Bestselling Adventure Author

Running, cycling and family adventure books
250,000+Books sold
7Books
Award-winningAmazon Kindle Storyteller Award

The books

Seven books of true adventure

Anna McNuff is a bestselling British adventure author whose books have sold more than 250,000 copies. She writes funny, honest true stories about running and cycling huge distances, from 3,000 km through New Zealand to 2,352 miles barefoot across Britain, and, lately, about adventuring with three small children. Her adventure stories are all on audiobook too, narrated by Anna herself.

The Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff, book coverRunning · New Zealand

The Pants of Perspective

Running the length of New Zealand

The United States of Adventure by Anna McNuff, book coverCycling · USA

The United States of Adventure

11,000 miles by bike through all 50 states

Llama Drama by Anna McNuff, book coverCycling · The Andes

Llama Drama

5,500 miles by bike through the Andes

Barefoot Britain by Anna McNuff, book coverRunning · Britain

Barefoot Britain

2,352 miles across Britain in bare feet

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups by Anna McNuff, book coverShort stories

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups

True mini-adventures to read at bedtime

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups 2 by Anna McNuff, book coverShort stories · Family

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups 2

Adventures with three small children in tow

100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up by Anna McNuff, book coverChildren's

100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up

An adventure checklist for kids

Praise for Anna’s books

What people are saying

“Llama Drama is simply hilarious… witty and moving at the same time. I literally inhaled it.”

Claudia WinklemanTV presenter and author, on Llama Drama

“A thrilling coming of age journey that’ll make you yearn for adventure.”

Runner’s Worldon The Pants of Perspective

“This will easily entice little ones to put down the phone and start planning adventures.”

The Timeson 100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up
Anna McNuff smiling on a trail run, wearing her running pack and visor

Meet the author

Anna McNuff

Anna is a British adventurer, former Great Britain rower and bestselling author. She has run and cycled more than 20,000 miles around the world: through every state of the USA by bike, along the length of New Zealand on foot and 2,352 miles across Britain in her bare feet.

The Guardian named her one of the most inspiring modern female adventurers, and Condé Nast Traveller listed her among the 50 most influential travellers in the world. She’s also a TEDx speaker and co-founder of Adventure Queens, a women’s adventure community with more than 15,000 members.

These days her adventures come with three small children in tow. The family are slow-travelling the world, and Anna writes about the colourful chaos in her weekly Restless Mumma newsletter. (She maintains that being a mum is harder than any of her challenges.) She narrates all her own audiobooks, too, and has a whale of a time with the character accents.

The Anna’s Adventures series

Adventure memoirs

The Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff, book cover

Anna's Adventures · Book 1

The Pants of Perspective

One woman's 3,000 km running adventure through the wilds of New Zealand

Anna was never anything like those “real” runners on telly – all spindly limbs, tiny shorts and split times. But when she read about New Zealand’s 3,000-kilometre Te Araroa Trail, she began to wonder… perhaps being a “real” runner was overrated. Maybe she could just run it anyway?

“A thrilling coming of age journey that’ll make you yearn for adventure”Runner’s World
The United States of Adventure by Anna McNuff, book cover

Anna's Adventures · Book 2

The United States of Adventure

A life-changing journey by bike through every state of America

Disillusioned with corporate London life and with no previous experience as a long-distance cyclist, Anna climbs aboard a beautiful pink bicycle named Boudica and sets out on an 11,000-mile journey, on her own, through each and every state of the USA.

“Wow! Just wow! I had a feeling I would like this book, but I didn’t think I would LOVE it.”Kristi, Goodreads reader
Llama Drama by Anna McNuff, book cover

Anna's Adventures · Book 3

Llama Drama

A two-woman, 5,500-mile cycling adventure through South America

★ Winner · Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award

Why take the shortest, most direct route through life when you could choose the wiggliest, most mountainous one possible? Armed with a limited grasp of Spanish and determined to meet as many llamas as possible, Anna and her friend Faye set off on a six-month, 5,500-mile ride along the spine of the Andes.

“Llama Drama is simply hilarious… witty and moving at the same time. I literally inhaled it.”Claudia Winkleman, TV presenter and author
Barefoot Britain by Anna McNuff, book cover

Anna's Adventures · Book 4

Barefoot Britain

A running adventure like no other

Anna had never run a mile without shoes on. Then, one British summer, she set off from the very top of the Shetland Islands on a (very) wiggly route to London, running 2,352 miles in her bare feet. Expect remote islands, big cities, kind strangers and setbacks-a-plenty, told with warmth, humour and painful honesty.

Bite-sized adventures

Short story collections

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups by Anna McNuff, book cover

Short stories

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups

Short stories for short attention spans

Ever wanted to kayak down a gorge in New Zealand, run night-time marathons through the Californian desert or rollerblade 100 miles around Amsterdam? Always upbeat and often insightful, this collection of true short stories is the antidote to adult life. Because grown-ups need bedtime stories, too.

“Makes you want to leave your safe, comfortable sofa and explore the amazing, big, wide world.”Amazon reader
Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups 2 by Anna McNuff, book cover

Short stories · New for 2026

Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups 2

True travel stories about freedom, family chaos and escaping the everyday

What happens to adventure when you have kids? This time it comes with curveballs and considerably less sleep: a 150-mile family bike ride through France in a record-breaking heatwave, a run through Cabo Verde timed around twin toddlers’ naps, and 16 miles pushing three kids in buggies. Perfect for parents, dreamers and anyone who feels the quiet tug to do something brave again.

“Super inspirational like all Anna’s books.”Jenny, Amazon reader

For mini-adventurers

Children’s book

100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up by Anna McNuff, book cover

Children's book

100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up

A book for mini-adventurers

From building a den to going on a skateboard journey, visiting a lighthouse and telling midnight ghost stories, every adventure in this book will inspire children to get outdoors and go exploring, no matter where they live.

“Just the kind of book I’d have loved as a kid.”The Times

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

How many books has Anna McNuff written?

Seven. Four adventure memoirs in the Anna’s Adventures series (The Pants of Perspective, The United States of Adventure, Llama Drama and Barefoot Britain), two collections of true short stories (Bedtime Adventure Stories for Grown Ups 1 and 2) and a children’s book, 100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up. Together they have sold more than 250,000 copies.

Which Anna McNuff book should I read first?

Each book stands alone, so start wherever the adventure appeals. If you love running, try The Pants of Perspective or Barefoot Britain. If you prefer cycling, try The United States of Adventure or Llama Drama, which won the Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award. For something to dip in and out of, pick up one of the Bedtime Adventure Stories collections.

Are Anna’s books available as audiobooks?

Yes. Six of the seven books are audiobooks, all narrated by Anna herself (character accents included). You’ll find them on Audible, Spotify, Apple Books and most other audiobook apps. 100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up is available in paperback and on Kindle.

Where can I buy the paperbacks and ebooks?

Paperbacks are available from Amazon and can be ordered through most bookshops. All seven ebooks are on Kindle, and every book except 100 Adventures can also be read with Kindle Unlimited.

Can Anna talk about her books at an event?

Yes. As well as conferences and schools, Anna speaks at book festivals and reading events. Email speaking@annamcnuff.com with your date and location.

Restless Mumma

Anna’s stories, in your inbox

Anna’s weekly Substack newsletter about family adventure, motherhood and slow-travelling the world with three small children. Join 3,000+ readers.