Hikes Around Philadelphia is a great title for novice hikers (like myself). It provides good maps, directions, time/distance estimates, and descriptive narrative about each hike.I've used it on three hikes and my only complaint is that it needs a new, updated edition. It was published in 1997 and some areas have changed in the last decade. I learned this the hard way half-way through my latest hike on "The Springfield Trail". The author might have been the last person who hiked the full trail. I was nearly trapped in vines and brambles situated between the Springfield Mall and a housing development (that was obviously built after the book was published).I still recommend the book, but you should double-check the validity of each hike using Google Maps or another source.