The Parallel Path

Love, Grit and Walking the North

By: Jenn Ashworth

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Paperback | 2 July 2026 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Format
Paperback

Dimensions(cm)
19.6 x 12.9 x 2.3

Paperback

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'Touching, thoughtful and frank - Jenn is a wonderful writer' David Nicholls

'The best kind of walking companion' Guardian

'Wonderful for taking on a walk yourself' Financial Times

'Exceptionally good company. I loved it' Mark Haddon

Burnt-out and in need of retreat, Jenn Ashworth emerged from lockdown with a compulsive need to walk - and to walk away. Armed with little more than the knowledge imparted by a two-day orienteering course and a set of maps, she embarked on the most epic of English walks: Wainwright's Coast to Coast.

Guided not just by Wainwright's writing but also by daily letters from her friend Clive - facing an epic journey of his own - Jenn's pilgrimage soon became more than just walking: a chance to reconnect and excavate, to reflect and meditate, to re-engage with the act of caring for others and for one self.

Arresting in its unbridled honesty, The Parallel Path is a moving journey through the ever-changing scenery of the North - and the internal landscape of a life in turmoil.

Industry Reviews

Forget the Salt Path - this writer's introspective journey provides genuine food for thought... Chastened but buoyant, she's stimulating to be with, her book the best kind of walking companion. - The Guardian

I've long loved Ashworth's uncanny fiction, and this memoir is filled with her characteristic understanding of the connections between the physical world and our interior lives. Wonderful for taking on a walk yourself. - Financial Times

Touching, thoughtful and frank - Jenn is a wonderful writer.

Reading The Parallel Path feels like going on a long walk with an old friend: Jenn Ashworth is exceptionally good company. I loved it.

Ashworth traces her solo journey walking the North of England's Coast to Coast route, while reflecting on everything from grief to motherhood. - The i

So much more than a simple travelogue . . . A stunning and honest account of post-pandemic life and self-discovery. - The Irish News

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