Walking those Local Paths

I wrote this three years ago. We had no idea then just how important local paths were to become in these days of pandemic. So please help the Ramblers claim those 49000 miles of paths that are not yet on the Definitive Map. Fight this government’s proposals to make your freedom to roam in our…

The Proposed Dartmoor Bylaws in a Nutshell

The New Dartmoor Bylaws in a nutshell – from The Dartmoor Access Group. Our nation responded to the challenges of 2020 by surrendering their freedoms to protect the NHS; this was a time when mass mortuaries were running out of space, when people were afraid for their families, and we were told by our Prime…

A Stroll to Dryburgh Abbey

You don’t have to walk very far to see a great deal, as we found out the other week when we walked to Dryburgh Abbey in the Scottish Borders – just a mile or so, but so much history. Dryburgh Abbey was officially closed – partly because of Covid but also because they are carrying…

An Interview With John Bainbridge

This morning I had the great privilege of talking to outdoors author and novelist John D. Burns on his wonderful podcast Outside In. We talked about the outdoors, campaigning for access and the countryside, and the Dartmoor bylaws, so do tune in. And if you haven’t read John’s grand books about Scotland, please do –…

Dartmoor Bylaws – Another Open Letter to the Ramblers

Further to my last post, I’ve just seen this brilliant letter to The Ramblers from Max Piper. My email to The Ramblers: Dear Ramblers, I am writing to you to ask for your support in rejecting Dartmoor National Park’s absurd byelaw proposals that will be detrimental for walkers and visitors to the moor, including the…

An Open Letter to The Ramblers Regarding the Dartmoor Bylaws

An Open Letter to The Ramblers from John Bainbridge Dear Ramblers I would be horrified if The Ramblers decided to support in any way the new bylaws proposed by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. The new bylaws would be one of the worst assaults on National Park purposes that I’ve seen in a long life…

Fight for the Right to Roam

 This message today from Nick Hayes and Guy Shrubsole of The Right to Roam Campaign… Help us call on the Treasury for a greater Right to RoamHi everyone, Big news: suddenly, the Treasury cares about public access to nature! We’ve discovered that the Treasury has commissioned a Minister, Lord Agnew, to lead a new review into access…

A Walk to Barns along the Tweed

One of my favourite walks in the Scottish Borders is following the River Tweed down from Peebles to the fortified tower of Barns – made famous as the home of the eponymous hero of John Buchan’s early novel John Burnet of Barns. Apart from the river scenery, which is quite wonderful, you also walk a…

Prime Minister Urged to Improve Access to Nature

This from The Ramblers… A coalition of charities led by the Ramblers has written to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, issuing a warning that the Government is missing vital opportunities in upcoming legislation to improve access to nature. The opportunity for action is now In an open letter to the Prime Minister, the charities including Friends of…

Walking the Eildon Hills

Over the years we’ve seen the Eildon Hills from so many directions, but we’d never actually been up them. But last week, having our first holiday in two years up in the bonnie Scottish Borders we walked up them from Melrose, using the St Cuthbert’s Way for the first part of the walk. Long before…

A Poor Path Diversion at Wharton Hall

It’s a year or two since we last walked from Kirkby Stephen to Wharton Hall – a ramble that features in a lot of guidebooks and online sites. And since our last walk that way, I see that the bridleway that used to run up the drive to Wharton Hall has been diverted. I have…