Each picked an area that means a lot to them. The films will be shown at the same time in the different BBC areas — with all 11 available on iPlayer. Here, three stars recall their riverside strolls.
‘Swim in white-water rapids was terrifying’
KIDS telly presenter Kirsten O’Brien, 46, picked the River Tees in Middlesbrough. She says:
“I was born in Middlesbrough but I’ve never really walked the top end of the Tees and it was lovely getting to know it.
“I’m not an exercise fanatic but I do like fresh air.
“Billowing smoke and industry are often people’s impression of Middlesbrough, but it’s a wonderful area for countryside.
“We started in South Gare, the narrow sand spit that juts out from the southern end of the estuary at the end of 86 miles of river.
“We headed inland to High Force, a waterfall in the North Pennines. It was an old Victorian attraction.
“Even though it was November, I did some white water rapid swimming. It was terrifying but exhilarating.
“We also went to Egglestone Abbey in Barnard Castle, where we met a cheesemaker and an amazing artist.
“There are a lot of interesting crafts and traditions and everywhere we went, people said: “Don’t tell everybody, will you?”
“They like to keep it as their little gem.
“These days I live in Henley, near the River Thames, but Teesside has a special place in my heart.
“I carry around with me a picture of Roseberry Topping – a local hill we’d hike up – to remind me of home.”
‘It’s a passion I want to pass on to my children’
FORMER JLS singer-turned-farmer JB Gill, 32, explored the River Stour in Kent. He says:
“I grew up in Croydon, South London, but moved to north Kent eight years ago and now I have a smallholding.
“The Stour is one of only 200 chalk rivers in the world, which makes it crystal clear. You can spot fish including pike, plus kingfishers diving for food.
“We started off in the quaint village of Wye, which has a great farmers’ market that is very close to my heart.
“We spent a bit of time in the historic cathedral city of Canterbury, which still has a village-type vibe.
“The Stodmarsh Nature Reserve is full of reedbeds that attract all types of migrating birds. We also popped into Godmersham Park, which features on the £10 note. It is where Jane Austen got her inspiration for some of her books and is a beautiful spot. There’s a bit of everything along the river – villages, cities and stately homes, ending at Pegwell Bay.
“Walking is such a pleasure because it gives me time out from the daily onslaught of information and noise.
“It’s therapeutic to recalibrate, especially by a river where you can really hear the running water and the sounds of wildlife.
“It’s a great way of getting into the countryside because you have a landmark you can follow and not get lost. They usually link different towns so you can stop for a bite to eat or a drink.
“We get out as a family for dog walks regularly. My son Ace is four and we’ve also got Chiara who is four months old, so there’s a buggy board on her pram for Ace to stand on. She’s given him licence to cruise if he gets tired!
“Walking is definitely a passion for me and one I want to pass on to my kids.”
‘I’d like ashes to be scattered here’
THE Sun’s wildlife correspondent Stanley Johnson, 78, walked along the River Exe in Exeter with his daughter Rachel. He says:
“I grew up in this area and I’ve never tired of its magic. I think the 60-mile-long Exe is one of the most beautiful rivers in the whole country. It runs from Exe Head in West Somerset to Lyme Bay in South Devon, and it also runs right past our family farm in the parish of Winsford that my parents bought in 1951.
“I still remember driving home from prep school, down a very bumpy two- mile driveway, and seeing the house for the first time.
“That summer I swam in the river for the first time and that’s something that me and later my children have done for many years since. It’s clean, cold and very beautiful.
“The Exe is home to kingfishers, which are simply enchanting to spot, and the area nearby has wild ponies and around 3,000 red deer.
“I’ve been all over the world – I’ve just returned home from seeing tigers in India and visiting the jungle in Australia, where I commented on I’m A Celebrity – but Exeter remains top of the list for me. There is wonderful scenery, brilliant moorland and nearby Woolacombe Beach is one of the UK’s best.
“And, of course, we have the superb cream tea. I must point out I put the cream on first, then the jam.
How lucky I am to have spent so much of my life in the West Country.
“When I look back on the great sweep of my life, I realise it has been shaped by growing up on that wonderful farm and always having it in the back of my mind.
“I’d like my ashes to be scattered on the land. That’s what it means to me.”
- River Walks, December 10, BBC1, 7.30pm.
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