I took my husband back to my old university last weekend for an alumni reunion. We stayed in a nice hotel in Clifton - the Victoria Square Hotel - and spent the Sunday doing a boat trip round Bristol harbour; it was fun and fascinating. In the run-up to last weekend I remained a reluctant alumnus ( -a?) and avoided the formal dinner and speeches that were also on offer on the Saturday. I know that going back to one’s youth often yields regrets and the rueful acknowledgemen

I have just been proofreading a little book about Public Paths for Pitkin. Not a book to guide you along specific walks but a general handbook about the origins of ancient rights of way in England and Wales (paths, cattle droves, Roman roads etc) and the different types of public path now in existence. The book explains that all local authorities are required to keep a record of public rights of way on their patch (a Definitive Map) and – if one is prepared to put the resear