Walking guide to UK County Tops – Europe

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Reviews

You’ve bagged all the Wainwrights, completed all the Corbetts and marched up and down all the Scottish Munros.

What other walking challenge is there? How about visiting the UK’s 91 historic county tops. This book by Jonny Muir, who did it in a continuous 5000-mile cycling and walking adventure, is truly inspiring. It is packed with colourful photos, amps, route descriptions and interesting facts about people and places.

It is a book that will fuel your enthusiasm to broaden your walking horizons.

Westmorland Gazette, November 2011

An engrossing book to delight hill-baggers and list-tickers everywhere. Jonny Muir’s round-up of 91 county tops ranges from Ben Nevis in Inverness-shire to the lowly Boring Field in Huntingdonshire.

A there-and-back walking route to each ‘summit’ is described in words, photos and maps, charting the author’s three-month walking and cycling expedition to tackle them all.

Walk magazine, Winter 2011

The UK's County Tops, by Jonny Muir, describes 82 walks to reach the top of 91 historic counties. Pictures and useful maps show what's what, while ratings for enjoyment and difficulty might help you decide which to try. There's also information on where to park.

It's a bit quirky, with odd "Did you know?" information and a preference for metric distances, despite using the traditional pre- 1974 county boundaries. Overall a fun book that could give you ideas for days out, assuming you like climbing hills.

Teme Valley Times, December 2011
 

If you like a tick-list of challenges, here's one that will provide plenty of fun but is completely do-able (unlike most of the 'world's one million must-see sights' type books that usually emerge at Christmas). This guide features walks up to the highest point of each of the UK's historic counties. So it ranges from biggies like Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Helvellyn to the lowest, which is delightfully called Boring Field and stands at 80m above sea level in Huntingdonshire (part of modern-day Cambridgeshire). I'd have preferred the walks to be more than the quick up and down that most of these are, but you could take your own map and do longer versions of course.
A fun book that will provide plenty of Boxing Day trivia if you get it for someone as a present.

Adventure Travel, November 2011

This is one for the collector of hill tops, perhaps those who prefer a slightly easier challenge than the Munro’s, Corbett’s, Grahams, etc, though once you start visiting the county tops in Scotland you will find yourself confronted with a Munro or two.

Each walk starts at a convenient parking point. Information includes the OS map required, a difficulty rating, and distance, ascent and time figures. There is also information about the top, a route description and a ‘Did you Know?’ box with information about a famous native of the area and an interesting fact.

I was fascinated by the fact that the highest point in Huntingdonshire is called ‘Boring Field’. If collecting county tops is your forte then this book will certainly help you on your way.

Strider magazine, December 2011