The 68 mile path stretches from the suburbs of London to the South Coast, taking in some spectacular scenery in Ashdown Forest and Cuckmere Valley along the way. The route was pioneered by the Vanguards Rambling Club in 1965 when a group made their way back to London in a crowded train carriage. During recent years, parts of the route have become overgrown and fallen into disuse. With help from a LHI grant, members of the Vanguard Way project which include local school children, storytellers, scientists and educationalists, have been working together to bring the delights of walking to a new generation.

Seeing the landscape through new eyes
River Ocean Foundation is running the project, and they’ve worked with children from three primary schools in the local area. Kids have been encouraged to make repeat visits to the Vanguard Way, to help them see the changing nature of the local surroundings throughout the seasons. They’ve had lots to say about how they feel about the countryside and the issue of signposting on a local golf course on the route. River Ocean Foundation have also worked closely with storytellers, who are searching for local tales from the local community. The resulting stories will be available of the Vanguard Way section of the River Ocean Foundation website. People will be able to download the stories from the website and use them as a guide when walking sections of the Vanguard Way. There will also be a series of shorter circular walks, suitable for families and those who are unable to walk longer distances.

Talks and walks
This spring and summer, the Vanguard Way project is hosting a range of guided walks led by storytellers and scientists, helping to uncover local folklore and highlighting the natural flora and fauna along the route. Check the events section for further details of walks coming up this summer. Eventually, the group hopes to link the Vanguard Way to other footpaths on the other side of the English Channel, giving people the chance to walk all the way from London to Paris. The aim is to open up the international route within next two years.