Books for Hikers and Backpackers: A Reading List

On rest days and long winter evenings, a good book is the next best thing to being on the trail. Here’s a short, personal reading list mixing memoir, nature writing and practical guidance.

Memoir and adventure

• A Walk in the Woods — Bill Bryson. A funny, affectionate account of an attempt at the Appalachian Trail, with plenty of history along the way.
• Wild — Cheryl Strayed. A raw, honest story of grief and recovery on the Pacific Crest Trail.
• The Salt Path — Raynor Winn. A couple walk England’s South West Coast Path after losing their home. Moving and thought-provoking.

Nature writing

• The Living Mountain — Nan Shepherd. A short, luminous meditation on the Cairngorms. Arguably the finest book ever written about walking in mountains.
• The Old Ways — Robert Macfarlane. An exploration of ancient paths and the people who walked them.
• A Sand County Almanac — Aldo Leopold. The foundation of much modern conservation thinking.

Practical

• Freedom of the Hills — The Mountaineers. The classic reference on mountain skills, from navigation to rope work.
• Trail Life — Ray Jardine. Opinionated and influential; the book that pushed many hikers toward lighter packs.

What’s on your list?

I’m always looking for recommendations. Send me your favourites and I’ll add the best to a future edition.