Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Book of the Year 2025
A Financial Times best summer travel book of 2024
'A powerfully delicate book of love, loss and discovery, along paths of emotional understanding and physical wonder.' Raynor Winn
On an assignment to walk the most famous pilgrimage in the world – the Camino de Santiago, in northern Spain – Phoebe Smith somehow lost her way.
Having spent a lifetime exploring unfamiliar places, she quit her dream job, ended her long-term relationship and headed home to North Wales to discover the point to… everything.
In her search for answers she found herself – quite by accident – walking some of Britain’s oldest pilgrim paths. And by following these old ways, she ended up confronting past traumas that she thought she had laid to rest.
But while it follows holy trails, this is not a book about religion. From losing her mother as a teenager to surviving toxic relationships, Phoebe offers an unflinchingly honest look at her battle with an eating disorder, depression, and the pitfalls of newfound singledom.
Skilfully weaving together Phoebe’s own story with those of countless travellers past and present, Wayfarer reveals how nature and place can heal past wounds, offering a pathway to salvation she’d never thought existed.
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN: 9780008566555
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 240 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 20 mm
‘Raw, honest, powerful. I couldn't put it down.’ Cerys Matthews 'Moving, uplifting and utterly relatable.' Kate Humble 'A candid, personal memoir.' Financial Times 'A poignant reminder that the internal journey is as sacred as the external journey. Beautifully written.' Levison Wood ‘Brave, bold and fearless.’ Steve Backshall ‘Unflinching and tender. It will make you want to live boldly, open your heart, find your next adventure and sprint headlong towards it.’ Helen Mort 'Full of tender, honest reflections and sharp observations.' Wyl Menmuir 'Lyrical and revelatory. … A moving tribute to the power of pilgrimage, illuminating Smith’s journey to find her authentic voice.' Sharon Blackie 'Pilgrimage is about getting to know yourself and Wayfarer finds Phoebe learning to sing out her soul.' Guy Hayward, Director, British Pilgrimage Trust 'This intimate and moving memoir made me want to lace up my boots, leave my desk, and just go. Bold, brave and inspiring.' Annabel Abbs 'An inspiring journey of honouring our memories while living a life in defiance of the past.' Jade Angeles Fitton ‘Memoir, travel diary, and historical and ecological companion, this book will grab and hold its readers’ attention as they follow the complicated path of a spiritual seeker.’ Church Times 'As she walks, Smith reveals her love of nature and the countryside in poignant, finely observed prose.’ Country and Town House 'Timely and revelatory.' Geographical 'This multi-faceted book is a gem … Inspirational, honest and powerful.' Nation.cmyru 'One of the Best Travel Books of 2024, Wayfarer shows that the UK wilderness has restorative powers far beyond an invigorating view.' Wanderlust 'I devoured it over a couple of days and kept creeping back because I just had to know what happened next.' Penny Post Praise for Phoebe Smith… ‘A splendid writer and an inspiring traveller’ Bill Bryson ‘Inspiring, passionate and practical’ Robert Macfarlane
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