It's weird (and wonderful!) to be saying this, but here it is....I've written a book, and it's coming out in April.
The Lost Paths, published by Penguin Michael Joseph, is an exploration and celebration of our ancient path network and a call to reclaim what has been lost.
Hillingdon is probably the London Borough which I've explored the least, so I decided to go for a 13 mile wander at the weekend.
A few things I found in the 🧵 below incl. this concrete bridge which carries an ancient right of way, the focus of protests in the 1900s & 1920s
As the year (and Twitter, apparently) is winding down, I would love to see a photo of the place you have most loved walking this year.
Please share YOUR WONDERFUL 2022 WALKING PHOTOS (mine is from the Kent coast path)
👇👟⛰️📷👇
This fascinating map of London, produced in secret to prepare for the General Strike of 1926, just unexpectedly dropped through my door.
It includes military boundaries, vulnerable points, barracks, police stations.
Last week, I went for a wander around South West London. I discovered this wonderful old lane, free of cars, dating from at least the 18th century (but perhaps earlier). And later on, a grand avenue leading to a grand 17th century house - more on that, in the short 🧵below…
It's so easy to forget how much nicer this bit of The Strand has become in the past few months.
Hopefully the start of lots more pedestrianisation in central London.
#StreetsAreForPeople
#LoveLondonWalkLondon
A Friday walking journey through green South East London.
THREAD THREAD THREAD *👇
The long climbing alleyway up from London Road in Forest Hill...
*thread also contains houseplants, Sri Lankan food and buildings...
#LoveLondonWalkLondon
#EveryStreetInLondon
#London
#ForestHill
We did it! Me and
@oliverhp
walked every one of the 45 wonderful parks in the London Borough of Lewisham. It only took us 25.6 miles and 10 hours of walking. Feel a bit broken but a cold pint is helping!
One week to go until the publication of The Lost Paths. And it exists as a real live thing!
So, of course, I had to make a slightly cringe unboxing video. 😅
I always stop and admire the Giant Redwood at New Cross Gate Station. Highlighted by
@TheStreetTree
, apparently it was grown by a railway employee as a bonsai and planted when it got out of control.
A natural local landmark.
Walked the Elizabeth Line today, from Abbey Wood to Paddington.
A journey by rail of 29 minutes took me 5hrs 53mins on foot.
19.47 miles in glorious Friday sun.
I wonder, am I the first to walk the line since it opened?
#LoveLondonWalkLondon
Yesterday I took the opportunity to have a look around the Old Oak estate in East Acton.
Described by
@MunicipalDreams
as "a Hampstead Garden Suburb built for working people", this arts & crafts inspired garden suburb has lots of mature planting and green space.
A proper gem.
On my walk three years ago, I stumbled across this beautiful arcaded Italian Romanesque church in the Herefordshire village of Hoarwithy.
KEEP THY FOOT
#LEJOG2017
#LandsEndToJohnOGroats
#Herefordshire
DAY 26: Welsh Bicknor to Hoarwithy (10.89m)
In Poland, we visited a training centre for those learning to helm a massive container ship or tanker.
They use 24x smaller versions of the ships. But they each weigh around 12 tonnes and have 1 horse power to simulate the real things.
Today, I walked on a mile stretch of outer London road. It has been closed to vehicles for four years.
The tarmac is slowly disappearing under a carpet of fallen vegetation, hard edges softening. 💚
I love an old London path which has endured through the city's spread.
On a 15 mile stroll a few weeks ago (from Park Royal tube to Hampstead), I came across such a survivor, which once ran through fields and now buttresses semi-detached houses.
Short 🧵 w/ maps & pictures 👇
Converting bollards to planters - small Shropshire market towns are pretty good at this. Why not in London? We must have hundreds of thousands of bollards in London - what if we topped even 10% with pollinator friendly plants?
@LondonNPC
@SadiqKhan
?
Do you like to wander down a "jitty", cycle along a "lonning" or take a shortcut through a "vennel"?
I'm after regional or historic names for paths, lanes and alleys - rural and urban.
Give me your best!
Friend spotted this muntjac deer in her Telegraph Hill garden today - right near New Cross Gate Cutting wildlife reserve.
Anyone else spotted one in Lewisham before?
#NationalParkCity
#wild
#Lewisham
#TelegraphHill
Some personal news 🚨
Last month, I started a new role
@RamblersGB
.
As 'Head of Paths', I'm leading a fantastic team that supports thousands of amazing volunteers to protect, expand and improve our path network and advise the public on their rights when out walking.
Our public rights of way bring £2 billion of health and wellbeing value a year.
But 13 years of austerity have hit our paths hard. We need long-term funding strategies to ensure our paths are open for all
BBC: Public rights of way blocked in 32,000 places
Me in the i newspaper.
Our paths are a vital part of our history. So let's scrap the arbitrary deadline for protecting them.
'Britain could lose 50,000 miles of historic paths – we must protect them now'
@RamblersGB
@CampaignerKate
@openspacessoc
I recently wandered for 15 miles around Carshalton, Sutton and Cheam.
A thread of rivers, eco-buildings, pipes, birds and a risotto eaten in an old supermarket.
👇👇👇
My wonderful, loving and much loved cat Twinkles died suddenly yesterday evening.
I'm heartbroken, expecting her to wander in any minute for a head-to-head rub. 💔
She was the best of pals.
I walked through Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre for the last time today, ahead of its closure on Thursday.
Growing up in South London and travelling here most days for the last three years, I'm sad to see it going - devastating for the traders and community. 😢
@Botanygeek
I'd argue we don't lead the world in flavours (although have some excellent flavour options) but we do in texture. Want a prawn cocktail flavoured crisp? We have that in everything from spiky/crunchy all the way to dissolve on the tongue...
On the anniversary of the Kinder Scout trespass, I want to recognise all those who have fought for public access and public rights of way in history and to this day.
At places like Winter Hill, Latrigg, Knole, Kinder, Dartmoor, and thousands of other places across the country.
I love my journey to work.
I get a train through the oldest underwater tunnel in the world.
I walk by these stairs, where thousands used to pass to take ferries across the Thames.
The whole way I walk along a National Trail.
My favourite London Giant Redwood can be found at New Cross Gate Station.
Originally intended to be a bonsai, it now looms magnificently over the train tracks.
There are more Giant Sequioas in the UK than California! There are around 500,000 trees in the UK, and 80,000 in California. They were introduced 160 yrs ago and are thriving in our climate except there aren’t the right conditions to reproduce🌲
As we've been talking about path accessibility recently, here is a little oddity from a walk I did last week.
A 'Rambler gate'.
I believe it was created as an easier to use alternative to stiles.
This is 'High Lane' in Hanwell, West London. A path which once led from the city to open countryside, now connects streets of suburban houses.
I stumbled across this tree-lined lane on a recent wander around the streets of Ealing.
🧵on a day walking
#EveryStreetInLondon
👇
Just so delighted and totally bowled over to say that The Lost Paths has been longlisted for the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing.
🍃🌳😊🥲
Thank you,
@wainwrightprize
and everyone at
@MichaelJBooks
and
@PFDAgents
Just done my final radio interview of 9 today. Coverage in nearly every national newspaper. An amazing response from the public.
What a day! I'm ready for this G&T
It was a real pleasure to talk to
@MishalHusain
on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about how we have found 49,000 miles of lost paths across England and Wales.
You can hear me at 2hr 55mins: (just after Tony Blair!).
@RamblersGB
@BBCr4today
#DontLoseYourWay
Paths are an important part of our heritage, and our future - i'm In the Guardian today talking about the
@RamblersGB
project to save historic rights of way.