Great read ! More than a walking book

Just finished the audio book - really enjoyed it. A fascinating insight into long distance walking but also the impact of social media on all of us, both good and bad. And that happiness is best when it is a shared experience. Thank you for a great read!

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the accents are dreadful

quite enjoyable but my god the accents are terrible. if you can't do accents, don't do them.

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Wonderful.

A lovely exploration of the meaning of solitude and modern influences, with the stunning backdrop of the Cape Wrath Trail described in evocative detail. Lots of new ideas to mull over… on my next walk.

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2 people found this helpful

superb book for the modern age

Weaving hill walking, the Scottish Highlands and the Cape Wrath Trail into a deeply personal narrative about loss, connectivity and the anxiety of social media into an escape in the wilds of Scotland. A great easy listen for anyone. Will interest hill walkers and folk looking to the outside world to get them off the sofa and away from TikTok etc.

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2 people found this helpful

Inspiring and thought provoking

A great account of Alex's winter expedition on the Cape Wrath Trail. Certainly made me think about the amount of time I spend online and the importance of your own thoughts and solitude. Helped me to expand my plans for the year ahead and seek some silence.

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2 people found this helpful

Thought provoking work

The story/book is excellent, but the narrator's attempts at Scottish and Northern English accents are cringeworthy...

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An excellent listen

A well written story about a winter walking adventure on the Cape Wrath trail combined with many personal anecdotes. Many listeners will agree with the sentiments that Alex has about the trail and life in general. In particular his views on social media are thought provoking.
It was an easy book to listen to and well narrated and I was captivated until the end.

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Long distance Scottish digital detox.

An informative and well written account of a long distance trek in the Northern Scottish winter. Shot through with reflection on our modern preoccupation with social media. I would have welcomed more rich descriptions of scenery and nature and less on walking gear.

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One of the best adventure books of the year.

For those who prefer non-fiction, especially an adventure story, Alex Roddie’s The Farthest Shore is a most excellent listen. Subtitled “Seeking Solitude and Nature on the Cape Wrath Trail in Winter”, this is a book all about Alex’s 2019 300-mile hike in the Scottish wilderness.

Alex headed out on the Cape Wrath trail to run away from the chaos of the internet for a month. I mean, he’s got me right there – while everything the internet gives us access to is brilliant and wonderful and all the rest, it’s also incredibly exhausting. He hoped to learn how the constant connection to all the things all the time was truly affecting him.

This isn’t just a story of an adventure, but also a mediation on modern life – the impact of social media, the constant distraction provided by apps on phones, and on how these things affect life’s biggest moments. Alex effortlessly weaves the adventure in with the commentary on life, and I found myself nodding along as I listened, even though such an adventure is not something I can imagine tackling.

Thankfully Alex also gives you everything you need from prose about a really long walk, too. There’s plenty of talk about nature, the weather, gear, and people. There are missing bridges and wet sleeping bags, tent frustrations and whisky found in bothies. So even if you’re not quite ready for a dialogue on the interplay between outdoor adventure and modern-day life, then this is still worth a listen.

This book provides all the anecdotes about the mental and physical challenges associated with the Cape Wrath Trail in winter, with the added bonus of some real insight into the meaning of life along the way. One of the best adventure books I’ve read this year.

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3 people found this helpful

Man astonishingly discovers the effect of social media.

Deeply, deeply shallow. It’s honestly as if he’s the first person to discover that social media can affect concentration. Oof. White men.

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