Alex Roddie launches a fundraising auction for the John Muir Trust - bid for a copy of Wanderlust Europe and a walk with me and Alex.

Alex Roddie, author of Wanderlust Europe (see my review), has launched an online auction in aid of the John Muir Trust. 

The winning bidder will receive a copy of the book and a day out on one of the John Muir Trust's mountain properties with Alex and myself (possibly an overnight camp too). 

There's an interview with Alex about the thinking behind this fundraiser on the John Muir Trust website and Alex has written about it on his blog. 

All proceeds go to the John Muir Trust. You can bid here. 

I think this is a great initiative by Alex and was happy to agree to give my time for a day out with the winning bidder. I've supported the John Muir Trust for many years (and been a Trustee for the last five) and I agree completely with Alex's words: "If, like me, you are concerned about the future of our mountains, wild places, and rural communities, I believe that supporting the John Muir Trust is one of the most positive ways you can make a difference.”

I'm looking forward to accompanying one of you in the hills!

 

 

Book Review: Wanderlust Europe by Alex Roddie

 

Yesterday a big book arrived and I've been browsing through it ever since. Wanderlust Europe is a collection of walks throughout the continent from Iceland to Georgia, the Canary Islands to Arctic Norway. It's for all walkers and includes day walks, weekend walks, and multi-week walks. It's not just the big names either. Indeed some, like the Tour of Mont Blanc, are not included. There are many tempting walks here I've not heard of before - Fagaras Mountains Traverse, Slovenian Mountain Trail, and Trancaucasian Trail amongst them.

I must declare an interest in the book as it is compiled and much of it written by my friend and colleague Alex Roddie who asked me to contribute some photos for two very different walks, Rothiemurchus Forest and the GR20 on Corsica. Eight of my pictures were chosen, three of them appearing as double-page spreads. There are many other photographers from the British outdoor world whose work is included too - David Lintern, Colin Ibbotson, James Roddie, Andy Wasley, Emily Woodhouse, Lizzie Shepherd, Paddy Dillon, Andrew Locking, Gavin Macfie, Gillian Price amongst them - and there are many images from Alex Roddie himself.

Each of the profusely and beautifully illustrated fifty walks has a descriptive essay, information page, and map. It's a book for inspiration and encouragement not a guidebook though. No one will ever carry this in their pack - indeed, there are probably ultralight hikers whose full packs weigh less than this tome! This is a coffee table book for browsing and daydreaming.  And as such it's wonderful.