Between the Chalk and the Sea is the story of how the author decided to walk the 240 winding miles between the chalk hills and shifting seascapes of the south coast, to rediscover a journey she found (as a faint red line) on an antique map in Oxford’s Bodleian Library. This Old Way was walked from Southampton to Canterbury by medieval pilgrims to reach the celebrated shrine of Thomas Becket.
Why does being a woman walking alone, still feel like a radical act? Blending history, anthropology and geology, Gail’s walk reveals the rich natural and cultural heritage, found on our own doorstep.
Chalk download is unique, and supports one of the richest habitats for flora and fauna in Western Europe. I grew up in chalk country, and I’ve lived no or near chalk hills for most of my life. From the Chilterns of my childhood home via the Berkshire Downs near Oxford, to the Yorkshire Wolds not far from where I now live.
about the author
Dr Gail Simmons is a lecturer on nature and travel writing at Bath Spa University. A former journalist, she previously ran travel writing courses at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
The pace is pleasantly unhurried. Simmons observes the natural world with precision and affection, from the modest summit of Ditchling Beacon to the sopping lowland of the Weald. Times Literary Supplement
