The Lost Paths cover art

The Lost Paths

A History of How We Walk From Here To There

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The Lost Paths

By: Jack Cornish
Narrated by: Jack Cornish
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Discover the rich history of Britain's millennia-old network of pathways, and it will be impossible to take an unremarkable walk again. . .
Hundreds of thousands of miles of ancient paths crisscross our land. Whether Iron Age footsteps or Anglo-Saxon mercenary trails, Railway Age tracks or Home Army defences, they reveal a hidden story.
Jack Cornish has spent years walking and recording these forgotten routes and The Lost Paths is his history of the people who created and walked these ways.
From sheep drovers to Cornish miners to workhouse wanderers, this tale of the land beneath our feet brings our past to life and puts its future squarely in our hands.

'An essential read for those who love walking' Jackie Morris, author of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells
'Cornish’s book delves back in history and is written with a sense of urgency' Mail on Sunday
'[Cornish's] passion for walking, natural beauty and the abundant history of these old ways shines through' Times
© Jack Cornish 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

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Critic reviews

A nostalgic amble through the history of travel in England and Wales, and an examination of the routes that make up our modern path network. Jack Cornish interlaces titbits of travel, history, personal reflection and anecdote. His passion for walking, natural beauty and the abundant history of these old ways shines through. Cornish's motivation to protect heritage and relish our spectacular countryside is admirable
Cornish’s book delves back in history and is written with a sense of urgency. On each page you discover an enticing new vista
Marvellous. Cornish is the ideal companion on the road: interested in everything, learned, acute, and a splendid story-teller
A rallying cry to reclaim lost routes and preserve this precious resource for future generations
Fascinating
A celebration of an ancient network and a rallying cry to reclaim what has been lost and preserve it for future generations
[A] fascinating history of path-making and path-taking . . . our guide excels at historic story-telling . . . Cornish’s celebration of our grand wealth of history ways, and the different motivations for walking over the centuries, is a worthy clarion call for us to keep treading paths – so we don’t lose our way . . .
A lively account of millennia of movement, and a call to action to preserve an endangered heritage
By 2026, some 16,000km of forgotten footpaths around Britain stand to be lost. Jack Cornish’s fascinating book sets out to ensure they aren’t, and en route explains why Britain’s history is buried in these historic rights of way.
All stars
Most relevant
Ably narrated by Jack himself, there is so much in this book that I don’t quite know what to talk about. I’ve learned so much about so many different things - how paths are designated, bits of history (including social and cultural), folklore, nature, and architectural information - that I often had to go back over a chapter again just to make notes. As well as being excellently written is has a narrative flow that allows for subtle linkages to become noticeable as well as making you want to read on long after you’d told yourself you’d stop after another minute. 

It left me feeling hopeful, content and stirred up, all at the same time and I have promised myself that once I’ve got settled in Northumberland I will become one of the volunteers who map and preserve the pathways that we all have right to roam on.

A fascinating call to action.

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I love history and love walking and have always combined the two so it is lovely to read a book, well researched, that uncovers the fascinating history of parks and always gives a call to arms to protect them going forward.

When History and hobbies meet

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An excellent history about our amazing footpath network and the people who have shaped it and fought to protect it.
The book highlights the threat our footpaths are, and have been, under and inspiration on how we cand defend it .
Brilliant, if you're a lover of the countryside this is a vital read / listen

A lovely story to our footpaths

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This was a really interesting, well-written and well-researched book. Fascinating. I highly recommend it.

Great listen

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