You Are Here

You Are Here (2024) by David Nicholls follows Marnie, a lonely Londoner, and Michael, a soon-to-be-divorced geography teacher, as they embark on an epic trek across northern England’s Coast to Coast Walk. Brought together by a mutual friend, their journey touches on themes of The Transformative Power of Travel and Nature, The Pain of Loneliness and the Need for Human Connection, and The Balance Between Humor and Melancholy.

David Nicholls is a celebrated British author and screenwriter whose work explores themes of love and relationships. He’s known for his witty observational style and for creating deeply human characters. Nicholls’s international bestseller One Day (2009) was adapted into a movie starring Anne Hathaway and, more recently, an acclaimed Netflix series.

Page citations in this guide refer to the Sceptre 2024 e-book edition.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide refer to alcohol misuse and infertility.

Plot Summary

Thirty-eight-year-old Marnie Welsh is lonely. An unhappy marriage that ended in divorce has sapped her confidence, and her friends are all married with children. Marnie works as a copyeditor from home and has rarely left her London apartment since the COVID-19 pandemic. On New Year’s Day, her TV streaming device displays a slideshow of recent photographs. They show recipes and pictures of faulty goods but no people.

In York, 42-year-old geography teacher Michael Bradshaw spends his weekends hiking alone, trying to “walk off” the pain of his failed marriage. His wife, Natasha, left after their unsuccessful attempts to have children together.

Cleo Fraser, a mutual friend of Marnie and Michael, persuades them to take an Easter walking break in northern England. Michael plans to continue the Coast to Coast Walk after his companions leave and complete the 190-mile route. He travels light, taking three pairs of pants and two shirts. Marnie buys an enormous rucksack, packing 12 pairs of pants, evening attire, a copy of Wuthering Heights, and Alfred Wainwright’s guide to the walking route.

Michael boards the same train as Marnie on the way to the Lake District. Unaware that she’s one of the walking party, he enjoys watching her work on her laptop. Marnie is copyediting an orgy scene from an erotic thriller, Twisted Night.

The walking party also includes Cleo, her teenage son Anthony, and a single man named Conrad. Conrad is good-looking but inappropriately dressed in skinny jeans and trainers. Cleo apologizes to Michael for her “outdoorsy” friend Tessa canceling. Michael takes a pebble from the shore and dips his boots in the sea, explaining that these actions are traditional when walking the route. Marnie picks a stone and “taps” the waves with her feet, careful not to get her boots wet.

Marnie unsuccessfully tries to impress Conrad with witty observations. He talks at length about Formula One racing. Marnie finds the walk exhausting and feels that the views aren’t worth the exertion. She’s dismayed to learn that Cleo, Anthony, and Conrad are leaving on Monday morning. Her own train ticket is booked for Tuesday evening. The group checks into the Trout Inn. After dinner, Marnie goes to Conrad’s room, hoping for romance. However, the atmosphere is awkward, and she returns to her room, disappointed.

The following day brings torrential rain. Conrad drops out of the walk and goes to the next hotel. Cleo and Anthony soon turn back. Marnie perseveres but finds the experience torturous. Once they reach a road, she catches a bus and checks into the hotel as Conrad checks out. He says he hates the countryside and suggests meeting up in London. Cleo and Anthony go home too, but Marnie stays. The weather improves, and she begins to appreciate the landscape, while Michael realizes that he enjoys her company. She tells him about her disastrous marriage.

Michael and Marnie check into a luxurious hotel and arrange to meet for dinner, but she falls asleep. Upon waking, she rushes downstairs as the dining room closes. He’s wearing his usual shirt with a Prada tie borrowed from lost property.

The next day is sunny. On the walk, Michael declares that he’ll swim in a tarn, stripping down to his underwear. Marnie follows his example. However, the water is cold, and neither dares to swim. Later that day, Marnie takes a photograph of Michael and agrees to extend her stay. That evening, they check into a shabby pub beside the railway line. At dinner, they’re joined by a Scottish couple, Brian and Barbara, who have been married for 42 years.

Walking across the Yorkshire Dales, Marnie and Michael share songs from their phones, recalling life events associated with them. That evening, Marnie sneaks Michael into her B&B room. They kiss, but the landlady interrupts, reminding Marnie that guests are prohibited after 10 o’clock in the evening. In the early hours, Michael receives a message from Natasha agreeing to meet in Richmond.

The following day, Michael and Marnie are shocked to discover that Brian has died. Michael reveals that he grew a beard to conceal a scar he acquired when a group of teenage boys attacked him. He describes how he was hospitalized and had panic attacks afterward and how the trauma contributed to his split with Natasha. He doesn’t tell Marnie about his plan to meet Natasha.

The next day, Michael secretly books a double hotel room, believing that he may reconcile with Natasha. During their walk, Marnie points out where they are on a map, remarking on how far they’ve come. Marnie decides that she’ll complete the coast-to-coast walk if Michael asks her to. However, he bids her goodbye when they reach his Richmond hotel. Deciding to tell Michael how she feels about him, Marnie surprises him in his hotel room, suggesting that they complete the walk together. Michael admits that he’s waiting for Natasha and still loves her. Hurt and angry, Natasha catches the London train.

Natasha informs Michael that she’s pregnant and lives with the baby’s father. She suggests speeding up the divorce. Afterward, Michael treks across the Yorkshire Moors but misses Marnie. Arriving at a B&B with a bleak view, he sends her a photograph with an apologetic message. She doesn’t reply. The next day, he accepts a lift to the nearest train station, concluding that finishing the walk is futile.

In London, Marnie goes on a date with Conrad, but they lack chemistry. She spends the summer seeing friends and takes a trip to Italy alone. Meanwhile, Michael dates Tessa for a while. They engage in “outdoorsy” activities, but he realizes that he’s in love with Marnie.

Michael arranges to meet Marnie for a walk in London. Presenting her with his pebble, he suggests that they complete the last part of the coast-to-coast walk together. They kiss, and she agrees to think about it. Michael opens Marnie’s gift as she walks away. Inside is a beautiful white shirt.