Walking the PNT Chris Townsend has the same struggles as the rest of us would, asks the same questions and even faces the same uncertainties at times. He suffers the road and seemingly interminable plantation sections in the same way we would, realising they're a necessary evil and rejoices in the rewards of true wilderness. He ignores the guidelines he feels don't apply and trusts in his own extensive experience. In short you can forget about his almost celebrity status in the outdoors world, Chris Townsend is you, me and every other rambler, hiker, walker or whatever you want to call them.

Constructed from journals written along the way the author's journey sees him traverse the 1200 miles of an infant trail where the route isn't set in stone and there's little in the way of support infrastructure. The difficulties he comes across, however, are the difficulties anyone would come across and they're expressed, dealt with and put behind us in much the same way as any of us would hope to do. Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams is a trail guide, a diary and a manual all rolled up into one. Where precision is needed you find it, with vital information on the logistics of the trail from accommodation to re-supply points but where the narrative is more about the bigger picture the author perfectly conveys the experience of a long distance trail, both in words and pictures.

The format of the book works very well, from the breakdown of the route into 7 manageable chapters and an "Aftermath" to the layout which gives ample space for a gallery of inspirational photographs. For those unfamiliar with the author's long distance trail books, Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams reveals his real and total love of the wilderness in a way the reference book volumes never could. The questions he asks of the trail are questions about the trail and the environment rather than centred around himself and his own experience of it. You still get the gear reviewer face of the author with Appendices on navigation, food, equipment and photography and all the vital trail statistics but you get a lot more than that. In the absence of a definitive, up to date, guide book Grizzly Bears and Razor Clams is as close as you can get while the book works equally well as a diary of one man's journey. If you're contemplating taking on the PNT it's essential reading, if you like a good story there's plenty to keep your attention and if you like something with a message you'll find more than a touch of John Muir in the author's love for and feelings about the wilderness world.

Note: This article was restored from the archives. It's published creation date is inaccurate.