Page 22 - Walks Around Britain

The Walks Around Britain team is a small team of dedicated professionals – all of whom love walking and the outdoors.

Some have their own projects and join with us for a walk or two, whilst others are based at WAB HQ in Yorkshire working on the tv series, the website, social media, live streaming, DVDs and podcasts.

Andrew White - Presenter, Writer, Senior Editor & Producer

As well as being our lead presenter and producer, Andrew is an in-demand freelance writer, for magazines such as BBC Countryfile, Coast, Discover Britain, Britain, County Life, RAIL, Your Dog, Camping, Lakeland Walker and Walk - the magazine of The Ramblers.

In addition to magazines, Andrew is currently writing the first four titles in a new walking book series designed for him by Pen and Sword Books, and has been commissioned to write a book for Summersdale. He wrote all three editions of the best-selling AA Guide to Yorkshire, and is just starting updating the AA's 50 Walks in the Yorkshire Dales walking guide book.

Andrew is currently one of the Ordnance Survey's #GetOutside Champions for 2018/9, with the aim of inspiring more people to discover the Great British countryside.

Andrew is often called upon to speak at exhibitions, shows and festivals - including the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show, the British Tourism & Travel Show and the Manx LitFest. In 2016 and 2017 he was the main speaker on the Explore Britain stage at BBC Countryfile Live.

And you'll probably hear and see Andrew on BBC Local Radio and Television talking about walking, the great outdoors, dogs and - his other major passion - railways.

Visit Andrew's own website here, follow him on Twitter here and here on Facebook.

Claire Maxted - Presenter

Claire is a journalist and presenter who started on Trail magazine and ended up becoming the co-founder and former editor of Trail Running magazine, the UK's only bi-monthly dedicated to the exciting, adventurous and muddy world of off-road running.

She now has a YouTube channel, Wild Ginger Films, providing off-road running advice, athlete interviews, gear tests and race recces and is also a keen running leader & warm up coach at her local running club, Stamford Striders.

She says, "Running is great, but it isn't for everyone, and the mental & physical health benefits of a good brisk walk in your local countryside shouldn't be underestimated. Walking is the best way to start your journey to fitness.

Follow Claire on Twitter here

Leah Hather - Presenter

Growing up on a farm in South Yorkshire gave Leah a taste of the outdoor life from an early age - being a tomboy climbing the trees and walking the fields. In 2009, she graduated from the University of Salford with a BA Hons in Performing Arts. Leah's interests and hobbies include dancing, especially in Ballroom and Latin, choreographing and reviewing films.

Leah has visited many places in Europe with one of her favourite countries being Malta but Leah's biggest aspiration is to tour around the United States as she has always wanted to visit LA, go to a ranch in Texas and walk down Broadway. At the moment, though, she is walking around Britain and loving every minute.

Visit Leah's movie review website here and her Twitter feed here

Vikkie Richmond - Presenter

Vikkie graduated with a Journalism degree in 2004. But after a change in career as a retail manager, it wasn't until a decade later when she returned back to her writing roots and created her food blog and YouTube channel, Tastefully Vikkie.

When she's not cooking, you'll usually find Vikkie with her fiancé and Border Collie, Hans in their 3rd campervan and exploring areas by foot.

But by 2016, she started documenting her own camper van conversion, adventures and DIY jobs on her now in-demand YouTube channel and blog, The Carpenter’s Daughter.

Vikkie has been featured on BBC One, is a regular guest on her local radio station BBC Coventry and Warwickshire and has been shortlisted for several blogging awards.

Colin & Shaun Dobson-Fox - Presenters

Who better to present their favourite canal walks than Colin and Shaun, who have enjoyed the sailing the rivers and canals and walking the towpaths of the UK for over twenty years.

Colin is an experienced radio presenter and personal trainer, who also writes for canal magazines and enjoys photographing the beauty of canal side landscapes, wildlife, and architecture. He also blogs about mental health issues and living with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

After travelling the world, Colin and Shaun bought their first narrowboat in 2004 and explored the canal network before mooring at Stanley Ferry in Wakefield. They are now having a brand new narrowboat built and plan to move aboard full-time in the near future.

‘The Foxes’ as they have become known run the popular YouTube channel, Foxes Afloat where they post video blogs documenting their adventures on the canal on their soon to completed new narrowboat ‘Silver Fox’.

Zoë Dawes - Presenter

Having lived and worked around the world for many years, Zoë decided to share some of her adventures on her award-winning blog The Quirky Traveller. With a quirky take on life and travel, she regularly contributes articles and blog posts for tourism organisations in the UK and around the world - and she won the title ‘Britain’s Best Travel Blogger’ in 2011.

Zoë divides her time between the beautiful countryside in North West England and travel abroad working with a collective of bloggers called Travelator Media. She delivers Travel Writing, Blogging & Social Media seminars and workshops and also coaches individuals in online marketing.

Visit Zoë's website The Quirky Traveller.

Beth Krysta Wilson - Presenter

Beth is a TV presenter and journalist from Leeds. She graduated with a First Class degree in journalism in 2014, and started working soon after as a presenter at Made in Leeds TV - one of the Walks Around Britain broadcasters. She now freelances for a number of companies, including William Hill and Arsenal Fan TV.

She loves walking with her puppy Lupo, and thinks the best hike she's ever been on was in the Santa Monica Mountains in LA. Just wait until she sees the great walks we've got for her on Walks Around Britain...

Visit Beth's Twitter feed here

Fiona Russell - Presenter

Fiona is a highly qualified journalist of some 30 years, and has worked in newspapers & magazines - but today she is one of the UK’s leading outdoors journalists and the powerhouse behind the multi award-winning blog Fiona Outdoors.

On her blog, she writes extensively about the great outdoors - especially Scotland - and she's also a well-known chatterbox on Facebook and Twitter. In fact she's so well-known and respected for her blog that few people know her as Fiona Russell but refer to her as Fiona Outdoors.

Visit Fiona's blog Fiona Outdoors and follow her on Twitter here.