SHORT STEPS

The walking world at a glance…

WALK

One of the most popular low-level walks in the Lake

District has reopened, five years after being heavily damaged by Storm Desmond in 2015. The Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail (which follows the route of an old railway line) has had a £7.9 million refurb, including two new bridges and new path surfaces, plus new interpretation boards looking at the wildlife and history of the line. Best of all; the Bobbin Mill railway tunnel, closed since the railway was axed in 1972, has been reopened and incorporated into the route. More details at keswick.org

WEAR

As if Regatta’s family gear wasn’t cute enough already, they’ve now teamed up with all-conquering children’s icon Peppa Pig.

The range will launch in spring and features 20 products including jackets, fleeces, wellies and splash suits (perfect for jumping in muddy puddles – Peppa’s favourite pastime). regatta.com

VISIT

Hats off to the PR team at

Welcome to Yorkshire, who have made walking the main focus of their campaigns for

2021 under the see-what-they-did-there banner of Walkshire. The URL walkshire.com

includes a Walk of the Day for every day of 2021, and encourages walkers to share their experiences of walking in Yorkshire using #walkshire. They’re also planning a Tour de Walkshire walking event in August to replace the postponed Tour de Yorkshire cycling race. Well played Yorkshire, well played.

HEAR Our favourite folk duo Ninebarrow are back this month with a new album. Like their previous albums, A Pocketful

of Acorns is heavily influenced by the walking adventures of Dorset-based musicians Jon Whitley and Jay Labouchardiere. The title track was inspired by Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, Lord Nelson’s deputy at Trafalgar, who was so concerned by the Navy’s consumption of oak trees that he carried acorns on every walk he ever took, planting them to ensure England never ran out of forests. In his honour, Jon and Jay have launched a project to plant 1000 trees and shrubs at a site near Gillingham in their beloved Dorset. ninebarrow.com