As a keen trail runner and walker, I have been following the development of the Slow Ways project closely. The aim of the project is to link the 2,000-odd major walking “destinations” (mainly towns and cities) through a series of routes that minimise diversion, and can be linked together to form longer, easily navigable routes across the whole of Great Britain.
Last month Daniel Raven-Ellison, “guerrilla geographer” and founder of the project, held a series of webinars to introduce Slow Ways. One of those briefings is now on YouTube (embedded, above) and provides the best insight into the ambitions of the project. Importantly, it also makes clear what the project is not, and how it differs from other great initiatives, such as the LDWA’s database of paths, Sustran’s National Cycle Network, and the Ramblers’ “Don’t Lose Your Way” campaign. I would highly recommend taking the 45 minutes it takes to watch this (in 1.25x or 1.5x playback speed).