On Sacred Ground: A 7,000-mile Walk of Discovery into the Heart of Wild Nature

Not everyone would consider a 7,000-mile walk a particularly sensible idea. Especially if it involved living outside for eighteen months, and travelling alone through high mountains and wild forests. But to a young Londoner, the idea made perfect sense...

In May 1997, Andrew Terrill set out on an extraordinary journey: a walk from Calabria in southern Italy to the top of Norway via the highest, wildest and remotest route he could find. Seeking freedom and adventure, connection with nature, and a life of meaning and purpose, Terrill chose to take an unconventional path into Europe's hidden wild side, unaware it would be far wilder than he'd ever expected.

The adventures that followed in the first ranges he crossed - the Apennines and Alps - are described in The Earth Beneath My Feet. Now, continuing north, Terrill must face the full fury of winter in the remote forests of central Europe, then even harsher conditions in the snowbound wilderness fjells of Norway and the Arctic. Struggling through untracked snow and painful cold, and enduring loneliness, Terrill will confront challenges that will test him to the limit. But if he can overcome them, there are rewards down the trail beyond anything he could have ever imagined.

On Sacred Ground takes the reader on an immersive journey into Europe's wildest and least-known places, and into a simpler way of life where every day is different and every dawn comes bright with possibility. It is a compelling tale of youthful energy and optimism, an old-fashioned adventure yarn from a time before smartphones and social media, and an inspiring true story of connection, insight and growth. Above all, it is a celebration of the natural world - and of a young man's quest to find his true place within it.

Featuring ninety-four black and white photographs and fourteen maps, this captivating, multi-layered narrative will transport the reader into the wild. Anyone who has experienced the powerful pull of wanderlust, felt the urge to lose themselves in nature, or yearned for travel and adventure, will find a great deal to relate to and enjoy.