Ken Birch

Personal Best Ken Birch

The die was cast. There was no turning back now. The two authors of this book start out to achieve their goal of walking the length of Britain - to become "End to Enders". We are treated to a wonderful panorama of the British countryside but the authors are not simply walkers - they are explorers and commentators with a human touch. They analyse the characters they meet on the way and record the varied architecture and social culture of this country. There is not a page which lacks an interesting observation or anecdote. With total sincerity they reveal their own reactions to the challenge. They describe the situations they have to master - from forgetting the teabags to walking on hard road surfaces in the heat. However, encouraged by family support and by the views of stunning countryside from the beaches of Cornwall to the lochs of Scotland, these End to Enders complete the walk in less time than planned despite the headaches, blisters, exhaustion and inclement weather. We cannot help but be inspired by their enthusiasm, and as we read, we realise why their journey turned into a pilgrimage and why they wrote this book. If you wish to follow in the authors' footsteps, they are willing to give encouragement. There is enough information in the book to write to them.