Julia Bradbury encounters different sights on her Studland walk
Outdoors celebrity Julia Bradbury is lacing up her boots for another series revealing some of Britain’s best walking routes.
The woman who helped popularise some of Alfred Wainwright’s Lakeland walks starts a six-part series on ITV on Friday with a route along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast to Old Harry Rocks.
The walk offers views to the Needles and the Isle of Wight, along the ancient Dorset coastline and inland over the Purbeck countryside. Julia Bradbury’s journey takes in miles of golden sandy beaches, the dramatic history of the bay and internationally important heathlands en route to the chalk stacks on Studland.
Julia said: “It’s always a great feeling to tog up and get the walking boots back on.
“In this series I get to explore some of our most distinctive landscapes and show off the enormous variety of our countryside. For a small island we sure have a lot to boast about.
“Walking is for everyone, so I’m hoping to show viewers some of Britain’s best in this series and inspire them to get out there and have fun.”
The first walk takes her to Old Harry Rocks
Britain’s Best Walks sees Julia Bradbury showcase the nation’s top landscape trails, guiding viewers to well known, iconic walks, as well as more surprising, hidden gems, and reveals breathtaking diverse landscapes, with spectacular aerial photography.
Julia said she is always on the lookout for great walks, and with thousands of routes across the UK to choose from, this series offers her insider’s guide to well known and lesser known gems – from coastal drama trails to epic fells.
Using her expert knowledge and experience, each week she chooses her favourite walk from a distinct type of British landscape, ranging from islands, lakes, fells, countryside, coastal and riverside walks.
The first programme in the series will be broadcast on ITV on Friday 6 January at 8pm.
Hull Pot and Pen-y-ghent feature in the second programme. Photo: Bob Smith/grough
The second walk, on Friday 13 January, will see Julia Bradbury summit Pen-y-ghent, the lowest of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks, from Horton in Ribblesdale.
Half way up, Julia takes in the spectacular sunken-cave of Hull Pot, England’s largest natural hole, which in wet weather has a stunning waterfall – and discovers how elephants once roamed the Dales.
As she reaches the dramatic summit, Julia spots the remaining two challenge peaks: Whernside and Ingleborough, clearly visible in the breathtaking, far-reaching views above the magnificent Dales.
Steven walton
06 January 2017Is the photo of the beach looking towards the mountains from sands holiday park at gairloch wester ross
Bob
06 January 2017The photos of Julia are those supplied by the TV production company. We're guessing they were taken at Studland Beach in Dorset, which is the subject of the first programme.
Bob, editor
jim
08 January 2017Julia likes to say “Walking is for everyone, so I’m hoping to show viewers some of Britain’s best in this series and inspire them to get out there and have fun".
Julia, not everyone who likes to enjoy nature and the outdoors can walk.
Beth
12 January 2017Can this programme not be used to educate people into what kit is essential on their walks into the mountains??? Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for Julia to suggest anyone walking these routes will need the following kit.........etc, and also should be able to use a map and compass.
Not rocket science is it really?????
happy hillwalker
13 January 2017Jim you need to watch the Pen y Ghent episode then as some it is about enjoying the hills when you are unable to walk...
Colin Holmes
14 January 2017Beth, you’re absolutely right.
These programs offer the ideal opportunity to mass broadcast the message of correct lit, navigation skills etc etc to the wider public but they always fail to do so. They just seem determined to put it across that you can simply turn up in your car with no kit, no preparation and no experience required; just park up and off you go in your jeans & trainers. Admittedly a huge proportion of people refuse listen to advice anyway, but the message might just get through to some folk.
In the past these programs have been the root cause of quite a few rescues.
Mark
15 January 2017Is this a centre piece for a load of whingers!! Anyone with any sense would obviously look up what they would need for one of these walks, Julia has a lot to go through in less than 30 minutes to pack in information about the area and normally talking to locals, etc. in order to give the viewer a flavour of the experience.
Colin Holmes
15 January 2017Dear me Mark, you must be so out of touch with what happens on the back of these programs. Anyone with any sense would, as you say, look up what they would need for one of these walks, but sadly lots of people watching won’t have any sense.
Yes, we all know she has a lot to go through in 30 minutes but we also know these shows can influence the complete novice (I don’t mean that in a bad way), so 2 minutes of basic advice would be 2 minutes well spent. These are the people that might just benefit from being pointed in the right direction from someone on TV. After all TV personalities seem to be the only people anyone takes notice of these days when everyone is born an expert at everything.
Margaret
16 January 2017Always a dilemma when aiming to promote an activity in this way.
Easy to enthuse, but not so easy telling people there is equipment to buy, time and effort needed learning how to use it and valuable experience to be gained.