I have a bit of a soft spot for books about walking: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Beyond Belfast by Will Ferguson, The Road is How by Trevor Herriot and The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce spring to mind. There's something about slowing travel down to a walking place that leads people to contemplate and reflect. That's just what Sam Heughan does while walking The West Highland Way.

Sam Heughan is probably better known as Jamie Fraser on Outlander, the TV series made of Diana Gabaldon's books. I am a fan of the series (both books and TV) and so I've seen quite a lot of Heughan. And, yes, I admit that I've wished I could be in Claire's place just to have Jamie Fraser in my bed at night. I didn't pick this book up for that though. As I said, I really like books about walking and this one is set in an area I might actually visit. I didn't expect to get such unlimited access to Heughan's life and thought processes but that was a lovely benefit. We learn that Heughan's father abandoned his wife and two small boys leaving Sam's mother to raise them without any help. And she seems to have done a great job because Sam is well-grounded. His acting success certainly didn't happen overnight but he worked at his craft with every chance he got. When he was picked for the role of Jamie he was getting close to 40 which was the milestone he had decided would mark the end of his try at acting. It's obviously made a major change in his life in terms of financial security but he doesn't seem to have gone wild as a result. He bought a place in Glasgow and a Harley Davidson motorcycle but he has also donated money for scholarships at his acting school. He is close to his mother and brother and a number of friends. Incredibly, he has never married. Perhaps his father abandoning his family makes him doubt whether he has what it takes for the long run. He alludes to that in the book but says that he wants to try to improve on that facet of his mindset.

All this rumination about his life is interspersed with his life on the Trail. He starts out planning to camp out each night and so his backpack is very heavy. After the second day when the rain was nonstop he was close to quitting. But he met another walker who suggested he stay in a hotel close to the trail that he was getting picked up at. A soft bed, dry clothes and a good breakfast plus a decision to forget about camping allowing him to lighten his pack put Sam on the trail with lighter footsteps. He also decided to take a little more time and really enjoy the scenery and surroundings. He started to notice all the mushrooms and other fungi surrounding the trail and they became his troops. Sam Heughan has a whimsical sense of humour. The pictures included in the book, especially the ones he took on the walk, are marvelous.

While talking about this book with my husband we thought we should maybe return to Scotland and check out some of this countryside. Sounds like a plan. ( )

I really enjoyed this book where Sam Heughan takes on the West Highland Way interspersed with his life story. Very readable. ( )

A lovely combination of memoir and travelogue, I'm left with the sense of having just finished an hours-long conversation with an old friend over a wee dram or few. Sam Heughan's conversational tone about the ups and downs of both his life as well as his journey along the West Highland Way is honest and endearing. (And I admit, it's nice to find another human who appreciates a good fungi selfie!) ( )