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The Last Englishman: Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (Thru-Hiking Adventures Book 2) by [Keith Foskett]

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Keith Foskett

The Last Englishman: Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (Thru-Hiking Adventures Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Keith Foskett (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

1,283 ratings

Book 2 of 4: Thru-Hiking Adventures

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A real-life adventurer. A demanding pan-American trek. Will one Englishman dare to face his fears?

Short-listed for Outdoor Book of the Year by The Great Outdoors magazine.

Born wanderer Keith Foskett had thousands of miles of thru-hiking experience when he prepared for his toughest challenge yet: a punishing 2,640-mile hike from Mexico to Canada. In a six-month journey along America’s Pacific Crest Trail, he battled the arid expanses of California’s deserts, the towering peaks of Oregon’s volcanic landscape, and the dense forests of Washington.

Battling phobias of bears, snakes, critters and camping in the woods after dark, can Foskett find new ways to achieve his ultimate goal when the worst winter in years bears down?

Shortlisted for The Great Outdoors magazine Outdoor Personality of the Year and Book of the Year multiple times, veteran storyteller Keith Foskett invites you for a trek across the greatest long-distance hiking trail on Earth. With astute observations, wit, and a delightful cast of characters, you’ll discover a compelling narrative that turns the travelogue formula on its head.

The Last Englishman is an extraordinary travel memoir by an experienced long-distance hiker. If you believe there’s more to life than work, yearn for new horizons and challenges, and believe in overcoming adversity, then you’ll love Keith Foskett’s tale of exploration.

Discover The Last Englishman and embark on your adventure.

What Amazon readers are saying:

★★★★★ A stand-out story in a sea of options. A great adventure shared in a beautifully written style and tone. Looking forward to reading more of Keith's writings.
★★★★★ You don't have to be a distance walker to love a Keith Foskett book. It’s not just a truly great outdoor book but also a mindfulness or even a self-help / discovery book.
★★★★★ I didn’t want the experience to end, and yet I felt satisfied by its completion.
★★★★★ Great entertainment and well written. It's one of the best of the many books that I've read about the PCT experience.
★★★★★ By the far the best PCT thru-hike trail book I have read. Witty, pragmatic and useful info on the trail itself.

Hundreds more five-star reviews. Thousands of copies sold. Find out why readers fall for Keith Foskett's adventure memoirs!

Print length

353 pages
Language

English
Publication date

February 13, 2014
File size

3504 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

'I'm not sure if Keith Foskett knows it but hehas penned a hiking classic. I just wanted to pack up my bags and head off intothe wilderness.'
- Spencer Vignes (The Observer).

'Telling the true story of a six-month PCT hikefrom Mexico to Canada, crossing wild desert and mountain and meeting everythingfrom eccentric hikers to rattlesnakes along the way. Easy to read and at timeslaugh-out-loud funny, it will make you want to pack your rucksack and go.'
- Rosie Fuller (Adventure Travel magazine).

'Long-distance hiking is tragically romantic: it'snot all about fresh air, aesthetic majesty, and colorful company. This book isrefreshingly honest about the difficulties and day-to-day monotony. But it alsocaptures the rewards of this oversized effort to hike the United States end toend.'
- Andrew Skurka (National Geographic Adventure'sAdventurer of the Year).

'The Pacific Crest Trail is one of the mostbeautiful and diverse long-distance trails in the world. The Last Englishmanallows you to experience this amazing trail through the eyes of a thru-hiker.If you cannot take the time to hike the trail, then you should definitely takethe time to read about it.'
- Jennifer Pharr Davis (Previous record holder forthe fastest thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail)

'It's rare to find a book that captures theexperience of long-distance backpacking so well, and that is also fun to read.Fozzie's account of his Pacific Crest Trail hike is educational, inspirationaland hilarious. A must-read for aspiring thru-hikers and outdoor adventureseekers.'
- Erik Asorson (The PCT Atlas)

Hundreds of five-star reviews. Thousands of copiessold. Find out why readers fall for Keith Foskett's adventure memoirs!

About the Author

Keith Foskett has hiked thousands of miles and holds a deep respect for the outdoor spaces of this world. Well known in hiking circles, he has written five books and contributes to various outdoor publications.
His books have been shortlisted for several awards by The Great Outdoors magazine and his outdoor blog was voted blog of the year by Go Outdoors.
He's partial to a decent bottle of Rioja, and nurtures an unhealthy interest in down sleeping bags and woolen underwear.
He was born and still lives in southeast England.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007EDIAY4
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 13, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3504 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 353 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #155,142 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #6 in Oregon Travel Guides (Kindle Store)
- #20 in Solo Travel
- #38 in Hiking & Walking Travel

Customer Reviews:
1,283 ratings

About the author

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Keith Foskett

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Someone once described Keith Foskett as an anomaly (it was apparently a compliment).

He has hiked thousands of miles and holds a deep respect for the outdoor spaces of this world. Well known in hiking circles, he has written several books and contributes to various outdoor publications.

The Great Outdoors magazine shortlisted his books for several awards, and his blog won the Go Outdoors best blog award.

He’s partial to a glass of Rioja, and nurtures a weird interest in down sleeping bags and wool underwear.

Encouraging people to chase adventures and live their dreams, he was born and still lives in south-east England.

Customer reviews

5 star		68%
4 star		20%
3 star		8%
2 star		3%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Jill E.

Best read of 2020 thus far.

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2020

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Is five stars ⭐️ all I can give 🙂, this book is a 10 and must read for anyone that loves the outdoors. I love to hike trails but nothing extreme. I simply couldn’t put this book down.
Every chapter took you deeper on the PCT trail, experiencing the ups & downs, the difficulties of each passing day. The mental, physical & spiritual journey it takes to endure this demanding hike. You come to admire each & all that set out to accomplish the dam and of the PCT.
A read you’ll never forget, a book you’ll want pass on & give you pause to reflect on your own life.

10 people found this helpful

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REH

A Must Read for Adventurers!

Reviewed in the United States on August 24, 2021

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I have 2 bad knees and a bad back so I know I'll never be a hiker but I LOVE stories like this and this one is exceptional. It's a fairly long read but I wasn't a bit bored! He describes his hike, the friends made along the trail, the trials and the triumphs. The end was different from so many other hiking books in that he, and several of his fellow hikers described how they reacclimated to life after their hiking experience. This is a wonderful book!

6 people found this helpful

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David C. Miller

Well written story on the Pacific Crest Trail, by a crazy and lovable "Mad Englishman."

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2017

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Having read MANY books at the A.T. in my preparation for my hike inn 2016. I found his P.C.T. journal account funny and enlightening,
It was not full of crazy stories (well, there are some) but the A.T. is like hiking the I-95 freeway (full of people) vs. the PCT, much more of a country road....at 12,000 ft.

Some may criticize this book as being too descriptive and "flowery" but those who have awoken to a new day, filled with crimson, blues and orange and red skies... will be happy his accounts.
I have read some reviews that felt he spent too much time drinking pale-ale in any town he could find. I find that absurd. Of course when you re-supply, you're going to down some pale ales. But most of his book, I felt, concentrated on the trail, and trail life.

He ends his hike in an unusual fashion. Without going into detail, I felt he and his two cronies , were the "East Yorkshire Regiment" avoiding the Germans and the towns people were (underground) were sheltering and feeding them, and then on to their next objective - - 300 miles. You'd have to read the book to make sense of this rambling.

In any event, walking from Mexico boarder to Canada is no SAMLL FEAT. Less than % 15 ever make it. It's difficult to make this kind of journey 'interesting' for the reader. After all, hiking that long is nothing but slogging one day after another. Repetition.
He's writing style makes it 3-dimensional, with lot's of good stories; his observations on American food, people and geography etc, set it apart.

To accomplish this monumental journey, one needs;

1.) The heart and spirit of John Muir,
2.) The tenacity and perseverance of Margaret Thatcher,
3.) And the crazy and wildl sense of adventurer and humor of Steve Martin. Keith has all three in Spades!!

This was written several years ago, and it you wish to check out what 's happened since, check out his blog. keithfoskett.com/blog/

This is a great hiking read, Thanks Keith. Preparing for mine next year. Cheers! David

p.s. Hope your "friend" sends you that free backpack, I mean really, you did give him a beautiful shot of "full moons" ...

16 people found this helpful

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Robert

Great Read!

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

Being a lifelong backpacker myself, I seek out books about said activity constantly. Many I have read have become monotonous and boring. Many of them right about mostly travails they have until they reach Northern California, then a couple of chapters to finish off Oregon and Washington. I live in Oregon so I’m always interested in what goes on in our state. Usually not much is said except for the quest to get to Timberline Lodge and have breakfast. This book was a great read and different in my view. I plowed right through it and enjoyed it all. Bought a couple more of Keith’s book as a result. Highly recommend it.

6 people found this helpful

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G Clarke Smith

I couldn’t bring myself to like this book

Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2019

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I am really torn about this book. Keith is a good writer and raconteur so the book is filled with interesting stories about the people he met on the PCT and some of his hiking adventures.

Unfortunately “Fozzy”, is also an incompetent and annoying thru hiker who repeatedly runs out of food because of bad planning, falls WAY Behind his planned schedule and continues taking zero days for no apparent reason (while complaining for page after page about not making enough miles), and has constant problems with his feet that he seems incapable of resolving.

Normally you expect someone to become more competent as their hike continues but that’s not the case for Fozzy...he seems every bit as hapless at the end of the book as he was at the beginning and it gets really tiresome.

Final note: I’m a long-time backpacker who’s planning a thru hike of the PCT so that definitely impacts my review - if you don’t care about his competence as a hiker you may enjoy it more.

8 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

This is a Realistic well written and entertaining account of a thru hike

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2020

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This is a useful account of hiking experiences on the PCT. It takes place in 2011 which was a record high snow year. One of the best descriptions of the physical toll this type of hiking can take on the human body. There is enough good information on the trail to be useful to anyone considering this hike or a portion of it. I enjoyed the colorful descriptions of his various hiking companions and of course the trail names basically everyone adopts. The writing is fast moving and enjoyable.

I have not hiked the PCT but have hiked the entire John Muir Trail (The Sierra portion of the PCT) in 2017 and hiked a portion in 2011 from Bishop to Roads end in Kings Canyon, in 2011 with 3 Lama's and my girlfriend Theresa. But we did it in September 2011 not in May. Ken does a excellent job recounting his experience, It is almost like you are there with him. You will not be disappointed if you acquire it.

8 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Alyson Sheldrake

A 2,640-mile hike – one crazy man - and a great adventure book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 18, 2020

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Even the thought of hiking that far makes me feel tired, so I was delighted to pick up this book and let Fozzie do all the work for me. Having read the author’s thru-hiking adventure on the El Camino de Santiago book, I was hoping for more of Fozzie’s wit, sharp observations of fellow hikers, and the raw experiences of camping rough and walking hard. I was not disappointed. If anything, this book is even better than the first one. It is full of supporting characters that Fozzie meets along the way, and you get a sense of what the real countryside surrounding California, Oregon, and Washington states is actually like. This is a refreshingly honest and witty book about real life out on the trail, and the author lets you tag alongside him all the way. Another great book by an intelligent, amusing, and sensitive writer.

6 people found this helpful

Trekker Girl

Epic hiking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2021

Verified Purchase

This was the first of Keith’s books that I read and I couldn’t put it down. What an epic hike along the Pacific Crest Trail.
This author has a way of writing that made me feel part of his adventure, even when weather conditions would have kept me safely at home. His joy in hiking is infectious and I enjoyed his inner thoughts when alone as much as his pleasure in the company of others.
I had always wondered what this hike would be like, and now I know. Thank you for doing this Keith, so that I don’t have to.

5 people found this helpful

Anthony

You don't have to be a distance walker to love a Keith Foskett book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 19, 2019

Verified Purchase

This was third of Fozzie's books I have read this year and as with the previous two I loved it. But what set it apart besides recounting his epic walk from Mexico to Canada was the journey of conversations with his fellow thru-hikers. At the start he says that it is estimated that 85% who start out don't finish and whilst i had every confidence in Fozzie making it the whole way as the pages went by my doubts begun. Did he make it? You'll have to read it to find out.
It says on the cover 'Outdoor Book of the Year' TGO Magazine Shortlist. Read Chapter 18 and maybe your view, like mine would be not just that this is a truely great Outdood Book but is also a 'Mindfulness' or even a Selp Help / Self Discovery book. The Last Englishman made me stop to think about why I walk and what walking, albeit much shorter distances, gives to my life and gives to the lives of the characters Fozzie meets along the way.

8 people found this helpful

monxton13

English Or British?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 27, 2019

Verified Purchase

Not a question that Fozziee (trail name) like at all, or authority, uniforms and Police in general. Also he had a preference to wee in the garden when he was at home. So here we have the foundations of what you would not expect to be a true Brit abroad or should I say Englishman! If you going to hike 2600 miles then you have to be extraordinary. He is. Of course he also completed the AT as well and I read that book too. A must read if you are a hiker with ultra distance aspirations. Written in an entertaining and informative style that will immerse you in the world of these long distance athletes. You can pick up a lot of tips. This is not a trip that 99% of us could contemplate as life's commitments don't often give you 6 months off work yet alone time to train for mega enduration events. But at the end of the day this guy is a hiker and just as happy to amble on the South Downs. I look forward to him tackling the CDT!

7 people found this helpful

man71

What a painful book to read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book is painful because of the agony you can feel by reading his story. It's a bit long in the middle. It's exciting in the beginning as he starts and he meets some characters and interesting at the end. Would love to have got more details about the people he met doing it the conversations and what they were looking for by doing it and the scenery saw. It's nice to live vicariously and that would have helped me do that. It was good to get a bit of their lives at the end so see how they adjusted to a life without walking on the trail.

3 people found this helpful

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