The Natural Explorer
- Author Tristan Gooley
- Narrator Tristan Gooley
- Publisher Hodder & Stoughton
- Publish Date 26 June 2025
- Run Time 9 hours and 44 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Nature and the natural world: general interest, Self-help, personal development and practical advice, Sports and Active outdoor recreation, Travel writing.
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What to expect
Tristan Gooley demonstrates how it is possible to connect profoundly with the lands we travel through, even from the comfort of your living room. In The Natural Explorer he combines the work of the some of the most insightful travellers of the past two thousand years with his own experience.
The most rewarding travel experiences do not depend on our destination or the length of our journey, but on our levels of awareness. A short walk can compare with an epic journey, when we take the time to focus on the things that dramatically enrich each journey.
Exploration is no longer about hardship, long distances, or even venturing beyond the borders of your own home. It is about celebrating the sense of connection and discovery that is possible in all our travels.
As the author of the international bestsellers The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs and How to Read Water, Tristan Gooley knows how to de-code the phenomena and signs to look for.
As he says, 'I want you to get to know these signs as I have, as characters. By studying their habits and behaviours, the signs come to life and the meaning reveals itself. From this flows an ability to read what is happening and what is about to happen'.
This is the ultimate guide to exploring an undiscovered world, one that hides in front of our eyes.
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Critical acclaim for The Natural Explorer:
'Discover a whole new world . . . a journey through the intricate, detailed and often-missed sides of a walk.' ― Wanderlust
'The Natural Explorer takes us on a multi-sensory, literary journey intent on heightening awareness of our surroundings. An ambitious combination of Gooley's own insights and those of countless other writers, explorer and philosophers, this is serious armchair adventuring.' ― Prospect Magazine
'Gooley returns with a highly readable and engaging work devoted to the temporarily mislaid art of exploration . . . it's an inspiring account but also a turning point - perhaps a classic in years to come - because its simple aim is to help you recognise what your senses are telling you. It's also an object lesson in how to frame a call to action, because this is a book you can't put down until you absolutely have to get out and start seeing the world as you should. And that's when the adventure really begins . . .' ― Countryfile
'The Natural Explorer by Tristan Gooley is a call to enrich our travel experiences through connecting with nature - essentially a greater awareness of our surroundings . . . Chapters include the sky, the earth and time - and as someone who can get around the Tate in about half an hour, I paid particular attention here.' ― Evening Standard
'A charming and intelligent guide to exploring the local landscape.' ― Financial Times
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Listeners LOVE The Natural Explorer:
'The ideal justification for slowing down, paying attention to what is going on around you, and probably knocking a few miles off any planned walk you choose to do . . . take a snatched 5 minutes waiting in your car at traffic lights to look, smell and listen to what is going on around you. If you do this you might be surprised and this book should be your inspiration to try ' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A gently written and entertainingly informative read for an extended stroll around the secrets of understanding the natural world ' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A wonderful antidote to the pedestrian publications which although fill a small hole, cause one to miss the gaping maw of missed experience one doesn't even know is there !' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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