The Last Hill Walker by John D. Burns is the author’s personal story of falling in and out of love with the hills. It’s the debut book by this best-selling author, but I read the highly entertaining follow-up (Bothy Tales) first. In my humble opinion, you don’t need to read them in order.
In The Last Hill Walker, John D, Burns takes the reader on a forty-year adventure from his first forays in the Lake District and then onwards and upwards to ice-climbing in the French Alps. This honest account of the beauty of nature is tempered with a healthy respect for those wild places. If you mess about at high altitude, you might not come back.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Hill Walker as John D. Burns is an entertaining storyteller who brings a smile to your lips. But in the next instance wrong foots you with accounts of near-death experiences. He vividly portrays the raw power and wrath of Mother Nature and what happens when you no longer feel invincible up in the mountains.
If you want to experience wild places from the comfort of your armchair, this is an ideal starting point. I’d highly recommend The Last Hill Walker by John D. Burns. It might even inspire you to lace up a pair of walking boots and develop a love for the great outdoors. And that can only be a good thing. Enjoy.