The Lost Paths : A History of How We Walk From Here To There

Description

‘An essential read for those who love walking’ Jackie Morris, author of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells’Cornish’s book delves back in history and is written with a sense of urgency’ Mail on Sunday'[Cornish’s] passion for walking, natural beauty and the abundant history of these old ways shines through’ TimesPre-order now to discover the rich history of Britain’s millennia-old network of pathways, and it will be impossible to take an unremarkable walk again. . .

Hundreds of thousands of miles of paths reach into, and connect, communities across England and Wales. By 2026, 10,000 miles of undiscovered footpaths around Britain stand to be lost.

Jack Cornish has dedicated the last five years of his life to walking these forgotten routes, and this book, The Lost Paths, is the result. It is Jack Cornish’s hope that The Lost Paths will show just how special these forgotten rights of way are, and how embedded each path is in the history of Britain.

Footpaths, tracks, country lanes and urban streets illuminate how our ancestors interacted with and shaped their landscapes in the pursuit of commerce, salvation, escape, war, and leisure. Paths are an often-overlooked part of our everyday life and our country’s history, crucial to understanding the cultural and environmental history of us in the landscape.

After dedicating his time and energy to fighting for their survival, The Lost Paths is Jack’s personal journey and exploration of the deep history of English and Welsh footways. This narrative history takes us through ancient forests, exposed mountainsides, urban back streets and coastal vistas to reveal how this millennia-old network was created and has been transformed.

This is a celebration of an ancient network and a rallying cry to reclaim what has been lost and preserve it for future generations.

A rallying cry to reclaim lost routes and preserve this precious resource for future generations Walk MagazineFascinating Country WalkingA celebration of an ancient network and a rallying cry to reclaim what has been lost and preserve it for future generations The Best of UK[A] fascinating history of path-making and path-taking . . . our guide excels at historic story-telling . . . Cornish’s celebration of our grand wealth of history ways, and the different motivations for walking over the centuries, is a worthy clarion call for us to keep treading paths – so we don’t lose our way . . . The OldieA lively account of millennia of movement, and a call to action to preserve an endangered heritage Inkcap Journal