Walker links three environmental charities through a random cross-section walk across Britain

This summer, 51-year-old Richard Smith from Wokingham in Berkshire is walking straight across Britain along the line of the 52^nd parallel north, also known as 52° North.

As the crow flies, it’s 270 miles from Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast to Fishguard in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.  Full details are at http://www.52inBritain.co.uk/.

Richard will be raising money for three forward-looking charities, spread right across the country, but all linked to 52°N, and who share a focus on important environmental issues:

• The Wilderness Foundation which runs a green school in Essex just south of 52°N giving over 5,000 young people each year direct experience of the natural world

• The Woodland Trust which is the UK’s largest woodland charity, protecting, planting and restoring woods – their first millennium wood is right on 52°N in Oxfordshire

• The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) which is Europe’s leading eco-education and visitor centre, north of 52°N in Wales, demonstrating all aspects of green living.

The idea for the walk started as a response to family loss: Richard’s wife, aunt and mother all died from cancer over the last 5 years, and his dad died shortly after his mum.

Richard’s parents met in Reading Rambling Club in the early 1960s, and the family was brought up walking, so getting outside for some fresh air and exercise, particularly as an antidote to bereavement, was a natural idea.

The notion of walking along a straight line of latitude was about discovering a random cross-section of Britain.  The family already had connections to 52°N: Richard’s mum and aunt were from Essex, his dad’s parents were from Gloucestershire and South Wales, and they had enjoyed family holidays at this latitude at Snowshill, Hay-on-Wye and Fishguard.

In planning the walk, Richard became amazed at all the fascinating places that just happen to lie on 52°N.  So, on each of the walk’s 32 days, he’ll be visiting one of these amazing places and chatting to some of the inspirational people there, including:

• Bawdsey Radar Museum right on the Suffolk coast
• Hedingham Castle in Essex
• Wisbridge Solar Park in Hertfordshire
• Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire
• The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes
• The University of Buckingham in Buckinghamshire
• Hook Norton Brewery in Oxfordshire
• Batsford Arboretum in Gloucestershire
• Westons Cider Mill in Herefordshire
• Bronllys Well Being Park in Powys
• Alltwalis and Brecha Forest West wind farms in Carmarthenshire, and
• The Last Invasion Tapestry in Fishguard Library in Pembrokeshire.

The walk ends on Richard’s 52^nd birthday, at the spectacular YHA Pwll Deri Youth Hostel high up on the Pembrokeshire cliffs.  The response from each place has been fantastic.

So, despite all the current national uncertainties, through taking a literal cross-section of Britain, Richard expects to find a story of positivity and hope, rich in history and with a confident outlook for the future.  What started out as a way to cheer up just himself will actually reveal a picture of positivity for Britain as a whole.

This sense of optimism for the future is what Richard’s three chosen charities are all about, focussing on young people, trees and sustainable living.

Donations can be made here: https://www.justgiving.com/teams/52inBritain

Full details of the walk, including a 2-minute trailer video all about the walk and what it means, are here: http://www.52inBritain.co.uk

The walk starts on Tuesday 25 June and ends on 9 August 2019 – look out for updates as Richard crosses the country on Facebook @52inBritain and on Instagram @52inbritain

Enquiries about the work of the Foundation or to contribute to its work with young people and the environment in Essex can be sent to [email protected] or see their website www.wildernessfoundation.org.uk.