Robert Manning - Walks of a Lifetime: Extraordinary Hikes from Around the World

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All photos by Robert Manning unless otherwise noted

Title page photo: Amalfi Coast

Front cover: Maroon BellsSnowmass Wilderness

Back cover: Amalfi Coast

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ISBN 978-1-4930-2641-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-4930-2642-5 (e-book)

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Printed in the United States of America

The author and Rowman & Littlefield assume no liability for accidents happening to, or injuries sustained by, readers who engage in the activities described in this book.

We had an amusing but meaningful experience a few years ago. We were enjoying walking the Pen-nine Way in England and Scotland and were staying the night at a traditional English B&B in the beautiful village of Keld. Keld is the point at which the Pennine Way crosses Englands Coast-to-Coast Trail (which we walked several years ago and described in our earlier book, Walking Distance: Extraordinary Hikes for Ordinary People). At breakfast the next morning we were talking with another US couple that was walking the Coast-to-Coast Trail. When they found out we lived in the small state of Vermont, they asked us if by any chance we knew the Vermont couple who wrote the book Walking Distance, as it had inspired them to start long-distance walking. We dont know who was more excitedwe or theywhen we told them we were that couple. This is why we write books about walking: to encourage people to walk as a celebration of life and to enjoy the diverse, beautiful, and curious world in which we live. Its especially satisfying when we see such obvious evidence that weve succeeded.

Were fond of saying that walking is simple, but that it can also be profound. Yes, walking is easy for most of us; indeed, its the most universal and accessible form of transportation, exercise, and recreation. But walking can also stimulate our thinking, slow our frantic lives, allow us to more deeply experience and appreciate the world, express our commitment to the environment, explore spirituality, and make us healthier and happier in the process. Now thats profound! We explore these and related ideas in this book.

Weve prepared this book to encourage you to walk more in your everyday life and, in particular, to try some longer walkslong-distance trails and multi-day walks through the worlds great cultural landscapes. Walk through some of Americas crown jewel national parksGrand Canyon, Yosemite, Denali, Zion, Acadia, and Canyonlands. Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims who have been walking to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and to the shrines of Japans Kumano Kodo for a thousand years. Follow Englands Thames River from its source in the Cotswolds through London and then on to the sea. Walk the Abel Tasman Coast Track, one of New Zealands Great Walks. Walk across Italys Tuscany and along its Amalfi Coast. Walk through the great mountain ranges of North Americathe Appalachians, the Rockies, and the Sierra Nevada. Walk among the worlds great citiesNew York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, and Sydney. Walk the Great Wall of China. And much more.

The Virgin River Narrows is one of the most iconic walks in the national parks; it asks a lot of hikers, but it returns even more.

The Thames Path ends at the unusual Thames Barrier, designed to protect London from tidal surges.

Our book includes two major components. First, we include descriptions of thirty of the worlds great long-distance and multi-day walks. The thirty walks we describe here should be added to the thirty walks we include in our previous book, Walking Distance. Together, these walks span much of the geography of the world, including six continents (sorry, there are no reasonable walks in Antarctica), offer an array of natural and cultural attractions, and range from easy to more challenging. A few walks are backpacking trips, but most offer a variety of options for accommodations. Most of these walks can be done in their entirety or in sections, even as a series of day hikes. Weve chosen these walks very deliberately; these are extraordinary hikes for ordinary people. All these trails are highly accessibletheyre well marked and maintained and can be walked by most people (though we offer some advice on how to prepare for these walks). Weve chosen not to include any super long-distance trails, such as the Appalachian Trail, as this would not be in keeping with our objective of writing for ordinary people. Its simply not feasible for most people to hike these trails in their entirety. However, we suggest some exceptional sections of these trails. For example, we include the Presidential Traverse, one of the most dramatic and iconic sections of the Appalachian Trail, and the High Sierra Camps Loop, which includes a short but delightful section of the Pacific Crest Trail.

Weve been deliberate about using the word walk in much of our writing, as the word hike may sound needlessly intimidating in many cases. We use both words as they are appropriate to the context. Most of the walks we describe are long-distance trails, such as the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in Wales and the Backbone Trail in California, while others are multi-day walks that can be done as a series of day hikes, such as on the carriage roads of Acadia National Park, Maine, and in the distinctive neighborhoods of Paris. All of the walks can be done in a few days to a few weeks. Weve compiled a table at the end the book that summarizes the essential features of all these walks to help you find the trails that best meet your needs.