Build Back Better: everywhere is in walking distance

Everywhere is in walking distance… if you get up early enough.

We’ve put together a series of book lists on the theme of ‘building back better’. For most of us, the global pandemic has been a time of fear, anxiety, and sadness. But for many, there have been moments of joy and reflection. Whether it’s finding new ways to occupy ourselves, or showing kindness within our community, or appreciating the quiet roads, there might be something that we want to keep from this period of lockdown and bring into the new world. These lists will each focus on a particular theme; we hope you enjoy them.

This second list is on the subject of walking. It’s a subject dear to my heart; when I can, I run the ‘Paperback Ramblers’ walking book group. For many of us during lockdown, our usual leisure and exercise activities have been put on hold, and we’ve taken the opportunity to explore our local areas and take our exercise in other ways. This period has renewed my love of walking as the simplest way to get somewhere, to take some time to think, to tackle anxiety. It has also made me determined to build walking back in to my daily life: it’s a practice I have decided to keep. Here are some non-fiction books I’ve been reading that have inspired me, together with some of my favourite walking-themed novels. I hope you enjoy browsing the list.