Island Walks Book Two - Far East to Far West

Island Walks, Book Two Far East to Far West, is the second in the Island Walks Series about the author’s walks across Great Britain. Generously illustrated, mainly with his own photographs, Paul Truswell takes the reader with him on the trail as he shares his recollections of each solo journey in words and images. Book Two starts on the English east coast at Lowestoft and ends 560 miles and 32 route days later at England’s only geographical cape, Cape Cornwall near Land’s End. Paul’s writing style is informal and relaxed with an occasional ‘rant’ about subjects close to his heart. The Island Walks Series of books are not prescriptive guides to particular routes, but give the reader a sense of what the long-distance walking experience is like, and at the same time, increase awareness of the sheer size of our planet in the context of the author’s modestly sized island home. The underlying theme of these books is ‘Sizing Up Great Britain’…without a measuring tape! Other books in the Island Walks Series are Lindisfarne to Iona (published in 2021) and to be published is Cape Wrath Calling.

Rooted in his first career as an Architectural Technologist and in recent years as a self-employed Information Technology support specialist, Paul Truswell has a kaleidoscope character with many interests beyond work including tropical fish, photography, wine making, real ale, music as listener and player, aviation, current affairs, weather, maps; the list goes on. However his first leisure-time love is the great outdoors, indulged since 1999 in a series of long-distance walks. He never intended to become a writer but now in semi-retirement he has decided to recall his solo walking adventures, at the same time giving the world a glimpse into his substantial photographic collection. Paul’s musical exploits never brought fame, but as guitarist with hard-working Stockport-based band The Predators (aka ‘The Preds’) his Christian faith was tested in some of the most challenging pub and club venues you could imagine. Loud music is not something you would readily associate with someone who instinctively prefers peace, quiet and sometimes solitude; things he finds out on the trail, whether in urban or rural wilds. His Christian faith is deep but unconventional. Paul loves encounters with people on his journeys and will readily converse about the wonders of Creation as he sees it, but he would far rather do that over a pint of classic English bitter and a bag of salted nuts in a pub than in a church building. The great outdoors is his place of worship. Paul married Janine in 1984 and has two children: Sarah and James.