THE book,“Walks on the Wild Side” is written by local author John Pakenham and contains a section of stunning photographs, taken by him and illustrations by his wife Mo.

The book is set in the early 1980’s when John walked a total of 1,200 miles through the volcanic desert around Lake Turkana in northern Kenya.

He was accompanied by local Turkana and Samburu tribesmen and their long-suffering donkeys.

Constantly threatened by tribal raiders and bandits, John coped with blistering heat and extreme dehydration, bitterly cold torrential rains, vindictive mosquitoes and poisonous snakes. 

And the world’s densest population of crocodiles."He also witnessed a fatal fight between two of his companions and is lucky to be alive to tell the tale. 

Every day was a fight for survival in the wilds of East Africa.

John, who was born in Zanzibar, was mentored by Wilfred Thesiger, a famous explorer.

John said: “After living on Dartmoor for many years we moved to France, but are delighted to be back close to the Moor in Spreyton, the epicentre of Devon.  

“We are now busy working on our house and garden and a new book is underway about our life in an ancient haunted Longhouse, as well as writing children’s stories.” 

“Walks on the Wild Side” (ISBN 9781785631948) is available from the community bookshop, The Bookery in Crediton at £9.99 and would make an ideal Christmas present.