Take a walk Marcus Leach selects eight favourite trails

FOR MUCH LONGER than I care to, or can actually remember now, I have been craving space and the freedom to go somewhere, anywhere that isn’t home. Instead, I have found myself, along with the rest of the nation, confined behind the all-too-familiar walls of my house and my mind.

At last, after many long weeks, it seems there’s light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel.

With the restrictions on movement and our ability to travel to outdoor spaces now slowly starting to ease, and with a roadmap of how they will continue to do so being laid out, there is a rising sense of optimism that all of us might yet be able to get away on a trip or two during the summer.

There being no imminent prospect of any travel abroad is a lesser concern, because we have all that we need right here in our green and pleasant land.

It is that very land that I, and many others, have craved. The rolling hills, craggy mountains, magical woodlands and vast open spaces.

For that reason, as we tentatively start planning our first post-lockdown journey, our focus is on submerging in the wilderness – and for our family, there’s no better way to do that than by walking. What’s more, given that many of the local attractions might well remain closed for some time, and with the continued need to maintain social distancing, it’s one of the few activities still available.

As a family, we have always loved walking, even if the pace and distance of our walks have decreased somewhat since the arrival of children Harrison and Dorothy! But if anything, we have learnt that we don’t need to hike endless miles for a walk to bring just the same amount of joy and satisfaction as the longer tramps that we used to take.

Simply walking through somewhere unfamiliar and empty is enough to soothe the soul and allow us to feel, as author Jules Renard aptly said, “The body advances while the mind flutters around it.” There’s something meditative about a good walk, in that you can switch off and escape from the world, at least for a few hours.

It’s been our daily walks from our front door that have kept us sane in the past months. Now we are wondering where our van, and our feet, will take us as restrictions begin to lift.

Fortunately, we have the lovely Brecon Beacons right on our doorstep, but looking further afield, there are some truly incredible walking trails, all of which can form part of a great summer staycation road trip.

Here’s a selection of our favourites.