While hiking from huts to huts, or staring outside from our office desks, you might need some inspiration or boost to start planning your next trail!
Here are some of my favorite book recommendations to ignite your passion for the outdoors! A quite random collection from captivating coffee table reads and inspiring personal narratives to practical trail guides, and history or philosophical reflections. Hope you’ll enjoy these book as much as I do!
1. Epic hikes of Europe – Lonely Planet
This book explores 50 of Europe’s most rewarding and beautiful hikes. From the sun-kissed regions of Southern Europe, including Italy, Greece, Portugal and Spain, to North Europe’s history-rich heartlands (including France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia). It covers a huge variety of themes and experiences for every type of hiker. The book features some classic routes to tick off: Ireland’s Dingle Way, Speyside’s Malt Whisky Trail, a battlefield hike through Belgium and Italy’s stunning Sentiero degli Dei along the Amalfi Coast. Hikes are graded according to their challenge and practical info is provided so you can follow in the writers’ footsteps.
2. The Open-Air Life – Linda Åkeson McGurk
This book introduces readers to a wide array of Nordic customs and practices that focus on slowing down and spending more and more of ones’ time outdoors. An outdoorsy cousin of hygge, friluftsliv is what Nordic people do outside all day before they cozy up in front of the fireplace with their wool socks on and a cup of hot cocoa.
From the pleasures of foraging for wild berries and birding to how to stay warm and cozy outside in the middle of winter, this charmingly illustrated, inspirational guide shows readers how to harness the power-of-nature to improve their physical and mental health, as well as their relationships with both other people and Mother Nature.
3. On Trails- Robert Moor
While thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, Robert Moor began to wonder about the paths that lie beneath our feet: How do they form? Why do some improve over time while others fade? What makes us follow or strike off on our own? Over the course of seven years, Moor traveled the globe, exploring trails of all kinds, from the miniscule to the massive. He learned the tricks of master trail-builders, hunted down long-lost Cherokee trails, and traced the origins of our road networks and the Internet. In each chapter, Moor interweaves his adventures with findings from science, history, philosophy, and nature writing.
4. Destinations of a lifetime – National Geographic
This book shows with beautiful imagery and guiding text the must-visit destinations. You can use it as a coffee table look-book for a moment of peace, and just enjoying the stunning world with its extraordinary places.
5. 10 life lessons of a hiker (Dutch) – Dorien Draps
At its core are 10 significant life lessons that walking can teach you: from rediscovering your wild instincts to a crash course in praying with your feet. Immediately applicable to your own life, so that you navigate through life like a walker even off the beaten paths. Supplemented with stories, insights, practical tips, mindful exercises, and inspiration to get you walking. Because outside is better than inside.
6. Wanderlust Nordics – Cam Honan
Another great coffee table book to just enjoy the beautiful landscapes and hiking tips in Scandinavia!
