Ramblings

Clare Balding continues this series of epic walks by meeting up with a retired RAF officer, Lucy Newcombe, who started walking round the coast of Britain last summer. By the time her journey ends she expects to have covered over six thousand miles. Lucy and Clare discuss the kindness of strangers, their love of the British countryside, home-made cake and the best way to deal with dogs. They walk for six miles along the Severn Way and are joined by Lucy's sister in law, Laura, who, as she lives locally, has been operating as landlady, laundress and taxi driver for the past two weeks. She tells Clare about the changes this journey has made to Lucy, once a loner, now discovering that she likes the company of her fellow man. Lucy however insists she's not walking alone to discover herself, find her inner voice or to make plans for a new career. Lucy walks for the joy of it and the chance to see more of the country she loves. Producer: Lucy Lunt.

Clare Balding and the head of Ordnance Survey, Nigel Clifford walk along Wayfarers Walk from Coombe Gibbet to Highclere, on the Berkshire, Hampshire Border. In this series Clare talks to those involved in epic walks of many consecutive days and covering many hundreds of miles. Clare and Nigel talk about the joy of poring over maps while planning such adventures. They are accompanied by Clare's dog Archie, who particularly enjoys their lunch stop. Producer: Lucy Lunt.

Clare Balding continues her series exploring epic walks, by joining four women as they take their final training walk before they set off to complete the eighty-two mile Essex Way, in just three days. Rebecca Rose and her friends have been training since Christmas to walk from Epping to Harwich. They're walking in aid of a local charity close to their hearts, Essex and Herts Air Ambulance. Four years ago Rebecca's daughter Katy's fiancé was involved in an accident at work, he was treated and air lifted to a London hospital by the local air ambulance. Although he sadly died, the family remain very grateful that they attended, as they know he received the best possible care. Katy was pregnant at the time and grandson, Oscar will be there to encourage the walkers at the beginning and end of the walk.Producer Lucy Lunt.

Clare Balding gets serious in this new series of Ramblings as she discovers what it takes to be a more adventurous walker. Today she joins Ursula Martin who walked over three thousand, seven hundred miles, around Wales in an eighteen month period. After being treated for ovarian cancer she decided to walk to her medical appointments from her home in mid-Wales to the hospital in Bristol. Ursula then just carried on walking, raising money for research into the condition and spreading the word about diagnosis. Today she takes Clare on small section of her favourite walk, along Glyndwr's Way in Powys, Mid Wales, starting just outside Llangadfan, they walk for about eight miles to Llanbrynmawr, just west of Welshpool , a few miles south of Snowdonia National park. The route takes them through farmland, onto open moorland and into a pine forest, where the moss covered trees allow their imaginations to run wild. Ursula spent many nights rough sleeping but she also describes the incredible kindness and generosity she received from total strangers who offered her meals, accommodation and the greatest gift of all; transporting her backpack to her next destination. She explains to Clare the joy and pain she found in walking day after day across the country she has adopted as her own. Producer: Lucy Lunt.

An unusual urban walk to finish the series: Clare Balding is in London on the Isle of Dogs for a ramble along the banks of the River Thames. It's not a true island, rather it's enclosed on three sides by the river, and has a rich and fascinating history.Clare is joined by Sarah Wynne, her sister and a friend. Sarah moved to the Isle of Dogs when she was six and grew up there. People are intrigued when she tells them this, they want to know what her childhood entailed: did she ever play outside, or go to the countryside, how did she get to school?For Sarah, walking gives her a breathing space in fast-paced London life. She often walks with only a vague idea of where she is going, and likes to see where she'll end up. She finds it empowering to simply follow her instincts about which direction to take.Producer: Karen Gregor.

Clare Balding walks to Eyam this week - the Derbyshire village best known for its heroic approach to the bubonic plague in the 17th century. She rambles along the brand-new Peak Pilgrimage long distance footpath, devised to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the plague, during which Eyam famously put itself into quarantine to stop the disease spreading further.Producer: Karen Gregor.

Clare Balding joins a group of women in Oxfordshire, who meet every year to remember their friend Catherine, who died of breast cancer at forty-five. Some in the group knew each other before Catherine's death; others have met, and become good friends since. There are her friends from her school days, her book club and from her career as a nurse. Catherine would have been fifty this year and her daughter Sarah now sixteen explains how she has derived comfort from helping to raise money for research into the disease and by getting together with her mother's friends to share memories while walking together. Producer Lucy Lunt.

Clare joins a lively primary school walking club as they ramble through the Dorset countryside. Pupils, teachers, local farmers and parents join the group which has been helping to draw the local community together for twelve years. Starting at a farm near the school, Trent Young's C of E near Sherborne, they walk on footpaths and over private farmland - made accessible by the farmers who help lead the walk - learning about the countryside as they go. Producer: Karen Gregor.

Clare Balding walks from the famous dragon at Bures on the Essex/Suffolk border to Assington in Suffolk. Joining her is a group of volunteers from the Colchester branch of the Samaritans charity. It's a supportive walking-group which helps volunteers to bond and decompress, something that's necessary in an emotionally challenging although rewarding role.Producer: Karen Gregor.

Clare Balding explores Loughrigg Fell, in Cumbria with the writer and journalist, Simon Ingram. With all the passion of a convert, he explains to Clare how he became bitten by the mountain climbing bug and why he wants to pass on his obsession to anyone who'll listen. In the space of a morning they are hit with torrential rain and howling winds but nothing deters them from their walk and Simon also explains how to stay safe while enjoying the mountains of Britain, no matter what the weather. Producer Lucy Lunt.