This is the fifth in a series of lectures called Footsteps in our Landscape, which looks at different aspects of how we interact with our local landscape, in the past and in the present. The series is organised in association with Berwick Literary Festival and is inspired by some of the themes of 2024's Festival, particularly our local landscape, its history and how we move through it.
Our path network is the fundamental expression of how generations of Britons have interacted with our landscape. Across England and Wales, this movement has been captured in our 140,000-mile-long public rights of way network. In this lecture, Jack Cornish will talk about his personal journey and exploration of the deep history of English and Welsh paths and how this millennia-old network was created, has evolved, and been transformed. A story of salt ways, corpse roads, long distance drovers’ roads and prehistoric holloways. Whilst this path network connects communities across England and Wales, thousands of miles have been lost over time - paths, tracks and trails have been lost to the sea on an ever-eroding coastline, in the defence of Britain in World War Two and through the enclosure of the land. But, whilst some paths have been lost forever, there are thousands of paths waiting to be reclaimed. There are over 1,100 miles of potentially lost paths in Northumberland - paths which are unrecorded and unprotected, that reflect the contours, and which deserve to go back on the map and be enjoyed for generations.
Jack Cornish is director of England (and formerly head of paths) at the Ramblers, Britain’s largest walking charity, and vice-president of the Peak and Northern Footpath Society. In 2017, he walked for 1550 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
Tea and coffee will be served, and all are welcome. There is no need to print out and bring your ticket, as we will have a record of your booking.
All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions. If you book this course online, we will hold your personal data in accordance with our privacy policy. If you do not wish us to hold your personal data, please book by post (see www.berwickea.co.uk) and do not supply an email address.
