read a good book lately?

I'm big on books. I read a lot and I read everyday, and I'm not even all that fussy about what it is I'm reading, just so long as I have something to read. I think it comes from a childhood of having to be satisfied with whatever I could find in a town with no library. I start to panic if I don't have a book.

So, when I started thinking about putting some serious time into walking, I started to look at books on the subject. So far, I've only purchased two because I think I ought to get to grips with them before getting even more. No point in having a mountain of unread books to climb figuratively when I'm supposed to be busy literally climbing... well, hills anyway.

The first one is the 2008 guide to the South West Coast Path which is produced annually by the folks at the South West Coast Path Association. At first I was disappointed by the lack of photos, especially as this book covers the longest national trail in the country and along it some pretty spectacular scenery. But then, with a bit of a blush, I realized that the point is to walk the trail, take your own photos - doh!

This book is terrific, covering each section of the path with all the details you might expect like distance in miles & kms, level of difficulty, how long it might take, worthwhile detours and pitstops along the way. There's also information about public transport to and from each section of the walk, ferry and tide times and a whole two-thirds of a page on travelling with dogs.

There's also a section on campsites and youth hostels along the way plus more than 50 pages listing B&Bs all along the trail that have been recommended by walkers. Each entry gives full details of the services they offer - pickup & drop-off, laundry drying facilities, kit transfer, etc. And the best bit? There's absolutely loads in the list where dogs are welcome. Now that's more like it.