Welcome to Northern Rambler

I am an outdoor enthusiast. I love hiking, cycling and just being out in nature. I am currently undertaking my PhD in philosophy at Lancaster University -  though I spend the holiday period in the County Durham town of Spennymoor, where I grew up. Going off to university broadened my horizons and introduced me to beautiful new landscapes, such as the nearby vastness of the Forest of Bowland and the golden sands of Morecambe Bay. It also placed me within closer proximity to the Lake District, where I have holidayed for many years, and whose mountains and fells shaped my love of the outdoors more than any other place. But I also gradually lost sight of the beauty to be found in my own area, much of which I had - and have - yet to explore. Since the coronavirus lockdown brought an abrupt and premature end to the penultimate year of my PhD, I have spent a lot of time reconnecting with the landscape of the North East, from the very local areas surrounding my home town, to the wider region, including Durham, Northumberland and parts of North Yorkshire. I have also become more interested in the heritage of my area. Part of this, I think, emanates from the rootlessness many modern people face, especially in areas that suffered a loss of a traditional industry; in the case of Spennymoor, that industry being coal mining. I wanted to know about the history of the people, the places, the buildings, and the literature of the North East. Part of this blog's aim is to document my journey through this landscape and its history. But more than that, I am writing this blog both to celebrate the North East and to encourage and assist others, both locals and non-locals, to enjoy it for themselves. This will partly be achieved through documenting the walking routes I have been on for others to use. And also by writing about the landscape itself and its history - including that of the people who shaped it. I won't just be including posts on the North East, however. Having lived in Lancaster on and off since 2014, I also feel a strong attachment to that part of the country. And therefore I intend to write about the cultural and natural history of the Lancashire region too - as well as share walking routes.