Englishmum

I was feeling a bit nostalgic earlier today and discovered online the tiny Norman church in the Warwickshire countryside where we were married..

It made me realise just how fortunate British residents are, to be able to freely roam the thousands of public footpaths all over the UK, passing through farms and clifftops, many of them ancient and protected for walkers.

I used to love going for a 'ramble' and take a little picnic and climbing over the stiles and five-bar gates. I've had lovely walks in the National Parks eg. Dovedale in the Derbyshire Peak District,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...ire-Dales.html (scroll down for lovely picture of the countryside)

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in SW Wales (I have cousins living in the seaside town of Saundersfoot) and there is the most gorgeous walk along the clifftops to beautiful Barafundle Bay and a National Trust teashop too!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationP...ire_Wales.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...dle.Beach.html

I've done lovely walks too on clifftops in Cornwall, nr. Robin Hood's Bay in Yorkshire, to Beachy Head in E. Sussex..

We used to go on lovely walks when our children were very little in Epping Forest in Essex and across the open countryside nearby (weald).

I'm currently in a New Jersey suburb (20 miles west of Manhatten) and there isn't any open countryside as far as I'm aware in NJ where one can go walking unless it is a State or county park...forget about footpaths like you get in the UK. When I'm in Singapore there really isn't any countryside, the parks are all 'manicured' although there is one little rustic island where you can go to by bumboat and rent a bike (there are snakes though!).

It makes me realise what a national treasure the British footpaths are...

PS: this is where I was married.....the church is much older than the USA....!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/1800051586/

pinkkristen

I can't agree more. My dad lived out here (ontario) for 7 years and walking in the open countryside was one of the reasons he had to move back (to Ilkley yorkshire). I know and having the saqme thoughts as my dad and crave some beautiful countryside that doesn't require a pay booth to get into!!

We are very lucky and something i totally took for granted!

N1cky

This is something I really miss too, I could walk my dog for miles and not see anyone else.

The attached could have been taken from my old house, this was the view from my bedroom window.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...uide-holmfirth

Englishmum

Wow....what a view!

How does it compare to your current view in LA? (I assume you're in the City of Angels...?)

elfman

I couldn't agree more - although we've just moved further west to a much more undeveloped part of NJ it's still the case that if you want to walk somewhere other than alongside a road you have to get in the car and drive to some ringfenced designated recreation area such as a county or state park, and as far as I can tell that's essentially the norm all over the USA. In fact I have yet to come across any country that has a network of public rights of way across the whole country (including through privately-owned land) like Britain has.

salopian

You are making me very, very homesick.

N1cky

It doesn't, I don't have a view in Los Angeles as I live in the 'burbs and I am yet to come across anything that rivals Yorkshire.

The view in Holmfirth is hard to beat anywhere in my opinion, I missed it when I moved South in the UK, and I miss it now. It truly is a wonderful part of the country.

I don't miss the commute from city to countryside every day though.

Lothianlad

Don't miss out the glorious Malvern Hills, on the border between Herefordshire and Worcestershire.....the home area of Sir Edward Elgar who composed Pomp and Circumstance...Land of Hope and Glory, so well suited to this area of England where my grandparents live, near Ledbury, Herefordshire.

The Malvern Hills are an ideal base for walkers and ramblers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUahD...eature=related

pinkkristen

Gorgeous, thats similar to the views from my village, i used to run up to Ilkley Moor and admire the endless views of the valley! Making me homesick too!! Now i have to run around the burbs of endless housing, whereas i used to run into the hills and the only thing i might see would be cows and sheep - proper escapism!!

brits1

Thank you for the sites...lovely,, just lovely...your thread came at just the right time for me, as our date is nearly upon us to leave Aus I cannot believe the amount of people this weekend who have said some awful comments about us leaving..luckily I am glad I do not really know these people but still these remarks stick with you so to speak...so thank you once again...we plan on visiting the Blue John Mines region when we are "back home" especially heading to Bakewell...(I just love those tarts...lol...)and you are so right, as with a lot of the "old countries" there is so much history and culture to see and all on your doorstep.....(if you live in Europe)

brits1

We visited Holmfirth 3 years ago in April we sat outside a lovely olde worlde "pub/wine bar" on a very warm cloudless blue sky (honestly) listening to Jazz being played just in the little square near the pub...on our way home (heading towards near Manchester) we stopped on off for something to eat...again in an olde worlde restaurant/pub...had a great meal chatting to complete strangers sitting near to us and our boys having a grand old time....a wedding was being held in the events room and sheep were grazing near the huge windows with views all over the moors....priceless really.

salopian

Please, please stop I can't take anymore. I don't go home till July!Yesterday I walked the dog through Bundoora park (Melbourne) nothing but brown dead grass and bloody gum trees, can't wait to get back to beautiful Shropshire then the dog will see some real countrtyside

LIBBY

I completely agree...Dovedale is amazing and Lathkill Dale and Miller's Dale all in Derbyshire...They are such nice places to walk by the river and over the stepping stones. Mum used to ask me where I wanted to go for my Birthdays when I was a kid and I would always choose Lathkill Dale for a picnic....happy days!!

We are having to come back in October as the Hubby's Dad is seriously ill and Hubby wants to spend time with him. (hope he is OK till then).

But as for the walking, bring it on, I miss it sooooo much here as it's all gumtree's and more gumtrees!!!!

corinamac

We are trying to hang on til end jan as we have only been here 3 months but want to give it a full year as all my hubby's family are here and don't feel it's fair to head back home after such a short space of time-it's a killer.

Aussied out already- even the husband and he's Australian!! Hope we can last 9 months

pansy

I am moving back to my derbyshire, born and bought up there. been living near florence. Have two oes missed it to much, the walks pub lunches just eveything about the place the people the humour. My dad took me walking in the dales from 6 months old I am now retired Luckily I have a house to go back to.