Discovering hidden delights

THE UK’s Top 10 secret trails that can only be accessed by foot has been compiled by the National Trust as part of The Great British Walk – the Trust’s third annual two-month walking festival.

The list has been compiled following research, reported by the Trust, which revealed, among other things, that:

• Nearly one in four adults (22%) said they rarely go for walks
• 17% never venture more than 500 metres from their car.

Despite this, the survey revealed that:

• 68% of those questioned described a feeling of euphoria on reaching the summit of a walk or an amazing viewpoint
• Eight out of 10 (80%) said walking makes them feel happy.

If you want to find out more about The Great British Walk and discover the country’s Top 10 secret trails, visit the National Trust website at:  

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/activities/walking/walking-festival/

Beautiful rowan trees seen through silhouetted tree trunks.

IN the meantime, if you are a community group, school or youth group in the UK, did you know that you could be eligible for free packs to help you plant more trees? The Woodland Trust has 4,000 tree packs to give away.

The packs are distributed twice a year, in March and November, and come in three sizes:

• small (30 trees),
• medium (105 trees)  
• large (420 trees)

They are designed to help groups choose the right mix for their area – small copse, small hedge, wildlife, year-round colour, wild harvest, wetland and wood fuel.

To find out more, log on to the Wood Trust site at: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/moretreesmoregood/about/Pages/about.aspx

You need to hurry, though. Deadline for ordering trees is September 13

.Apart from their importance in the eco-system, trees enhance the experience of any walk, especially in an urban area. 

I went for another walk this morning in the copse near where I live. This time it was more of a stroll and to take photographs. With all the leaves on the trees at this time of the year, and the thick undergrowth, it’s sometimes difficult to believe that only a few yards away is a busy main road.

Canopy of green over a woodland trail.