Ramblings

David Blunkett takes Clare Balding for a walk across Beeley Edge in the Peak District. Joining them are his wife, Margaret, and his guide dog, Barley. Despite being blind from birth, Lord Blunkett has always been a keen rambler and is President of his local Ramblers group. En route they encounter half a dozen cattle, which have to be navigated carefully as David once had three ribs broken by a cow which, he recalls, came towards him with a 'primeval bellow' and knocked him over. They also pass the lakes that supply the extraordinary gardens at Chatsworth House, including the Emperor Fountain built to impress a visiting Russian Czar... who didn't turn up.Scroll down to 'related links' for information about the local area.Location Producer: Tom Bonnett Producer: Karen Gregor

Clare is climbing Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham in today’s Ramblings. At 330 metres above sea level it’s the highest point in Gloucestershire, and of the Cotswold Hills. With her are Chas and Sue Howes who live at the foot of the hill, and have a strong connection to it. Until 2012 Chas was the Finance Director of a major international clothing company. When he left he spiralled into a severe depression, something he now realises he had suffered from for many years. He says the business world is still a place where it’s very difficult to discuss mental health issues. Cleeve Hill and Common have been something of a lifeline for Chas: alongside medication, walking and running on the hill have improved his physical and mental health. He is now a trustee of its conservation body which raises money to protect and improve the hill and its surrounding land. Details of organisations offering information and support are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline Please scroll down to 'related links' for more information on the support available. Also for more information about Cleeve Hill.Location Producer: Tom Bonnett (Producer: Karen Gregor)

Clare Balding is with a group of young LGBT+ ramblers who meet once a month to explore the green spaces close to Manchester. Run by The Proud Trust, the outdoor adventures group is for 18-25-year-olds and is designed to combat social isolation and build both confidence and physical fitness. They always meet within striking distance of public transport and, today, are starting on the Chester Road in Stretford which is a mile from Trafford Park station. From there they walk partly along the River Mersey to Chorlton Water Park. It’s a local nature reserve which was created during the construction of the M60 motorway, when gravel was excavated and the resulting pit flooded to create the lake. Please scroll down to 'related links' for information connected to the walk location and The Proud Trust.Location Producer: Tom Bonnett (Producer: Karen Gregor)

Clare Balding is joined by singers Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh of the band Deacon Blue to walk one of their favourite coastal routes in Fife. Starting at Elie they walk along the beach passing through the village of St Monan's ending in the picturesque fishing town of Pittenweem. Ricky and Lorraine have been married for over thirty years and perform together as part of the band, as well as having their own careers in broadcasting and acting. They say the secret to their enduring relationship is doing things together as a couple and sharing the same interests, one of which is walking. One of their favourite areas to walk is the East Neuk in Fife reputed to have some of the driest sunniest weather in the UK because of its sheltered position between the Rivers Forth and Tay.Producer: Maggie Ayre

Clare Balding joins a unique family ramble in Dorset. She is walking from Osmington Mills to Weymouth with Simon Waley and his three Dutch sons-in-law. They are here, from their home in the Netherlands, for a three day hike along a stretch of the South West Coastal Path. Simon is British; he met and married a Dutch woman and moved to the Netherlands more than twenty five years ago. They have three daughters and each met a Dutch man. For the first time, Simon – a very keen walker, who regularly comes back to the UK – is bringing his three Dutch sons-in-law to experience long-distance British trekking. He says the culture of walking is very different in the Netherlands where every square inch of land has a specific purpose, there aren’t many public footpaths, and agricultural land is out of bounds. When people do walk, it’s usually in huge, organised groups along a network of rural roads. Simon wants his family to experience both the freedom of British walking and the unique delight of youth-hostelling, something they haven’t done before.Producer: Karen Gregor

Clare Balding walks with sisters Georgina and Rebecca - both mothers of young children - who started a group called Go Wild Go West to help inspire other young families to get out and enjoy the outdoors. They have happy childhood memories of exploring and adventuring in nature and are concerned that children today are losing touch with the thrill of walking and playing outdoors. They take Clare on a circular route around from East Harptree in North Somerset. It's a walk designed to delight and entertain the children who build a den, climb trees and find a rope swing along the way. The children are free to roam and explore with the mums a safe distance behind.There are more walks and ideas for days out on their Facebook page GoWildGoWestThe walk is from East Harptree Woods up Smitham Hill and down Harptree CombeProducer: Maggie Ayre

Clare Balding meets a group of native American women who live and work in the UK. A sense of isolation and homesickness led them to the Rainmaker Gallery in Bristol seeking connection with other indigenous people. They now meet regularly. Clare joins them on a walk around Henley in Arden in Warwickshire and hears how despite different tribal affiliations, the common cultural and spiritual backgrounds they share bring great comfort to them thousands of miles from home. Leandra Nephin is from the Omaha tribe of Nebraska and grew up on the reservation there. Sarah Sense is a Chitimacha artist who met her husband while she was exhibiting her work at the Rainmaker Gallery in Bristol run by Joanne Prince, while Stephanie Pratt is an academic and art historian from the Dakota Crow Creek tribe. Melinda Schwakhofer is Muscogee Creek and through her artwork is attempting to reconnect with her culture from her home on Dartmoor.The walk: Start Henley in Arden Centre ending Preston Bagot Church. Distance approximately four miles OS grid reference SP151660Producer: Maggie Ayre

Clare gets lost in the rain as she walks to meet two extraordinary sisters in their 90s. Both were code-breakers during WW2, and one invented the TV classic, Ask the Family.Pat Davies and Jean Argles both worked in espionage during WW2. Pat helped the Royal Navy intercept German Naval Traffic at coastal stations, while Jean was a code and cipher officer based in Cairo, then Italy. Throughout the war, their father was a Prisoner of War. He was Lt Colonel Cary Owtram who was in charge of the infamous Chungkai Japanese Prisoner of War camp. There, he found himself responsible for the wellbeing of thousands of other prisoners including those used to build the notorious Death Railway which featured in the film, Bridge on the River Kwai. Incredibly, Lt Col Cary Owtram managed to keep a secret diary which Pat and Jean have recently published: "1000 Days on The River Kwai" (scroll down to 'related links' to find out more). Following the war, Pat worked in TV. She produced University Challenge and the Sky at Night. She also devised and produced ‘Ask the Family’. Pat and Jean grew up in the Dolphinholme area of Lancashire and have fond memories of walking, riding horses and fishing with their family. They still enjoy walking, although the routes they take are now understandably shorter than they once were.Producer: Karen Gregor

Clare Balding joins singer Feargal Sharkey for a river walk on the south London/Surrey border along the River Hogsmill one of just 200 chalk streams in the world. He's always been a rambler and is currently walking all of the river routes of London. He is often dismayed and pleased in equal measure at the state of our rivers as he is a passionate advocate for water health and quality. The walk is part of the London Loop and starts from Ewell West Station and ends at Kingston upon Thames passing through Old Malden.Producer: Maggie Ayre

Clare Balding goes walkabout with a group of Australian women who call themselves The Norfolk Broads. They include a Colman, of mustard fame, and one ‘honorary Aussie’, actually a Texan who once dated John Wayne’s son. They’ve all ended up living in this eastern corner of England and have discovered fun and companionship by exploring their new home on foot. They walk a stretch of Norfolk’s Boudicca Way from Diss to Shimpling. On the way, Clare discovers what brought them here, how they've adapted to their new home, and how to pronounce local town names... Producer: Karen Gregor