Take your imagination on an adventure with these books 
When the day is done and you want to put your feet up in front of the fire, relax in your camping chair under the stars, or lay on the beach, there’s nothing better than a good adventure story to stir your mind away with tales of exploration. and discovery. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of some recommended books to take you on the ride of a lifetime.
You are reading: Best books about the outdoors
True Tales or Fictional Journeys When it comes to adventure and exploration, both worlds offer a similar amount of wonder and excitement, and the stories below are perfect to get lost in, whether at home or away, and we hope we have found something for everyone. in no particular order:
1. in nature – jon krakauer
the story of chris mccandless, a talented and brilliant student with the world at his feet, who decided to turn his back on everything and go into nature to survive alone and rebel against everything that society considered it to be. He donated $25,000 of savings to charity, burned the money in his wallet, and made his way across America. His grueling journey takes him to Alaska to survive in the wild, leading him to question everything he is and everything he thought he wanted. the story is told from a neutral point of view and aims not to preach too much about either side of the story. if you’ve seen the 2007 film adaptation, then the book is really worth reading and letting your mind paint an endless journey.
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2. a walk in the woods – bill bryson
If you’re looking for a lighter version of a life-changing journey, then “a walk in the woods” might be for you. Acclaimed travel writer Bill Bryson embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to complete Appalachia with his less than enthusiastic friend. 2,200 miles along the eastern seaboard of the United States through rugged trails, mountains, and remote locations, this is certainly no simple walk in the woods. the tale is funny, endearing, poignant and moving and takes into account the challenging nature of the journey, along with many of the rather strange people the duo met along the way. please don’t be put off by the recent film adaptation, this one is so much better (sorry robert redford).
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3. the tent, the bucket & me – emma kennedy
a hilarious account of those windy, rainy family camping vacations of your childhood. if you love camping you can probably relate to everything mentioned in this book, if you’ve never been to camping you probably never will after reading this (camping has changed a lot since the 70’s…seriously!) . it’s a real nostalgic hit that will leave you laughing out loud, no wonder the bbc turned it into a tv series called “the kennedys”.
read more about ‘the tent, the bucket & me’
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4. the beach – alex garland
is another book that was adapted into a fairly famous movie, but the beach is a novel that offers a bit of magic. the story of a backpacker in his 20s seeking the spiritual awakening he just isn’t getting from his life back home. he is in search of paradise, but is there such a place on earth? Is there still a utopia that hasn’t been mass marketed to tourists where he could find his awakening? A map found by the backpacker in Thailand would suggest that it exists, if he can find it.
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5. the call of the wild – jack london
A true classic from the author who also brought us ‘White Fang’ (also worth a read), The Call of the Wild is an adventure told from the perspective of Buck, a half Saint Bernard, and a Scottish Sheepdog. As the gold rush begins, large dogs become highly valuable in North America, and a servant of Buck’s owner kidnaps the dog and sells it to a group that buys and sells dogs for the trade. Buck’s life changes forever as he is forced to contend with cruel masters, heavy loads and the frozen north. The story follows Buck in his new life as he answers the call of the wild.
read more about ‘the call of the wild’
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6. touching the void – joe simpson
a factual account of one of the most impressive mountaineering stories you could ever want to read. Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, summit the previously unclimbed West Face of Siula Grande in terrible weather, yet that feat is only the beginning of the story. The length of the expedition meant the pair were running low on supplies, and a nasty fall meant Simpson had broken his leg. when you’re faced with the very real decision to cut the rope holding your friend to save your own life, you get a sense of just how tense and tense this story is. a true classic and well worth a read, but don’t expect it to be a relaxing ride.
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7. savage: a journey from lost to found – cheryl strayed
less a descriptive adventure story and more a tale of how you find yourself when you feel completely lost. the book follows cheryl through a broken marriage and the rapid loss of her mother to cancer, she needed something to occupy her mind, so she set out on the 1,100 mile trek along the west coast from United States. With no previous long distance hiking experience, this is a slow going memoir, but a really moving one to read.
read more about ‘wild: a journey from the lost to the found’
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8. in the air – jon krakauer
krakauer is a well known writer (many of his books in this genre are worth reading) and avid climber, in the 90’s he was challenged by an outside magazine to go to everest with an acclaimed guide. however, the trip would not be a success, and despite the combined experience of the guides and the members of the expedition, people were beginning to die. The book covers the expedition in great detail and reflects on other Everest missions for comparison. this highly personal account raises questions for the reader as it explores the genuine anguish of the writer who lived through the experience.
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9. the fallen wayfarer – michael wood
One for fans of fiction, the adventures here are not one of wonder or discovery, but of the drive to solve a mystery set in the Lake District. a real favorite for many who love a thriller or the lake district (knowing the places mentioned seems to make everything a bit more real and interesting) and comes personally recommended by some colleagues. if you’re looking for a ‘whodunnit’, try this one, if you can find it.
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read more about ‘the fallen walker’
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10. we are almost there? a family’s 8,000 mile road trip around britain – ben hatch
A couple finds an ad looking for a family to write a guide on how to travel around the UK. As glamorous as the idea sounds, enjoying moody sunsets, driving along stunning coastal roads, as any couple with young children will often tell you, any vacation brings its own challenges. Follow this funny and heartwarming story of the family as they drive across Britain discovering new things.
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11. the rise of rum doodle – we bowman
First written in the 1950s, rum doodle still stands as an outrageous parody of the mountaineering story genre. Follow a team of British explorers as they attempt to scale a 130,000-foot mountain in the Himalayas. you only have to scan the reviews for this book to realize that it is highly appreciated by most who read it. classic british comedy.
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12. 500 mile walkies – mark wallington
one for dog walkers, a hilarious tale of a man and his (rather flatulent) dog named “boogie” as they travel the coastal path from cornwall to dorset. There are several books in the “boogie” series, but 500 Mile Walk is one of our favorites.
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13. two feet, four legs – spud talbot-ponsonby
Another in the dog-walking adventure genre, Two Feet Four Legs follows Spud and his dog as they hit the coastline of Britain to raise money for the shelter’s charity. The story documents the people they meet, the places they see, and the soulful nature of a woman and her dog and the sheer mental and physical challenge they took on to complete the journey.
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14. the white spider – heinrich harrer
A true classic among mountaineers, ‘The White Spider’ documents the legendary first ascent of the North Face of the ‘Eiger’. Heinrich Harrer was part of the team that tackled this unthinkable feat in 1938. The book is vivid in detail and delves into what goes through a climber’s mind in the most physically and mentally challenging moments during such a mission.
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15. out there: a voice of the wild – chris townsend
a modern book (it won the 2016 outdoor book of the year award from the outdoor writers and photographers guild), but chris townsend has over 40 years of experience in the outdoors, and this book goes back to that experience and touches the people who inspired him in the great outdoors. however, this is not just about him, this is about British nature, what it means to us or what it should mean to us. a thoughtful book covering a wide variety of outdoor hobbies and stories.
read more about ‘out there’
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16. psychovertical – andy kirkpatrick
As with any mountaineering or climbing story, it always works best when the author has the experience, andy kirkpatrick is a renowned climber and it shows in his highly descriptive psychovertical stories. The book covers Andy’s fractured upbringing that ultimately led him to seek out extreme climbs, as it intertwines personal stories with highly descriptive accounts of his own climbs. touching, funny, exciting and descriptive, this story will take you on a journey through the challenges he faces.
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17. all quiet on the orient express – magnus mills
Have you ever been somewhere and wondered how it survived the off-season? Or wondered what a place would be like without tourists? In this book, a busy Lake District camp is nearing the end of its season, and only one camper remains, who planned to stay a little longer. the camper was asked for odd jobs, in fact more and more as they began to accumulate until he realized that he was living in the small town out of season. he follows his journey in this strange, funny, and yet strangely dark story.
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18. the villain: the life of don whillans – jim perrin
the biography of don whillans, as told by his friend. don whillans is not only known for being an outstanding climber and mountaineer, but also for his attitude. how he was and how he was gave him superstar status among climbers and throughout the stories told in this honest biography, you can see why.
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19. Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, Ultra Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Ever Seen – Christopher McDougall
A tribe of Mexican Indians are said to be some of the best long-distance runners in the world, one of whom won a 100-mile race at the age of 57, wearing a toga and sandals. The author and a group of renowned racers from overseas set out to find the tribe to uncover their secrets and challenge them to the greatest race the world would ever see. McDougall examines what it takes to be a great runner, interviewing colleges, running brands, and more. a fantastic read for any runner.
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20. only planet: a free flight adventure around the world
In a world where we need everything faster and to be everywhere sooner, it’s hard to imagine old tales like ‘around the world in 80 days’, but in this book the author and his partner decided to travel around the world without using planes. get back in touch with the “slow” transport and see what they discovered along the way. an entertaining tale of a joyous and, for the most part, quite challenging journey today.
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21. alive – paul springs read
the famous story of the last will to survive after a plane crashed in the Andes. This book has stood the test of time as a true classic. A compelling story about the human spirit, the book goes into much more detail and some may find it quite appalling in places (eating human flesh, for example).
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22. grandma gatewood walk – ben montgomery
the story of the 67-year-old grandmother, who one day told her family that she went for a walk, took a change of clothes and a little money. the next time her family heard from her, she was 800 miles up the 2000+ mile Appalachian Trail. Emma Gatewood would become the first person, male or female, to walk the trail two or even three times. the attention it brought to the trail in the 1950s may have saved it from disappearing, as he complained about the more unruly sections and requested more regular maintenance. a fantastic account of a famous American hiker.
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23. no picnic on mount kenya – felice benuzzi
trapped in a prisoner of war camp in africa, frustrated italian mountaineer felice benuzzi found himself paralyzed on mount kenya, from where he was. he had an idea. he ran away from the p.o.w. camp, and with makeshift home gear and almost no food, benuzzi hiked and climbed the north face of mount kenya without a map (he did have a photo of the mountain in a can, though), only to return and break back at camp from which he escaped. a 1950s fantasy story about the human spirit and what can be achieved.
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24. the outrun – amy liptrot
the outrun is the utterly honest memoir of amy liptorot, who at the age of 30 had returned home to orkney after time in rehab for alcohol addiction. her addiction has caused her to lose jobs, partners, her health and more, returning home felt like a failure, but she needed to find herself again. the book covers how her return to orkney and her return to nature helped her recover and rebuild. tales of wild swimming, the hunt for the northern lights, the wildlife of orkney and how it all helped overcome.
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25. a brief walk through the hindu kush – eric newby
In the 50’s, can you imagine receiving a message from a friend saying “can you travel to nuristan june?” and really move on? This story follows the journey of two enthusiastic but inexperienced travelers from Mayfair to Afghanistan. They had no real experience climbing the mountains of the Hindu Kush, but they thought a weekend in Wales and a few tips from a local waitress would do the trick. Sharp wit on display throughout this thoroughly entertaining read.
read more about ‘a brief walk through the hindu kush’
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Of course, this is just scratching the surface of the outdoor adventure genre, and there are probably two or three books by some of the authors on this list that you should probably check out. however, these are some recommended by the staff and some of our clients.
have you read any? Have we missed some of your favorites? let us know in the comments below.
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