Published by Mountaineers Books, 2018, 352 pages

This book is another in a series on slow travel, an alternative to rushing around with crowds of people, trying to see everything as quickly as possible before moving on. This is all about taking the time to savour the experience.

And Cassandra Overby is thorough: everything—and I mean everything—you ever wanted to know about planning a walking trip in Europe is here in this book.

Overby loved travelling and managed to save enough money for a trip around the world. But she quit after three months, tired of “long lines, loud tourists, bus exhaust and expensive attractions…and how…global…international travel had become.” She decided to settle down, bought a car and set up home in the US. Then, three years later, her partner asked her to go with him on a month-long walking tour in Europe. She agreed reluctantly, and only because the relationship was important.

The trip was an epiphany.

She realized that by walking, she could avoid everything she had grown to dislike about traveling. It brought her to small towns and villages and into contact with local people. She helped a family of farmers in Switzerland feed their livestock, listened to an impromptu alpenhorn performance, discovered little chapels in villages and enjoyed the stunning landscape. Overby found that not only was it good for her physically, but it was also cheaper and a truly restorative, low-stress holiday. This book is her way of sharing her find with others.

There is a lot to think about and do before the trip: where you want to go, what you want to do and how much you want to walk. Any pace is good, as long as you are comfortable with it. She tells you how to prepare physically, with suggested exercises, so that the holiday doesn’t turn into a trial. There is a lot of practical advice: how to treat minor ailments, the safest way to hike alone, what to pack, and basic do’s and don’ts, including how to treat your fellow walkers.

Overby provides 15 detailed itineraries in Belgium, England, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Morocco, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey. Each walk includes information such as the local language, use of English, scenery, main sights, difficulty, and the time it takes. From her descriptions, she has obviously done these and loved them.  

There is something here for everyone, whether you want to travel in a group, with another person, or on your own; whether you are fit and prepared to walk long distances or want to do day trips. I won’t say buy this book if you are planning to hike through Europe—I would say buy it even if it is a distant dream. Overby will convince you and guide you into making that dream a reality. The book is also available as an e-book, so you can take it with you.

This review first appeared on Women on the Road.