HorseTravelBooks.com - Europe, page 3

www.HorseTravelBooks.com
A division of The Long Riders' Guild Press
The world's first collection of Equestrian Travel Classics

Website designed by Basha O'Reilly

Europe - Page 3

Each of the HorseTravelBooks.com titles has a direct link to its own page on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.co.uk. Alternatively, all of our titles can be ordered from your local bookshop.

Saddletramp Jeremy James ISBN 159048066X	Saddletramp is the story of Jeremy James’ journey from Turkey to Wales by horse, which took him eight and a half months through some of the most spectacular countryside in Asia Minor and Europe. Jeremy arrived in Turkey in the winter of 1987, spending some time looking for a horse before finding Ahmed Paşa, an untried, old and wormy Arab stallion who had never before been ridden. The two of them set out across Turkey on an unplanned route with an inaccurate compass, unreadable map and the unfailing aid of villagers who seemed to have as little sense of direction as he had. He found himself in difficulties often, once having to swim a mile-wide river estuary with Ahmed Paşa, and on another occasion having to scramble down a cliff face together. They regularly slept out, sharing meals, bugs and discomfort. Unable to take his beloved horse out of Turkey he then went to Greece where he bought Maria, a three-year-old unbroken filly, property of the local knackerman. Again, foiled by bureaucracy, he left Maria with friends at the Greek border and bought Gonzo, his third horse, in Italy. They travelled haphazardly up through Umbria and Tuscany, then over the Alps and into the French wine harvest, where both of them sampled the local drink, and suffered the consequences. They arrived in Britain in November. By turns thoughtful and sensitive, he paints a remarkable picture of rural life, taking the reader through the extremes of climate he met, the four seasons and four countries he passed through. Jeremy’s descriptions of the places he found himself in with his horses will captivate readers and leave them with the scent of leather, horses, and the lingering taste of vin du paradis. Go to Amazon.co.uk or Barnes & Noble
Spanish Pilgrimage Robin Hanbury-Tenison ISBN 1590481240	Spanish Pilgrimage is the delightful story of Robin and Louella Hanbury-Tenison’s journey to Santiago de Compostela in 1989. For a thousand years a long, hot and dangerous journey over the mountains, the dusty plains and the rich countryside of Spain has led millions of Christian pilgrims to the great cathedral of St. James at Compostela. The story is as old as medieval history and the route is still alive with the churches, monasteries and shrines built by the faithful. Readers of Robin Hanbury-Tenison’s other bestselling travel books will be delighted to hear that once again he and his wife Louella went to Santiago de Compostela in a traditional way – riding on white horses over long-forgotten tracks. It was a family pilgrimage as their four-year-old son, Merlin, went with them. In the process they discovered more about the people and the country than any conventional traveller would learn. Their adventures are vividly and entertainingly recounted in this delightful and highly readable book. Through their journey Robin came to experience a true ‘green pilgrimage,’ an ecological equivalent of the search for religious faith in medieval man. His fascinating book draws together conclusions from a lifetime of exploration. Click here to go to Amazon.co.uk or Barnes & Noble
Through Russia on a Mustang Thomas Stevens ISBN 1590480171	Even in the Age of Adventure, there were few men to equal Thomas Stevens! He scouted for the famous African explorer, Henry Morton Stanley. Then in 1866 the American reporter proceeded to pedal a penny-farthing bicycle around the world, seeing the sights in Europe, out-racing a mob in Persia, and baffling the Japanese in Yokohama. No sooner had Stevens returned from his four-year bicycle marathon than he was hired by a New York newspaper to go to Russia on a special assignment. Only this time Stevens was ordered to travel through the heart of the Czar’s vast domain on horseback! Though the intrepid traveler had already lived through dozens of dangers, Russia presented new challenges. Mounted on his faithful horse, Texas, Stevens crossed the Steppes in search of adventure. Cantering across the pages of “Through Russia on a Mustang” is a cast of nineteenth century Russian misfits, peasants, aristocrats—and even famed Cossack Long Rider Dmitry Peshkov. This exciting equestrian tale is illustrated with photographs taken by Stevens during his historic trip. Go to Amazon.co.uk or Barnes & Noble
Though the Highlands of Shropshire Magdalene Weale ISBN 1590480384	It was 1933 and Magdalene Weale was faced with a dilemma. How to best explore her beloved English countryside? A motor car was denounced for its lack of involvement with the landscape. The bicycle, a “useful vehicle,” was nonetheless ruled out as it restricted the traveler to much the same view afforded from a car. Plus walking allowed only a limited degree of rural investigation. It seemed logical therefore to set out on horseback! What better way to do justice to the glorious "Highlands of Shropshire" or experience a sense of wild freedom than from the back of a saddle? A picturesque part of England steeped in legend, Weale discovered that Shropshire hosted ancient stone circles once frequented by sun worshipping primitives, Roman ruins close to their still tightly cobbled roads, and the remains of Saxon, Norman and Viking settlements. “Through the Highlands of Shropshire” is also full of natural beauty with page after page revealing the poetic observations of flora and fauna, birds and wildlife, as seen from the back of Weale’s ambling mare, Sandy. Part historical account, part Edwardian remembrance, it invokes a gentle, softer world inhabited by gracious country lairds, wise farmers, and jolly inn keepers. Complete with pencil drawings and detailed maps, this fine little book begs the reader to follow Weale’s advice. “Go thou and do likewise.” Go to Amazon.co.uk or Barnes & Noble
Travels in an Unknown Country Julian Ross ISBN 1590481259	If you know and love Romania, then you will be enchanted by this book. If you have barely heard of the delightful little country which once marked the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire, then you are in for a delicious surprise. Like Patrick Leigh-Fermor who walked from The Hook of Holland to Istanbul and wrote so memorably and movingly of his travels, Julian Ross takes you by the hand and leads you through his adopted country, lovingly describing the history, culture, and geography of this mountainous land. “Time moves slowly in rural Transylvania,” he explains, “and hurrying is an alien concept.” The author moves easily from his role as amateur historian, “Transylvania is a millpond between rapids, a sheltered spot cradled in the sweeping crescent of the Carpathian Mountains,” to that of equestrian explorer, “The traveller is bound simply by common sense and courtesy.” Julian’s two equestrian journeys are intimately portrayed, yet he never falls into the trap of allowing the narrative to wallow in unnecessary detail. By the time you have read this book you may not have become an expert horseman, but you will feel as if you yourself have visited each little village, every ancient town and explored the rural countryside alongside this talented story-teller. Go to Amazon.co.uk or Barnes & Noble

Back to Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Home

Visit Classic Travel Books for more thrilling travel tales!

The Long Riders' Guild - New Energy and New Ideas for a New Millennium!