So Jimmy, how have you found walking with the Ramblers members and getting to know them?
I always find Ramblers some of the best people to talk to, because they've always got stories to tell and hints and tips to give you, that could be everything from what snack to pack, a good pub to visit, walking kit, the best trails to follow, all these things. I view meeting up with the Ramblers and going on a walk as a bit like a roving dinner party. You’re getting exercise, but you're also having a nice chat, socialising and meeting people you've never met before. It's just a wonderful thing.
“Some people don’t necessarily feel connected to the countryside, like somehow it's not really part of their makeup, but it is. This is all our land. And the way to celebrate it is to get out there on the footpaths and get walking.”
What made you want to get involved with the Ramblers in the first place?
I think it's important that we celebrate our countryside, and joining the Ramblers is a great way of doing that. Going through the countryside, through the highways and byways, the tracks and trails, walking along the rivers, are all a great way to engage with our natural environment.
The second reason is to really highlight the importance of outside activity. And that has been really heightened since the pandemic. Not everyone wants to go to the gym, or fork out for expensive exercise bikes. Simply going for a walk is really good exercise. A good hour’s walk is the same as half an hour's light jog. Taking a break from the normality of life is really important. Just take five to go for a walk, blow out the cobwebs, and you come back feeling like you’ve had a proper break.
Do you think some people don’t appreciate quite what they have on their doorstep in terms of diversity of landscapes and wildlife?
I think familiarity can sometimes breed contempt – the idea that you can't see what's in front of you. But within our own towns and villages, or wherever we live, there's a whole network of pathways in parks, nature reserves, along canals, everywhere. And it's also great to go to other parts of the country, and really celebrate our moorland, our mountains and our coastlines, our marshes, all these beautiful areas. Sometimes we forget that we’ve got this beautiful, natural gift. And these areas are changing all the time. It's not static. If you visit them in winter they’ll be totally different than in spring or summer.
“It's good to feel small – it puts you in perspective with nature, and also gives you room to breathe without all the clutter we're faced with.”
How important is it to get a new generation walking and really celebrating the countryside?
I think something as simple as going for a walk along the footpath can unite us all as people and as a country. We live in a massive melting pot in the UK – different cultures, different religions, you name it. Sometimes we find it hard to come together, but the countryside should be a great unifier. Some people don’t necessarily feel connected to the countryside, like somehow it's not really part of their makeup, and that’s a real shame. This is all our land. I’d love to see everyone experiencing that joy of walking.
So following on from that, why should someone who doesn’t visit the countryside much become a Rambler?
I think it gives you a reason to get out there. It's about meeting new friends and also finding new routes. And it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be up in Cumbria, on the fells or long coastal walks. Don't get me wrong, it’s amazing to do that, but it can be as simple as going on a lovely little local ramble.
Your career is so busy both on and off screen, so how important is it for you personally to be able to get away from it all?
So important. If I’m out on my own walking the dog I might be thinking about things I've got to do the next day or what's coming up at first, but just putting yourself in the landscape is a really good leveller. It's good to feel small – it puts you in perspective with nature, and also gives you room to breathe without all the clutter we're faced with.
The other thing I love is that when you're on a good walk, and you're having a really in-depth conversation with someone, sometimes the walk slightly disappears because you’re so wrapped up in the moment. And of course, we're surrounded by modern technology – everyone's got a phone or smartwatch, with the news being beamed in, emails and all of it. But when you’re having a real conversation, you get engrossed in it and all of a sudden you look up and you're at the end of the walk. And then it’s time for the pub!
“It doesn’t matter if you don’t hit your pledged miles – it’s getting out there and giving it a go that counts.”
As your TV exploits with Jamie Oliver show, you’re a seasoned foodie. So when you go for a long country walk, what’s in your picnic basket?
Oh, that varies massively. Sometimes I add to it on the way. It could be a handful of wild garlic here, some freshly picked blackberries there, scrumping a few apples or pears hanging off trees – I like to keep it quite simple. It's usually a hunk of cheese wrapped in cloth, maybe a bit of bread. But if there’s recently been a Sunday lunch, it might be a nice bit of roast beef and horseradish in a sandwich. But I think the most important thing for me is a flask of tea. No matter what the weather – the hot sun, the freezing cold, whatever – a warm cup of tea is a wonderful thing to have halfway through a walk.
How do family walks tend to unfold in the Doherty household?
We start off as a quite solid unit. And as the walk progresses, it stretches out. And what happens is that the older kids are forging ahead, finding somewhere to make a camp. Then there tends to be the parents, or sometimes just the dads chatting away if we’re with friends. And then further back will be the little straggler kids that can't walk anymore because their boots are too heavy. So it gets longer and longer, but the good thing is the dog runs in between all of them connecting us back! It’s lovely because I remember being a kid and going on walks like that, and then you all come back for Sunday lunch afterwards. It’s a great feeling of collectiveness.
And finally, as you know the Ramblers is asking people to pledge their miles for 2022? How many miles do you reckon you'll be able to walk this year?
I think 50 miles over a year isn't too difficult to do, little by little. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t hit your pledged miles – it’s getting out there and giving it a go that counts.
Will you join Jimmy? To pledge your 2022 walking miles for the chance to win amazing prizes, including £1,000 towards a family walking holiday with Haven, click here.
The Ramblers is generously supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, as part of the lottery’s Climate Challenge initiative. People’s Postcode Lottery manages lotteries on behalf of 20 Postcode Trusts.
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