Village Stops
Pub lunch and the miles that follow
A pub lunch can make the afternoon kinder or heavier. Eat enough, drink little, and let the route shrink to fit.
Village Stops
What makes a village good for walkers
A good walking village has a path from the door, something to eat, and a way home that does not depend on luck.
Countryside Care
Reading signs for ground-nesting birds
Lapwings, curlews and skylarks nest on the ground. In spring and early summer, the sign and the lead are the path.
Countryside Care
Drones, noise and courtesy on a busy hill
A drone over a crowded hill or a bird cliff is a noise and a disturbance. Leave it packed, and let the hill stay shared.
Countryside Care
How to report a broken stile or blocked path
A broken stile stays broken until someone reports it clearly. A grid reference, a photo and the right council do the job.
Countryside Care
Picking nothing: restraint on a flower-rich path
A flower-rich path is not a shop. Leave blooms, stones, berries and fossils where they are, and take a photograph instead.
Countryside Care
Sharing a bridleway with horses and cycles
A bridleway is a shared road for feet, hooves and bikes. Pass horses slowly, expect mud, and keep the dog in.
Countryside Care
Wild camping and a booked bed: know the difference
A booked pitch and a night on a hill are not the same thing. Know the local rules, and take the bed when you are unsure.
Countryside Care
Footpath erosion and the line you choose
Paths widen when walkers step off the worn line. On zigzags, peat and soft grass, your feet are the maintenance.
Countryside Care
Staying on the path through a growing crop
A path through a crop is still a path. Walk the line in single file, and do not widen it because the crop has crept in.
Countryside Care
Field gates: leave them as you found them
A gate is doing a job for the field. Leave it as you found it, and shut it when the sign or the stock requires.
Slow Weekends
How a slow weekend turns into a rush
Slow weekends collapse for ordinary reasons: one walk too many, a shut kitchen, and a train that was always early.