Wild Running

“Holborow’s poetic sensibilities are evident, but the writing remains rooted in her embodied experience… The effect is an honest voice that feels both companionable and instructive, guiding without imposing. Drawing the reader into the experience rather than dictating it… more than a manual for trails, it’s a companion for anyone seeking movement, reflection and reconnection.” 

“In Wild Running, Natalie Ann Holborow remaps these trails, focussing on far more than longitudes and latitudes. These are not simply running routes, they are the hidden stories beyond the brambles and hedgerows, and the myths that permeate the shingle. They are ways to discover the poetry of South Wales, from the tipsy tombstones of Oxwich Bay to the speechless trees of Caerphilly. In this beautifully observant work of non-fiction, as we learn that creativity often strikes when we’re most present with our bodies. Natalie becomes a running coach, a trail partner, and a friend.”

“Award winning poet Natalie Ann Holborrow takes us on a windswept running adventure around South Wales, where sheep manure, silence and glucose gels all come together to keep the artistic brain healthy, happy and full of childlike wonder. Back in 2019 running saved me. I’ve often found the experience difficult to put into words, but Natalie’s book has made me realise that the act of running reconnected me to a foolish, teenage version of myself that I’d forgotten about. Each run blew the dust off, and brought a better version of myself to the surface. I feel that magic happening all over again in Natalie’s funny and candid book. (I’ve never laughed so much at someone getting a new Strava segment, while spraying their back with sheep manure before). This book has convinced me that we are all magical beings, and running is the hand that stirs the cauldron of inspiration inside us. Oh, and I also feel sad when I run past a tree that I know has to be chopped down.”

“Both a runner’s salve and a poet’s compass. Natalie speaks in the language of footsteps, and so enticingly raw are her guided tours of the Welsh landscape that she has us all lacing up our shoes to listen a little bit better to the sound of our own.”

“This is a book every runner needs to read. Natalie’s reverence for the act of running and the beauty of nature in her homeland of South Wales is intoxicating. It is a reminder to us all of a part of ourselves we have lost connection with. Natalie’s writing is fluid and poetic, thoughtful and generous. Her authentic voice results in an intimate journey with Natalie as she takes us with her along her favourite running routes. I now want to book a running holiday in South Wales. Preferably with Natalie.”