Obituary: Brian Johnson

Brian was an absolutely prolific long-distance walker, a master of travelling lightweight on the world's finest treks. Some of his spectacular achievements include three thru-hikes of the 2650-mile Pacific Crest Trail in the western United States, a 2700-mile round-Britain walk, and ten end-to end traverses of the Pyrenees on the classic trails of the GR10, GR11 and HRP, each coming in at over 800km in length.

Brian wrote a collection of very important Cicerone guidebooks: The Pacific Crest Trail, The Corbetts, The GR10, the GR11, and, most recently, the beautiful Shorter Treks in the Pyrenees.

Orienteering was one of Brian's passions. After racing at a high level when younger, he came back to the sport to compete in the Masters classifications at various orienteering championships across Europe.

Brian was a true sporting polymath too. He was a climber, cyclist and cricketer, a player of hockey, bridge, bowls and chess; he won the 1995/96 World Amateur Chess Championships.

Our thoughts are with Brian's family at this time.