Along the Templar Trail
Seven Million Steps for Peace
Published on 1. January 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
328 pages
978-0-9770536-8-1 (ISBN)
Description
¿ 2009 Best Travel Book (Lowell Thomas Gold Award), Society of American Travel Writers
¿ Book of the Year Award Finalist (adventure), ForeWord Reviews
It was an idea born while hiking the famed Camino de Santiago across Spain. Two men shared a dream of trekking from Europe to the Middle East on the ultimate road trip. It just happened to be a path walked by thousands of Crusaders, pilgrims and merchants during the Middle Ages, a time when wars, unforgiving weather, wild dogs, and an ever changing cast of weird characters tested even the toughest traveler.
As they say, "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Two modern-day travelers discover the truth when they take on that same ultimate challenge-to hike the Templar Trail across 11 countries and 2,600 miles to Jerusalem. Throwing themselves out into the universe with bad maps, blisters, but plenty of optimism, they face identical challenges in search of adventure, life's meaning and lasting peace. Proving that even today, there's nothing like a little war to shake your strongest resolve.
With 44 photos, maps and illustrations
"Simply one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time..." ~ Richard Bangs, legendary adventurer, co-founder Mountain Travel Sobek
"More than the mere adventure of two brave men, it is a grand and noble quest for peace... Combines a marvelous sense of Zen with good humor, and his personal style makes you feel as if you were there taking part in it all..." ~ Mayra Calvani, Midwest Book Review
"A travel lodestone - a magical quest, a warts-and-all journey... This is a special book hovering above its obvious travel-shelf slot into a spot of its own." ~ Marilis Hornidge, Courier-Gazette, Maine
"Strictly fast-forward... Wilson's remarkably attractive account will galvanize couch potatoes..." ~ ForeWord Reviews
"The vivid prose and passion for adventure makes this book an exciting read... You can live vicariously, although I must say I am more inspired than ever to walk each day." (5 stars) ~ The Rebecca Review, Amazon Top 10 Reviewer
"Fast-moving and inspiring... Readers of Brandon's other books will be snapping this up. Great, touching and hugely interesting." ~ Jessica Roberts, BookPleasures.com
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Hawaii
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
44 black & white photos, maps
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
534 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-9770536-8-1 (9780977053681)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Brandon Wilson is an American explorer and author of non-fiction travel narratives. A fellow of the Explorers Club, he has written books and essays about his extensive travels on foot as a pilgrim. In 2006, he pioneered the Templar Trail, recreating the route of the First Crusade from France to Jerusalem, as a pilgrimage path of peace. He has explored nearly 100 countries, including making an African transect from London to Cape Town. Over decades, he's been especially passionate about hiking historic long-distance pilgrim trails. In 1992, Brandon and his wife Cheryl became the first Western couple to trek the 1100-kilometer trail from Lhasa, Tibet to Kathmandu. Then he focused on Europe, trekking the Camino de Santiago Francés (twice) across northern Spain, then the Via de la Plata from Seville, and the Camino Catalan and Camino Aragonés from Barcelona. Brandon was the first American to traverse the 1850-kilometer Via Francigena from Canterbury, England to Rome. In 2006, he hiked and founded the 4500-kilometer Templar Trail, recreating the route of the First Crusades as a path of peace from France to Jerusalem. Later, in 2009, Brandon and Cheryl trekked the Via Alpina along the backbone of the Alps across eight countries from Trieste to Monaco, climbing the equivalent of 12 Mt. Everests. In 2015, he hiked the ancient St. Olav's Way for the second time across Norway and Sweden on an Explorers Club Flag expedition. Most recently, he trekked the Alta Via 1 across the Italian Dolomites and the Tour de Mt. Blanc in France, Italy and Switzerland.