In this issue of The Inside Track, Hilary Bradt reflects on how a reluctant hiker became a lifelong walker after an epiphany in the Andes more than 50 years ago. From South America’s mountain paths to Britain’s coastal trails, she considers the pleasures of slow travel - and why walking ever more slowly can be one of life’s greatest joys.

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A bit over 53 years ago I was in the Boston outdoor store, LL Bean, buying a rather large backpack. My new husband, George, assumed I had acquiesced and would subject myself to some proper, rugged hiking during our South American odyssey.

I knew it was entirely for the other sort of hiking – hitchhiking – to which I had no objection. I refused to buy hiking boots (my Clark’s lace-ups would be fine) and the sleeping bag and Thermarest were for cheaper nights in our tent.

I had spent my childhood summer holidays being dragged up boggy British mountains in the rain by my gung-ho parents, and once I reached the age of consent I swore I would never climb a mountain ever again. But that was before I saw the Andes and discovered that the routes used for centuries by local peasants to bring their goods to market went between the mountains, taking the shortest route from community to market town. To say it was a change of heart is an understatement – it was an epiphany, and led to the creation of Bradt guides which were, originally, about hiking in the Andes.

Throughout our five decades of publishing we have continued to champion the pleasures of walking.

Our Slow Travel Guides to Britain include circular walks, and we currently have several guides to Europe’s long-distance paths: the Alpe Adria Trail, which connects Carinthia, Slovenia and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Camino Ignaciano in northern Spain, and Via Dinarica which spans the entire western Balkans – all 2000km of it. Even longer is the new King Charles lll Way, described in The Coast is my Compass.

My own enthusiasm for walking has lasted: I am about to head for Cornwall to fill some more gaps in the South West Coast Path. I do it very slowly, as befits my age, no backpack, no camping, comfy accommodation each night and good meals.

And I sometimes do it alone.

Walking alone in glorious scenery and fine weather can be sublime. Instead of chatting I am looking at the view, spotting choughs on the cliffs, scanning the sea for dolphins - and taking plenty of rests.

So I think the message is that there are many interpretations of 'slow travel', and my speed of walking is about as slow as you can get.

And, well, that’s no bad thing at all.

Until next time,

Hilary

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