Footsteps in Summer

When early retirement beckons, Russell George decides to set off on a gruelling 950 mile solo charity walk along the length of Britain from John O’Groats to Land’s End, which is about 930 miles further than he’s ever walked before. During his journey, he has to cope with an extended heat wave, loneliness, troublesome blisters, a roadside tumble and a succession of missing signposts and overgrown footpaths. He encounters a variety of incidents, including rescuing a set of keys from a departing train and finding his accommodation double-booked, but manages to maintain a sense of humour throughout. He even finds time to meet his namesake and to sample a few local beers, especially the ones with really obscure names. But there’s a darker theme. Despite much of the journey passing through countryside, the rural idyll is disturbed as Russell gradually discovers that his entire route is dotted with the scenes of tragic historical events, including air and rail crashes, maritime and industrial tragedies, battles and wartime destruction, and natural catastrophes. This is an amusing and enlightening tale of an arduous, but rewarding, journey through rural Britain during a glorious long, hot summer, depicting a slower pace of life, dramatic landscapes, an abundance of nature, and acts of kindness from complete strangers. All of the author royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to Cancer Research UK.