Welcome to Boot and Bike where I share my travel tales on the most exciting and responsible ways to visit new places – on foot and by bike.
Walking and cycling have been lifelong passions, and writing about them a logical extension to my career as an award-winning freelance journalist, published regularly in Guardian and Observer
A childhood divided between Dumfriesshire and West London fostered a lifelong love of unspoilt coasts and mountains, as well as the thrill of overnight train travel, so descriptions of Scotland’s magnificent hills and glens, including walking the incomparable West Highland Way as well an array of Anglo-Caledonian and European long-distance train journeys feature largely, and unashamedly, in my portfolio.
Forgoing flying, far from an impediment, provides the opportunity to enjoy more intimate and authentic experiences of different places. And travelling sustainably and indulging in low impact activities does not result in any lack of adventure or excitement: have a look at my feature on Snowshoeing in Abruzzo as an example.
While walking and cycling allow unique access to true wildernesses, such as Knoydart in North West Scotland, they are also ideal means to discover both new and familiar aspects of urban areas. My guest blogs for Love Loch Lomond show the spectacular mountains and lochs of the nearby Trossachs can be easily accessed by boot, bike and public transport from Scotland’s largest city.
Themed tours, based on aspects of a region’s history and culture, such as a coffee house tour of the Hapsburg Empire are discovered best on foot and by bike. And as walking and cycling burn calories, not carbon, seeking out the best cafes and tearooms is obligatory
But sustainable travel is not just about holidays. Sharing experiences and campaigning for better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, helps encourage others who want to walk and cycle more, as do contributions to specialised magazines and blogs
Travel is as much about the journey as the destination. Thanks for visiting Boot and Bike and I hope it helps you discover the rewards of travelling sustainably.
Jill Phillip