Walk the Landscape News: walking England

Showing posts with label walking England. Show all posts

Sunday, 1 April 2012

Glorious spring sunshine along the Thames Path

The Thames Path is an 184-miles National Trail, that follows the river for the whole length, from the source in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier, east of Greenwich. The river meanders it's way through rich farmland and historic towns, such as Oxford and Windsor, before passing through the heart of the city of London, then onward to the estuary in the North Sea.

The walking is easy (the terrain is flat and the trail well maintained), the countryside picturesque and the pubs and inns are inviting - a good way to spend a relaxing break.

Here are a few photos of the trail in the fresh spring sunshine.

Passing through Ewen in the Cotswolds

The Rose Revived, Newbridge, near Oxford

Hazy sunshine near Windsor, west of London

The City Skyline from Wapping, East London

Canary Wharf, East London

We organise walking holidays along the Thames Path.

We source good quality accommodation, arrange luggage transfer, provide walking guides and maps, and support in case of emergency.

Best

Anne

Walk the Landscape

Thursday, 8 March 2012

A proposal to shake up the English Rights of Way system

In February of this year, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) proposed a 'radical shake-up' of the access and public rights of way system. In their report 'The Right Way Forward', they recommend a rationalisation and ‘common sense’ approach to remove the bureaucracy and anomalies in the current regulations and administration of the system.

Their proposals have infuriated organisations like The Ramblers and The Open Spaces Society who see this as the breaking of an agreement made two years ago within a working group set up to look at the future of rights of way.

Amongst the proposals are a reduction in the protection for existing Rights-of-Way making it easier for a path to be re-routed or closed. They are also calling for the greater use of the 'Permissive' status (which is a transitory arrangement) for paths rather than the more formal definition of a footpath as a legally enforceable public highway. Furthermore, they would like to bring forward the full implementation of the provision in the 2000 CROW Act, for claiming any historic pathway not previously recorded, which currently has a 2026 cut-off point.

Another recommendation is that the responsibility for an individual's safety would become that of the individual who, if found not to be complying with the Countryside Code, would not be able to seek legal redress.

The proposals in the CLA's report are also particularly worrying when taken in the context of other Government initiatives such as those aimed at reducing environmental legislation, the Macdonald review of farming legislation and ongoing changes in planning regulations.

For more information you can download the full report from: http://www.cla.org.uk/Policy_Work/Policy_Reports/Access_to_the_Countryside/Rights_of_Way/1009310.htm/

Best

Anne

walkthelandscape.co.uk

Monday, 23 January 2012

Over the Wold: Naunton to Northleach

Tuesday, 27 December 2011

A walk along the Coventry Canal

The Coventry Canal links the northern end of the Oxford Canal to the city centre, and is a green corridor through the suburbs into the city.

Hawkesbury Engine House

where from the early 1800s steam engines pumped water into the canal from deep wells.

Art on a Coventry Canal bridge near Hawkesbury Junction.

Electric Wharf, the site of the first power station in Coventry.

'The Coil' by Frank Triggs

Art on the Coventry Canal

'Daimler Heritage Marker' by Robert Crutchely

Art on the Coventry Canal

The sculpture marks the site of the Daimler Factory that produced the first British production motor car in 1897.

Joseph Cash's weavers cottages built in the 1850s.

The three storey houses had well lit workshops on the top floor. The workshops housed a steam powered Jacquard Loom for weaving ribbons, and allow home-workers to compete with ribbon produced in factories.

'The Journeyman' by Stephen Hitchin

Art on the Coventry Canal

Statue of James Brindley (1716-1772) at the Canal Basin in the centre of Coventry city.

James Brindley designed almost all of the early canals in England including the Coventry Canal. The Canal Basin was once a bustling place, busy with boats at the wharves loading and unloading materials for storage in the surrounding warehouses.

The Cathedral steps, Coventry.

The new cathedral, consecrated in 1962, was built after destruction of the medieval cathedral during bombing raids in the Second World War. The sculpture designed by Sir Jacob Epstein, depicts St. Michael overcoming the Devil.

Happy walking

Anne

Walk the Landscape