OTHER SOURCES
Free unless otherwise stated.
BANFF MOUNTAIN MOVIES (banff-uk.com/watch) ★
The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour was put on ice by Covid-19 but the organisers have released their favourite short films as free downloads. Pick of the bunch for walkers is Paul’s Boots (below). Aussie Paul Evans bought himself three pairs of boots with the dream of walking the Appalachian Trail. But after his untimely death, his widow enlisted teams of hikers – complete strangers – to carry the boots along the trail for him. The result is a really special 38-minute film.
HIKING WITH KEVIN (YouTube)
Actor Kevin Nealon likes walking, and takes his celebrity friends with him for a chat. Ever dreamed of sharing a hike with Kim Basinger, Eddie Izzard, Lisa Kudrow or Lin-Manuel Miranda? These 20-minute videos are where it happens.
LIFE OF A MOUNTAIN
(stridingedge.com, £15)
Terry Abraham’s extraordinary films tell the stories of Scafell Pike and Blencathra with stunning footage and enlightening interviews. The stridingedge website also sells other walking DVDs hosted by Eric Robson, David PowellThompson and Paul Murton. 4K VIRTUAL HIKES (bit.ly/virtualhikes)
A 53-video playlist of stunning real-time ultra-HD walks through some incredible US landscapes. Calming and beautiful, you can lose hours wandering among forests and mountain mesas.
MILE… MILE AND A HALF
(themuirproject.com, £3)
A wonderful documentary following a group of friends as they hike the 211-mile John Muir Trail through California from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney. An eye-opening look at the way Americans hike (including bear-proof jars, hiking permits and bridgeless river crossings).
THE MOUNTAIN
(itv.com) ITV’s wonderful series about life on and around Snowdon is free on their website, along with the recent follow-up Return to the Mountain. Great photography and rich stories of people and wildlife.
SPEND MORE TIME IN THE WILD
(YouTube)
Abbie Barnes’ inspiring channel takes you to all corners of the UK and beyond – and is now full of advice and encouragement from her own back garden. See page 14 for more about Abbie.
WALKS AROUND BRITAIN
(multiple channels) Individual day-walks from all around the country, filmed and narrated by the always enthusiastic Andrew White. Episodes are available via walksaroundbritain.co.uk, with highlights on YouTube and Amazon Prime.
WALKING BRITAIN’S
LOST RAILWAYS WALKING BRITAIN’S
LOST RAILWAYS
(Britbox, subscription required) Britbox (the streaming service from BBC, ITV and Channels 4 and 5) is strangely low on walking content, but Rob Bell’s abandoned railway wanderings are fantastic.
(Britbox, subscription required) Britbox (the streaming service from BBC, ITV and Channels 4 and 5) is strangely low on walking content, but Rob Bell’s abandoned railway wanderings are fantastic.