Hello Toggers!
Follow a river
I don’t know about you, but when I walk alongside a river I always feel happy and content. There’s a special magic that comes with being near water. It’s something that has been long understood by painters and poets, landscape gardeners and architects for years – and now the science is there to back it all up.
It was the Kaplans in 1989 who devised the Attention Restoration Theory (ART) which proposes that the natural environment helps restore mental fatigue and improves our directed attention. According to ART, whilst being out in nature helps us, so to does seeing a photo of it. The theory goes on to suggest that if that natural scene has water in it – it is even more restorative. Whilst oceans and seas top the list of water features – rivers come a close second.
There are some amazing riverside walks you can do in the UK – from the Thames Path in Central London to more secluded and isolated strolls deep in the countryside. Some walks will take you from the source of a river all the way to the sea. If you’re looking for inspiration for such a walk … read on!
Start at the source
This week we’re headed to Wales for our walk to do stage one of the Wye Valley Walk in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains of Mid-Wales. The trail starts from as close to the source of the Wye as we can get at Rhyd-y-benwch and takes us downstream, heading towards Llangurig. This stage is purely out in open countryside – so make sure you have everything with you that you need for a days walking as there’s no where to buy provisions en route!
Wye Valley Walk
If you’re looking for a classic long distance trail to do – the Wye Valley Walk is a great option. Running for 136 miles across riverside and hill walking, the trail is split into 17 manageable stages from close to the source in the Cambrian mountains of Wales through to the border with England and the Severn Estuary where it makes its way out to open sea – or, if you prefer you can walk it in the opposite direction. It’s a beautiful walk whichever way you do it that takes in some of the breathtaking scenery of Mid-Wales.
LAST CHANCE! Enter today to win!
Entries for this month’s competition close tomorrow (3rd October) so you need to be quick if you’d like the chance to win a weekend away in Cornwall. Accommodating up to 7 people, you could be whisking your loved ones away to Whitsand Bay Fort for a 3-night stay at Hougoumont House. Clifftop walks, sandy bays, rich history; it’s all waiting for one lucky winner.If you’re reading this after the 3rd, we have one other October competition, a Bradders Bonus at the end of the email!
Three Things For You
Bradders’ Bonus · A chance to win!
Have you ever wanted to explore the great outdoors in a different way? Well here’s your chance. We’ve teamed up with our friends at ICE Trikes and the National Trust to offer ten lucky winners the chance of a unique cycling experience in 2025.
Whether you’re exploring on foot, wheels or pedal power – I wish you lots of
wonderful autumnal outdoor adventures in the week ahead!
