Environmentally-minded volunteer group Sustainably Muslim walked through East London while having conversations about community, nature and Islam
Sustainably Muslim came together to create a brand new community garden in Canning Town in the summer of 2022. For our Tales From a Slow Way series, founder Nazia Sultana and the team worked with a videographer to capture the conversations they had while walking through East London, identifying different plants and trees along the way.
Exploring parts of East London we don’t usually access
For our project, we took the Plaistow to North Woolwich Planor two route while having conversations about our three guiding interests: community, nature and Islam. Volunteers identified different plants and trees along the way and created a plant ID book.
Walking through East London provided us with an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations: catching up, sharing stories, and discussing various topics while enjoying each other’s company. Taking pictures of the plants, trees and of each other using our polaroid was really fun, especially for those who hadn’t used one before or in a really long time.
Some of the volunteers had previously heard of Slow Ways and used the routes before but for others, it was their first time. Everyone enjoyed exploring parts of East London we normally don’t access. It was nice to walk through residential areas, some busy roads and quieter parts on the Greenway.
“I’ve got a better understanding of where nature intersects with Islam”
Sustainably Muslim is a Community Interest Company that inspires Muslims to serve the environment and their community through events, workshops, volunteering opportunities and Two Billion Strong. Our work is anchored by teachings of the Quran and by the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
How did the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) walk?
During the planning for our Tales of a Slow Way project, I took time to reflect and research the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) relationship with walking. Although he took various forms of transportation, he is regularly narrated walking to many places whether it was to visit his friends or members of his community, or going to the mosque.
In one narration, Abu Hurayra, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “[…] I never saw anyone who walked faster than the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). It was as if the earth folded itself up for him. We would tire ourselves out in exertion (walking with him) but for him it was effortless.” In the book Muhammad His Character and Beauty, Shaykh Yusuf b. Ismail al-Nabahani reports that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) walked with “vigor, strong of limbs, and without languor”. While he “would walk in such a way that it was known that he was neither weak nor lazy” he would bring his footsteps together “without swaggering”. It was understood that he walked in a way that exuded humility, embodying the words of the Quranwhich entreats Muslims to “not strut arrogantly about the earth: you cannot break it open, nor match the mountains in height.” (17:37)
“I never saw anyone who walked faster than the Messenger of Allah (PBUH). It was as if the earth folded itself up for him. We would tire ourselves out in exertion (walking with him) but for him it was effortless”
The life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is extremely fascinating to me and I’m grateful that through this project, I’ve been able to look more closely into everyday aspects of his life, such as walking. I know that for future walks I go on, I’ll be thinking more about the walks he took in his own life.
Top tips for similar community groups wanting to do a similar project
Brainstorm different ideas/ concepts for your video before finalising which one you’re going to explore
Get feedback from others as to which idea they think would be most fun or interesting to watch
Do a trial walk to test out the route you’d like to eventually film
Design mood/story boards to give structure to your video
Work with a communicative videographer that you feel comfortable with
Will the project have a legacy?
Yes! We will continue to fill our ID book with plants, trees, and also memories of each of our gardening sessions. We’ve already added in more since filming for this project. We are looking forward to taking another Slow Ways route after one of our gardening sessions soon.
Coming up with the concept for this project and then seeing the final delivery left me feeling incredibly proud, and I’m really excited to deliver more projects and videos.
Sustainably Muslim aims to inspire & empower Muslims to serve the environment & their community through education & social action.
Last year we launched “Tales from a Slow Way,” a community stories initiative that enabled us to commission creatives and community groups to work together to produce original stories and content situated around Slow Ways walking routes. Each award included a donation to the organisation as well as a project fee to the creative. Together, the awarded projects map the sheer diversity of walkers across the UK and highlight the importance of forging new paths.
A strategic guide to the most needed routes right now. Want to claim a gap as your very own?
Once upon a time, not so very long ago…
… in fact recent enough that there are probably tins in your cupboard that are older, this map had no purple on it at all. In fact, purple was just an audacious twinkle of an idea. And now look at it!
Those purple lines are just the verified network. They’re just the routes that are at-least triple-tested and found to be good, safe, trustworthy, and as direct and accessible as the landscape will allow. They are box fresh and available to walk with confidence, right now.
Already you can walk from Manchester to Sheffield to Birmingham and beyond, and from Cardiff to Bristol to London and Brighton.
The 26 top strategic gaps to fill right now
We are only 26 filled gaps away from a really giant, map-covering network. With your help this autumn we can grow the tested routes up to Scotland, right through Mid Wales, and link in outcrops of purple in Norfolk, Kent and Cornwall.
You can see these gaps as a waylist here, which tells you the details of each route.
And how do you fill a gap? Check out the waylist to help you chose a gap and see what routes it’s made up of. Then walk the routes, altogether in one challenge trek, one by one over a few weekends, or even cut a route in shorter sections if time is tight. Review the routes after you’ve walked them – each route needs three positive reviews to be verified. And if you didn’t think the route was good enough, that’s important too. You could suggest an alternative if you have ideas. If the route needs more than one review to get its snail badge of verification perhaps you could rustle up a friend or two to walk with you? The satisfaction is epic!
Want to grab yourself a gap to fill? Forever say you were the one to fill gap J or X? Maybe you’ve got the energy to call M, F, Q or A your own?
We’re getting organised, and if you’d like to claim a gap please let us know here. We’ll put a battleplan spreadsheet together and share it with you in the week of Oct 2nd.
Last year we launched “Tales from a Slow Way,” a community stories project that enabled us to commission creatives and groups to work together to produce original stories situated around Slow Ways walking routes. We’re happy to announce we’re now able to support a further ten projects!
The stories could cover just about any topic; we just asked that they inspire more people to contribute to and use our network of Slow Ways; walking routes that connect all of Great Britain’s towns, cities and thousands of villages. The stories could take on any format from film, music and art, to photo-essays, zines, and creative writing.
We were especially keen on seeding stories that will help strengthen and create community; stories that are inclusive and diverse. We wanted to do this to better understand and illustrate the variety of ways people see and connect with Slow Ways.
As we’ll soon be sharing the stories from the first round – we’re super happy to have received funding from the Pilgrim Trust to support a further ten projects. From all of the incredible applications that we received in the first round, we are now delighted to announce the ten that will be part of our upcoming programme. This project is in partnership with our friends, All the Elements and The Outsiders Project.
Tendring Community Writers X Refugee Action Colchester (RAMA)
Welcoming new neighbours is an important act in building community. Tendring Community Writers will focus on creating a diverse dialogue of cultural exchange between two groups Tendring Community Writers and Refugee Asylum seeker & Migrant Action (formerly Refugee Action Colchester) through a walk from from the village of Kirby-Le-Soken to Walton-on-the-Naze (covering approximately 3.5 miles) discovering hidden secrets along the way of allotments, fields, marinas and pillboxes. The Tendring Community Writers group will document and produce a small pocket-sized booklet or ‘zine’ collating photos, short stories, prose and poetry inspired by or shared on the Slow ways walk, knitting together old stories from home (in Essex or abroad), and creating new stories and experiences together.
Tendring Community Writers is a start-up writers’ community group, meeting once a month and welcome to all writers from across Tendring/North Essex. Tendring Community Writers is open to all styles of writing: creative writing, short stories, poetry, memoirs, children’s writing and more.
Treehouse Theatre X Ilse Black X Dazzarama Drama
Bringing together story-making (Treehouse Theatre), art (Ilse Black), and the learning disabled community (Dazzarama Drama), this new collaboration will use a Slow Ways journey to create a live immersive story, incorporating art, music, sound-scapes, performance and cyanatope illustrations. The aim is to project is to heighten the confidence and ambition of Dazzarama Drama members and create an opportunity for achievement and self-expression. The story and cyanotype illustrations will be brought together in a zine, produced in hardcopy as well as a digital format.
Ben Lindsey-Clark (Treehouse Theatre) works widely with the local disabled community, and is an experienced improviser, story teller and professional actor. He is skilled in weaving together unique devised stories and empowering audiences to discover their creativity.
Ilse Black is an artist and illustrator delivering community art workshops with the aim of enhancing engagement with the outdoors and nature. Ilse recently completed a year-long collaborative project with Step into Nature through Dorset AONB, where the artists’ collaboration, through delivery, devised new approaches to enabling creative engagement for a diverse audience.
The Adventure Girls Club X Nathalie Baker Film
In collaboration with Nathalie Baker Film, The Adventure Girls Club will tell the story of a club that’s created an inclusive community of outdoors-loving women, who otherwise would have never had the courage to start adventuring. The group is a celebration of taking it slow and taking the time to connect with nature and the people you are experiencing it with, no matter your age, fitness or level of experience. The short doc will follow the club on a Slow Ways hike and tell the stories of a select few regular members. The Adventure Girls Club hope to use this opportunity to inspire other women who are at the start of their journey, sitting at home, and need a little push to make that first move and join a community like ours.
Launched in 2021, The Adventure Girls Club began as guided weekend hikes for women in the South West, with a focus on making them accessible for everyone through support, community, training and experience to gently build confidence and the freedom to explore the outdoors.
Sawsan X Scope Charity Shop, Colwyn Bay, North Wales
A charity shop brings together people from all walks of life, and this is true for the Scope charity shop in Colwyn Bay, run by a lively group of volunteers with a diverse set of lived experiences. This group of volunteers walk the sandy coastline between Colwyn Bay and Conwy Castle at least once a year, primarily, to raise funds for their Scope which they have immense pride in, but also for their mental and physical health and to spend time with other local people. Sawsan, whose mother is the co-Manager of the shop, hopes to document their annual walk through a feature-length story illustrated with professional photographs and portraits.
Sawsan is a Guardian award-nominated journalist, writer, and Consultant Storyteller at the Blagrave Trust. Her work has utilised walking when writing profiles about people in the past; namely, during the refugee crisis, where she walked alongside and interviewed refugees in transit in Berlin, Milan and Athens.
Colwyn Bay
Curious School of the Wild CIC
Tackling rural poverty with creativity, Curious School of the Wild will co-create a film in collaboration with the young people in Bodmin they work with, who seek out inspiration and the benefits of outdoor activities against a backdrop of deprivation and austerity. “Rural poverty is often misunderstood,” writes founder, Nik Elvy, “ Despite our beautiful countryside and coastlines many Primary School children have never visited the beach let alone our AONB moorland”. The group will walk from Bodmin town centre to Bodmin Moor by foot, and will create a film to share on youtube and social media. They will create sketch books of our journeys that will feature in the film and in a public exhibition at Basecamp in Bodmin Town Centre.
Nik Elvy is an artist, educator and founder of Curious School of the Wild CIC. The CIC was created to support others to enjoy good outdoor lives particularly by challenging low income and poverty barriers to outdoor access in Bodmin. They have opened Basecamp in Bodmin Town Centre as a community space with a kit library, books, maps, events clothing and food and refreshment all for free.
Basecamp Curious School of the Wild, Bodmin
St Germain’s Community & Wellbeing Hub
“I want our community story to deepen the connection between these groups as they learn about each other’s journeys, and about the journeys of the past and bring this rich cultural diversity into Birmingham’s outdoor spaces”
Birmingham-based St Germain’s Community & Wellbeing Hub is an intercultural community with a huge range of ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. Some have lived there their whole life and know the area intimately. Others have journeyed thousands of miles, ‘ended up’ there, and have made the area home. Despite intimate knowledge of their local area, living in a city of cars means both groups are apprehensive of exploring new outdoor routes. Using interviews, music, instruments and writing exercises to create lyrical material along the Slow Ways, St Germain’s will create a sonic tapestry, expressing these new connections to each other and the outdoors.
St Germain’s Community & Wellbeing Hub music project aims to improve the physical and mental well-being of people experiencing hardship in Edgbaston and Ladywood, as well as improving self-esteem, confidence, and skills.
Fred Hargreaves X Pete Naylor X Ruth Dillon X Wild Ken Hill
Providing valuable insight into the experience of journeying through a landscape from the point of view of a partially-sighted walker, Director of Photography Pete Naylor and programmer Ruth Dillon will work with 17 year old Fred Hargreaves and his companion to produce a short film and audio podcast documenting a Slow Way from his point of view. As part of the project, there will be a guided tour programme at Wild Ken Hill, with walks for partially-sighted and blind people and their guests who wish to come and experience the landscape with a guide. The experienced guides will be on hand to help with species identification and give insight into the conservation and re-wilding work taking place.
Pete Naylor is a director and DOP based in North Norfolk. His work focuses on creating emotive lifestyle based imagery, often inspired by the natural world and the adventures that can be found within the great outdoors.
Ruth Dillon is an experienced freelance commissioner and programmer. Working with writers, performers and creatives to engage audiences with landscapes and conservation. She is Director of Gathering at Wild Ken Hill which first took place in 2022.
Wild Ken Hill a family-run farm in coastal West Norfolk comprising areas managed regenerative farming, rewilding and traditional conservation. Its mission is to fight climate change, restore nature, and provide benefits to the local community. Engagement and education are at the heart of what they do.
Laura Graham X The Happy ‘Hood zine
The Happy `Hood zine is grass-roots produced and incorporates art and words from a diverse cross-section of Northampton, with over 250 contributors across 19 issues. Founding editor Laura Graham aims to produce a special Slow Ways feature for the zine and an accompanying podcast episode through a series of community walks for Northampton residents. Walking from the River Nene to Wollaston by foot, the group will create create poetry, art and stories that will explore the benefits and impacts of the Slow Ways routes.The podcast will let the audience hear from people outside this narrow scope and encourage wider, on-going community participation. The aim is to encourage people to get involved, especially those who are often excluded and marginalised when it comes to access to walking and green spaces.
Laura Graham is a Freelance writer, content creator and community activist. Laura set up a community project almost five years ago which produces a quarterly good news zine called The Happy `Hood. The zine is grass-roots produced and incorporates art and words from a diverse cross section of Northampton, and aims to provide a platform for different communities against the backdrop of underfunding.
Jonny Kemp X SE25
Jonny Kemp’s portraiture has previously celebrated South Norwood, SE25 and the people in it, through the depiction of 40 business owners, volunteers, and other community groups from the area, in an exhibition at the Stanley Arts Centre. In this project, Jonny will draw the portraits of people who have lived on or very close to the Slow Ways route that runs between Crystal Palace and Croydon with the aim of celebrating the history and people of the area, in a part of the country which often receives a lot of negative press. Notable figures include Ira Aldridge, regarded as one of the first black actors to enact Shakespearian characters, and Ethel Fennings, a suffragette who stood by South Norwood clock tower campaigning for women to get the vote in the early 20th century.
Jonny Kemp is a South Norwood resident, teacher and an exhibiting artist working with fine liner and technical drawing pens. He has a deep interest in the history of the local area, and commitment to volunteering with the belief that the local and the locals should be celebrated.
Nisha Kotecha X Good News Shared
Walking along the Chapeltown to Sheffield route, Nisha will speak to individuals and organisations about recent acts of kindness and community spirit they have witnessed or been involved in. The route takes in some of the most deprived and diverse areas in Sheffield, such as Burgreave and Parsons Cross, where less than 16% of over-16’s hold a level four or above qualification (the highest area in Sheffield has 64%). These areas, like most of North Sheffield which this route is mainly in, only tend to be mentioned in the media for negative reasons when alternative stories also exist. The stories with accompanying photos will be collated in an online zine.
Nisha Kotecha has been sharing uplifting, charitable stories for almost a decade via her website, Good News Shared. In 2017, she was included in The Independent’s Happy List, a collection of ‘50 inspirational heroes and heroines whose kindness, courage and selflessness make our country a better place to live’.
Bookmark the Slow Ways Stories page and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to be updated when these stories go live!
Life-long islander Eilidh Carr uses Slow Ways to discover new beaches, pathways and places of interest in South Uist on the mystical Hebrides
Here on the Hebrides, Slow Ways routes twist and turn through all types of landscapes and terrain. Some routes include long stretches on beautiful Hebridean beaches, others cross moorland or head up hills to the islands’ highest points.
Although I have lived on Scottish Islands most of my life, located on Berneray, a small island placed at the top of an island chain that makes up Uist, I love visiting nearby islands. I still have much exploring to do. My favourite sites to visit include North Uist, Harris and here on Berneray; but these adventures do not get me further south, to the islands of Benbecula or South Uist, very often.
This led me to the Slow Ways website, to look for new beaches, walking routes or places of interest to visit in the area.
Slow Ways website showing routes mapped out across Scotland, Uist and Benbecula
One particular Slow Ways route on Benbecula has a little bit of everything. Starting at Iochdar, South Uist the route twists and turns for over 18 miles finishing at Carinish, North Uist. Following sections of coastline, road, beach, moor and hills, the route summits Rueval, the highest point on Benbecula before continuing down the other side and meandering through the landscape on towards North Uist.
My favourite part of this route was walking up Rueval, a hill I often pass but had not yet climbed
Rather than walking the entire 18 mile route, I decided to divide it up into sections, visiting selected locations from the route over two days. Some of the more scenic beaches I visited on foot, taking my drone with me for aerial photography. Other sections of long road I skipped as I frequently drive these. My favourite part of this route was walking up Rueval, a hill I often pass but had not yet climbed.
The following photo essay is in chronological order as if walking the Clachan – Carinish route marked on Slow Ways.
Crossing the causeway from South Uist to Benbecula
Liniclate beach
Cula Bay
Uist as a whole is made up of low lying islands and land, dotted with lochs and sea throughout, with beautiful sandy beaches lining the majority of the west coast.
This Slow Ways route begins at the very top of South Uist at Clachan, Iochdar. A short walk on the main road brings you to the first causeway along the route. These are built across fords to join two islands together. When crossing the causeway at low tide, the sand and sea patterns beneath are visible, when the light is correct the blue colours of the Hebridean seas comes alive.
For the next 5km, the path follows the changing coastline, some rocky shoreline and others sweeping beaches
A few miles further into the route, I arrive at the first beach – Liniclate. The west coast is full of beaches; ones leads onto the next, and each one is different from the last. For the next 5km, the path follows the changing coastline, some rocky shoreline and sweeping beaches.
Following the road, the route leaves the west coast and cuts across the width of Benbecula. The hills and mountains are situated to the east side of the island. A gravel track starts the walk towards the bottom of Rueval. Although only 124m (405 foot) high, it is the highest point on the island of Benbecula and offers 360 degree views out across Benbecula and further to neighbouring islands.
After a night of wind and rain, the ground underfoot can be wet and boggy in places. At this time of year the hills are turning a bright purple as the heather blooms.
The route twists up the side of Rueval, boggy peat paths mix with areas of rocks to climb over. Stopping half way up offers great views across Benbecula; the true ratio of water to land becomes visible, and you get a sense of how flat the area is. The sea and lochs make up a large area scattered throughout the land.
A trig point marks the top of Rueval – 124 metres (405 foot) above sea level.
Rueval, South Uist hills in the distance
Descending down the other side of the hill, the walk meanders around these lochs for another 2.5km or so. Leaving the uneven and wet ground behind, the route re-joins the main road for the remainder of this Slow Ways route. Another causeway crosses the North Ford from Benbecula to Grimsay and onto North Uist.
This section of causeway in the longest on the Outer Hebrides spanning 5 miles and joining together 3 islands
This section of causeway in the longest on the Outer Hebrides spanning 5 miles and joining together three islands. Before being built in 1960, this area could only be crossed on the sand at low tide or by small boat when the tide was in. Crossing the last section from Grimsay onto North Uist, I find the end of the route is in sight, finishing at Carinish.
Causeway crossing onto North Uist
I like to combine my time spent outdoors with my photography. Taking drone photos has allowed me to explore new places and see landscapes from different angles. In turn I love to share these photographs with others on social media.
Liniclate beach looking back towards Iochdar
Over these two days I spent in and around Benbecula, I visited new areas, walked new beaches and climbed new hills.
My favourite drone shot of the route is taken from Liniclate beach looking back towards Iochdar, South Uist.
Eilidh Carr
Eilidh brings together her passion for photography and adventure in order to share with others around the world her stories and photographs from land, sea and sky.
Living and working on the west coast of Scotland in the Outer Hebrides allows Carr to combine her photography, both drone work and camera, with her love of fresh air, sea and exploring places old and new. When she’s not travelling in her converted van, you’ll find Eilidh working in her award-winning island gift shop, Coralbox. This small independent business is where her dream of becoming her own boss first started.
As a solo traveller, she takes great pleasure in sharing her escapades and snippers of daily island life through her online social media and photography.
Interested in walking the Hebrides for yourself? Why not sign up to walk and review a Hebrides Slow Ways. You can also find and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
In her third video for Slow Ways, Vi Assal walks Northwich to Budford Mere and observes how private or disused land has been turned into public space for all to enjoy
Last time, we walked in the suburbs of South Manchester, discussing the disparities in terms of access to the outdoors for people living in urban areas. Today, after a short train ride, I’m taking you to Northwich in Cheshire.
In this adventure, I wanted to take a look at some examples of spaces that were transformed from exclusive and harmful environments such as landfills and private stately homes to beautiful nature reserves and community-centred country parks.
Last time, we followed a Slow Ways route in the suburbs of South Manchester, discussing the disparities in terms of access to the outdoors for people living in urban areas. Today, after a short train ride, let’s follow one from Northwich in Cheshire. In this adventure, I wanted to take a look at some examples of spaces that were transformed from exclusive and harmful environments such as landfills and private stately homes to beautiful nature reserves and community-centred country parks. 🌲🌼🌳 Do you think these transformations have worked? 👀 #river#cows#countryside#fyp#summer#lake#forest#nature#walking#slowways
I’m Vi, a French Black queer and disabled person living in Manchester.
During the week I’m a project manager in equality and diversity in the charity sector. But on the weekend, I put on my trainers and go hiking on adventures. Well, I call it slow hiking because I spend as much time walking as I do sitting down and enjoying the plants and wildlife around, rather than rushing to the summit. I’m also a member of Black Girls Hike UK, which provides a safe space for Black women to explore the outdoors.
You can follow my adventures on TikTok and you can follow Black Girls Hike on Instagram.
In August, poet Jess Green worked with Leicester Rape Crisis on a Creative Writing walk with a group of teenage girls along the Hilton – Derby route in South Derbyshire
As a survivor of sexual violence, it can be difficult to go for a walk on your own. I love walking. I wish I could enjoy it like my husband does. Just puts on his shoes and heads out. Whereas I pack my bag with rape alarm and battery pack; the idea of being in the middle of nowhere with no way to ring for help fills me with dread. From the moment I step out the door I send him my location and he checks in with me every hour or so. I have cut routes short and made massive detours because I haven’t felt safe. I once went into a blind panic in the middle of a forest because I was convinced I was being followed.
For our “Tales From A Slow Way” project we took a group of girls from Leicester Rape Crisis for a walk in the countryside. They were given disposable cameras, notebooks and some creative writing activities to try.
We parked in the village of Etwall and walked up the old rail line. The girls are used to going on trips together but the last one was to see The Lion King in the West End so a country walk during a wet summer holiday was a harder sell. The girls who came were really keen.
Say what you like about teenagers, screens and attention spans – these girls were interested in everything
We planned to do a 3km walk broken up by a picnic, but I was impressed at the way they just kept going. We ended up doing double that. Say what you like about teenagers, screens and attention spans – these girls were interested in everything. The trees, the plants, sounds of birds, something dead on the floor, the name of a bridge, what was growing in a field. They got the hang of their retro cameras and wrote down long descriptions of what they could see, hear, smell and feel.
A friend of mine has a house nearby that looks out over a flooded quarry. It’s incredibly peaceful. We took the girls there to decompress after the walk with homemade mocktails and flapjack. They drank raspberry lemonade and worked on their pieces, writing poems in the voice of something that doesn’t have a voice. They wrote about trees, leaves, birds but what came out was their own experience of not being heard.
Before we left I asked them to write about their experience of the day and these are some of the things they said.
“I loved seeing the different flowers and berries while learning about them at the same time. I felt calm, as if it put my mind at ease”
“I loved how close we were with nature. I loved the peaceful sounds and feelings. I enjoyed the sense of freedom I felt being outdoors“
“I felt at peace. I was very calm. I would do it again“
They Just Keep Going
We arrive a cavalcade of teenage girls park outside the post office buy 5 packets of ready salted in return for the key to the loo
our group a haze of eye lashes and pac-a-macs passed by men with walking poles and waterproofs
We’re not here for the miles and by 2k I’m ready for stragglers but their bodies move them forward hands on tree trunks legs crouched over something disgusting squashed and skeletal do you reckon a bird dropped it?
they’re like tiny kids again buttercups under chins dandelion seed heads pink flowers pressed in to the pages of notebooks
is that corn Miss? Can we eat it? Are we gonna see an eagle? Woodpecker? Pheasant?
No-one complains about the drizzle and the heat because out here no-one wants anything from them no deadlines or pressure they’re not being weighed up and measured
it’s not the run to the bus stop past the building site 3am with keys between fingers or the corridor of boys with their phones out
no long wait for a taxi that never comes no grades, no marks, no scales no mirrors
these girls with their secrets trying to keep it together
just big skies and trainer tread on grass and gravel the promise of a cheese cob picnic they just keep going
and at the end as they lean against the minibus mouths full of flapjack the men come with walking poles and waterproofs and one of our gang says have you been on the walk? ‘cause we have too.
Leicester Rape Crisis is a charity based in Leicester that supports female survivors of sexual abuse, sexual violence and rape. They have been active for over 30 years and work from the ethos of women supporting women, providing a safe space for women and girls to process and heal from sexual trauma.
Jess Green is an award-winning performance poet and script writer for theatre and TV. She has featured on BBC 6 Music, E4, BBC5Live, ITV and BBC Breakfast as well as in The Guardian, Huffington Post, The Independent and The Spectator.She has two poetry collections, both published by Burning Eye Books, Burning Books (2015) which was shortlisted for the East Midlands Book Award and A Self Help Guide To Being In Love With Jeremy Corbyn (2018). Jess is also a workshop facilitator with a decade of experience teaching writing and performance in schools, prisons, care homes, universities, youth centres and corporate events.
Click here to find out more about our Tales from a Slow Ways project!Why not sign up to walk and review Slow Ways. You can also find and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
After a summer in France, Saira reflects on how a Slow Ways style walking network in cities across Europe could bring benefits to residents and travellers alike as she readies herself for a life change
I’ve spent the last two months alone in Marseille, the oldest city in France, and one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements. An ‘outsider’ city, Marseille is chaotic, colourful, wildly beautiful and often misrepresented. My intention for coming here was largely to write (that, and I didn’t have anywhere to stay over the summer). Woefully I’ve barely put pen to paper while I’ve been here apart from scribbling the odd journal entry and story draft.
When I’m not working, I spend most of my time walking — connecting areas and neighbourhoods by foot. From affluent Endoume, colourful Cours Julian to edgy Belle De Mai, each neighbourhood is a different world with its own unique character. I feel like I’m trialling my very own Slow Ways network — Slow Ways Marseille.
From Marseille locals, I’ve discovered lesser-known off-road paths, wondrous pastel streets lined with trees and potted plants to grittier back roads, where the buildings are dilapidated, and people bathe in makeshift paddling pools plonked onto open public squares. Marseille is full of unexpected surprises. The people here are warm, resourceful and fiercely proud. Its troubled history is riddled with complexity. It’s a place of both extreme wealth and extreme poverty, and unlike in Paris, everyone lives side by side.
Exploring the city by foot
On my hikes across the city, I’ve wandered through flea markets, cultural centres, public squares, museums, supermarkets, shopping centres, boulangeries, cinemas, parks and cemeteries. I’ve walked in and out of churches and mosques, past beauty salons and barbershops. I’ve gazed at the ever-changing street art near Marché de la Plaine (by morning a market, by evening a skate park) and the quirky shops in the narrow light-drenched streets of Le Panier (the old city). I’ve stopped off at North African tea shops, West African eateries, Afghani, Pakistani and Vietnamese takeouts.
I’ve walked out of the city centre and into the rugged Calanques National Park
I’ve spent breezy mornings swimming in the sea alongside fish and hot afternoons in the Bibliothèque l’Alcazar reading books. I’ve walked out of the city centre and into the rugged Calanques National Park. I’ve gotten the first boat to Frioul island, together with a few local workers and fisherman. I’ve watched countless sunsets from outside Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, a high peak overlooking the city, from the small fishing villages of Vallon Des Auffes and Malmousque and the old port where locals gather.
Slow Ways has changed the way I approach travel. Although I’ve long been used to taking lesser-known paths, I feel like my ramblings now are as purposeful as they are aimless. I’m walking to make connections (real and imaginary), to make new discoveries, to get out of my head, to meet new people and to learn. I’m walking for health, for wellbeing, for creativity, for climate, for joy, for all the things Dan is forever talking about.
A local guide tells me it’s a city made up of villages, and that many areas are only accessible by foot, bike and car
A walking network
Slow Ways feels more relevant here in some ways than it does in my home city of London. In Marseille, large swathes of the city remain unconnected, through gaps in public transport. There are only two metro lines. The buses are often packed. A local guide tells me it’s a city made up of villages, and that many areas are only accessible by foot, bike or car. There are electric bikes and scooters widely available for hire.
It’s a very walkable city; the main strip leading to the port is mostly pedestrianised. It’s also a joyful place to walk. The streets are always buzzing. It’s a melting pot of people, of cultures, subcultures, faith, fashion, football and hip-hop. There’s so much going on that walking in the city centre is never boring. It never feels like dead time.
However, there are barriers. Marseille isn’t a very accessible city. It’s hilly, there are stairs everywhere, all over the city. Some sidewalks are very skinnny. Summers are hot; some days it’s over 35 degrees. Walking long distances, especially in the middle of the day, isn’t practical. Some areas feel sketchy to walk in, with people injecting heroin in daylight and others yelling into an abyss. There are overflowing bins, scatterings of glass and dog poo. A lot of dog poo.
For a traveller, traversing routes created by locals, might prove the best way to get under the skin of a place
No city is without its problems. Every city could benefit from being better connected. For a traveller, traversing routes created by locals, might prove the best way to get under the skin of a place. To really get to know somewhere. I can see Slow Ways walking travel-guides really taking off — created for the people by the people. No one knows a settlement better than its residents.
Connecting people and places
A month into my trip, I re-downloaded the CouchSurfing app, a community travel app through which you can meet and stay with locals all over the world. I used it in a distant pre-pandemic past. I was surprised to find it was still thriving. Sometimes I would use the ‘hangout’ function to connect with strangers in the city and go for walks. Through the app I met a number of interesting people, life-long Marseille residents, new settlers and those passing through. I made friends with individuals from backgrounds vastly different to my own. Often we’d walk together, and as we walked we’d share stories, laughter, and our reflections. I got to know the city from the people I met, as much as I did the places that I went. I built a picture in my head of an interconnected network, partly owing to these shared walks (imagine a global Slow Ways social app for walkers to meet and self-organise in the future – how cool would that be!)
Walking networks in cities and settlements around the world would have so many benefits both to communities and travellers alike. It would enable learning — foster truer and deeper connections — connections that are less transient and more lasting.
Maybe we walk to encounter and to experience these collisions — to witness, to survive, to feel
One afternoon I went to see the Connectivities exhibition at the Mucem. This exhibition showed expanding cities as ‘places where influxes, connections trade and therefore power converge and intensify.’ As part of the exhibition there was a film being screened. In it, the camera pans across various city streets around Europe. As the viewer, you see people walk, laugh, connect, fight, haggle. It was hypnotising. I stayed and watched the seemingly unending reel for a very long time. In cities, everything changes and nothing stays the same. Like atoms we’re whizzing through space, though sometimes we collide. Maybe we walk to encounter and to experience these collisions — to witness, to survive, to feel…
Leaving Slow Ways
My time in Marseille is drawing to an end and so is my time at Slow Ways. Before I left the UK, I changed my number and deactivated my Instagram. I often go through periods of self-imposed isolation; I lean into the solitude (often wildly uncomfortable at first), I learn presence and I (unwillingly) reflect on where I’m going. I’ve never intentionally planned ahead; events, encounters, opportunities — they propel you in certain directions and all you can really do is move forwards. As a result, I feel like I’ve lived out of a suitcase for the last 4 years.
In less than a month’s time, I’m leaving my role at Slow Ways. I’m going back to school to study for an MA in Creative and Life Writing. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling uncertain, maybe even afraid, not just about studying, but leaving a job that has brought me so much freedom, joy and learning. A job that has brought me connection, friendship, and enabled me to embark on countless adventures and has been intrinsically linked to my purpose and passion.
I feel that Slow Ways has changed me
I will miss working at Slow Ways, but will carry the lessons I’ve learnt wherever I go. To trust each journey, the way we trust routes strangers have drawn out. I’m sure there’ll be obstacles, but equally, I’m confident there will be ways to confront and overcome them. I’ll miss the community; the volunteers, staff, creatives, groups — everyone who has shaped, contributed and enjoyed the network.
For the last decade, my work has largely revolved around connecting people and places through wanderings and stories. Whilst I hope to continue working in the same vein for many more years to come, I feel that the past two years at Slow Ways has changed me. I’m more empathetic, patient and curious. I feel braver.
I didn’t realise how little I knew about the UK before starting this job. I’ve come to appreciate these wondrous isles, its people and places so much more. From Bradford to Great Yarmouth, I’ve connected with so many incredible people and communities — places with heart. So many things connect us, and there’s much we can do to connect others — we can walk between two places and write about our journeys.
I hope to continue taking the Slow Way at every opportunity and to carry the ethos behind this wondrous project with me wherever I go.
Has Slow Ways changed the way you travel? Do you have a story? We’d love to hear about it! Send us your story – email us at hello@slowways.org. Sign up to walk and review Slow Ways. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
A view over Dartmoor on a descent into Exmoor, with a view of the sea and a mighty fine campsite
“A journey of 2,200 miles is achieved with with each individual step,” said someone or other, “and by ticking off each Slow Way on the National Park Trail.” This week, we spoke to Steven Krambeck, aka YouTuber Lord Spink, who is now into week three of ticking off each route as he slowly but surely makes his way around the entire trail.
Steven posted on our feedback forum to let us know he was going to be attempting the mammoth National Park Trail challenge, a Waylist put up by Slow Ways founder Dan Raven-Ellison. Dan posted the Waylist to show that, in theory, it’s possible to walk through every National Park in Britain (and several Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) as well as walk between them, all on Slow Ways routes. The main goal of the Waylist is to get every route on it verified so that the Trail exists, so it was a welcome surprise when Steven popped up to let us know he’s going to try and walk it all in one (very) long walk.
As he goes, Steven posts a video of his progress each day on his YouTube channel. He’s also leaving reviews on each segment as he goes, so he’s going to contribute to a big chunk of the network as well. I spoke to Steven to ask him about how it’s going so far, and below I selected his favourite route so far as our Review of the Month. His writing style is, as you can see, short and sweet, but with a few nice photos and usually some information about nearby camping options.
One of the most rewarding routes on the trail so far! The Tramway has plenty of foraging opportunity if you know what you’re doing. As you reach the peek of Exmoor, on a clear day, you can see Dartmoor all the way from where you walked.
Then you head down a breathtaking valley into Simonsbath.
*****
Interview
How’s the fitness? It seems like by the end of week two you’d become a walking machine.
The first few days my backpack was really digging into me, but now I hardly feel it til I’ve done about half the day’s walk, which is now usually around 15-20 miles.
Where are you now?
I’ve just finished the coast to coast and am resting in Porlock.
Are you able to take many rests on this journey?
I usually only stop for a while if I get chatting to someone I really get along with.
Do you speak to many people?
I only really speak to people when I’m in towns and pubs. In between, there’s a lot of time walking by myself.
In one of your videos, you ran into a music festival in South Zeal and stayed a while. You weren’t feeling so sociable then; do you think walking is improving your social muscles too?
Definitely: I was once a very sociable person, but for the last couple years I’ve been quite a hermit, staying indoors. I got so skinny. But after a week of walking every day I could feel my strength improving already, and yeah- my social muscles have grown too! I’ve come out of the shell I’d crawled into the last few years.
So, what’s been the best section of the walk so far?
Arriving in Exmoor this week was fantastic. It was the South Molton to Simonsbath route, which I did after the sections which brought me through Dartmoor from Plymouth. There’s a big hill to pass over before heading down towards Simonsbath, and there was a fantastic view where I could see back over towards Dartmoor: it blew my mind to think, wow, I did all that! Then as I came down the hill I could see the sea – meaning I’d walked coast to coast, too – and there is a great campsite down here in Porlock where I can wash my clothes and stuff. Which is always a great bonus!
London is coming up on that trail. Will your London segment differ from your countryside adventures?
I’ve got a friend who helps me out with maps and such; they’re going to send me a preferred route for getting through it. It’s around fifty miles from one side to the other, so I’m hoping to marathon it in two or three days.
Have you got any tips for anyone thinking of doing a big walk?
Don’t worry about being physically or mentally prepared. As I’ve said, I wasn’t at all. But your body adapts quickly. I’d been a hermit for six to eight years, I’d say, and after a week, I’m walking twenty miles a day like it’s nothing.
You’re sticking to a tight budget. Have you any advice regarding equipment?
I was in the Scouts for years, so I’m used to using budget equipment! Unfortunately, I bought some good stuff from Amazon, but a lot of it got stolen from my doorstep. In the end, I went up to Millett’s where they were having a big sale and got everything I needed. So watch out for those sales and use what you’ve got if you can.
I’m in awe. Thanks Steven and keep up the good work!
Stepping stones on an earlier segment – Pricha two – Steven Krambeck
Steven is walking the older version of the National Parks Trail at the moment, although recently we revised the Trail into a newer version based on volunteer feedback. Maybe you could follow in his footsteps on a few segments and “snail” a few routes?
And please do check his progress out on his Youtube channel and consider helping him along with a donation!
For more of our favourite reviews from Slow Ways volunteers, click here. Want to help us grow the network of verified walking routes? Sign up to walk and review Slow Ways. You can also join our community on on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
As part of the Great Slow Ways Summer Waycheck we’re partnering with walk leaders and walking groups across the UK to bring together an exciting programme of walks
Whether you’re a long-distance walker, or prefer to go slow and walk shorter distances, whether you’d like to join other wheelers or women of colour, we’ve got something for everyone! This is a live page and we’ll be updating it with more details as and when they come in.
We will be walking along the Burton to Sherston Slow Ways route, a six-mile flat route that also runs along the Macmillan Way. Afterwards, we will head to Sherston Village Hall so people can try on some of the clothing and kit in the Every Body Outdoors kit pool!
This event is for plus size people only to create a safe and inclusive space. We do not set a size restriction on this, but if you are smaller than a size 18 we would ask you to consider if there might be other groups that you could attend.
Join Slow Ways volunteer and expedition leader, Tim Ryan, for a linear walk, which follows the Slow Ways route between Dulverton and Wheddon Cross. Mostly along footpaths and bridleways with riverside & forest walking, this hilly route is intended be walked at a leisurely “WASP” pace of a little over 2.5 miles per hour, which leaves plenty of time to enjoy the scenery on the ten-mile stretch to Wheddon Cross, and still have time for a short break at the pretty village of Winsford, possibly at the Rest and Be Thankful Inn at Wheddon Cross, whilst waiting for the bus back.
Starts at Marsh Bridge car park near Dulverton, Somerset
Experience Community is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that helps disabled people access the outdoors through a range of inclusive walking, cycling, conservation and arts activities.
The walk is open to all, with focus on disabled users. Bring a packed lunch. For more info or to book please email info@experiencecommunity.co.uk or call 07852237123
The Proper Blokes Club x Slow Ways
Thursday 22nd June 2023
The Proper Blokes Club is a community project for men’s mental health. The main aim is to break the stigma of men’s mental health and start talking openly about it. The team at Proper Blokes Club will be hosting a beautiful countryside walk in Kent from Orpington to Sevenoaks. This walk is for men only. Click here to book.
A great route through the heart of the Brecon Beacons, including the summit of Pen y Fan. The walk involves some rough ground, and steep climbing and descending. We will meet in Brecon then catch the bus to Nant Ddu to begin the walk, returning back to Brecon for your onward travel at the end of the day. This is a challenging walk so good fitness is required.
Join Groundwork East and Kelly Smith (Founder of the Black Tri Tribe) on a Slow Ways walk from Watford to Rickmansworth as part of the Great Slow Ways Summer Waycheck. We will be walking one of these routes, Ricwat two.
We will meet outside the High Street Station in Watford, and walk a curated path to Rickmansworth. When we finish in Rickmansworth, there will be an opportunity for people to return from the endpoint to Watford via bus (#321) or train (Metropolitan Line to Watford Underground Station at Cassiobury Park). The walk at 7km long should take about two hours at a leisurely pace, but we have given ourselves time for breaks, lunch and stops along the way to enjoy the route. Realistically we should be finished by 3pm in Rickmansworth. This walk is open to anyone.
This is a journey through the spectacular Rheidol Valley from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge, on a mixture of lanes, and footpaths along the river and through the fields and woodland surrounding. There are a few steep climbs. We’ll meet at Devil’s Bridge in the morning then car-share to Aberystwyth to begin the walk. We’ll then car-share back to Aberystwyth to collect the remaining cars for onward travel. There is a campsite at Devil’s Bridge if anyone would like to meet up the previous evening, please mention when booking if you’re interested. If you want to come but don’t drive, please get in touch.
Black Tri Tribe x Slow Ways
Sunday 25th June 2023
The Black Tri Tribe is a triathlon club with a difference. Their main aim is to get black and brown people into the sport of triathlon. Join Kelly Smith (Founder of the Black Tri Tribe) for a scenic guided walk along the seafront from Brighton to Saltdean. The route follows the promenade until you reach Brighton Marina, from there you walk up a gentle incline to the chalk cliffs offering lovely views of the South Downs National Park. More details to follow.
Photo: Bristol Steppin Sistas
Bristol Steppin Sistas x Slow Ways
Sunday 25th June 2023
Join Sophie Brown and Bristol Steppin Sistas on a Slow Ways walk for a beautiful walk from Bristol to Keynsham along rivers and through woods. Bristol Steppin Sistas are a grassroots walking group of women of colour established in Bristol in April 2021 that aims to reach out to local women in the area who identify with our lived experience to encourage an interest in walking and thriving in open spaces. They regularly organise walks, for those who wish to take short walks and for those who wish to take longer treks.
We will be walking along the Chorley to Adlington Slow Ways route, a 4 mile flat route that also runs along the canal. Before this, we’re meeting at Fairview Youth and Community Centre so people can try on some of the clothing and kit in the Every Body Outdoors kit pool!
This event is for plus size people only to create a safe and inclusive space. We do not set a size restriction on this, but if you are smaller than a size 18 we would ask you to consider if there might be other groups that you could attend.
Join Sophie Brown and Bristol Steppin Sistas on a Slow Ways walk from Bristol to Wick. Bristol Steppin Sistas are a grassroots walking group of women of colour established in Bristol in April 2021 that aims to reach out to local women in the area who identify with our lived experience to encourage an interest in walking and thriving in open spaces. They regularly organise walks, for those who wish to take short walks and for those who wish to take longer treks.
The Proper Blokes Club is a community project for men’s mental health. The main aim is to break the stigma of men’s mental health and start talking openly about it. Join in on a walk from Norbury to Croydon.
Get in contact with Proper Blokes Club to join. Open to all men.
The Proper Blokes Club x Slow Ways
Thursday 27th July 2023
The Proper Blokes Club is a community project for men’s mental health. The main aim is to break the stigma of men’s mental health and start talking openly about it. The team at Proper Blokes Club will be hosting two Slow Ways group-walks in London for their members and newcomers alike in London. This walk is for men only.
Join Kelly Smith (Founder of the Black Tri Tribe) for a scenic guided walk on the South Downs from Woodingdean to Peacehaven. This is a linear route, 6.5km, will take around three hours. Hiking boots/trainers are recommended and a weather check for appropriate clothing is also highly recommended.
Ground Provisions x London National Park City x Barnett Council x Slow Ways
Saturday 29th July 2023at 10am
Using the Slow Ways walking network, Barnet artist and London National Park City Ranger Becky Lyon will introduce you to helpful and stimulating routes that will get you from A-B when you have a little more time to spare or are unable to take public transport.
As we walk we’ll take the opportunity to slow down, tune into the seasons and take notice of the nature around us. We’ll take part in simple and fun poetry-making and word-play exercises to help us open our eyes a little wider and connect to nature as we go!
Creating connections from A-B
Creating connections with other folks in your neighbourhood
Creating connections with ecology around you
For our first walk we travel from Finchley Central to Brent Cross, venturing through the backstreets and passing through Brent Park, along Mutton Brook and Stephens House & Grounds. We’ll finish up just in time for lunch and point you in the right direction for great places to eat on The Finchley Feast Food Trail!
These walks are designed with Barnet Locals in mind to help illuminate alternative ways of getting around the borough without cars or public transport. This activity is delivered in collaboration with Barnet Council as part of the Finchley Central Town Centres Placemaking strategy and the Barnet Active Travel Initiative. Find out more about the exciting public space improvements and community events here: https://finchleycentraltowncentre.co.uk/
The Proper Blokes Club x Slow Ways
Sunday 30th July 2023
The Proper Blokes Club is a community project for men’s mental health. The main aim is to break the stigma of men’s mental health and start talking openly about it. Join in on a walk from Woolwich to Bexleyheath.
Contact with Proper Blokes Club to join. Open to all men.
In the second of our series of “Creating Connections” walks we invite you to join a glorious walk from Totteridge & Whetstone to Finchley Central via the soothing Dollis Brook.
In collaboration with Barnet Council, using the Slow Ways walking network join Barnet artist and London National Park City Ranger Becky Lyon as she guides you through the picturesque paths that connect the two locations. These routes are perfect when you have some extra time or prefer an alternative to public transport.
As we walk we’ll take the opportunity to slow down, tune into the seasons and take notice of the nature around us. We’ll take part in simple and fun poetry-making and word-play exercises to help us open our eyes a little wider and connect to nature as we go!
Creating connections from A-B
Creating connections with other folks in your neighbourhood
Creating connections with ecology around you
We’ll finish up just in time for lunch and point you in the right direction for great places to eat on The Finchley Feast Food Trail!
These walks cater to locals in mind help illuminate alternative ways of getting around the borough away from the car. This activity is delivered in collaboration with Barnet Council as part of the Finchley Central Town Centres Placemaking strategy and the Barnet Active Travel Initiative. Find out more about the exciting public space improvements and community events here: https://finchleycentraltowncentre.co.uk/
From Armada Way Plymouth, at the junction with Royal Parade. To Looe railway station for the return journey,( or alternatively bus stop for return if preferred.) An alternative start point from the ferry at Torpoint could be negotiated with the organiser for the 14 mile option
From the city centre, there is a 3 mile walk mostly along pavement & through Devonport Park to the ferry to Torpoint (free service for pedestrians) From Torpoint on road & footpath to join the coast path at Tregantle Fort. Then using the coast path to Looe.
A wonderful journey through the foothills of Eryri National Park, with spectacular mountain and lake views. We’ll be walking around the base of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) then through Beddgelert Forest. The plan for the day is to meet at Beddgelert, and catch the Sherpa’r Wyddfa bus to Llanberis to begin the walk. There is some rough and boggy terrain on this route, though most of it will be on stone tracks. Good level of fitness required. There is a campsite in Beddgelert if anyone would like to meet up the night before; please let me know when you book if you’re interested.
Walkers are Welcome (Wellington)
Tuesday 12th September 2023
As part of Wellington Walking Festival, organised by Wellington Walkers are Welcome, walk this Slow Ways route, using the Hutchison Way in part. Bring a packed lunch & bus pass/fare, or train fare for return, Estimated return time in Wellington 16:30. Moderate 9 miles. (some stiles) Led by Jean Escott. Catch the 10:00 Bus 102 to Newport from Wellington Bus Station. Note Wellington and Newport are both in Shropshire, both names are ambiguous.
Start from the entrance to Barnstaple bus station on Belle Meadow Road, Barnstaple. Finishing at Capstone Point, Ilfracombe. From the town centre along pavement and minor roads until open countryside, the walk continues alternating between footpaths and quiet country lanes through West Down and then mostly footpaths through to Ilfracombe. There is a regular bus service for the return journey to Barnstaple.
We will be walking along the Bradford on Avon to Trowbridge Slow Ways route, a 4 mile flat route that also runs along the Kennet and Avon canal and the railway. This event is for plus size people only to create a safe and inclusive space. We do not set a size restriction on this, but if you are smaller than a size 18 we would ask you to consider if there might be other groups that you could attend.
The Slow Ways walking network isn’t just about creating an important national infrastructure; sometimes it can just be about having a nice time
If you fancy a holiday and don’t want to stray too far afield, here are some walks to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace by holidaymakers. You might not use these for transport purposes, but there is value in enjoyment and leisure. That’s not to say they’re all easy; some of these are long routes. But if it’s a serene hike you’re after, they’re there for you, having been reviewed by our trailblazing volunteers.
In the true spirit of the “staycation”, we’ve selected walks spread out over the country, in case you’re only looking for a day trip.
The following twelve destination walks were selected for their enjoyment potential by Slow Ways staff and volunteers.
Scotland:
Cloauc one: The Cairngorms in winter from Jo Bennie
Clova to Auchronie on Cloauc one: It’s impossible to choose just one walk for the huge area which is the Highlands… so here’s two. Those who seek a little adventure might take a walk in Jo Bennie’s shoes. In Jo’s winter walking piece, she enjoyed an overnight stay in a bothy during some treacherous conditions. This walk may only suited to those who have undertaken some training first.
Troon to Prestwick on Tropre one: If an overnight trek in the Highlands isn’t your idea of a relaxing holiday, Tropre makes our pick for a walk in urban Scotland. As Slow Ways Chief Technologist, Darren Moore, puts it in his review, in just four miles, this beautiful seaside walk 30 miles south of Glasgow takes in views of the isle of Arran, a choice of sand dunes or accessible paths, and “the UK’s finest ice cream parlour at Mancini’s”.
Northern England:
A favourite conversation topic of university students everywhere: where exactly does the North begin? For that reason, we’ll have to avoid nominating a lovely walk from Beeston into Nottingham.
Horset one: Picture from author’s own trip to Horton-in-Ribblesdale in 2021. Pen-y-Ghent can be seen in the background
Horton to Settle on Horset one: Instead, let’s go safely north to the Yorkshire Dales, where you can’t beat the trip between Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Settle. If it’s a particularly hot day, you can dive into Stainforth Force, a gorgeous waterfall which creates a deep and very cooling pool at the bottom. There’s a great campsite in Horton (You could maybe even fit in a walk up Pen-y-Ghent before starting, described on the park’s website as “a Yorkshire classic and many people’s first peak”) and railway stations at both ends.
Edale station with the District’s titular Peaks in the background – photo by Hugh Hudson
Edale to Hathersage on Edahat one: Meanwhile in the Peak District, England’s first National Park and the historic site of the Kinder Trespass, a world of wonder awaits. Both ends of this Slow Way feature a gorgeous countryside railway station where trains pass on their way between Manchester and Sheffield. There’s also a hostel at YHA Edale which, as your author can personally guarantee, is of the highest quality. Your author can also attest to the incredible quality and quantity of food you get at the Nag’s Head in Edale village. A slight detour could take you down to YHA Castleton if you prefer your overnight stay to happen in the middle of the walk. The walk itself will take in a number of historic peaks, so get your boots on and gear up for some hill-walking.
[Reader suggestion: Hugh Hudson, who has reviewed many of the Peak District routes, suggests that walking Edale to Hayfield may be more exciting, as it takes in a number of the Peaks’ famous… er, peaks. He’s probably not wrong, however this would mean reaching New Mills for the railway connection.]
Patterdale to Ambleside on Ambpat one: Probably England’s most picturesque area and with the name to show for it, the Lake District is well blessed with hostels (particularly YHA) and campsites (including some fancy National Trust offerings) so a walking holiday is well provided for. Ambleside and Patterdale both feature cosy hostels perfect for that kind of getaway. This eight-mile route will certainly feature lots of ups and downs. Alfred Wainwright would be proud!
The Midlands and South of England:
Oldsme one: Another fantastic photo from Steve Litchfield
Smethwick to Oldbury (Sandwell) on Oldsme one: Further down into England, it’s time for a proper urban walk. If you find yourself in Birmingham, you could do worse than this canal-side walk recommended by Saira and many volunteers. If you like post-industrial scenery, this three-miler is not to be missed.
Portishead to Bristol on Porbri two: A similar walk down in the south-west. This one, however, is twelve miles long, and takes in iconic sights including the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Darren and Dan Raven-Ellison both gave it five stars.
Camden Town to Wood Green on Camwoo one: A London walk can be brilliant; as short as you want it to be, bookended by world-class public transport, well served by facilities, and full of both the history and the hustle we expect from the capital. There are any number of great options, but Camwoo makes it as our choice. Darren and Saira both loved this six-mile route, with its amazing views of the modern city as well as a stretch beside Highgate Cemetery, where historic figures including Karl Marx are buried.
Leigh-on-Sea to Southend-on-sea on Leigsou one: Just east of London lies a typical British seaside experience, where this four mile route goes between two railway stations and offers plenty of pubs and chippies to make that four miles last a lot longer than it needs to.
Wales:
The area around Machynlleth is famous for slate – photo by Neil Summersgill
Aberystwyth to Machynlleth on Abemac one: The Land of Song is perhaps at its best in its mountains and its coast. Up in the foothills of Eryri/Snowdonia, you’ll find the picturesque village of Machynlleth packed with independent shops and innovators in the renewable energy sector, thanks to the nearby Centre for Alternative Technology. Twenty miles from there is the glorious seaside town of Aberystwyth with its university, old-school seaside pier complete with nightclub and funicular railway. And would you believe it, there is a fully-checked Slow Way between the two as well as a well-served railway.
Llantwit Major to Barry on Llabar one: Completing the Welsh Coastal Path is a goal many walkers have aimed for in recent years, but most of it is yet to be verified as Slow Ways routes. Not so for this twelve mile stretch, which takes in the famous Barry Island and passes Cardiff Airport on the way to Llantwit Major. With sea views and railway stations at both ends, why not head down for a day out?
🐌
Do you know of any fantastic routes worth making a trip to? Perhaps you know a good walk in Wales that starts and ends with a castle?Sign up, walk it, upload it as a Slow Ways route if it’s not there already, and make sure to review it to verify it. Make sure to tell us about it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Maybe next time we do this list, we will be able to feature a wider variety of routes as more parts of the network become verified.
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