Newsletter > Newsletter archive > January 2018
January 2018
Walking Roots - our 2018 project
Please forgive the terrible pun, but it seemed an appropriate title for our new footpaths history project. Also it's a title that nobody appears to have claimed before, apart from a band from a small town in Virginia playing 'original folk, reclaimed hymns and folk rap'. We hope they don't mind sharing it with us.
Seven years ago we published 'Pathways', which looked at the variety of paths and tracks that played a vital role in the development of our country, from ancient ridgeways and Roman roads, to packhorse trails, smuggling routes and urban walkways. For that book we picked routes from all round England, Scotland and Wales, to showcase what you might call the 'classic' examples of each path or track type.
More recently we wrote a weekly column for the Big Issue, highlighting the quirky features, some man-made, some geological, that can be encountered on British walks. While undoubtedly oddities, many of these 'Hidden Britain' features threw a fascinating light on our social history.
For 2018 we have decided to focus on the story of our pathways in a much more local area. By way of example we have picked on our own parish, Stainmore, which lies in a remote part of Cumbria. Following the span of the original Pathways book, we'll be exploring our local paths from prehistory through to the modern day, unmasking our community's roots through its walking and transport connections. You can read our first Walking Roots piece on our Walkingworld blog, and we invite you to take part by letting us know of your own local history projects.
Put a spring in your step with HF Holidays
Walking and activity holiday specialist HF Holidays has unveiled a new collection of Spring Walking breaks. The holidays come with a choice of two walks a day, each including a relaxing stop in a cosy pub or tearoom for a hot lunch or afternoon tea.
In the Cotswolds you can enjoy a stay at Harrington House, just 100 metres from the centre of Bourton-on-the-Water, one of the most popular villages in the Cotswolds and a great destination in its own right.
Church Stretton in the Shropshire Hills is the ideal base for exploring the area's peaceful meadows and rugged moorland. Longmynd House is set in the hills overlooking the town. Ironbridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, NT property Uppark House and the foodie and architectural gem of Ludlow are all nearby.
Walks at Malhamdale in the Yorkshire Dales could take you to the huge amphitheatre of Malham Cove - once a waterfall to rival Niagara Falls - or the cascades of Gordale Scar. On a gentler day there are the cobbled streets of Grassington and Kettlewell and the market town of Skipton and its medieval castle to explore.
At the foot of the South Downs, Abingworth Hall offers a great location for short or long strolls in the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park. This wildlife-rich chalk downland is a colourful tapestry of historic villages, wild-flower meadows, thatched cottages and quaint pubs.
For dates available and further information on HF Holidays' self-guided and guided walking holidays, call 0345 470 7558 or visit www.hfholidays.co.uk
Spring Walking Breaks
- Bourton:16 March, 3 nights from £280pp
- Church Stretton: 12 March, 3 nights from £275pp
- Malhamdale: 23 March, 3 nights from £275pp
- Abingworth:16 March, 3 nights from £285pp
All on full board basis and subject to availability. Other dates/locations available. Terms and conditions apply - see website for full T&Cs.
Summer walking in the Slovenian Alps
Pri Lenart Hotel offers its guests guided walking holidays surrounded by some of the finest views in Europe. Located at an elevation of 900m, summer is the perfect time of year for a walking holiday in Slovenia. Unlike many European locations in the middle of the holiday season, you will find yourself away from the crowds, often only meeting a few locals, fellow walkers and the wildlife of the Slovenian woodland and Alps.
The 2018 season runs from 21st April - 13th October, with some fantastic low prices available for breaks in July and August. Prices for a luxury walking holiday in a walker's paradise start from just £895 and cover everything from accommodation to the guided walks, food and drinks.
To find out more visit the Pri Lenart hotel website or call +386 41 650 321.
Spring walking in the Alpujarra : Special offer
Spring is the best time to visit the Alpujarra in Andalucia. The meadows are green, the wild flowers breathtaking, and the weather is warm but not too hot. This year Casa Ana has a special offer: 100 euros per person off for holidays in April and May.
You can join writer Chris Stewart for a week exploring the Alpujarras and the Sierra Nevada National Park ('Walking over Lemons' - April 7-14). Chris' favourite walks take you through meadows full of spring flowers and almond, oak and chestnut groves as well as the area's traditional white villages. There is also a day's hiking in the mountains with views of snowy peaks and the blue Mediterranean far below; and a day in Granada, exploring the medieval city with its palaces, silk market and water caverns. Plus a walk down the river valley to Chris' farm and a long lunch on the terrace.
On the May 13-19 holiday, 'Walking with Nature', Chris Stewart teams up with expert guides for five days of gentler walks in the best locations for wild flowers, birds and butterflies. The routes take you into the mountains to look for eagles, ibex and Alpine gentians, and to the wetlands (home of the marsh harrier and purple heron), with woodland, riverside and meadow walking in between.
Both holidays are based at Casa Ana, a lovely guest house in Ferreirola, one of the most unspoilt villages in the heart of the Alpujarra. For information and bookings please contact Anne: info@casa-ana.com
Casa Ana Spring Holidays
- Walking over Lemons (7 nights, April 7-14). REDUCED to 1195 euros p.p. sharing /1375 euros own room.
- Walking with Nature (6 nights, May 13-19). REDUCED to 935 euros p.p. sharing/1135 euros own room.
- Offer limited to 4 places per holiday.
- Included: B&B at Casa Ana, lunches, picnics, dinners, guides, local transport.
- Not included: flights, airport transfers, some refreshments, tickets to monuments.
Walkingworld app iOS version
If you have been trying to install the iOS version of the Walkingworld app during the last couple of weeks, we apologise. We have a new version in the pipeline but it's taken a little longer than we hoped. It is now going through the Apple review process so with a bit of luck it will be back in the store within a few days. There's also a new Android version which corrects a handful of bugs, so you may find your app undating before too long.