THE PENNINE WAY: THE PATH, THE PEOPLE, THE JOURNEY, by Andrew McCloy. Published by Cicerone Press (www.cicerone.co.uk). £12.95. Softback.

THE author celebrated the 50th anniversary of the opening of Britain’s oldest and best-known long-distance footpath by tackling its demanding 268-mile route in the year of his own 50th birthday.
He recounts the memories of many walkers who have completed what has been described as “the roughest and toughest long-distance path in Britain”, relates its history from its conception in the 1930s, and meets the passionate and sometimes eccentric trail-walkers, hardworking rangers and resourceful B&B owners, including Byrness couple Colin and Joyce Taylor.
Having started his journey at Edale in the Peak District, the author reflects that on reaching Northumberland near the end of his arduous journey, then sinking into peat bogs and slithering down muddy slopes, he felt weary.
He admits: “The Pennine Way provided me with a stern physical challenge, putting my body through a test it had seldom experienced before… but although it had been tough and I was sore I had made it. I had put one foot in front of the other for 17 continuous days.
“My knees were simply volunteering a view probably held by the rest of my body parts that it was time to take a rest. The Pennine Hills were mine, because I had walked over them, and they were now part of me and nothing could ever take that away.”