Countrystride #29: DOROTHY WORDSWORTH & Women walking pioneers

...in which we take a lockdown-necessitated virtual walk up Scafell Pike with historian and author Kathryn Aalto, whose new book, Writing Wild, gives voice to women walking pioneers whose writing has deepened our connection to the natural world. Taking a 200-year overview of nature writing, we discuss the life and legacy of Dorothy Wordsworth, inspiration behind the most famous poem in the English language, and the key role she played in the lives of the Lakeland poets. Relocating briefly to the shores of Ullswater we discuss the Romantics' backlash against industrial 'progress', learn why James Rebanks is Kathryn's Cumbrian hero, talk about how landscapes can heal both individuals and societies, and attempt to answer the question, when walking in England, how does it make you feel?

• For more about Kathryn's book 'Writing Wild' see www.kathrynaalto.com/writing/

• Find Kathryn on Twitter at twitter.com/kathrynaalto

Ullswater - it was in Glencoyne Park that Dorothy spotted her brother's iconic daffodils.

Our long-distance guest for the day, Kathryn Aalto.

Kathryn atop Scafell Pike.

Members of the Rural Writing Institute gathers in Matterdale.