One proposal that has come in for a significant amount of criticism, since it was first announced back in October 2010, is the sale of half the state-owned forests in England. The proposal, outlined on the Defra website outlines the government’s wish to encourage more private sector and civil society involvement in the ownership of this asset, the sale of which could raise and estimated £250m. Some 150,000 hectares of woodland would be under threat in what has been suggested is the biggest sale of it’s type for 60 years.

The idea comes as part of the governments “big society” strategy which, it is said, ‘aims to allow local communities to have a greater say in the protection and use of their local environments.’ What seems to worry many people is that with the increased likelihood of private organisations becoming more and more involved in the management and ownership of woodland, access to such important habitats could be restricted. The result is, as you might expect, a number of campaigns gaining momentum on social networks and at more local levels. One of the most vocal groups opposed to this selloff are based in and around the Forest of Dean where 3000 people have added their voice to many others, in other areas of the UK opposed to the sale.

At the time of writing the proposal was expected to be debated in the House of Lords shortly with Parliament bringing the ‘public bodies bill’ into law within weeks so time, it would seem, is running out. It would seem that anyone who enjoys walking in the countryside, especially in wooded areas, could see a significant reduction in access to such rich and diverse habitats. With felling and power production a likely use for a percentage of this woodland the restriction of access on safety grounds would be easily justified.

The UK economy, along with many others, is struggling with huge debits so it’s natural that those that govern us look to our assets to see if there is anything that can be sold to raise much needed revenue. With the NHS, education and other major and core elements of our society needing to continue to be funded it’s easy to see why something like woodland can be on the hit list. However this is a once in many lifetimes chance. Sell the woodland and destroy it and you can’t put right the damage overnight so maybe a little more consideration would be in order. It took many hundreds of years for much of our woodland to become established so maybe rushing headlong into legislation in a few weeks is too quick.

Phil Pickin is a writer specialising in the inland waterways, wildlife and the environment – his next wildlife column for Walk will appear in two months’ time.

While it’s inevitable there will be much travel misery and more than a few injuries, the snow is also a great chance to see the world differently – and make an ordinary walk into something special. Even the light dusting we’ve had so far in London managed to transform my hike to work completely, turning the generally treacherous Regents Canal towpath – where cyclists and pedestrians engage in a deadly battle for supremacy – into a tranquil stroll past miniature icebergs and confused coots pecking at the ice. Islington’s churchyards looked more like country parishes, while the parks of Bloomsbury were dead quiet except for birdsong. And if dreary old London can look beautiful, I can only imagine what it’s like out in the countryside.

So – with the usual common sense warnings about dressing warmly, telling someone your route and making sure you don’t underestimate the weather – I’d say forget about staying in. Get out there and walk, sledge and ski your way around while you can – and spare a thought for those of us stuck in the office!

Chris Hatherill is web editor of walk

ps. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures – you could win a Nikon camera in our Winter Photo Competition.

One good thing is that many who enjoy walking in the countryside do stand a reasonable chance of seeing one of these endearing animals. OK, you do need to be in the right areas but slowly these areas are expanding. That’s not to say the battle has been won: far from it. However, you don’t have to walk in the Highlands of Scotland to see them.

One of the best places is on the Isle of Wight – an island with special rules in place to protect the reds from anyone bringing a grey onto the island. I’ve seen a red squirrel in Cowes, standing on a grass verge close to a bus stop. (Whether the bus stopped for him, I can’t recall…) I’ve also stayed in a static caravan on a tiny site near Freshwater only to be woken early in the morning by a small group of reds running round on the roof of the caravan! This went on for ages and we all felt very privileged they chose to wake us up.

Further north, Formby Point north of Merseyside is a National Trust reserve which offers visitors the chance to see the squirrels in conifer plantations close to sand dunes. This could be one of the more accessible places to see them in the UK. The Isle of Anglesey is now reporting a few reds in the area, a result of a number of successful reintroduction programs over the last few years. Both of these areas would provide walkers of all abilities with the opportunity to see the red in its natural habitat. Details of some of these locations can be found in the links shown below. Other areas include Dorset, Cumbria and Northumberland.

But without doubt, the area with the best track record and numbers of red squirrels has to be Scotland, and conservationists like the Highland Red Squirrel group work hard to maintain this population and build on it. The main reason for the Highlands remaining a stronghold for reds is the lack of greys in Scotland. As you may have read or heard, the greys can carry a virus which, although harmless to them, can kill reds. Once in an area, the greys cannot only deplete the food supply in the area but also infect the reds, ensuring that even if the reds do manage to overcome the virus the food supply is so low there is little chance of replenishing numbers.  Tree species can also play a part in how successful the reds are in a given area, so with all these factors to take into account it’s easy to see why they have such a hard time keeping a foothold in certain areas.

Rather than reintroduce reds, the Scottish groups have tried to ensure that the greys don’t get into areas populated by reds and they would seem to have had some success (and long may they continue to do so). So, it seems, your best chance of seeing red is to head north. And if you do, make sure you research the location before you go: there’s a lot to learn about when and where exactly to search, and a lot you can contribute towards conservation efforts by reporting any sightings of the red squirrel you may make.

For more information on the red squirrel, you might want to visit some of the following sites:
www.ukredsquirrels.org – for general UK information.
www.highlandredsquirrel.co.uk – one of a number of red squirrel groups in Scotland.
www.wildlifesurveys.org.uk/library_wildlife_red_squirrel_id.html – more general info on the red.
www.redsquirrels.info – conservation group based in Wales.
www.redsquirrels.info/formby_squirrels.html – details of reds in Formby.

Phil Pickin writes Walk magazine’s Wildlife Diary

Two weeks ago, I discovered the inevitable consequence of not locking your wheels when you lock up your bike in London: your wheels promptly disappear.

Since then, as the bicycle mechanics mmm and ahh and produce endless quotes showing that new wheels will cost more than a new bike, I’ve been happily walking to Walk online’s London HQ – trying slight route variations each day with the intention of avoiding traffic fumes while maximising sunshine, scenery and quiet backwaters. As I walked in this week’s balmy spring weather, looking forward to new alleyways, parks, squares and shortcuts, I contemplated ditching the bike altogether in favour of a more relaxed commute. It’s amazing what you notice along the way – here are some of the highlights of my route. It’s fairly direct so if you’re not in a rush why not go off-piste a little and discover more of London’s everyday secrets.

1] Albion Square, E8: Start your walk in this quiet square of smart houses and well-tended gardens. Look out for the crazy 6-wheeled car as you walk East towards the Duke of Wellington pub – a good place to end your adventure if you’re coming from town and doing this route in reverse.

2] East London Line: Meander down through the park past the future site of the Haggerston East London Line tube stop, then along the line towards the new bridge over the canal. Take a right and head east, passing the Kingsland Basin with its odd mix of houseboats and flash flats.

3] Regents Canal: Keep an eye out for coots, swans, Canada geese, moorhens and cormorants as you walk along the towpath – I even saw some kind of bird-of-prey high over De Beauvoir Town this week, but that was a first. Another thing to watch out for – beyond the bikes whizzing past – are the old rope marks under the bridges, gouged into the metal from decades of wear when the boats were pulled through by hand.

4] Into Islington: I usually head south on Shepherdess Walk to catch the morning sun, but if you carry on straight you’ll pass the City Road Basin and enter a blissfully bike-free cul-de-sac before the canal heads underground. From here, you can wander along a park that traces the path of the New River, now mostly covered off. This detour is marked in blue on the map above.

5] City Road: Cutting south with the City’s towers in the distance, you’ll pass through some nicely tended urban gardens and sunlit streets, before arriving in the square behind St Luke’s Church. From there are a number of options, but lately I’ve been heading due west through the narrow streets of Clerkenwell and past the architecture firms around Northburgh St.

6] Ancient Lights: A shortcut that ended up being a dead end, this small close features a weird array of old signs on a house, each mysteriously reading ‘Ancient Lights’. Anyone know what this could be? Will post again if I find out more.

7] Back alleys of Clerkenwell: This historic area is full of amazingly narrow little alleys, none more quaint than the one that passes the Jerusalem Tavern. Take a right after crossing the street and you’ll soon discover another little hidden park as you descend toward Farringdon. Cross the road at the bottom and duck into Faulkner’s Alley, which grows increasingly smaller until you emerge into the chaos around the tube station.

8] Uphill to Hatton Garden: Follow the masses and cross Farringdon Road (the route of the now-buried Fleet River), up past Hatton Garden’s diamond shops and into the imposing red stonework of Waterhouse Square. Considering it was G20 week, the RBS offices here were surprisingly quiet!

9] Into the Inns: Emerge onto the main road and you’ll come face to face with Staple Inn, which dates from 1585. I usually walk straight along to Lincoln’s Inn Fields, but if you’ve got time the area tucked away here is amazing – more like Oxford in its architecture. It’s not all public access, but as long as you don’t look too lost you should be able to walk through quietly.

10] Covent Garden: After a stroll through or around Lincoln’s Inn Fields, as your mood dictates, cross into Covent Garden and pass the imposing Masons Hall. A shortcut down Floral Street takes you under the Royal Opera House’s skywalk, though this route was blocked the other day as Michelle Obama was visiting.

11] The Piazza: End (or start) your walk in the heart of Covent Garden, abounding with pubs and cafés depending on what kind of refreshment you require at this point. If you’re like me first thing in the morning, it’ll usually be the latter by this point.

Chris Hatherill is web editor of Walk Magazine