The entire North Downs way has been walked with Google’s street camera equipment and will be the first long distance footpath to be covered this way. “We’re putting the best of the British countryside where it’s never been before – on Google maps,” said Peter Morris, the North Downs Way trail manager. From 17 March, when the North Downs Way goes live, the national trails will start appearing on Google Street View. The Cleveland Way will be next. This means that you will be able to follow the Way from your armchair!
My book, North Downs Landscapes, can back this up, providing very informative text, covering why the landscape looks as it does, history and local legends and snippets, and also lovely photographs that cover a wider area than just the Way footpaths. You could browse the book, find an area you like the look of and then go into Google Street view to see how the footpath looks. Alternatively, North Downs Landscapes will stimulate fond memories of the Downs at any time, especially having walked the trails.
My new book, Yorkshire Landscapes, will be published this summer and includes parts of the Cleveland Way as well.
These books are available from Oxbow Books or by contacting me by email, doug@doug-kennedy.com
Hi Doug,
I was born in 1976 and was schooled in the 1980’s, and learned many beautiful Australian songs. I have been searching for a recording if the Bush Night song you mentioned that you did an impromptu performance of in London in a 2013 post. I am wondering if you might consider putting a version of you performing this song on YouTube because there is not one recording that I can find and I think it is a great loss that we Re losing touch with our driving and shearing lore.
Yours sincerely, Lisa
Hello Lisa,
I’ve never been filmed or recorded performing Bush Night, but I could easily do that now (40 years later!). The story of the song is quite interesting and I might post a blog about it. I have a photograph taken at the time (July 1973) which shows my friend Dave Clarke (who has recorded it) along with a callow youth called Paul Kelly – I understand he’s done rather well since! I also have a TV film of it being sung by Aborigines in Wilcannia.
If you send me an email to doug@doug-kennedy.com, it will remind me to do something about it. Thanks for getting in touch.