Steve Watkins - Unforgettable Walks to Take Before You Die

30 COYOTE BUTTES, USA

Introduction

The hectic pace of modern-day life often leaves us hankering after the chance to escape; to slow down, take a deep breath and soak up the simple and immediate details of our surroundings. If there is an art to travelling, walking can justifiably lay claim to being the most refined, as well as the most ancient, mode of getting around. This ultimate form of slow travel allows us to dictate how far we go, how long we linger and how much we see. By choosing to walk, which naturally engages both body and mind, we sense everything around us more acutely, and can have a deeper, healthier and more revitalizing travel experience.

Another appeal of donning walking shoes or boots is that there are endless opportunities and options to suit just about us all, no matter what our level of fitness. Walks can range in diversity from a gentle stroll through American history along Bostons Freedom Trail or a spiritual journey among the temples and shrines of Kyoto, to more committing adventures, such as traversing the Mont Blanc massif in the European Alps or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Even the more challenging trails are increasingly attracting relatively novice walkers, a sure sign that there is today a widespread and deep-seated desire to engage with the wild places on the planet. When the German climber Hans Meyer became the first person to stand on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 1889, he could not have envisaged the tens of thousands of people who now do the same every year.

lists their operators. These are the ones we used while researching the book and their services will invariably add a welcome touch of comfort and convenience to your walk.