Freddy, Phil and Don are three grumpy old men, travelling in the slow lane of retirement, at a loss to understand the mad modern world around them.

Their chosen method of escape from all this is a shared weekly hike in the Peak District, come gale, hail, snow or rain. They pass the time bumping into colourful and eccentric locals, but their real passion is bickering among themselves...

Freddy, Phil and Don are three grumpy old men, travelling in the slow lane of retirement, at a loss to understand the mad modern world around them.

Their chosen method of escape from all this is a shared weekly hike in the Peak District, come gale, hail, snow or rain. They pass the time bumping into colourful and eccentric locals, but their real passion is bickering among themselves. Not only about the right path to take, but also about where they're all going at the fag end of life. Phil likes to dash up hills trying to beat his personal best, while Freddy plots how to sabotage him with deep and difficult questions. Stuck in the middle, Don's only ambition is to stop the squabbling long enough to find a nice pub for lunch.

As warm as the wind is cold, as dry as the lashing rain is wet, The Hike is a hilarious tale of bum-warmers, bodger philosophers, sticky ginger cake, gorgeous countryside and the subtle art of 'onedownmanship'.

Map

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April

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June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Acknowledgements