Julia Bradbury’s ‘Best Walks with a View’

Julia Bradbury looking out from Noe Stool Play Video

Best known for her work as a Countryfile presenter, Julia Bradbury is also a keen walker who loves exploring off the beaten track. In her new series for ITV Julia travelled the highways and byways of England in search of the ‘Best Walks With a View’, and explored several special National Trust sites along the way.

For each episode Julia picked out a family friendly-trek that can easily be done in a morning or afternoon. As well as taking in the spectacular views, she also took the chance to uncover local history, meet the people who live and work in these stunning locations, and discover the best spot for a pub lunch or picnic.

In episode eight she paid a visit to the Peak District to discover the prime walking country among the hills and valleys of Edale and Kinder Scout. The route Julia picked is a challenging walk with steep climbs but could be suitable for intrepid families with children aged from 8 years upwards.

" I’ve saved my favourite walk until last. We revisit my old stomping ground, the place where I first came exploring with my dad when I was a little girl. I have grown up wandering this lush green Edale valley, which still holds a special place in my heart."
- Julia Bradbury

Julia Bradbury at the bottom of Jacob's Ladder
Julia Bradbury at the bottom of Jacob's Ladder
Julia Bradbury at the bottom of Jacob's Ladder

Kinder Scout is an upland gritstone moorland plateau, the highest summit in the Peak District at 636 metres and a National Nature Reserve. Its peat bogs provide a home for a wide variety of wildlife, and as it sits at the start of the Pennine Way it’s also popular with thousands of walkers.

Kinder was the location for the famous Mass Trespass of 1932, when mill workers from Manchester and Sheffield asserted their right to roam in open countryside.  This event built the momentum for the access movement, leading to the first national park being established in 1951.

Julia met the National Trust rangers who work on Kinder and watched the Search and Rescue Dogs Association (SARDA) out in action. The volunteers and their dogs provide assistance on these moors to walkers who can all too easily lose their bearings when the weather closes in unexpectedly. Luckily the weather was fine and the sun was shining so most of the day was spent admiring the views.