanding their purpose, thereby immediately making them repulsive. Their only savior would be in the intonation and facial expressions. Were they sarcastic or blunt? Did they come with a smile or a smirk? Joly leaves this to the reader's imagination and, given modern cultural tensions, does not give us any indication that they are anything other than brutally honest.
This could have been a very enjoyable book if it had been written as a straight-up documentation of Lebanon's beauty and included some much-needed photos. Had Dom Joly taken up the journey alone, I imagine it would have been a much more spiritual experience for both author and reader. There are occasional giggles, but they come off as desperate attempts at comedy trying to weasel its way through the stronger steps of colonialist snobbery refusing to take its boots off once and for all.
It's in his heart and soul. As a child growing up in its most turbulent era, he makes his feelings clear that it is the proverbial godmother of his entire family, who has lived there for three generations. The old Joly home sits atop a hill just outside of Beirut, where his sister and her family still live. In his youth, travels around the country were restricted by the unrest caused from within and without, but he was able to go as far up to Syria and take in its sights as well. After Palin-esque endeavors to travel the world and document it in its strangest experiences, Joly decided to pay this loving godmother a visit and hike from its very south to its very north through the newly-christened Lebanon Mountain Trail and experience its magic all over again.
Joly tries to take in as much of the Lebanese wilderness as he could, traveling through valleys, mountains, and forests. He paints a beautiful picture of the serenity of the Lebanese countryside in a decidedly romantic way. Her skies smile at him, her cedars embrace and protect him, and the springs and streams he traverses always appear to caress and soothe him. More importantly, the Lebanese people welcome him with open arms, and his nostalgia for the traditional foods is perhaps the strongest of his emotions. From well-known delicacies like manakish bread to foods only familiar to Levantine families such as Makdous (stuffed aubergines), Joly seems to smile through each descriptive sentence. Lebanon is where he belongs, and he makes it very clear to the readers from the very beginning as he repeats several times: he is a "traveler," not a tourist.
But make no mistake about it, either: Dom Joly took the worst companions possible with him.
What could have been a great guide to Lebanon's beauty was dragged down to an almost cartoon-like immaturity by the antics of the two people who had agreed to join him. While some may interpret their experience as funny, based on how wet-behind-the-ears they are to the journey ahead, the unprotected eye sees the clearest case against taking xenophobes out of their comfort zones.
In Chris and Harry, supposedly Dom's closest friends, we see undeniable evidence of an unshaken colonialist attitude, updated for 21st century sensibilities, that immediately makes them abhorrent. Dubai-based advertising executive Chris is a poster-boy for the city's worst denizens: entitled, egotistical, lazy, and immature. Like almost every other expatriate resident of that city, he refuses to let go of its gilded lifestyle and seemingly has no idea how to use his legs away from pushing the pedal of a luxury car, choosing to pack luggage that seems to be meant for a holiday in the south of France, then complaining that they have to walk everywhere. Expectedly, he ends up being the one who makes most use of the guide's car whenever the mountains take their toll on his dainty toes.
But even this attitude pales in comparison to Harry, who not only refuses to fully take in a new experience, but makes it clear to locals that he finds their culture disgusting. In every account of being presented with local food, he immediately flinches at the very thought of its existence. Cheese for breakfast?! Good heavens! What sort of uncouth barbarian thought of the idea?! Even when satiated with Choco Pops for breakfast and spaghetti for lunch, Harry isn't content to stop there and be grateful. Instead, he throws in comments like "[...] I think it might just be a contributing factor to the low tourism footfall here. People simply can't cope with abominations like cheese and olives for breakfast."
Joly tries to paint a cynical picture with comments like this, but they do nothing but showcase British ethnocentrism at its finest. The fact that this journey is documented in book form rather than visually contributes to the difficulty of understanding their purpose, thereby immediately making them repulsive. Their only savior would be in the intonation and facial expressions. Were they sarcastic or blunt? Did they come with a smile or a smirk? Joly leaves this to the reader's imagination and, given modern cultural tensions, does not give us any indication that they are anything other than brutally honest.
This could have been a very enjoyable book if it had been written as a straight-up documentation of Lebanon's beauty and included some much-needed photos. Had Dom Joly taken up the journey alone, I imagine it would have been a much more spiritual experience for both author and reader. There are occasional giggles, but they come off as desperate attempts at comedy trying to weasel its way through the stronger steps of colonialist snobbery refusing to take its boots off once and for all.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2025
This author describes this book as
a love letter to Lebanon. It was intended to try and change people's attitudes towards the place. Whenever Lebanon came up, people immediately associated it with war and violence.To this end Dom Joly has undoubtedly succeeded. Throughout the read I found myself looking for photos of the places described and adding them to my bucket list. There is a lot of humour and satire as Dom Joly describes his and his two companions travels. There are also moments of deep reflection as he recounts his family history. The travelogue effortlessly blends descriptions of the cuisine and landscapes of Lebanon along with the misadventures of the travellers. You may wince on a few occasions at how badly they treat their guides and hosts but on balance there is much to be admired in this humorous account of month long hike. Readers who enjoy travelling to "off the beaten track" locations will find much to enjoy in this book as will anyone who wants to get beyond the headlines and lazy stereotypes of Lebanon.
January 13, 2021
I enjoyed THE HEZBOLLAH HIKING CLUB, but it didn't exactly set my world on fire. Especially as it has had some stellar competition of late, in terms of my reading list. But I was duly entertained by the witty Joly, as you would expect.
Although, as sweet as it was going on this journey of the author's return to the homeland, it was slightly brought down by the two posh twats he dragged along with him for the ride. They just came across as ungrateful, whining and bitched the entire time about their first world problems and constantly having to eat cheese and olives for breakfast.
I mean, get a fucking grip already. Enjoy this once in a lifetime trip at a location you are pretty damn lucky to be able to do right now without being all shot to pieces etc.
I really enjoyed The Dark Tourist, which this (I suppose) was a spin-off from. I preferred that book, as there was a bit more variety but for what this was, it was an enjoyable read. It's packed full of things I didn't know about the culture, cuisine and history of a fascinating country.
I'm not rushing to go there though, which is what great travel writing is supposed to do.
Although, as sweet as it was going on this journey of the author's return to the homeland, it was slightly brought down by the two posh twats he dragged along with him for the ride. They just came across as ungrateful, whining and bitched the entire time about their first world problems and constantly having to eat cheese and olives for breakfast.
I mean, get a fucking grip already. Enjoy this once in a lifetime trip at a location you are pretty damn lucky to be able to do right now without being all shot to pieces etc.
I really enjoyed The Dark Tourist, which this (I suppose) was a spin-off from. I preferred that book, as there was a bit more variety but for what this was, it was an enjoyable read. It's packed full of things I didn't know about the culture, cuisine and history of a fascinating country.
I'm not rushing to go there though, which is what great travel writing is supposed to do.
February 12, 2023
A mildly amusing, quite enjoyable read about three posh blokes going on a walk for some weeks in Lebanon, with various tales of their drinking and eating.
Apparently, Dominic Joly was born in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, although he was sent to boarding school in England.
Mr. Joly is probably most remembered for his early 2000s 'Trigger Happy TV' sketch show, in which (as I mainly recall) he was shouting into a giant mobile phone (and therefore that sketch was only amusing for the first 33 seconds or so). Perhaps I do him a disservice - I confess that I didn't watch a lot of that show and I understand he has done various other things. I just haven't seen or read them, so I can't comment further.
Right, I just watched some clips of Trigger Happy TV on YouTube. Yeah, not funny, in my opinion.
Anyway... back to the book...
DM decides to go back to Lebanon where he spent much of his childhood. Sounds like Lebanon is really gorgeous in places and that the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT) is the way to see it. The book did make me want to visit! Dom talks it up good.
This was a recommendation by my lovely friend Katie M.
Apparently, Dominic Joly was born in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, although he was sent to boarding school in England.
Mr. Joly is probably most remembered for his early 2000s 'Trigger Happy TV' sketch show, in which (as I mainly recall) he was shouting into a giant mobile phone (and therefore that sketch was only amusing for the first 33 seconds or so). Perhaps I do him a disservice - I confess that I didn't watch a lot of that show and I understand he has done various other things. I just haven't seen or read them, so I can't comment further.
Right, I just watched some clips of Trigger Happy TV on YouTube. Yeah, not funny, in my opinion.
Anyway... back to the book...
DM decides to go back to Lebanon where he spent much of his childhood. Sounds like Lebanon is really gorgeous in places and that the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT) is the way to see it. The book did make me want to visit! Dom talks it up good.
This was a recommendation by my lovely friend Katie M.
January 21, 2020
A much misunderstood country
Lebanon. Say the word, add Beirut to it and people immediately conjure images of war, destruction, hostage taking. It takes someone brave enough to dispel those images. Dom Joly strides across the length of Lebanon like a colossus, with not so eager companions Chris and Harry in tow and hikes through unparalleled beauty....cedar forests, mountain passes, gorges and valleys. A rich book that is travel writing at its most enjoyable. A real sense of place, of people, of politics and history, problems and society. I laughed readily and often. But most importantly for me, Dom Joly has made me want to jump on a plane and visit Lebanon and not only for its incredible cuisine.
Lebanon. Say the word, add Beirut to it and people immediately conjure images of war, destruction, hostage taking. It takes someone brave enough to dispel those images. Dom Joly strides across the length of Lebanon like a colossus, with not so eager companions Chris and Harry in tow and hikes through unparalleled beauty....cedar forests, mountain passes, gorges and valleys. A rich book that is travel writing at its most enjoyable. A real sense of place, of people, of politics and history, problems and society. I laughed readily and often. But most importantly for me, Dom Joly has made me want to jump on a plane and visit Lebanon and not only for its incredible cuisine.
April 11, 2020
I almost gave this five stars, for the humour reminiscent of Three Men in a Boat with bonus points for the author's deep knowledge of his home country, seasoned with nonchalant remarks such as "We walked over remnants of recent invaders." Dom and his walking companions, all aged about 50, confounded their friends by walking the whole of the Lebanon Waking Trail, but were delighted to take time off to admire the beauty of the landscape, and even the odd day of well-informed sightseeing. It didn't quite live up to the early promise, but I was still sorry to come to the end of the journey.
June 24, 2025
Well, it was 3 grumpy middle-aged quirky men doing a pointless walk, so on the surface of it, not much to like.
What saved it for me was the fact that The Lebanon is such an interesting country. Dom Joly hails from there and some of what he says is worth hearing about. He is probably the least grumpy of the three.
I got to the end, that is almost always a sign of a book that is worth reading. I did a bit of research too, so it clearly was a stimulating account - I looked at the school that the British Quakers (and some Americans) set up and it still going strong today (Dom Joly is an ex alumni) and I also was fascinated at The Lebanon having such high mountains there are several ski resorts: not a lot of people know that!
What saved it for me was the fact that The Lebanon is such an interesting country. Dom Joly hails from there and some of what he says is worth hearing about. He is probably the least grumpy of the three.
I got to the end, that is almost always a sign of a book that is worth reading. I did a bit of research too, so it clearly was a stimulating account - I looked at the school that the British Quakers (and some Americans) set up and it still going strong today (Dom Joly is an ex alumni) and I also was fascinated at The Lebanon having such high mountains there are several ski resorts: not a lot of people know that!
March 11, 2021
I loved this. I love Dom Joly's Trigger Happy TV and thought this would be similarly funny - but it's so much more! I've never read one of his books before but an now keen to read all of them. I loved finding out about his childhood in Lebanon and he writes really well about the history, the culture, the food, the landscape and has some lovely moments of humour throughout. This is not Dom Joly doing crazy things for laughs, its much more interesting and personally I disagree with his friends and much prefer his writing to Bill Bryson.
December 5, 2021
I enjoyed this, Dom Joly is the type of guy I would enjoy a chat with at a party, full of interesting observations, and of course a sense of humour ..
His roots are explored in this somewhat comical hiking adventure, with his two mates who tend to be there under some duress.. a lot of fantastic food and beer consumed, some history. politics and geography explored.
DJ loves animal music and travel, so he rates highly in my books.
His roots are explored in this somewhat comical hiking adventure, with his two mates who tend to be there under some duress.. a lot of fantastic food and beer consumed, some history. politics and geography explored.
DJ loves animal music and travel, so he rates highly in my books.
May 27, 2020
I do like Dom Joly’s travel writing. Off beat, wry, amusing yet still manages to provide an insight and general flavour for the object of his travels. This was in a place very personal to him, and one that I am intrigued by, to the point I’m inspired to take the route he took , when time allows.
Great read , never disappointed
Great read , never disappointed
November 12, 2023
A modern rendition of Three Men in a Boat, but instead we have three men and no dog and no boat but instead trekking backwards with Carroll the bald German. Lots of za’atar, persiflage, and middle-aged men with hiking poles and sleep apnea waddling across Lebanon — what’s not to like? (lots, but that’s a part of the genre).
November 2, 2025
A story about mountains in the land of Khalil Gibran, what’s not to like? Along the way, I learnt so much about Lebanon’s history, people, and terrain. It’s not profound or life-changing, but it’s warm, witty, and comforting. It made me want to find my own trail, though I’ll admit, it doesn’t take much to get me excited about mountains.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 52 reviews