Customer Reviews

Hadrian's Wall Path (British Long-Distance Trails S.)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail, Walk the Roman Frontier, Mark Richards, © Mark Richards 2004 (Reprinted 2006, 2008, 2009 with updates), Cicerone, Milnthorpe, UK, ISBN: 978 1 85284 392 2

I actually received my copy of this guide as part of the package sent to me when I booked a holiday to `walk the Roman wall' in 2010. The author, Mark Richards, has been writing such walking guides to the public footpaths and trails of the UK since the 1970s, many of them available from the same publisher, Cicerone. At seven and a half by four inches, this particular volume is a good size for outdoor and trail use, a virtue further enhanced by a plastic cover that helps to protect the book from the elements.

The author presents the 85.5 mile trail in 32 stages, individually ranging in length from 1 to 4.3 miles. This offers users of the guide great flexibility in planning or actually executing their walk as these can be grouped to approximate almost any desired walking distance. Each segment chapter includes extensive illustrations and maps, of which the strip maps for each walking segment are extremely helpful. The book is principally focused on walkers traveling from East to West on the path, but each chapter includes a short description of how that chapter's segment of the Path would look if walking it from West to East.

A clear bonus for users of this guide are the several appendices which include a bibliography of recommended take-along reading, sources for various useful maps, a route summary, and contact details for accommodations, museums, and related specialty travel service firms. One final appendix actually offers advice and guidance for the traveler who might chose to follow the Wall via the AD122 Hadrian's Wall Bus.

There are many useful, informative, and helpful guides for those interested in `walking the Wall' - but I believe that those interested will find it hard to beat this one for completeness, compactness, and utility. Happy trails.