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The Guardian
22-07-2025
- The Guardian
The Parallel Path by Jenn Ashworth review – a soul-searching walk across England
When Jenn Ashworth set out on Alfred Wainwright's 192-mile coast-to-coast walk, from St Bees in the west to Robin Hood's Bay in the east, she was stepping out of character. Her daily circular walks round Lancaster during lockdown were no real preparation, and a brief orienteering course was no guarantee that she wouldn't get lost. She wasn't walking for charity or running away from a marriage or, like the fell runner who'd done the route in 39 hours, trying to break any record. A homebody 'inclined to slowness', she was a 40-year-old novelist, professor and mother of two going off on her own for two-and-a-half weeks for reasons she couldn't quite articulate. Not that there weren't contributory factors. Lockdown had left her with post-Covid cabin fever, itchy to be elsewhere after the long months of caring for her family and students ('a one-woman battle against entropy'). She also knew that at every pub and guest house she'd booked en route supportive letters would be waiting from her terminally ill but brilliantly animated friend Clive. Most importantly, although her walking wouldn't be solitary, since she couldn't avoid bumping into other (potentially annoying) hikers, she'd be 'the sole owner of my own skin again'. As she flogs herself 'onwards towards impressiveness', her journey is marked out plainly. The chapters detail the distance and destinations of each day's walk. They also convey how brittle, sour and grumpy she can be, and how blistered and footsore she gets: she might be 'off on a jolly' but there's a price to pay, in pain and guilt. She doesn't go in for nature writing: when she evokes 'the damp green air and the heavy, alive smell of the still-wet branches and mulchy undergrowth', it's a plain-as-muck authentic response, not a 'soft' poeticism. Maybe that's down to her being grittily northern. She does reflect on what it means to come from the north, but her version of northern-ness isn't Alfred Wainwright's, whose 'gruff complaining' she engages with throughout – enjoyably and sometimes scathingly. He's not the only fellow traveller in her head. Nor is Clive, with his letters, nor Ben, her late first husband, whose 24 marathons in 24 months, completed after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, were an amazing achievement. Mostly it's writers she carries with her – Henry David Thoreau, William Hazlitt, Werner Herzog (who walked from Munich to Paris to see his dying mentor) and Virginia Woolf – whose ideas inspire her own. (Had it come out sooner, David Nicholls's novel of last year covering the same route, You Are Here, might have featured too.) What's captivating about her book is all the thinking she does mid- or post-trek: on writing, friendship, welfare, illness, Charles Atlas, climate change, protest marches, knitting, and why it is that in popular mythology 'walking women' are either models on a catwalk or sex workers. As she wanders, her mind wanders. Solvitur ambulando: she's not sure what exactly it is she's trying to solve by walking, but the book's as much an invigorating mental workout as it is a hard physical trudge. Memories surface, too, from childhood and adolescence: of a girl called Alice she knew who died in a 'horrible accident' when Ashworth was 10 and whose photo she hid in a bottle; of her volunteering for the Samaritans as one of the women (Brendas, they were called) who'd listen on the phone to distressed or lonely callers, including men who'd masturbate as they talked; of how she returned to Preston from Cambridge University 34 weeks pregnant at the age of 21 and made it her home again. In her last nonfiction book, Notes Made While Falling, Ashworth devised a method that married narrative fragments with philosophising lyrical essays. Here the storyline is simpler – a walk, start to finish – but the method is much the same. Towards the end comes the threat of failure. She loses her balance and falls – no injury is sustained, but the dizziness feels ominous. Then a heatwave arrives, making the scheduled completion of the walk impossible. The complications gather to a major health crisis, closer to home than the one affecting Clive. Mercifully, there's an upbeat outcome, adding another layer to the motif of care. The walk that the author saw 'as a break from the labour of care turned out to be a path that led me deeper into understanding my own need for it'. 'Not until we have lost the world do we begin to find ourselves,' Thoreau wrote. Ashworth didn't walk 192 miles in order to find herself. But she's newly conscious afterwards not of her stamina and sure-footedness but of her frailty, of how 'my body is more fragmented and vulnerable than I wanted it to be'. Despite her guise as an 'armoured little being stomping her way across the entire country', she's forced to embrace a new kind of gentleness. And rather than exulting in independence, she's back among friends and freshly available to 'the traffic of love'. Chastened but buoyant, she's stimulating to be with, her book the best kind of walking companion. The Parallel Path: Love, Grit and Walking the North by Jenn Ashworth is published by Sceptre (£20). To support the Guardian order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- The Guardian
The Parallel Path by Jenn Ashworth review – a soul-searching walk across England
When Jenn Ashworth set out on Alfred Wainwright's 192-mile coast-to-coast walk, from St Bees in the west to Robin Hood's Bay in the east, she was stepping out of character. Her daily circular walks round Lancaster during lockdown were no real preparation, and a brief orienteering course was no guarantee that she wouldn't get lost. She wasn't walking for charity or running away from a marriage or, like the fell runner who'd done the route in 39 hours, trying to break any record. A homebody 'inclined to slowness', she was a 40-year-old novelist, professor and mother of two going off on her own for two-and-a-half weeks for reasons she couldn't quite articulate. Not that there weren't contributory factors. Lockdown had left her with post-Covid cabin fever, itchy to be elsewhere after the long months of caring for her family and students ('a one-woman battle against entropy'). She also knew that at every pub and guest house she'd booked en route supportive letters would be waiting from her terminally ill but brilliantly animated friend Clive. Most importantly, although her walking wouldn't be solitary, since she couldn't avoid bumping into other (potentially annoying) hikers, she'd be 'the sole owner of my own skin again'. As she flogs herself 'onwards towards impressiveness', her journey is marked out plainly. The chapters detail the distance and destinations of each day's walk. They also convey how brittle, sour and grumpy she can be, and how blistered and footsore she gets: she might be 'off on a jolly' but there's a price to pay, in pain and guilt. She doesn't go in for nature writing: when she evokes 'the damp green air and the heavy, alive smell of the still-wet branches and mulchy undergrowth', it's a plain-as-muck authentic response, not a 'soft' poeticism. Maybe that's down to her being grittily northern. She does reflect on what it means to come from the north, but her version of northern-ness isn't Alfred Wainwright's, whose 'gruff complaining' she engages with throughout – enjoyably and sometimes scathingly. He's not the only fellow traveller in her head. Nor is Clive, with his letters, nor Ben, her late first husband, whose 24 marathons in 24 months, completed after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, were an amazing achievement. Mostly it's writers she carries with her – Henry David Thoreau, William Hazlitt, Werner Herzog (who walked from Munich to Paris to see his dying mentor) and Virginia Woolf – whose ideas inspire her own. (Had it come out sooner, David Nicholls's novel of last year covering the same route, You Are Here, might have featured too.) What's captivating about her book is all the thinking she does mid- or post-trek: on writing, friendship, welfare, illness, Charles Atlas, climate change, protest marches, knitting, and why it is that in popular mythology 'walking women' are either models on a catwalk or sex workers. As she wanders, her mind wanders. Solvitur ambulando: she's not sure what exactly it is she's trying to solve by walking, but the book's as much an invigorating mental workout as it is a hard physical trudge. Memories surface, too, from childhood and adolescence: of a girl called Alice she knew who died in a 'horrible accident' when Ashworth was 10 and whose photo she hid in a bottle; of her volunteering for the Samaritans as one of the women (Brendas, they were called) who'd listen on the phone to distressed or lonely callers, including men who'd masturbate as they talked; of how she returned to Preston from Cambridge University 34 weeks pregnant at the age of 21 and made it her home again. In her last nonfiction book, Notes Made While Falling, Ashworth devised a method that married narrative fragments with philosophising lyrical essays. Here the storyline is simpler – a walk, start to finish – but the method is much the same. Towards the end comes the threat of failure. She loses her balance and falls – no injury is sustained, but the dizziness feels ominous. Then a heatwave arrives, making the scheduled completion of the walk impossible. The complications gather to a major health crisis, closer to home than the one affecting Clive. Mercifully, there's an upbeat outcome, adding another layer to the motif of care. The walk that the author saw 'as a break from the labour of care turned out to be a path that led me deeper into understanding my own need for it'. 'Not until we have lost the world do we begin to find ourselves,' Thoreau wrote. Ashworth didn't walk 192 miles in order to find herself. But she's newly conscious afterwards not of her stamina and sure-footedness but of her frailty, of how 'my body is more fragmented and vulnerable than I wanted it to be'. Despite her guise as an 'armoured little being stomping her way across the entire country', she's forced to embrace a new kind of gentleness. And rather than exulting in independence, she's back among friends and freshly available to 'the traffic of love'. Chastened but buoyant, she's stimulating to be with, her book the best kind of walking companion. The Parallel Path: Love, Grit and Walking the North by Jenn Ashworth is published by Sceptre (£20). To support the Guardian order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The UK's most breathtaking coastline revealed - and it has 'views to rival Malibu'
A popular coastal destination has been named the most breathtaking in the UK - and it has stunning views to rival Malibu. A new study has uncovered 30 of the most-loved seaside towns across the UK - and two Cornish locations have placed in the top three. Nearly 70 per cent of Brits even believe the UK's coastal views easily rival those abroad. And more are opting to ditch an international beach break to explore the beauty on their doorstep. Of the 30 destinations listed, St. Ives, Cornwall has taken the top spot as the nation's favourite coastal location, thanks to its stunning beaches, clear waters, and picturesque harbour. Though Malibu is known for its glamour and high-end lifestyle, it's been said that St. Ives has 'views to rival' the Californian coastal city - famous for its golden sands and blue waters. In 2022, St Ives was also crowned the happiest place to live in Britain, scoring highly on several factors such as how much people feel a sense of belonging to their area and whether there is access to green space. Following in second place as the UK's favourite coastal destination is Robin Hood's Bay, in North Yorkshire, while Cornwall's Padstow came in third, in the study by commissioned by Haven Holidays. Located 6 miles south of Whitby on the Yorkshire coast, Robin Hood's Bay is a picturesque fishing village known for its charming cobbled streets, historic atmosphere and beautiful coastal setting. Meanwhile, the town, civil parish and fishing port of Padstow offers traditional Cornish pubs, beloved fish and chip spots, a farm and a quaint harbour. Ranking fourth is the Isle of Skye's Portree, famed for its distinctive row of colourful buildings by its harbour, followed by Pembrokeshire's Tenby in fifth place. Simon Palethorpe, CEO at Haven, says the outcome of the survey 'goes to prove you don't need to go far from home to get picture postcard views and scenery'. He adds: 'There's nothing better than starting and ending your day with a sunrise and sunset view over the sea - even more so when it's on home soil. 'Brits are still so surprised by the breathtaking coastline we have in the UK.' Meanwhile, a new study has found that of the five most-loved seaside destinations across Europe, four are in Britain – with Welsh locations performing particularly well. The UK beaches are ranked higher than any of the coasts in popular holiday haunts such as Spain, France and Greece. TOP 30 BREATHTAKING UK COASTAL VIEWS St Ives, Cornwall Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire Padstow, Cornwall Portree, Isle of Skye Tenby, Pembrokeshire Poole, Dorset Ilfracombe, North Devon Portmeirion, Gwynedd Shanklin, Isle of Wight South Downs Salcombe, Devon Weymouth, Dorset Brighton, East Sussex Llandudno, Conwy Bournemouth, Dorset Hayle, Cornwall Filey, North Yorkshire Porthmadog, Gwynedd Southwold, Suffolk Lydstep, Pembrokeshire Stromness, Orkney Berwick, North East Great Yarmouth Lochinver, Sutherland Tynemouth, Tyne & Wear Hastings, East Sussex Whitstable, Kent Plockton, Ross and Cromarty Aberystwyth, Ceredigion Pwhelli, North Wales Barafundle Bay Beach in Pembrokeshire was ranked in second place in the analysis from Holidu, an online holiday rental portal. The Welsh bay has a stretch of golden sand and clear water – it is often compared to a beach in the Caribbean. The beach is only accessible via a half-mile walk from the nearest car park, which gives it a true sense of seclusion. Continuing to fly the flag for Britain in third place is the charming Traeth Mwnt on the west coast of Wales, known for its white sand and scenic coastal paths.
The Sun
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
This house has appeared on DOZENS of hit TV shows – but would you recognise it?
A HOUSE that has featured in dozens of hit TV shows has hit the market for a cool £2million. The property has featured in The Hairy Bikers and Homes by the Sea - and played host to artist Barbara Hepworth when she was younger. 6 6 Marketed by Croft Residential the £2 million Grade II listed property has been described as Yorkshire's most photographed home. Beacholme in Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, was built right on the beach and dates back to 1650. Painter and sculptor Barbara Hepworth spent her early life holidaying at the property with her family. She painted many of her masterpieces from her bedroom window. The property featured in an episode of the Hairy Bikers Go North with Si King and Dave Myers cooking langoustines on the balcony and in the kitchen. Charlie Luxton Filmed an episode of 2014 series Homes by the Sea that featured the property heavily. Agents Croft Residential said: "Beacholme offers an extraordinarily rare opportunity to acquire one of the most exclusive and sensational beachfront properties on the Yorkshire coastline." The historic property was listed on Rightmove on the 17 of June for a staggering £2 million. It boasts three floors, three bathrooms and three bedrooms with each getting its on en suite. The house offers several balconies and terraces that overlook the sea and the beach - one of which was used to film an episode of the Hairy Bikers. Inside three bed family home on Irish market for €170k on 'generous site,' in 'desirable location' The same terrace was used by Johnny Vegas to record an episode of his popular Shedtown radio series. Croft Residential said in their listing: "Beacholme is a piece of living history, only previously passed down the generations through word of mouth: this is a once in a lifetime chance to own something irreplaceable." Located in the historic town of Robin Hood's Bay Beacholme is a mere 6 miles from Witby and 16 miles from Scarborough. The property is built right on top of the beach with the sea reaching Beacholme's exterior walls at high tide. 6 6 Every window and balcony of the property offers a stunning sea view and the local town can provide all the essential amenities. Private steps lead from the property to the sea offering easy beach access to the owner. Croft Residential went on to say: " Homes of this calibre - with direct beach access, panoramic views, and a front row seat to the Jurassic coastline - are incredibly scarce and almost never come to market. "Whether you're dreaming of a serene coastal retreat to call home or an utterly unique holiday escape, this exceptional property delivers on every level, combining comfort, character, and an unrivalled location by the sea." Beacholme came on the market on June 17 and is currently open for viewings and bids. 6 6 Inside the 'saddest' Grand Designs house Savills's listing reads: "The property represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take on and finish the specification and fit out of one of the UK's most spectacularly situated coastal homes. "The bespoke design has been brought to life through impressive engineering, with the building being anchored to the bedrock, blending whitewashed elevations with steel and glass, culminating with a lighthouse feature at one end giving almost 360-degree views of the coastline. "The position combines privacy with a diverse range of breath-taking views, all set in around 3 acres, which includes a large area of foreshore, a private tidal beach area and coves." The property is set in three acres of land and is equipped with an infinity pool and a hot tub as well as a spacious driveway. Nic Chbat, director of Match Property estate agents in North Devon, who previously assisted with finding a buyer last year said at the time the sale stalled after the timeframe for the sale "expired". He added the previous buyer was 'still wanting to buy the property,' and the sale was still expected to proceed. The new listing though would suggest the purchase was never made with the sale now being handled by London-based estate agents Savills. A spokeswoman for both Savills and the receivers Bellevue Mortlakes said: "The sale represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase one of the UK's most spectacularly situated coastal homes and for the buyer to put the finishing touches to the property's interior to their own specification. 'The current sale price (offers in excess of £5.25m) represents fair value noting the prevailing economic and heterogeneous nature of this opportunity. "The property has panoramic sea views and is set in grounds of over three acres, including foreshore and a tidal beach, with accommodation extending to over 6,260 sq ft. 'The detached guest lodge/holiday let accommodation extends to about 1,270 sq ft and is included in the sale price. 'Subject to registration with the agents, the receiver has provided an extensive suite of information and supporting documentation relating to the building's history, construction and title, which are available via an online data room."
