The Wayfarer cover art

The Wayfarer

Through the Pain. Towards Redemption. Along the Pennine Way.

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The Wayfarer

By: Andy Kind
Narrated by: Andy Kind
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About this listen

In May 2021, Andy Kind set off from Edale in an attempt to walk the Peninne Way, something he had tried–and failed–to do twice before. From Derbyshire to Scotland, struggling against the weather and terrain and hindered both by himself and others, we follow his journey towards what he hopes will not just be an ending, but a redemption.

A cross between Bill Bryson and Jerome K. Jerome, with subtle hints of Evelyn Waugh, The Wayfarer is a laugh-out-loud memoir that deals with the topics of grief, reconciliation and mental health, and asks the question:

What do you do when hope falls off a cliff?

The answer: Keep moving forward, one foot in front of the other, one step at a time.

©2025 Andy Kind (P)2025 Andy Kind Travel Writing & Commentary

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Critic reviews

“Andy Kind has always been a masterful storyteller but he seems, ironically, to have climbed to new heights with this. The Wayfarer is a triumph of humour and pathos.” (Paul Kerensa. British Comedy award-winning co-writer)
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After about 3 chapters I realised this book was going to make me cry. It took almost the whole Pennine Way, but cry I did. Such a well told story, and I loved meeting all the people along the way.

Alan was the real main character

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I’ve read the book in hard copy, and I prefer that method of consuming something meant to be read. But hearing his voice gave a different dimension to the experience. I had to stop the car at one point, I was laughing so hard. A masterpiece.

The poetic prose

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What a delightful listen! A heartwarming story of a man’s journey, the friends he makes along the way, and the honest reflection about himself he makes as he goes. Andy seems to make life long friends at the drop of a hat and listening will make you feel like one and want to be one. Poetic in language it will make you want to go out and buy some walking boots. Laugh out loud funny at times, Alan is the true hero of the story!

Humour, heart and honesty

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Having eagerly read The Wayfarer this summer, I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to hear the author read his magnum opus aloud. What can I say? You get what you expect (entertainment, emotion, hilarity, eloquence, etc) plus new bonus content in sentences like, ‘As I’ve said, I’m no good at accents’!

The whole listening experience invokes smiles of recognition (‘Ah yes! It’s Christine!’). Characters I had grown to love the first time around are brought into even sharper focus, thanks to Andy’s menagerie of regional accents - some surprising (Alan) some exactly as I had imagined (Margo and Geoffrey) and some farcical (Winston Churchill and any of the women from the northeast)!

It feels like a trip down memory lane even though I was never there in the first place and thankfully never have to be! (This time I was even more keenly aware of the huge distance covered!)

Andy’s love of a good story is revealed by his excellent taste in literature. Juxtaposed with all the references to bottoms, outdoor wees and silicone heels come quotes from some of the great writers and poets. The whole experience reminds you of those who helped shape us: Aslan, Gandalf, and Paul Simon. This provides another layer of nostalgia to cosy up to.

In amongst the anecdotes and stories come insights and honest revelations about Andy’s Christian faith. I appreciate how naturally these deepen the story and provoke the listener to delve into our own thoughts.

Obviously, anyone with a heart will cry, so pace yourself and your makeup application carefully around the particularly poignant passages.

I hope there will be many more journeys and stories to come.

Double nostalgia, quadruple emotion

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There’s a hint of James Herriot in the writing. A splash of Bill Bryson and a whole heap of Andy Kind. He squeezes comedy out of middle class, middle England as we accompany him along the Pennine Way. It’s a funny, warm and comforting. Occasionally finding comedy in the mediocre - just the fact he bought his mascot from Dunelm Mill feels witty in Andy’s words. The folk he meets on the way come alive and Andy’s description of chips with truffle will have you jumping in the car in search of them.

Pleasant prose filled with quips.

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