The river is dotted with brightly painted houseboats and even the residential properties on the opposite bank have a colourful carnival appearance. Every so often a blustery shower passes over, disappearing as soon as we secure hoods or open umbrellas

There can be no doubt that a national trail is a Good Thing. The South West Coast Path generates over £300 million a year for local businesses, and supports over 7,500 jobs. The case for establishing a path all round the coast could hardly be more compelling

From the South West Coast Path to the Pennine Way, National Trails are our most popular and successful walking routes. But the Government wants to change how they’re managed. David Foster examines the proposals and hears the concerns of several parties who’ll be most closely affected by them…

The future of England’s most prestigious walking routes remains uncertain after the Government announced plans to change how 2,500 miles of National Trails are managed from 2013…

National Trails are the crown jewels of all our long-distance paths, and as big a draw for walkers internationally as Big Ben or Loch Ness are for tourists…

Like all National Trails, the North Downs Way is extraordinarily well-maintained. The waymarks and signage, aka ‘aids’, is excellent; I hardly even refer to my map. This is entirely deliberate; National Trails are meant to be as easy to use as possible, which is partly why I, and approximately 12 million visitors each year, enjoy them

The future of our National Trails could be secured if there was a national champion to support and promote them…

The sun’s declining rays kept the butterflies about; marjoram scented the breeze; the ox-eye daisies and the bee-orchids were just finishing; agrimony, meadow vetchling, pyramid-orchids, white bedstraw, and rock rose and yarrow were out in force.

It is difficult to see how any of those who devised this plan have laced up boots let alone walked along any one of the thirteen English National Trails.

Ramblers has launched its ‘Campaign for National Trails’ in response to new government proposals for the management of National Trails in England – which the charity fears would cause a dramatic decline in their quality…