The Downhill Hiking Club

Three men. 470 kilometres. Twenty-one days.

Welcome to the Downhill Hiking Club . . .

At a boozy, cricket-filled afternoon at Lord's, Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to the unthinkable: a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country's mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. For Joly it is something of a homecoming, having grown up in Beirut. It was a happy childhood, though he did go to school with Osama bin Laden.

Arriving in Lebanon armed with copious amounts of Vaseline - and no walking experience, bar taking the dog for the occasional stroll - Dom, Chris and Harry don't quite know what they've got themselves into. Joined by their bemused chaperone Caroll, they meet a variety of characters along the way including Ali, a stony-faced Hezbollah Museum guide who seems unperturbed by circling Israeli jets, and part-time Londoner Raf, who challenges Dom and the boys to a brain-freeze drinking contest. From a hair-raising creep along the 'Valley of the Skulls' to accidentally flashing an unsuspecting Ethiopian cook, the three friends just about manage to keep going.

With more than a smattering of persiflage and some cringe-worthy moments, The Downhill Hiking Club is a big-hearted, witty and affectionate love letter to Lebanon and its rich history with a meditation on family and homeland at its heart. Written with Dom's trademark humour, it is a paean to both the simple joys of friendship and to growing old disgracefully.

“A total delight, from beginning to end. Immensely funny, and shot through with illuminating and telling insights into a country Joly clearly adores. I read it at a sitting and was charmed and enlightened by every page-- John Simpson CBE, World Affairs Editor, BBC News”

Dom Joly writes travel books for people who don't usually read travel books. This is the best adventure I've had on my sofa for years. It's funny, weirdly informative and most importantly, blister-free. -- Jenny Eclair, Sunday Times bestselling author and award-winning comedian
Compelling, enlightening, funny and yet serious too. This trip through Lebanon is both journey and reportage, both intimate and informative on this complex country -- Simon Sebag Montefiore, Sunday Times bestselling author
A total delight, from beginning to end. Immensely funny, and shot through with illuminating and telling insights into a country Joly clearly adores. I read it at a sitting and was charmed and enlightened by every page -- John Simpson CBE, World Affairs Editor, BBC News

Best known for his multi-award winning, global-smash-hit comedy series Trigger Happy TV, Dom's other comedy television credits include This is Dom Joly, World Shut Your Mouth and Fool Britannia.

Dom also makes TV travel shows including Dom Joly's Happy Hour and Dom Joly's Excellent Adventure in which he respectively travelled the world drinking too much and went on a mammoth road trip through Lebanon and Syria. His most recent travel series How Beer Changed the World sold to fifty-nine countries.

Dom is also an award-winning travel writer and has visited over a hundred countries. His books include The Dark Tourist, Scary Monsters and Super Creeps, The Downhill Hiking Club: A Short Walk Across the Lebanon and Such Miserable Weather: An English Staycation.

His latest book The Conspiracy Tourist, sees him travelling the world hanging out with conspiracy theorists and will be published in November 2023. He will tour the UK in 2024 with a new stage show based on this book.

Dom has appeared on a multitude of shows such as I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, The Island with Bear Grylls, Splash, Pilgrimage and Celebrity Hunted to name but a few.

He has also directed, produced and starred in innumerable adverts and podcasts including an Audible Original American travel series and Earworm, his chart-topping prank phone call podcast.

He has made pop videos for Blur, Ian Brown, Betty Boo, Peter Hook and Deco.

He is a columnist for Cotswold Life and has written extensively for most major newspapers.

He is the voice of Jack FM radio and hosts a regular Sunday radio show- Dom Joly's Sunday Session 12-2pm.

He is also an ambassador for Save the Children.

Three men. 470 kilometres. Twenty-one days. Welcome to the Downhill Hiking Club . . . At a boozy, cricket-filled afternoon at Lord's, Dom Joly convinces his two closest friends to agree to the unthinkable: a challenging hike across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country's mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. For Joly it is something of a homecoming, having grown up in Beirut. It was a happy childhood, though he did go to school with Osama bin Laden.Arriving in Lebanon armed with copious amounts of Vaseline - and no walking experience, bar taking the dog for the occasional stroll - Dom, Chris and Harry don't quite know what they've got themselves into. Joined by their bemused chaperone Caroll, they meet a variety of characters along the way including Ali, a stony-faced Hezbollah Museum guide who seems unperturbed by circling Israeli jets, and part-time Londoner Raf, who challenges Dom and the boys to a brain-freeze drinking contest. From a hair-raising creep along the 'Valley of the Skulls' to accidentally flashing an unsuspecting Ethiopian cook, the three friends just about manage to keep going.With more than a smattering of persiflage and some cringe-worthy moments, The Downhill Hiking Club is a big-hearted, witty and affectionate love letter to Lebanon and its rich history with a meditation on family and homeland at its heart. Written with Dom's trademark humour, it is a paean to both the simple joys of friendship and to growing old disgracefully.

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