To Walk It Is To See It: 1 Couple, 98 Days, 1400 Miles on Europe's GR5

Kathy Elkind and her husband took a grown-up "gap year" in 2018, walking the 1,400-mile Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) across The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. The GR5 is not all comfort, but it offers warm beds, delicious regional food, and croissants in the mornings. Kathy reflects on difficult topics such as dyslexia, overeating, and shame, but finds that the walking becomes a moving meditation and the beauty of the landscape heals. To Walk It Is To See It will inspire you to lace up your walking shoes and discover your own path.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 15 August 2023
Publisher: She Writes Press

In 2018, Kathy Elkind and her husband embarked on an extraordinary journey – a grown-up "gap year" in Europe, where they walked the 1,400-mile Grande Randonnée Cinq (GR5) across The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. At fifty-seven, Kathy made a conscious choice to prioritize comfort over hardship, opting for a route that winds from village to village rather than campsite to campsite, unlike the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Coast Trail. This decision allowed her and her husband, Jim, to indulge in warm beds, delicious regional food, and croissants every morning. However, the GR5 was not without its challenges. Walking day after day for ninety-eight days brought with it sickness, accommodation struggles, language barriers, and storm-shrouded mountains in the Alps. Kathy found herself grappling with difficult topics such as her struggles with dyslexia, overeating, and shame. Yet, amidst the challenges, she discovered profound insights and healing. The walking became a moving meditation, and the beauty of the landscape began to heal her. She began to discover her own wise strength and realized that a long marriage, like a long trail, has its ups and downs, requiring hard work to keep going. But the beauty along the way is staggering.

Written with raw honesty and compassion, To Walk It Is To See It is a captivating memoir that will inspire readers to lace up their walking shoes and embark on their own journeys of self-discovery. The book is rich with dazzling scenery, painting vivid pictures of the landscapes Kathy encountered along the way. It serves as a testament to the power of walking and the transformative effects it can have on our lives. Kathy's story will resonate with anyone who has ever felt lost, overwhelmed, or in need of a change. It reminds us that we all have the strength within us to overcome our challenges and find joy in the journey.

In conclusion, To Walk It Is To See It is a must-read for anyone who loves adventure, self-reflection, and the beauty of nature. Kathy Elkind's journey will inspire you to embrace your own path and discover the wonders that await you on the road less traveled.

Weight: 398g
Dimension: 139 x 217 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781647425258