Lark

Finished August 15
Lark by Anthony McGowan

This children's book is the fourth book in a series following two brothers, Nicky and Kenny. Kenny is developmentally disabled, and Nicky has learned how to help him manage different situations. They've had a tough childhood, with their father drinking to much and their mother leaving them due to the stress of everything. Their father is sober now, and has a new girlfriend that they get along with and their lives are more stable. Thus, things are going better for them now, and their mom is coming soon for a visit from Canada where she now lives. Kenny is excited about the upcoming visit, but bored because it is the Easter holiday and not much is happening. Their father suggests they go for a walk on the moors, remembering when his dad would take him there.
Nicky gets the map on the Internet and plans the walk, and the two boys and their small dog Tina, take a couple of buses to get to the starting point of their hike. By the time they get there, the weather has deteriorated, and the bus driver reminds them to keep to the path.
As they walk, they enjoy the first part of their adventure, but then they get above the tree cover and the weather worsens further with snow building up. As they get colder and more tired, they decide to try to take a short cut over the hill, but that gets them lost and they are really in trouble then.
The action is page turning as the reader worries about the boys and whether they will find their way back to the path and to home. As they get colder, and their map gets wet, they also find that their phone isn't getting any signal.
Things definitely go wrong for the boys, and you see all the ways they are unprepared for their adventure, and the bad luck that befalls them. It would probably be helpful to read the others in the series before this as well, but you can read this as a stand alone.

A Walk Along the Wall

Finished December 20

A Walk Along the Wall: A Journey Along Hadrian's Wall by Hunter Davies

This book recounts Davies experience walking the length of Hadrian's Wall from east to west over the course of several months, and was first published in 1974. Davies talks about his own observations and experiences along his journey, but also gives us history, not only of the wall, its significance and construction, but also other history that relates to the areas he traverses. He talks to a lot of people along the way, some enthusiasts of the wall, some indifferent, and some antagonistic to its existence and popularity. 

He discusses the unknowns of its history as well, and when things aren't clear offers up the differing theories around each issue. 

I learned some things about the history of this area of Britain and the Roman occupation, about the daily life of the people during that time, and about the religious life of the soldiers, who were drawn from all over the Roman Empire. Very interesting.

Forgotten Highways

Finished September 11
Forgotten Highways: wilderness journeys down the historic trails of the Canadian Rockies by Nicky Brink and Stephen R Bown

This fascinating book details one summer in the lives of the authors who were inspired by history to hike five mountain trails first found by four early explorers.
Two of the treks were inspired by the explorations of David Thompson. The first was Howse Pass, one of the easier passes, abandoned due to rival tribes rivalries for trade. The second was Athabasca Pass, the pass Thompson found after, but too difficult for railways or roads.
The next hike was inspired by Hudson's Bay's George Simpson, another difficult pass found when searching for a pass accessible for more of the year than Athabasca was.
The fourth hike was found based on the explorations of John Palliser as he searched for a route north of the United States that would support a road and railway as part of the effort to claim the territory for the United Kingdom. This hike encompasses three passes, the Elk, the South Kananaskis, and the North Kananaskis.
The last hike was one found by one of the early female explorers, Mary Schäffer, and is Maligne Pass the route to Maligne Lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in Jasper National Park. 
I spent of number of childhood vacations in the mountains, although only camping and doing day hikes. They will always be a cherished part of my younger years and close to my heart. This book brings those experiences back to me vicariously. The authors are not professional hikers, but those who do it for the love of their surroundings and that comes across clearly in this book.