5 Wainwright’s ‘lost’ walk has been brought to life

It’s several decades since Alfred Wainwright told his friend Ron Scholes about a dream he had of walking the Pennines from their southernmost end in the Staffordshire moorlands right up to Hadrian’s Wall.

But now, Ron has brought the dream to life.

A Pennine Odyssey: Walks and Ways is based on conversations between the two, in which AW set out a possible route cleaving to the purest line of the Pennines (as opposed to the Pennine Way, which misses off their southern uplands and continues beyond their northern edge into the Cheviot hills). Ron’s book explores different options for the route and includes Wainwright’s own annotated OS maps, and comments. “He has remained my inspiration,” says Ron. “It was a privilege discussing mountain routes with him. The Pennine Odyssey is, I hope, a fitting tribute.” £19, sigmapress.co.uk