When I am not planning an adventure with Sam and the pup, I like nothing better than snuggling up with a mug of tea and losing myself in someone else’s adventure instead.

I’ve been an avid reader since I was a little girl and it’s always been my go-to stress buster. So, with many of us now at working from home, furloughed or just feeling a bit restless, I wanted to share some of my favourite adventure reads and why I love them so much.

A Hard Day’s Summer- Alison Hargreaves

I have made no secret of the fact that Aiison Hargreaves is an absolute hero of mine. Born and raised in Derbyshire, she climbed many of the local crags of the Peak District before going on to summit both Everest and K2.

This books main focus is on her massive achievement of climbing the six north faces in the Alps. Wanting to make a name for herself in a male dominated world, she packed up her family, including husband JB and young children Kate and Tom and made for the Alps. Living out of a tent, they supported her through an incredibly tough time as she achieved this amazing feat.

She speaks candidly of juggling motherhood with a climbing career and wanting to be the best in her game. This is a really insightful book from a climber who sadly is not here anymore. She is an absolutely amazing woman and I really look up to her. For women who love the outdoors, climbing and mountains, this book is for you, Alison really made a path for women mountaineers to follow.

The Push- Tommy Caldwell

Ok, so you might be seeing a pattern here with all these climbers. Tommy Caldwell is one of the best climbers in the world and this book focuses on the biggest climb of his career, El Capitan’s Dawn Wall. Along with fellow climber Kevin Jorgeson, they lived on the Dawn Wall for 19 days as they free climbed it for the first time.

I love this book; Tommy is such an interesting climber who has been climbing since he was a boy. The Dawn Wall climb was 7 years in the making and it’s such an unbelievable achievement. The book goes through many stages of Tommy’s life including climbing with his dad, his first relationship with fellow climber Beth Rodden and the traumatic experience of being held hostage in Kyrgyzstan. All of these life events have made him into the climber he is today and it’s a really inspirational read. It shows you can achieve absolutely anything if you put your mind to it.

Wild- Chery Strayed

For anyone who loves adventuring, you would have read Wild. It’s a fantastic book about dealing with grief and finding a new way of living. Cheryl Strayed set out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail after the death of her mother and break up of her marriage. The book takes us through the painful, raw emotion as she hikes completely alone.

Despite no hiking experience, she achieved something amazing and used walking to help her get some clarity on a difficult situation. Beautifully honest and completely inspirational, this is one book I can read again and again. Give it a read and see what you think.

Clouds from Both Sides- Julie Tullis

I sometimes feel Julie Tullis has long been forgotten as a great woman climber. Julie came to mountaineering very late in life (so there’s hope yet) at the grand old age of 38. A climber from her teens, she and her husband ran a climbing school and climbing shop before moving in to their very own Bothy. A mother first, she juggled family life with a growing need to escape to the mountains.

A gifted photographer and videographer, she climbed some of the world’s biggest mountains and walls. She talks candidly in this book of wanting to be a good wife and mother but unable to give up the thrill of adventuring. The book is all Julie’s own words, however sadly the final chapter isn’t, she lost her life on the decent of K2 after an epic summit. For us women, we are often fighting to be seen as equals in the adventure world, but Julie was a trailblazer and this is a must read.

Into Thin Air- Jon Krakauer

If you’re an Everest enthusiast, this book is a must read, it’s a raw and unflinching account of the 1995 Everest disaster that saw 8 climbers die. Jon was invited along to not only climb, but to write a piece for Outside magazine about Rob Hall and his mountaineering business. This is his account of what happened.

With slow climbers and no fixed ropes in place at tbt Hilary Step, many on the mountain that day were caught out by a terrible storm that blew in. Many climbers ignored their turnaround time and instead went for the summit. Others sadly just didn’t get down fast enough. It is a heart-breaking story of how brutal mountaineering can be and how unforgiving Mother Nature can also be. Throughout the book though, there are also glimmers of hope and survival which make it fascinating.

It’s definitely not a cheery read, but it’s a story that shouldn’t be forgotten. Told in a frank and tactful way, it’s a book you cannot put down and I devour it whole on many occasions.

Books I am currently reading

Breaking Trail- Arlene Blum

The Wild Places- Robert Macfarlane

So, if there are any adventure books you’ve read, or are currently reading, let me know, I am always after more to add to my to-read pile.

Sarah

Adventure Reads