My Feet and Other Animals

630 miles on the South West Coast Path

When two friends planned a long distance walk on England’s South West Coast Path they thought the toughest challenge would be the walking itself. But the biggest obstacles to be overcome were not the 630 miles of footpaths, or the soaring ascents and descents of the cliffs. They were the unforeseen factors that cannot be planned for but which transform a journey into an adventure. Factors such as a torn calf muscle, recalcitrant underwear, two days of torrential rain and gales, two weeks of the hottest July temperatures for years, high tech equipment designed to help but determined to hinder, the capriciousness of public transport and a host of B&Bs all competing for the title of Worst Accommodation in the West. ‘My Feet and other Animals’ is a candid and often hilarious account of their journey through some of the most spectacular coastal scenery in England. If you are a keen rambler or just an armchair walker with the desire but not the energy to experience a long distance walk, then this is the book for you. It will give you a taste of the pleasure, the pain and the sense of achievement to be gained from the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.