Books by Andrew McCloy

At around 4500km (2800 miles), the England Coast Path is the longest coastal trail in the world. This inspirational large-format guide presents a handpicked selection of 30 highlight sections, offering a taste of England's stunning and diverse shoreline. Routes range from 9 to 45km, spanning between 3 hours and 2 days, offering options to suit all abilities. They can be accessed by public transport and are walkable year round (weather permitting!). Route descriptions are accompanied by 1:50,000 OS map extracts. Included in each walk are comprehensive listings of public transport, toilets and places to eat and drink, which highlight the excellent walking infrastructure available in many areas. Overview information on terrain, distance and timing facilitates easy planning, a route summary table helps you to choose an appropriate route, and there are also GPX files available for free download. Fascinating snippets of history and geology are interspersed throughout, and the appendices contain useful websites and further reading. Incorporating beautiful photography of England's coastline, the guide will encourage you to explore both well-loved and less well-known parts of the English shoreline, from soaring cliffs to wildlife-rich estuaries, from huge golden beaches to atmospheric marshes. Capturing the rich heritage and glorious contrasts of England's coast, the routes offer something for everyone, whether your passion is for escape or adventure, geology or nature, castles or culture. The sea has defined England's history and the coast is a dynamic and exciting place to walk, so let these 30 routes introduce you to great walking by the sea on England's newest National Trail.

This book presents a portrait of the Pennine Way, Britain's oldest and best known long-distance footpath, tracing its remarkable history through the experiences of walkers past and present. As Andrew McCloy walks the 268-mile route from the Derbyshire Peak District to the Scottish borders, he discovers how the Pennine Way set a benchmark for personal challenge and adventure and how reconnecting with wild places and the unhurried rhythm of the long walk continue to provide a much-needed antidote to our busy modern age. The resilience of the long distance walker is mirrored in the path's fascinating history: the initial struggle for access, battles to tame the bogs, later challenges of path erosion and the fluctuating circumstances of the rural hostel. Above all else howeverthis is a book about Pennine Way people - from crusading ramblers to resourceful B&B landladies, hard working rangers to fanatical trail walkers. Their conversations and memories are woven into the narrative to give an account of the changing fortunes of the path and its special significance. Personal, thoughtful and often humorous, The Pennine Way - the Path, the People, the Journey is an exploration of our desire for challenge and adventure, the stimulation of wild places and how a long journey on foot through our own country still resonates today. It will appeal to people who have walked or are preparing to walk the Pennine Way, as well as to those with an interest in the history and legacy of this iconic path.