Author of Volume 1 and 2 of 100 Walks From The Poppy and Pint has recently released Volume 3. Below Trevor Riddiough talks about his mission:
‘A ridiculous number of walks from a single place – which just proves that our countryside can be opened up – lockdown or not’
I live in an urban community called Lady Bay right on the edge of the City of Nottingham. The River Trent separates us from the City, via Trent Bridge. Local people were saying that they were bored and fed up with walking the same two walks up and down the river every day during lockdown. So, I decided to try and put this right. Surely, there must be more than two walks in this area of Nottingham?
I work as a volunteer guide and mountain leader for a worldwide holiday company. I am used to scoping walks, describing them, annotating maps and making walks accessible to others. I have now been grounded by Coronavirus. So, I wanted to use my expertise for the benefit of the local community while keeping me sane during this lockdown!
I set myself the challenge of finding and describing 100 quality walks starting and finishing at our local pub – The Poppy and Pint! I discovered footpaths, old and new, and put them to good use making interesting and sometimes challenging walks from 5 kms to 25 kms long. Something for everyone! I wanted to prove to local people that the countryside of Nottinghamshire is not only worthy but can also generate the same feelings of awe and wonder and challenge and satisfaction as being on any walking tour at home or abroad. I also wanted to prove to people that there is more choice of quality walks than we might think, and that these walks can be ‘coronavirus safe’. This is particularly the case now that we are into our third lockdown with all its travel restrictions.
100 Walks from the Poppy and Pint is the result – a vast range of walks from our very doorstep to wild, lonely or interesting locations off the beaten track of the regular lockdown walkers all starting from our local pub in Lady Bay. Volume 1 was published during first lockdown; Volume 2 during the second and now we have Volume 3 – Winter Walks from your Doorstep – bringing the total number of local walks to 101! Each walk comes with a handy reference guide and map. The guide is available free of charge on the local brewery website (Castle Rock Brewery) or by an email as a pdf attachment.
After Volume 2, I said I would hang my boots up for the last time. I never thought that there would be another lockdown! Suddenly, there seemed to be a need to devise more walks away from the honey pot of Holme Pierrepont and the Watersports area, but accessible from home. So here they are: 24 new walks to add to your collection! I hope that they serve you well and give you the chance to exercise in new places and in different areas.
In his introduction to the book, Trevor says: “It is a remarkable thing that I still set out on a local walk with the eagerness I feel when I climb the mountains that were so much part of my everyday life before the first lockdown. I have thoroughly enjoyed my walks whilst this guide has been in preparation, much more so because I have walked with a purpose, knowing that you might follow me in my tracks. Yet recently, I have to admit that my gaze has been wandering more and more from the path and away to the fells of the Lake District, to the mountains of Snowdonia, the Scottish Highlands and to the treks in the Alps. While we can only wish and dream of such adventures, I hope that, like me, you will settle for this, the very best that Nottinghamshire can offer us. And if you do, it will have served us well.”
The response to this work is best summed up by recipients of the book:
Of course, I am missing the coast and Derbyshire BUT at the moment counting our blessings and the profound saying ‘Less Is More’ has never been more apt.
Thanks again for the work in this these walks and for sharing.
Your list so highlights how truly blessed we are in a small radius! – Trevor Riddiough
- Look out for Volume 4 – Walks up to 40 minutes’ drive from the Poppy and Pint! I wrote this Volume last November and December. However, the new Lockdown has delayed its release due to travel restrictions. I promise to release this as soon as the Lockdown eases!