Way back in time...
The first long-distance footpath I ever attempted was the Offa’s Dyke Path. One autumn, with my now-wife, I tried to walk the entire 177-mile route in two weeks, camping on the way.
Well, after 14 days we staggered to Kington, about halfway. We’d overpacked (did I really need that spare pair of shoes? Or two saucepans?) and each day was a slog. But my goodness, I’ve never forgotten the beauty of that walk: the tranquil hills, rivers thronging with life, goldening woodlands and welcome inns at the day’s end. And there is more of the dyke – the huge rampart – than you’d expect, which adds a poignant history to every step. Julie Brominicks packed much more sensibly than I did; follow her pain-free adventure on page 20.
Offa’s Dyke Path frequently passes heather-clad moorland as it winds north and these windswept uplands are becoming a battleground. Andrew Griffiths looks at how the annual burning of these moorlands to support grouse shooting is angering some communities and could be detrimental to the environment. It’s a key debate in how we use the countryside in 21st-century Britain (page 54).
Lastly, I welcome three heroes of mine this month. Writer Helen Macdonald shares her love of autumn fungi on page 42. Then the Horrible Histories genius Simon Farnaby talks about his new children’s book inspired by his rural childhood and the Dark Ages on page 70. Simon would love Offa’s Dyke. And my third hero: the Thames sailing barge (page 58). Enough said.