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The Wild Rover

A Blistering Journey Along Britain’s Footpaths

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About this listen

Mike Parker, bestselling author of Map Addict, is back with a very full, intelligent and witty exploration into a glorious and passionate British subject – footpaths and the history of land ownership.

Mike discovers how these paths have become part of our cultural landscape and why, at the tender age of 44, he suddenly finds himself at a crossroads.

Provocative, funny and personal, this book celebrates Britain’s unique and extraordinary network of footpaths. It examines their chequered and surprisingly turbulent history, from the Enclosures Acts of the eighteenth century to the 1932 Mass Trespass on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire; and from the hard-won post-war establishment of great National Trails like the Pennine Way to the dramatic latter-day battles by the likes of Nicholas van Hoogstraten and Madonna to keep ramblers off their land.

The story ranges far and wide, to all corners of the country and beyond, and is filled with the many characters that Mike engages with along the way – the poets and artists, farmers and ramblers, landowners and Rights of Way officers and campaigners, historians, archivists and anyone else who crosses his path (or even tries to block it).

 Environment Europe Great Britain Hiking Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Politics & Government Science Walking Western Europe Funny Witty War United Kingdom

Critic reviews

On Map Addict:

'Mike Parker offers an exhilarating celebration of the humble map.' Mail on Sunday

This excellent book on the pleasures of maps and navigation, which is also a withering attack on the infantilisation of the satnav age’. Daily Telegraph

‘A highly engaging and thoughtful, haphazard and personal, meander around maps and map-related arcane.' Daily Mail

'This eclectic, funny and warm book should be on the shelves of everyone who has spent hours staring at a map.' The Great Outdoors

'A witty entreaty to leave the satnav in the car, and to head for the hills with the Ordnance Survey.' BBC Country File magazine

‘Mike Parker makes of a book about footpaths a wonderfully exhilarating literary excursion on and off a hundred beaten tracks’ – Jan Morris CBE , historian, author and travel writer

‘Mike Parker’s book on footpaths is a genuine page-turner’. – Walk Magazine
All stars
Most relevant
Sorbic wit & sarcastic hard hitting realistic observed opinion.
This is no walk in the park if you like the world neat & tidy or well wrapped.
For lovers of path walks that just kick the can down the path & go to the pub parched.

Walking the author's mind & his walking memorys

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... and the various walking associations in Britain which Mike Parker unravels as he undertakes selected walks around the country. I did not really appreciate how much of a struggle previous generations have had to keep our intricate network open, and how many battles have been, and are still being, fought for their preservation.
From trudging along uber-sterile new Long Distance Paths, to exploring possibly haunted corpse paths, to simply discovering all the paths within 3 miles of home, this book has been an inspiring distraction from my daily commute. And as I am now (apparently!) coming up to the right age to truly enjoy a good walk, I shall pull on my own boots and set off - just as soon as I've downloaded something else to listen to!

A fascinating history of footpaths ...

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Sometimes I just fancy an audio book or podcast to keep me company while I cook or wash up, this book definitely did that.
I enjoy walking and exploring footpaths myself so found this personal honest journey down many footpaths an ideal companion during COVID-19 lockdown here in the UK.

Good Company!

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I liked the idea but the book didn't grab me at all. I had a long rail journey and expected this would keep me company but was left cold. The reader seems to talk through their nose which didn't really help.

couldn't bring myself to finish listening

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