Great Walks of the World

An eclectic collection of 11 global walks and hikes, the book includes destinations on every continent but Antarctica. From one-day saunters to two-week odysseys, readers will find the in-depth story behind each trail, combined with detailed maps and a visual feast of archival and contemporary images from contributors located around the world.

Climb the Stairs of Repentance to the top of Mount Sinai, the Holy Peak of Moses, or retrace the journey of the stampeders of the Klondike Gold Rush as you scale the Golden Stairs of the Chilkoot Trail. Catch the ""Long Look"" across El Despoblado as you stand at the South Rim of the Chisos Mountains in Texas. Walk in the Dreaming tracks of the local Arrente as you trek the Larapinta Trail along the spine of Central Australia's ancient MacDonnell Ranges. Or follow delightful paths through sheep paddocks and woodlands filled with bluebells and birdsong along Great Britain's Cotswold Way.

But it isn't all about the hikes and the history. There is plenty of practical information on Internet resources and recommended reading along with suggestions on what to do before or after the hike. Learn about local fauna, regional food specialties and unique customs - like the sensuous rituals linked with maté tea in Patagonia or the grizzly tradition of the SourToe Cocktail in Dawson City, Yukon.

So lace up those boots and get moving. Or put your feet up and read all about it from the cozy comfort of your living room. The choice is entirely yours.

D. Larraine Andrews makes her home a short distance from the Rocky Mountains and arguably some of the best hiking in the world. An avid walker, she has travelled six continents in search of destinations to rival the Canadian Rockies. (The search continues.) Great Walks of the World documents some of these journeys. Larraines first book, The Cowboy Trail: A Guide to Albertas Historic Cowboy Country/i>, reflects her lifelong addiction to the history of the Wild West. She has written extensively for international and national magazines and newspapers and was a contributing author to the 2008 edition of Defining Moments in History. In 2001 she won the Dateline Hong Kong Fellowship, a national competition sponsored by the Canadian Association of Journalists and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office. Larraine currently devotes much of her time to following the lure of the undiscovered trail. She lives in High River, Alberta.