The Path More Travelled
The Secret History of Britain's Footpaths– 'This book will literally expand your horizons' Michael Palin
$54.60
- Hardcover
432 pages
- Release Date
4 August 2026
Summary
Walking defines us as human beings. But how much do we know about the paths that we walk? Why do they matter? What caused so many to be lost? And can we create more of them?
In The Path More Travelled, acclaimed geographer and travel writer Nicholas Crane explores the hidden history of Britain’s coast-to-coast web, from prehistoric routeways walked by European migrants 12,000 years ago to pilgrim ways and coffin roads, turnpikes, towpaths and city pavements. …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781399605816 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 139960581X |
| Author: | Nicholas Crane |
| Publisher: | Orion Publishing Co |
| Imprint: | Weidenfeld & Nicolson |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 432 |
| Release Date: | 4 August 2026 |
| Weight: | 635g |
| Dimensions: | 236mm x 160mm x 38mm |
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What They're Saying
Critics Review
In-depth research, rich detail, fresh revelations and great storytelling … All the characteristics of Nicholas Crane’s work are combined in this absorbing and exhilarating look at the wonderful world of Britain’s pathways. This book will literally expand your horizons – MICHAEL PALIN
A glorious love letter to the British countryside, and its towns and cities too - a panoptic, deeply researched and compelling history of our nation told via its paths, tracks and old ways. It is also a wise and generous plea for us to cherish and expand our ‘enchanted maze’ – PATRICK BARKHAM
A delightful meander through the lanes and byways of Britain as they’ve been trodden through the centuries. In the knowledgeable company of Nicholas Crane, you can feel the autumn mist and summer sun as you trample leaves or gaze out to the coast from one of our island’s many paths. Highly recommended – CATHERINE FLETCHER * author of The Roads to Rome: A Journey into Europe’s Past *
This a wonderful exploration of the pathways that have stretched across Britain over 11 thousand years. It weaves a fascinating web connecting us to the past beneath our feet and to what we have lost through fences, enclosures and development. Evocative, beautifully written and witty, it is also a passionate statement on the human freedom to roam – VANESSA TAYLOR * author of Seven Rivers *
I feel I understand now, as never before, what it was like to wander through the trackless Mesolithic forest, follow Neolithic boardwalks across the marshes, visit Stonehenge in the company of the Amesbury Archer and spin around corners in an Iron Age chariot. Wonderfully immersive and full of fascinating detail about the dangers and delights of footpaths through time
– Fiona Robertson * author of Stone Lands *A glorious journey along our network of footpaths, a voyage that introduces stories of Romans and royals, growing cities, immigration, industrial revolution, military expansion. A richly satisfying literary trek, with missed turnings on remote rural rights-of-way and careful perambulations along once-narrow paths that in time became urban highways. A book to read and savour at home, and then stow in the backpack alongside thermos, sandwiches and an Ordnance Survey map – PETROC TRELAWNY
About The Author
Nicholas Crane
Nicholas Crane is an author, geographer, and the recipient of numerous awards, most recently the 2024 Stanfords Award for Outstanding Contribution to Travel Writing. Born in seaside Hastings, he grew up in rural Norfolk and learned winter mountaineering in snowy Scotland. Between 2015 and 2018, he served as president of the Royal Geographical Society. He is also known for his television work as lead presenter on the BAFTA-winning series Coast, among several others. He has authored more than ten books, including The Making of the British Landscape.
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