This book is aimed at parkrunners and club runners who run mainly on the roads but who would also like to run in the hills; roadrunners who want to head onto the fells but who are wary about taking the first step, maybe even a little intimidated by fell-running mountain goats who might seem almost like another species.
Phil, an only child is finding his way through life. Girls confuse but excite him. He discovers, as he grows that they, and boys too, are more complex than expected. His growing up is hard and painful. During Army service he serves in Kenya and kills. He falls in love with the country and a local girl. They marry and he farms in Africa. Anne, not all she seems, produces a life-threatening crisis for him. The resolution of this crisis causes drastic action that affects the rest of his story. The problem is not resolved until the final pages.